2017 SIMA Symposium Preview

This is a historic year for the SIMA Snow & Ice Symposium, as it marks the event’s 20th anniversary. Industry shows come and go, but the SIMA Symposium has staying power because it continues to attract a variety of vendors and deliver premium educational content to its attendees.

Scheduled to be held June 20-23, 2017, this year’s agenda will continue that trend, and at press time, the registration numbers are higher than they were at the same point in prior years. SIMA CEO Martin Tirado said attendance numbers are climbing due to excitement over the show’s 20th anniversary, and the fact that Montreal is a world-class destination.

Quebec’s largest city, Montreal is located on an island in the Saint Lawrence River. It is renowned for providing a little taste of Europe right here in North America and is culturally diverse, with a good mix of French- and English-speaking residents.

Even more exciting for show attendees is the fact that the show dates include Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day. Tirado said the celebrations will surely create an unforgettable experience, but they also have a drawback. Because it’s such a popular time to visit, many area hotels will be booked. Although attendees can register for the SIMA Symposium right up until the day of the event, they should get their hotel booked as soon as possible.

Event Details

• When: June 20-23, 2017
• Where: Montreal, Québec

Trade Show Hours

• Wednesday, June 21: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Thursday, June 22: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Keynote Speakers

• Robyn Benincasa — A world champion adventure racer and award-winning motivational speaker.
• Donald Cooper — An internationally renowned business management consultant and speaker.
• Marc Gordon — Known as a “marketing superstar” in Canada.

Harvesting fresh ideas

The international nature of the show also provides exciting business opportunities. Tirado said many attendees will discover businesses and technologies they’ve never encountered before — and with that experience comes new ideas.

“U.S.-based companies are going to come to this show and see companies and equipment they’ve never seen before,” Tirado said. “Equipment that is used predominantly in Canada will be featured, and that may even include technologies that are brand new to U.S. companies. It’s a great opportunity to come up with ideas that will help you perform the job in a better way.”

Attendees can also expect to see a wide array of speakers and presentations. The show’s three keynote speakers are the headliners:

• Robyn Benincasa, a world champion adventure racer and award-winning motivational speaker,
• Donald Cooper, an internationally renowned business management consultant and speaker, and
• Marc Gordon, known as a “marketing superstar” in Canada.

Tirado said all three of these motivational speakers will deliver talks that attendees will not want to miss.

Networking for success

This year will also mark the return of the popular networking opportunity, “Snack & Chats.” Topics include Contracts, Service Verifications, Managing a Snow Portfolio, Insurance Management, Dealing with a Slip & Fall, Snow Safety Policies & Training, Salt Purchasing, Sustainability and more.

While every day is packed with informative workshops and sessions, the show floor is always a big attraction. SIMA will bring some of the top snow-and-ice equipment manufacturers and suppliers together to showcase their best products, technologies and services. Tirado also pointed out that SIMA’s size means no other events are scheduled for the same week, a problem often faced by smaller regional shows.

“We are so big that with a North American-based show like this, you won’t be constantly running into direct competition all day long,” he said. “We draw people from across the country, and obviously also have a significant Canadian presence. You’ll be able to meet contractors that you never would have had the opportunity to meet.”

It’s a great opportunity to build friendships, accountability groups and business consultation partnerships. Attendees can bounce ideas off one another and grow their businesses by working together.

“I’ve been with SIMA for 10 years, and one of the biggest takeaways I’ve seen people get from these shows is in the relationships they build,” Tirado said. “They develop lifelong relationships and keep in touch by working through business challenges together, troubleshooting problems and sharing ideas. With a more diverse audience like this Montreal-based show provides, that opportunity is even greater.”

Visit PlowSite.com for more forums on equipment, business management and technical information. Join the conversation in the largest community of snow and ice business professionals.

The post 2017 SIMA Symposium Preview appeared first on Turf.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230377 http://ift.tt/2sWtFNl
via IFTTT