IES 2009 Annual Conference, Seattle Washington

This year’s Annual IES conference was held at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel and SmartSource provided a full range of Audio Visual staging that included sound, video and lighting. The event turned out to be a big success and the SmartSource Rentals Seattle Branch worked hand in hand with the Illuminating Engineering Society to ensure that everything happened on time and according to schedule. A high level of detail and attention to service is the standard at SmartSource Rentals - particularly when providing a full range of AV, lighting and staging to conference of lighting professionals!

Some of the AV Rental Equipment provided by SmartSource Rentals included:

• Eiki LC-X8 10,000 Lumen LCD Projection
• FSR Compass Plus CP-200 High Resolution Seamless Switching
• Shure UHF Wireless Mics
• Martin MAC 700 Intelligent Moving Lights

For those of you thinking about attending next year, the IES Annual Conference is a comprehensive educational forum for lighting professionals that includes general sessions, research papers, and other information on the latest products, services and trends in the lighting industry.

Here are some pictures of IES 200:

For more information please visit the Illuminating Engineering Society website.

Popularity: 1% [?]

MPI Networking Events - Tonight in Chicago

SmartSource is  excited to be working with MPICAC (Meeting Professionals International Chicago Area Chapter) on two simultaneous culturally inspired networking events going on in the Chicago area tonight. Members are invited and encouraged to register and attend these dynamic events at either of the two locations.

SmartSource Rentals is going to be providing some our technology expertise and equipment at these events with the goal of helping educate MPI members on social networking sites and how they can be applied to their events. Each location will also be able to see the other during the event through two ustream webcasts as well - very cool! Trade Show Internet helped make this possible by enabling the events to get online as internet is available at either venue.  We’ll be using 4G cards in each location.

Buca di Beppo - Wheeling, IL
Buca di Beppo Wheeling, a modern Italian-style restaurant in an eclectic, vintage setting.

Carnivale - Chicago, IL
Carnivale is a reflection of Latin culture and community boasting dishes of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, El Salvador and Mexico.

Guests and viewers will be able to communicate via Twitter as long as #mpicac is in the status update.

Wheeling Ustream Link
Chicago Ustream Link

There are also iphone and Android ustream viewer applications as well for mobile viewing.

Locations
Carnivale Chicago
702 W Fulton Market
Chicago, IL 60661
(312) 850-5005

Buca di Beppo
604 N Milwaukee Avenue
Wheeling, IL 60090
(847) 808-9898

Agenda
New Member Orientation:     5:00-5:30 pm
Registration & Networking:   5:30-7:30 pm

Registration
MPI Members $25
Non Members $35
Students    $25

More info and registration details on the event can be found on the MPICAC website

Popularity: 4% [?]

SmartSource Rentals Opens New Orleans Office

The New Orleans office puts SmartSource at 23 locations nationwide, and was a natural fit for a company with a well established national presence in the Convention & Trade Show industry. SmartSource has a longstanding track record serving the trade show and convention market, and continues to provide great service across the nation as well in the New Orleans area.

SmartSource President & CEO Michael McClernon noted that “The opening of a branch in New Orleans, one of the nation’s premier sites for trade shows and conventions, was a direct response to the needs of our national client base. Being able to service this leading conference destination was a natural extension of our presence in other major convention cities nationwide and further advances our strategy to become an ever more capable supplier to the trade show industry.  SmartSource is pleased to have the manager and customers of  Dixie Business Equipment join our company and help us expand into this region.”

Echoing McClernon’s thoughts was SmartSource Vice President Chad Frank who stated, “In addition to a vibrant tourism and convention business, New Orleans is home to many financial firms, an already strong segment of our client base.  It is our hope that our new location will also help us become a greater resource for area oil and gas companies.”

Frank added, “We brought on a strong, 20-year technology rental veteran, Trey Casteix, to serve as Branch Sales Manager for our New Orleans office. Trey has a solid business and technical background having led his own technology rental firm, Dixie Business Equipment, and he and Dixie Business have an outstanding reputation in the region.”

Read the full Press Release

Popularity: 7% [?]

Visit SmartSource at Expo! Expo! in Atlanta this December

Come visit SmartSource in Booth 310 this year at the upcoming Expo! Expo! Annual Meeting and Exhibition 2009 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA. We have been supplying technology rental needs and services to IAEE since 2004 and this year we are going to have a Event Technology Services Showcase demonstrating some of our latest and greatest technology available for SmartSource Rentals including Seamless Plasma Video Walls, Digital Document Library, and Digital Signage. Some of our pros will be around to answer any other questions you might have on our other technology services as well as SmartSource Rentals is widely recognized for having the most comprehensive range of event technology services in the meetings industry.

