At the end of the day it's not about what you have or even what you've accomplished… it's about who you've lifted up, who you've made better. It's about what you've given back.”
Denzel Washington

As PROCESS EXPO draws nearer I wanted to reach out and update you on several very important initiatives that will be prominently included and displayed at the show and outline how you can be part of them.

First, FPSA Foundation's Giving Back initiative kicked off in March with the announcement of the 2017 DEFEAT HUNGER^SM Campaign, a collaborative effort with the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD). The rationale for this effort is clear when you consider the sobering fact that 1 out of every 6 people in Chicago's Cook County is food insecure. In 2013, we were able to contribute over 225,000 meals to Cook County. In 2015, we were able to raise funds to provide 300,000 meals. This year, we want to exceed our past accomplishments and provide over 400,000 meals and we cannot reach that goal without you!

In April, after the announcement of the campaign, DEFEAT HUNGER Tool Kits were sent to all PROCESS EXPO 2017 exhibiting companies. The purpose of the kits is to provide your company an easy way to initiate your own food drive. The items included in the kits were: food drive facts, DEFEAT HUNGER can, ribbons, poster, shopping list, and a financial donation envelope. There are several ways for you to help DEFEAT HUNGER. Donations can be accepted as physical food donations at PROCESS EXPO 2017, monetary donations, or grocery purchases using the Official 2017 DEFEAT HUNGER Virtual Food Drive. For more information and updates, visit the DEFEAT HUNGER page on our website.

We have also started a Council Outreach campaign to increase the involvement and participation of the FPSA Councils and their respective segments. Each council will lead teams to provide specific food/beverage items or monetary donations to the GCFD. At PROCESS EXPO, we are engaged in efforts to bring back the CANStruction Team from 2013. A team of volunteers with the GCFD will be constructing a design out of canned goods.

The design will be displayed in the atrium on the Grand Concourse of McCormick Place where we once again plan to hold our DEFEAT HUNGER press conference on Thursday, September 21st. As we get closer to that date, you will be notified how you can participate in that event.

The second Giving Back initiative I want to address is SAVE FOOD, a global effort designed to address the issue of food waste worldwide. It is truly shocking that in the U.S. alone we waste the equivalent of $165 billion worth of food each year. And equally disconcerting is the fact that it costs another $1.3 billion to dispose it. American households throw away on average nearly $650 of food every year – which is particularly distressing when we know that conserving just one-quarter of the food wasted in our own country would keep food panties stocked year-round. We hope that you will take a few minutes to visit the SAVE FOOD display that will be located on the PROCESS EXPO show floor and learn more about how you can get more involved.

In closing, I also want to remind you that now is the time to register for our Show Operations Conference at McCormick Place in Chicago on June 8th and 9th. This free meeting will include presentations from the Chicago Convention and Visitors Bureau, McCormick Place, and panel discussions on tradeshow technology, and the evolution of trade show best practices. The culmination of the event will be the vendor showcase where you will be able to meet with your vendors, go over any service order issues and discuss situations unique to your exhibit. The information you will receive will help to increase your ROI by managing your resources and expenses. Click here to view the full agenda and to register for the conference, also the discounted hotel rooms are available. Thank you for your continued participation not only in the association and PROCESS EXPO, but also in our “Giving Back” initiatives.

David Seckman
President/CEO