Photo courtesy of Equip Exposition

Chris Meecha

Equip Exposition, the international landscape, outdoor living and equipment exposition, has announced Chris Meecha will become its new show director effective Sept. 16.

Meecha, currently general manager of Fern Expo in Louisville, joins the show three years into its rebranding and continued expansion under the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI)'s full ownership and management.

In launching the new Equip in 2022, new attendance and exhibitor records were set. More than a million square feet of exhibit space and 30 acres in the Outdoor Demo Yard were booked out, with the show attracting 27,000 attendees in 2023.

"Chris is well known in the show management world as a leader and innovator, and will help take Equip to the next level," said Kris Kiser, president and CEO of OPEI, which owns and manages the trade show. "We're building a world-class event, and it was the perfect time to have him join the team, three years into Equip's rebranding."

Meecha spent 14 years at Fern, one of the country's leading trade show and exposition service providers. He served as general manager of the firm's Louisville office, which is one of its principal locations. He brings with him 30 years of trade show industry experience and served as a show director before joining Fern.

According to Kiser, hiring Meecha is all part of the evolution of the award-winning show, which received two Grand Awards in Trade Show Executive's Gold 100 Awards program: "Most Innovative Show" and the "Slam Dunk Award: Best New Idea." The show has been nominated for three more Gold 100 awards in 2024.

With more than 1.2 million square feet of indoor and outdoor exhibit space, Equip Exposition is one of the largest trade shows in the United States, bringing in more than $25 million annually to Louisville.

For more information, visit www.EquipExposition.com.

Today's top stories

NCDOT Upgrades Intersection to Ease Congestion in Raleigh

Work Begins On Critical Shelby County Corridor

Summer Surge: Revenue-Generating Jobs for Land Contractors

Carter Machinery Hosts Global Operator Challenge in Va.

J.M. Wood Holds Summer Sale in Montgomery, Ala.

National Equipment Dealers: Year of Growth, Expansion

NCDOT Rebuilding Helene-Damaged Bridge to Dialysis Equipment Plant in Marion, N.C.

Apex Equipment Unveils the LiuGong 4215D Motor Grader