ORLANDO, FL – SEPC’s Southern Exposure wrapped up this past weekend with record attendance and great positive feedback across the board from exhibitors and attendees alike. With the 50’s and 60’s style theme “A Whole Lotta Produce Going On” kicking off the event, the attendees took full advantage of the weekend with fashionable garb, booth themes and creative license in tow.
I spoke with SEPC’s Executive Director David Sherrod about this weekend’s event. He said, “We could not have been any happier with the way Southern Exposure 2015 turned out. We also felt people had a better understanding of the very important role the council plays in our industry with our new branding efforts that were seen throughout the entire weekend.”
David added, “With record attendance across all fronts, we had one of the most productive expos ever. As far as the SEPC is concerned, we felt we created a very unique experience that was very conducive to doing business this year.”
Some of this year’s winners for the best in show were:
Costume Contest Winners (Opening Gala):
1st: Leslie Simmons – Dave’s Specialty Produce
2nd: Michael Jenks - Reed TMS Logistics
3rd: Jennifer Poulson - Frieda's
Booth Decorating Contest Winners:
1st: DiMare Fresh Tampa
2nd: Flavor Pic Tomato
3rd: Dave’s Specialty Produce
In addition, the Lifetime Achievement Award was given to the late Terry Vorhees with a painting given to his sons Scott and Sean, painted by speed painter, Rock DeMarco.
Speaking about Terry’s legacy, David added, “We tried to honor the memory of Terry to pay tribute to all of his hard work and dedication.”
The final attendance count was a record 2,119, an increase from 1,748 in 2014. Retail & Foodservice attendance was 424, up from 361 in 2014.
Hats off to a great weekend and spectacular event!
