Upfront: Top 10 reasons to attend GIE+EXPO 2013

By Steve Noe

I always look forward to the fall here in the Midwest for several reasons. I enjoy the cooler weather, watching the leaves change colors, taking my family to the local apple orchard to pick apples and eat donuts, catching the exciting finish to the baseball season and the start of the football season, and preparing for Halloween. I also look forward to making my annual pilgrimage to Louisville, Ky., for the Green Industry & Equipment Expo (GIE+EXPO), where I get a chance to visit with many of you, and find out what’s exciting and new about our great industry.

Starting on page 14 in this issue of Outdoor Power Equipment, the “GIE+EXPO 2013 Special Preview” will provide you with the skinny on this year’s show, which will be held Wednesday, Oct. 23, through Friday, Oct. 25, at the Kentucky Exposition Center. Without giving away too much of our show preview, I present my top 10 reasons for you to attend the show.

10. Free giveaways: We at Green Media, which publishes OPE and three other Green Industry magazines, will be giving away a free Kindle Fire through our “Touching Base” promotion. For more details, see the “Touching Base” game card attached to the opposite page and read the sidebar on page 16. Stihl Inc. will be sponsoring a $5,000 giveaway during the welcome reception taking place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday. On Fabulous Friday, a $10,000 giveaway will take place in the afternoon with drawings of $1,000 at 1 p.m.; $2,000 at 2 p.m.; $3,000 at 3 p.m.; and $4,000 at 4 p.m.

9. Free food and drinks: A free beer and hot dog reception, sponsored by ARI and Husqvarna, will take place in the Dealer Resource Pavilion Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m.

8. Free concerts: After each day of the show, head to downtown Louisville’s 4th Street Live to catch free concerts on the Nissan Commercial stage. This year’s performers will include country music star Craig Morgan on Wednesday; “The Voice” singer Angie Johnson opening for legendary rock band Three Dog Night on Thursday; and Olivia Henken opening for Holly Williams on Friday. I’m really looking forward to the return of Three Dog Night, which delivered a great concert at GIE+EXPO 2007.

7. Technician training and certification: Tech training – priced at $30-$45 per class – will take place in the Kentucky Exposition Center’s East Hall on Wednesday. Offered through the North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA) and the Equipment & Engine Training Council (EETC), the training is approved for NAEDA’s Power Pro accreditation program and EETC Continuing Education Units.

6. Free educational opportunities: The Dealer Resource Pavilion will be the place for dealership owners and managers to go for free seminars led by Bob Clements International.

5. Dealer Resource Roundtable Breakfast: Stihl Inc. and Gravely will sponsor a Dealer Resource Roundtable Breakfast on Thursday from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Cost is $25, which covers breakfast, discussions on a variety of management topics, and great best-practice advice.

4. Dealer Summit: New this year, the Dealer Summit will be a lunch-and-learn session taking place on Wednesday from noon to 3 p.m. Cost is $50 per person.

3. Networking: Take it from someone who has been attending the Louisville show since 1998, you will be hard pressed to find a better place than GIE+EXPO to renew old acquaintances and form new friendships.

2. New Products: Where else can you go to see more new products under one roof than the Kentucky Exposition Center and then take a short walk outside to test those products in the 19-acre Outdoor Demo Area?

1. Dealer Day: Back by popular demand, Dealer Day will take place on the first day of GIE+EXPO with dealers, retailers, distributors and media receiving an exclusive preview of the show before it opens to the rest of the industry for the final two days.

For the latest information about GIE+EXPO before, during and after it takes place, visit our website at www.outdoorpowerequipment.com. When attending the show, please remember to participate in the Green Media “Touching Base” promotion and to pay me a visit when dropping off your completed game card at our booth (#470). Hope to see you at the show!


OPE Editor Steve Noe
snoe@specialtyim.com