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MONTH IN REVIEW Fern Exposition Management Acquires the Company from Freeman BY HIL ANDERSON, senior editor Cincinnati, OH – A management team led by Fern COO Aaron Bludworth and backed by an investment group acquired Fern Exposition & Event Services from Freeman June 30. Freeman CEO Joe Popolo said the decision to divest Fern came aſter an intensive review of the strategic goals of the two companies. "It became clear that it was in the best interest of both compa- nies for Fern to continue operating as a standalone entity," he said. Fern's management team was also ex- pecting a bright future for the company. "We are excited to open a new chapter of Fern's impressive legacy and enhance our well-proven model of personalized service. Te future is very bright for our team of exposition and event experts, and our diverse client base," said Bludworth, who will assume the position of president and CEO of Fern. Bludworth declined to provide the terms of the sale, but told Trade Show Executive (TSE) the deal was mutually beneficial to Fern and Freeman. Freeman acquired Fern in June 2011 in a package deal with Wheelhouse Solutions that also included Champion Exposition Services and Immersa Marketing. Fern had remained virtually a stand- alone company under Freeman rather than being folded into the Texas giant's familiar brand. "We enjoyed the relation- ship with Freeman and with Champion, but it's exciting to return to Fern's roots," said Bludworth, who joined Fern in 2008. Fern is headquartered in Cincinnati and has eight U.S. branch offices. It has been an independent company for most of its 100+ years. Fern services over 750 shows annually, including several on the TSE Gold 100 list of largest U.S. exhibitions. Like Freeman, Fern began as a family Joseph V. Popolo Aaron Bludworth business and built a solid core of loyal customers for their general service contracting needs for decades. "Tis will enable us to focus on Fern's core model, which is a personalized approach to trade show organizers," Bludworth said. "Our team acts as an extension of their staff." Bludworth said his company planned to maintain a solid working relationship with Freeman and other service contrac- tors, and stressed Fern's customers would not notice the latest change in ownership since there has been no change to Fern's management and staff. Reach Joe Popolo at (214) 445-1000 or joe. popolo@freemanco.com; Aaron Bludworth at (513) 562-0432 or abludworth@fernexpo.com Chicago Mayor Announces New Union Agreement Chicago, IL – Chicago's Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) reached an agreement with its electricians and stagehand unions that will loosen the jurisdictions between the two and make McCormick Place and Navy Pier more competitive in the market for corporate events and trade shows. Te deal, announced June 19 by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, is part of the mayor's on- going effort to address issues surrounding work rules at McCormick Place and Navy Pier. Te new agreement settles a juris- dictional dispute between the Interna- tional Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Local 134 and the International Alliance of Teatrical Stage Employees, Local 2. It allows the IATSE stagehands to handle tasks on temporary stages and 6 July 2012 | Trade Show Executive other temporary presentation areas previ- ously controlled by the IBEW electricians, giving show managers and exhibitors more of a "one-stop" labor experience. Te temporary areas include staging for product launches, parties and even general sessions as opposed to the exhibit floor. MPEA CEO Jim Reilly said the goal was to make Chicago more enticing to smaller events that may not require much exhibit set-up but make use of sometimes elaborate stages, audio-visual and lighting. "Today's announcement… goes a long way to strengthen Chicago's ability to attract corporate and associa- tion business," Reilly said. "Listening to our customers' needs was a catalyst for the labor changes unveiled today." Under the agreement, union stagehands would be allowed to set up and operate lighting, sound and AV equipment and connect it to power sources, which would still be provided by the electricians. Te electricians will maintain their control over electrical work in exhibit booths as well as lighting and patching that is connected to permanent power sources. Leaders of the electricians union hope that by conceding the stage to the stagehands, there will be more events held at McCormick Place and Navy Pier that will require their services. "IBEW, Local 134 is proud of this historic agreement with the MPEA and Navy Pier, Inc.," said Business Manager Terry Allen. "Te agreement not only promotes the growth of the trade show industry resulting in an increase in