FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 26, 2003

CONTACT:
Jennifer Palcher - HCEA
(404) 252-3663

HCEA Adopts Revised Guidelines on Priority Point Systems

PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA - The Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association (HCEA) approved on June 6, 2003, new guidelines on exhibition priority point systems to provide guidance to the healthcare convention industry on best practices for such point systems.

Among the guidelines' new recommendations:

• Priority point systems should include points awarded for each year that a company has exhibited with the association.
• At the association's discretion, additional priority points could be awarded for the amount of booth space contracted, within limits. Additional points should not exceed three times the number of points that can be earned with a single 10' x 10' space for each year.
• When a point system is used, only exhibit activities should be considered; sponsorships and advertising space in the association's journal should not be considered.
• When the point system is used, some floor space may be made available to new exhibitors, if contracted space allows, to accommodate new exhibitors.
• In the case of exhibiting companies that have either merged with, been purchased by or have purchased another company and merge their booth space, the new company should receive the points earned by the company that had the higher point total, if requested in writing by the merged company. The priority points should not be combined.

"HCEA's revised guidelines on priority point assignment are an asset for associations who need to reward customer loyalty, encourage new growth and respond to today's changing corporate environment," said HCEA Director Sherri Sujai, Assistant Director, Industry Relations for the American Society for Microbiology.

Priority point systems are the most common method in the healthcare convention industry for associations and other convention organizers to determine which exhibitors get first choice of exhibit space. The higher an exhibitor's priority points, the higher their order in space selection.

HCEA's Guidelines for U.S. Healthcare Conventions previously recommended use of a priority point system for healthcare exhibitions, but provided little guidance on how the systems should work.

"We are responding to a need we see in the healthcare convention industry for more specifics on how priority point systems should work," said Eric Allen, Executive Director of HCEA. "We believe these guidelines provide fair, valuable direction on this issue."

The complete text of the HCEA guidelines pertaining to priority point systems is as follows:

"Space assignment methods should be well defined. Use of a priority point system is recommended, and an explanation of the system in the Prospectus should be provided. The priority point system should include points awarded for each year that a company has exhibited with the association. At the association's discretion, additional points could be awarded for the amount of booth space contracted, within limits (additional points should not exceed three times the number of points that can be earned with a single 10' x 10' space for each year). This allows newer and smaller exhibitors to accumulate points in an equitable manner. Also, when the point system is used, some floor space may be made available to new exhibitors, if contracted space allows, to accommodate new exhibitors. When a point system is used, only exhibit activities should be considered; sponsorships and advertising space in the association's journal should not be considered. The 'first come, first served system' is also considered unsatisfactory, although a reasonable date for receipt of space applications may be set by the convention manager; assignment on a 'first come, first served' basis is acceptable after this date."

"Mergers & Buyouts. In the case of exhibiting companies that have either merged with, been purchased by or have purchased another company and merge their booth space, the new company should receive the points earned by the company that had the higher point total, if requested in writing by the merged company. The priority points should not be combined."

HCEA is the only association solely dedicated to improving the effectiveness of all conventions, meetings and exhibitions for the healthcare industry. HCEA represents more than 700 member organizations involved in healthcare exhibitions and conventions.