This show will have tracks focusing on Sales, Marketing, Operations, and Technology, presented by experts in the events industry. You will have the ability to view new products and services, and meet with service providers and vendors and more. Expo! Expo! is the must-attend event that will give you the information, ideas, and connections to make your next event more successful and more profitable.

View a Schedule of Events for the Expo! Expo! Atlanta 2009 conference and exhibition and find more info out online as there is still time to register if you are on the fence. Guy Kawasaki is one of the keynote speakers for all you twitter users out there and if nothing else you can swing by SmartSource Rentals at booth 310 and enter to win an Amazon Kindle!

Popularity: 6% [?]

SmartSource Rentals named in Rental & Staging Top 40

SmartSource Rentals has been named to the “Rental & Staging Top 40” list. The listing is based on a survey conducted by Rental & Staging Magazine. SmartSourceRentals placed within the over $8 million to 11 million category for rental and staging revenues.

Being named to the Rentals and Staging top 40 is just one of a long list of awards won over the years. While most of our clients may be more familiar with our IT Services and equipment, we are also a full featured Audio Visual, Lighting, and Staging provider as well. Just recently SmartSource created 11 custom stages for the ING New York City Marathon and has been involved in a wide range of complex audio visual productions and events.

SmartSource Rentals provides a full range of equipment, from brand name laptops, desktops, servers and peripherals, to LCD and plasma display monitors, digital signage, projectors, speakers, microphones, audio mixers, amplifiers, audio response systems, video walls and kiosks. To support its clients’ successful event execution, SmartSource offers a wide range of tactical services, including: pre-event and online registration, pre-event badge production, onsite registration, attendees tracking and lead retrieval, and digital document library. These services and rental solutions are applied for diverse events such as trade shows and conferences, major sporting events, entertainment programs, Fortune 1000 corporate events, stockholder meetings, technology user conferences and training seminars, as well as contingency requirements for peak season demand, unforeseen occurrences, emergencies and disasters.

Smartsource Rental & Staging Top 40 - Full Press Release

About SmartSource Computer & Audio Visual Rentals

Founded in 1984 and formerly known as Rent-a-PC, Inc., SmartSource Computer & Audio Visual Rentals serves broad-based corporate IT, association, professional AV and trade show technology rental needs. The company is widely recognized for its outstanding customer service, technical expertise, geographic reach, breadth of product, and end-to-end solution. Its extensive line features brand name products from Apple, Dell, HP/Compaq, IBM, NEC, Eiki, Meyer, Stumpfl, and others. Among its products are computers, servers, copiers, professional AV equipment, LCD and plasma monitors, kiosks, digital signage and video walls. SmartSource employs over 250 including over 100 field technicians. Its 21 strategic locations are in: Anaheim, CA; Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Englewood Cliffs, NJ; Eugene, OR; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Las Vegas, NV; Long Island, NY; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Orlando, FL; Philadelphia, PA; Phoenix, AZ; Portland, OR; Queens, NY; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; and Washington, DC. For more information, visit us online!

Popularity: 8% [?]

SmartSource Delivers at ING New York City Marathon

World Class Athletes flock to New York every year to compete in one of the world’s greatest road races - The ING New York City Marathon. Over 100,000 applicants apply every year to compete for some of the $600,000 in prize money and a chance to participate in an event watched by over 315 million worldwide TV viewers. This 26.2 mile event spans across all five of New York City’s boroughs before finishing up in Central Park.

SmartSource has played a role in the past ten marathons and this year provided extensive technological and logistical support in both Audio Visual and IT Infrastructure including:

• Set up of 11 custom build entertainment stages with sounds systems

• IT Equipment & Services supporting the Marathon Tradeshow, press & staff offices, medical tents and race operations.

• On site 24/7 support ensuring everything remained functional for the duration of the event.

• Set up of 14 Runner Corrals at the Start including 90 speakers.

SmartSource Rentals is able to pull from  deep pool of experienced  sound,  staging and AV technicians, project managers, IT professionals, and Account Executives in order to deliver world class service to world class events such as the ING New York City Marathon. In addition to skilled professionals, SmartSource Rentals was is also able to utilize it’s enormous inventory of company owned equipment and delivery trucks. The combination of experienced employees, professional AV, Staging, and IT Equipment, and a fleet of company vehicles is a major reason why businesses all over the nation choose SmartSource Rentals when organizing large scale events.

View the SmartSource Rentals ING New York City Marathon Press Release

View a Photo Slideshow with details on the Sound & Staging Equipment

Visit the New York Road Runners website

Popularity: 7% [?]

