FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 11, 2008

CONTACT: Jennifer Palcher-Silliman Frank Skinner (404) 252-3663

ATLANTA — The impact of globalization on medical meetings and conventions, analysis of new directions in CME, the latest virtual expo technology and an expert panel discussion on healthcare exhibit marketing around the world were highlights of this year’s tenth annual Healthcare Convention and Exhibitors Association (HCEA) Healthcare Convention Marketing Summit, held January 24. The one-day educational event was held at the Hartford Downtown Marriott in Hartford, Conn.

The meeting started with a bang as Meagan Johnson presented Zap the Gap!, a dynamic presentation on the evolution of generational differences in today’s workforce. Morning breakout sessions featured a new study based on in-depth interviews with over 200 doctors at medical congresses and a presentation providing insights into the Senate Finance Committee investigation of ACCME standards.

Afternoon sessions featured the debut of HCEA’s 2008 special report on healthcare meeting globalization, which unveiled a three-part market research study focusing on medical convention organizer perspectives on global attendance trends, major healthcare exhibitor perspectives on global exhibit marketing and trend analysis of over 4,700 reported international medical conventions over the last decade.

The afternoon sessions also featured a leading expert panel discussion on global exhibiting, a case study on the breakthrough virtual conference and expo developed by the Healthcare Information and Management System Society (HIMSS), and HCEA’s association/industry exchange, a long-standing forum that promotes open dialogue between event organizers and exhibitors on the industry’s leading issues.

HCEA thanks its 2008 Summit sponsors: Platinum Sponsor: ExhibitGroup/Giltspur; Gold Sponsors: Sho-Aids, 3-D Exhibits and National MicroRentals. Silver Sponsors: Ascend Media, Blue Telescope, The Expo Group/TEG, H.B. Stubbs, Impact Unlimited, PMSI - Professional Marketing Services and Sparks; Bronze Sponsors: Limetree, Live Marketing, The McCallan Group, PHOTOSOUND Communications and Willwork Events and Exhibit Services; President’s Circle Sponsors: Dupree Security, EliteXPO Cargo Systems, Marketech, Nichols Display Group, Nimlok Display & Exhibit Solutions Worldwide, On Location and SelliQuest.

HCEA is the only association solely dedicated to improving the effectiveness of all conventions, meetings and exhibitions for the healthcare industry. For more information visit www.hcea.org.