Casey Named GM of Cleveland MMCC

Effective May 2, 2011, Brian Casey will be the General Manager of the Cleveland Medical Mart and Convention Center. As General Manager, Casey will be responsible for attracting trade show business to the facility, as well as potential clients and events for the Cleveland Medical Mart. He will also oversee all departmental functions including construction, operations, finance, and leasing, while implementing the strategic positioning and marketing plans for the facility, its tenants and trade shows.

Casey joins MMPI with more than 30 years experience in the trade show and meetings industry. Casey has served as president and CEO of the High Point Market Authority, since 2006. The High Point Market Authority oversees the entire downtown marketplace of High Point, North Carolina, including all permanent and independent showroom space, as well as the twice annual Market. In his current position, Casey is responsible for the marketing, operations for more than 12 million square feet of showroom and exhibition space, as well as the profit and loss for the entire High Point Market Authority.

Prior to joining the High Point Market Authority, Casey was the owner of a convention and trade show services firm, Next Generation Events Group Inc, a strategic sales, marketing, and planning services firm dedicated to customized, revenue growth solutions, event operations, and new launches for association and corporate events.
Before forming Next Generation Events Group Inc., Casey served as executive vice president for Smith Bucklin Inc., a premiere association management company. In this role, Casey was responsible for managing the professional convention and trade show services for 1,400 association client meetings annually and 47 trade shows.

Prior to joining Smith Bucklin, Casey served as managing director of trade shows for the International Housewares Association for a dozen years. The International Housewares Exposition at that time was the sixth largest trade show in the country with nearly 1,900 exhibitors occupying approximately 1.4 million square feet of exhibit space that attracted 60,000 people from all over the world. His primary responsibilities included sales, marketing, and overall trade show and meeting operations for the development and management of the world-renowned event.

“MMPI has worked with Brian Casey for years and knows first-hand his vast array of knowledge and experience in attracting and producing trade shows, while providing the highest level of customer service possible to his tenants,” says Mark Falanga. “Brian is an expert in the trade show and showroom business, and knows what is important to our customers. He will prove to be invaluable as we continue to successfully secure commitments from trade shows, meetings, and tenants for the Cleveland Medical Mart and Convention Center.”

Casey is a former board member of the International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE), and the Center for Exhibition Industry Research. He also serves on the boards of the Economic Development in High Point, Chamber of Commerce of High Point, String & Splinter Club, and High Point Partners. Casey is a past chairman of the Future Strategic Planning committee for the International Association of Exposition & Events (IAEE), as well as past chairman of Major American Trade Show Organizers (MATSO), past chairman of the IAEE Midwest Chapter, past chairman of the IAEE Programming Committee, and past chairman of the national lAEE Membership Development Committee.