MPIGNY’s Social Media Event a Success

Social Media was the topic and the Westin New York at Times Square was the place to be for last night’s MPIGNY Social Media educational event. There were some high caliber speakers from Facebook, former LinkedIn employees turned entrepreneurs, and Twitter experts all on hand to help explain what all these new social media tools are and how they can be used for business. By now almost everybody has heard of Social Media, but there still remains a big gap between knowing what it is and knowing how to best use it to suit your business needs. This was the goal for MPIGNY at this event, and after walking around to the different speakers and talking to some attendees it was obvious they had achieved this goal.

After some general introductions and overviews, the crowd broke out into different areas of the hotel that focused on the three most popular types of social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn). Advice and explanation was offered on how to maximize your LinkedIn profile, how to join groups, what different options were available in setting up your account how it all worked. Another area focused on Facebook pages. The big topic at hand was the difference between personal accounts versus business pages and how to properly set everything up to keep your business and your personal accounts separate. The last area had some Twitter experts going over everything from Tweetdeck, to hashtags to the very basics of what Twitter is and how it works.

Even though I had a good handle on the topics before attending this event, I walked away glad that I had gone and with a few new pieces of knowledge. MPIGNY did a great job of planning the event and the Westin Hotel was a fantastic venue. SmartSource is becoming more active on Social Media and we are always looking to make new friends and connect to people. You can find  SmartSource Rentals on the following networks.

I’d also like to give some credit to the speakers last night who helped to share the knowledge with everybody. Big Thanks to:

• Becca Foy
• David Trencher
• Nathan Egan
• Patrick Baynes
• Carla Bobka
• Ray Hansen
• Andrea Hoffman
• Jared Silverman

Popularity: 7% [?]

SmartSource Completes 18th Acquisition

SmartSource has purchased the Rentsys computer and audio visual division of Dealer Computer Services, Inc. This acquisition is the 18th for SmartSource as it continues to secure its position as a National leader in Computer and Audio Visual Rental Solutions. SmartSource has more facilities than any other provider in the technology rental market, an outstanding track record, and a massive national inventory of computer and audio visual rental equipment.

Read more on SmartSource’s acquisition of the Rentsys computer and audio visual division here.

Below is an exerpt from the SmartSource Rentals Press Release:

SmartSource Computer & Audio Visual Rentals (Hauppauge, NY), one of the nation’s leading providers of computer, audio visual (AV) and trade show technology rentals and services, has purchased the Rentsys computer and audio visual rental division of Dealer Computer Services, Inc. (College Station, TX). The Rentsys recovery business remains with Dealer Computer Services, Inc. This is the 18th acquisition for SmartSource, a portfolio company of Kirtland Capital Partners (Cleveland, OH). Similar to previous companies acquired by SmartSource, Rentsys’ business model and strengths complement and amplify the core capabilities of SmartSource….

Popularity: 8% [?]

Volunteerism initiatives launched in Times Square

SmartSource was selected for a National Press Event in Times Square kicking off two major initiatives aimed at ushering in a new generation of volunteerism. EIF (Entertainment Industry Foundation) is tapping into the vast entertainment community to help engage millions of Americans to find ways to volunteer more regularly by launching a multi-year I PARTICIPATE Campaign. In addition, Mayor’s from all over the U.S. have come together to form a bi-partisan “Cities of Service” coalition comprised of big and small cities across the U.S. working to help make a difference in their communities. Each of these new movements was announced at a major press event in Times Square, NYC on September 10, 2009.

This event was attended by a wide variety of celebrities, public officials, companies and organizations all with the common goal of increasing volunteerism. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg served as the emcee for this event after meeting with host of other mayors around the country earlier that day regarding the “Cities of Service” initiative, including Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, Dublin, OH Mayor Marilee Chinnici-Zuercher, Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, Providence Mayor David Cicilline, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer, Vicksburg, MS Mayor Paul Winfield, Washington, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, and West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel. Other celebrities in attendance included Ashton Kutcher, Tyler Perry, Randy Jackson, Christine Baranski, Fran Drescher, Sway Calloway, Kenneth Cole, Rocco DiSpirito, Kelley Menighan Hensley, Bernadette Peters, Cameron Mathison, Tim Daly, Lee Ann Womack, Constantine Maroulis, Jeff Francoeur, and Al Leiter.

Harnessing the power of social media, Mayor Bloomberg and Ashton Kutcher joined forces to reach out to more than 3.5 million followers on twitter and encourage volunteerism, which began to draw immediate responses across the internet.

