Meet our Members: Jessica Farlow

Jessica Farlow is Trade Show Manager for WhiteWave Foods and one of TSEA's new appointments to the 2011/2012 Board of Directors. With a strong passion for the industry, she is excited about the future of TSEA and the opportunity to get more involved and help guide the association's future.

Jessica had her first taste of the trade show industry while still in college at the University of Colorado at Boulder where she co-chaired the National Association of College and University Residence Hall (NACURH) conference. She continued on to work in events for five to six years before getting another opportunity to be a part of a trade show. In 2004, New Hope Natural Media sent her to the Natural Products Expo West, where she got her first experience with managing trade shows.

She describes the trade show scene with excitement saying, “This is where I had my first walk of the show floor. I got to see the show being built from the ground up, was introduced to all the vendors and partners that create the show, the decorators, the florists, the hotels, etc. For me, to see it all come together and be built up over the entire week, to see the trade show flourish and blossom the day before the event… well, it was incredible.” She added, “I was hooked. I loved the energy. I loved the buzz. I loved the people that were involved. What sets this industry apart from others is the camaraderie that happens when you’re on the show floor. Everybody really pitches in to make things happen and there is just something magical about people coming together for one common goal like that. I just couldn’t leave.”

WhiteWave Foods manufactures dairy and dairy alternatives, including Horizon Organic, Silk, Land O’Lakes, and International Delight. When Jessica started out at the company five years ago, her role was to execute five major trade shows for the marketing team. In the last five years her role has grown exponentially, now responsible for managing the major trade shows, including the National Association of Convenience Stores, the National Association of College and University Food Service, and the corporate events for WhiteWave Foods. It all adds up to 25 major shows and 50 table top shows.

Jessica laughs, “I’m not sure Trade Show Manager is quite an accurate title anymore.” She adds, “It is a lot to handle, but I’m lucky to have a really great support system here. My boss is fantastic, I have excellent support from the VPs in the department, I’ve been able to bring in a couple of contractors, and then of course I have great partners. In particular, Conduit Exhibits is one of those partners that help make things easier by assisting with managing the 50 table top shows and interfacing with the sales key to make sure they have everything they need. Overall, the support is just fantastic.”

One of Jessica's more recent trade shows was the Natural Products Expo East Show that engaged over 20,000 industry members, represented 80 countries, and the show floor comprised of 1,450 exhibits at the Baltimore Convention Center, September 21 – 24, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. Jessica says that Expo East was an incredibly valuable show for WhiteWave.

“As part of our objective to showcase our commitment to the natural channel and maintain our leadership presence at the show, our booth design hit the ball out of the park. The innovative design built out of recycled pallets and reclaimed steel, furniture, and decor had stopping power. Our booth became a destination point as well as the talk of the industry. I was personally excited about the opportunity it gave us to educate the Expo East attendees on WhiteWave's commitment to sustainability, a value that's incredibly important to me.”

Jessica Farlow with Sara Loveday, Communications Manager for WhiteWave Foods, at Expo East Show

Involved in the industry since 1999, Jessica says that the biggest change she has witnessed has been with budget issues. She says, “I think we’re all expected to do more with less. When the economy took a dive, everybody pulled back. I don’t necessarily think it was a bad thing because I think people developed more focus on where they were spending. It’s the whole ‘work smarter, not harder’ mentality.”

Jessica has been a member of TSEA since 2009 but pushed to get more involved by joining the Board of Directors this year. She says, “It’s been great so far and really a privilege. It’s so nice to be a part of the board and be able to help guide where the organization goes. I certainly have a lot of passion for trade shows and it’s clear that this industry is one that can really thrive. Face-to-face marketing is not going anywhere, and TSEA plays a really important role in maintaining this industry.”

Jessica particularly loves the advocacy arm of TSEA. She says, “There are really not a lot of other organizations out there playing the role of advocate for the exhibitors. There are so many exhibitors who don’t really know that they have a voice, or don’t really know how to use that voice. TSEA makes sure they are getting heard, taken care of, and receiving all the right services. That's why I love TSEA.”

One of the biggest things that TSEA had brought to Jessica is a sense of community. She says, “Before my involvement with TSEA, there were times when I felt like I was on an island. There are not many people in my company that understand the challenges of this business. TSEA provides me with that community to reach out to, to share war stories, and that group of people that just get it. They just get it. It’s really nice to have the company.”

Jessica expresses her excitement for the new services coming to TSEA such as the TSEA Market Place, set to launch this coming March, and the new Mentor Program. She is particularly excited about the new section of ABOUTFACE where we feature new services and products of our Allied Members. She says, “I love the new section. So often, as an exhibit manager, when I need a product or service, it seems like that’s the moment I can’t find anyone that offers it. With TSEA having a dedicated section for the products and services of our Allied Members, I now have a resource to turn to when I need something for my events.”

Outside of her professional life, Jessica is an adventurous individual and many that meet her would never expect that she is a “huge four-wheeler.” She says, “I have a Jeep Wrangler and spent the weekend fixing it up with a friend. We gave it a four inch suspension lift, a one inch body lift, and 35 inch tires.

Jessica working on her Jeep
So I take my jeep out on a regular basis and go rock crawling and I absolutely love it. I get to see places of Colorado and this country that most people don’t. I can rock crawl to the top of a fourteen-er. It’s really challenging, exciting, and incredibly fun.”

Beyond her rock crawling escapades, Jessica loves to cook and travel. “Food is just an incredible passion of mine. It’s my hobby, it’s my work. I love trying all the strange things out there.” She has traveled to 17 countries and says that anyone who has not been to Vietnam should make a point to go there. “It’s a beautiful country and I’ve had some of the best experiences floating down the Mekong Delta.”

About The Author

Michelle Burbick is a Journalism Intern
Trade Show Exhibitors Association