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We are, of course, thrilled to announce that CSI, etc is the first to implement a Corporate Enthusiast CTE plan within their company. Conference Services International (CSI, etc) is a national tradeshow and exposition services contractor whose management team consists of seasoned professionals and experts from key segments of the industry.

The Corporate Enthusiast CTE plans allow companies and organizations to support industry enthusiasm with sponsored CTE enrollments for their people while enjoying the added promotional benefits of their participation. Each participant enjoys all the specific benefits of the CTE program as well as initial charter membership in the new ISTSE.

Corporate Enthusiasts

Looking to display your enthusiastic support for the tradeshow business on a larger scale? Our Corporate Enthusiast CTE Plans offer your company or organization the opportunity to enroll small or larger groups in the program and receive additional valuable sponsorship benefits.

These new corporate and group plans are effective immediately and more information is available at our Corporate Enthusiast Processing Center. A variety of basic and custom plans are offered.

Ben Nazario, CTE

You may be asking yourself… What about Ben? That’s because it’s our theme question… and has been for many years. So in keeping with tradition it’s our extreme pleasure (professionally speaking) to welcome our latest Certified Tradeshow Enthusiast, Ben Nazario, CTE.

As VP of Sales (or something like that) for MC², Ben is ubiquitous in the tradeshow and event industry. In fact, rumor has it that he can actually appear to be in 2 or sometimes 3 places at once without breaking a sweat.

We look forward to seeing more of Ben in the new reality series, As The World Behaves… now under consideration.

Harris Schanhaut, CTE

We’re thrilled to welcome our latest Certified Tradeshow Enthusiast, Harris Schanhaut, CTE. Harris is also a CME (Certified Manager of Exhibits) who has been managing trade shows and events for over twenty years in diverse industries including automotive, medical, pharmaceutical, travel, technology, financial, non-profit and manufacturing. He has been published in trade magazines and been a speaker at industry events since 2003 and has taught classes on events at St. John’s University.

Continue reading: Welcome Harris Schanhaut, CTE »

You can be a Certified Tradeshow Enthusiast!

We are very pleased to report that ISTSE and Tradeshow Blues (the founding sponsor of ISTSE) have begun delivering official CTE Certificates to the first Certified Tradeshow Enthusiasts. The certificates are currently delivered as high resolution PDF’s suitable for printing and framing. The initial package also includes a hi-res JPG for web and email usage.

We’re rollin’…

I’m happy to say that the initial controversy over our involvement with the Certified Tradeshow Enthusiast (CTE) program has ended.  We have removed the original post and all the many comments and closed the book on what was an enthusiastic debate, but one that needed to be put to rest.

While we’re still just getting started on the CTE program and ISTSE project, we’ve had some terrific reaction from so many people and pledges of support and involvement. There’s a lot of work ahead and I hope to see and hear from many of you who want to take this journey with us. It will be fun, productive and a win-win (what other reason is there to do it?)

Linda Musgrove, CTE

We’re very pleased to welcome Linda Musgrove, CTE, as our latest Certified Tradeshow Enthusiast. Also known as the TradeShow Teacher, Linda works with tradeshow producers, associations & businesses to present seminars, webinars & mystery shopper programs that teach exhibitors how to increase results & ROI.

Most recently she wrote The Complete Idiots Guide to Trade Shows. See Linda on the CTE Wall now.

Arthur Veale, CTE

We’re thrilled to welcome another well-known “tradeshow guy” as are latest Certified Tradeshow Enthusiast (CTE). Please offer up a big round of applause for the one and only… Arthur Veale. As chair of TSEA, Arthur has reprised his role of the nearly almost stereotypical, not-so-corporate, quasi-suit type of executive board guy. His work speaks for itself.

Arthur was part of the orginal Tradeshow Blues Next 100 – The unique list of 100 Interesting People in the Tradehow Business published in the fall of 2003.  Arthur is a highly qualified CTE. Congrats.

See Arthur on the CTE Wall.

Bob Thomas, CTE

Legendary tradeshow expert, Bob Thomas is the latest to become a Certified Tradeshow Enthusiast (CTE). Bob has enjoyed a long (and colorful) career in the business and has participated across the board in many organizations as a very enthusiastic supporter of the industry.

Bob knows his stuff and tells it like he sees it. We really appreciate that he has stepped up to the plate to participate and support the CTE program.

You can see Bob on the new CTE Wall.

Erschik, CTE

Congratulations go out to tradeshow industry veteran, Richard Erschik, a speaker, educator and consultant in the business for more years than even we want to admit to. But Rich knows his stuff and when it comes to helping exhibitors get more bang for their buck (in more ways than one)… well, let’s look at another use of the CTE acronym… CTE = Can’t Touch Erschik when it comes to exhibitor education… who would have thought of such a thing? See Rich on the CTE Wall.

Nice going, Rich… and thanks for stepping up and being #1. You’ve paved the wave for thousands to come after you.

Come on thousands… operator is standing by.

Get Certified (Soon)!

Looking for more letters after your name? Or… just better letters? Think of your new business cards… Billy Don Jones, CTE. Or… your next introduction at a high-profile speaking engagement at a chamber of commerce mixer. Or… your name on a roster with others who probably (and most likely) will not have such a prestigious designation.

That’s right… soon you’ll be able to apply for and receive your official Certification in Tradeshow Enthusiasm from the innovator, Tradeshow Blues.

We’ll be announcing details shortly so make sure you are subscribed to the BluesLetter to be informed of this important and highly useful development.

UPDATE: It’s happening now… CTE is live and living… check out this page.