For an event this large scale that was being hosted in a globally recognized location like Times Square, New York City, it was an easy decision to go with one of the most experienced NYC Sound, Staging & Lighting companies in all of New York City - SmartSource Rentals. SmartSource worked with EIF to provide sound, staging, LED Truck, internet access and other audio visual and technology support to make sure the event went smoothly. SmartSource was proud to be involved in helping two community driven initiatives be announced on a national stage in the heart of New York City.

Resources and Information relating to these initiatives:

Entertainment Industry Foundation
I PARTICIPATE
Cities of Service
Times Square Event Press Release

Popularity: 4% [?]

New Metrolines Magazine is out!

The September/October issue of Metrolines is out and if you haven’t picked it up yet or had a chance to read it - here’s a quick peak at some of the topics covered in the recent issue. Metrolines is published by MPIGNY (Meeting Professionals International Greater New York Chapter) and is a tremendous resource for Meeting Professionals. We’d also like to give a shout out to SmartSource’s very own Ken Edwards (Vice President of Finance for MPIGNY) who is featured on the cover this time around, along with some of the other meeting professionals who all work hard to make this magazine and a variety other events and resources possible.

The latest edition of Metrolines focuses on Edutainment as a theme for this year’s social committee, and if you’re in the NYC Metro Area you can see this in action at the “Tuesday Night Live” event coming up on September 22 in Manhattan. You can check out a video teaser below or register here.

The quote below from Megan Schilt’s  ‘Leadership Lines’ article is a great snapshot of the MPIGNY vision for this season:

“As we kick off the 2009 – 2010 season of MPIGNY, the entire leadership team has unanimously agreed on two things: we will accept nothing but success from our programs, and we are committed to providing intrinsic value at each educational opportunity to our members.”

Here are just a few other features from the current issue:

-Recent Yankee Stadium Tour
-Social Media’s growing impact
-Corporate Marketplace facts
-Meetings Management
-Destination Quebec Golf Outing
-Tech Tips
-Presentation Innovation
-High Definition
-Photos and other news

To learn more about this community of meeting professionals in the NYC Metro area, or other chapters of MPI, visit the MPIGNY website.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Webinar Series 3 - Proven Strategies

Chris Brown shares some of the 20+ years experience he has gained in the Trade Show industry in the last of this 3-part webinar series sponsored by SmartSource and presented by MeetingTechOnline.

Chris shares some proven strategies for stimulating traffic and loyalty online and his currently heads NAB’s Conventions & Business Operations division. Here are just a few of the topics that are discussed during this free 1 hour webinar:

* Generating viral marketing results
* Myths and truth on social media
* Designing for long term community growth
* Real world examples

SmartSource was happy to sponsor this webinar series and also happy to be working with the good people and experts at MeetingTechOnline. If you were unable to attend the webinar you can find out more information on it here, as well as register to view the archive of the presentation. There was an enormous amount of useful facts, examples and suggestions during interview and something to take away for everyone.

SmartSource Rentals continues to be a National Leader in Computer & AV Rentals, and has been heavily involved in the Trade Show, Meetings & Events industry for years. We have worked with Associations, Show Producers, Vendors, Management and other professionals in just about every capacity realted to shows or events.  Give us a call at 800.888.8686, send us an email or complete a web quote online to see what SmartSource Rentals can do for your next event or trade show.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Top Industry Supplier Award goes to SmartSource

The most innovative and distinguished suppliers in the Trade Show & Meetings industry are selected to receive the Top Industry Supplier Award from Conventions.net. It’s no surprise that the Nation’s largest Computer and AV rental company was selected to receive this award, but nonetheless SmartSource Rentals is proud to be recognized for outstanding contributions and positive impact within the Trade Show and Meetings industry. The Conventions.net Top Supplier Award is the only one of its kind within the Trade Show & Meeting industry for suppliers.

SmartSource has been heavily involved in providing high quality Computer and AV rental equipment and technology solutions to trade shows, meetings, conventions, expos and countless similar events for decades. We have a huge depth of experience among all our staff and a reputation for doing whatever it takes to meet the unique needs of clients leading up to an event, on the trade show floor or meeting room, and afterwards with pickup and teardown.

A large majority of companies, vendors, and small businesses continually come back to SmartSource year after year to handle their meetings and trade show rental needs. These businesses know they can depend on SmartSource in any city, for any size show, for any amount of time. They know that SmartSource owns their own tradeshow rental equipment, has additional items or replacements nearby in one of their 22 locations, and has professional techs with real trade show and meeting experience to help get the equipment setup and running on time and up to spec.

Another advantage to renting Computer & AV equipment from a National leader like SmartSource Rentals, is the ability to provide the same equipment and solutions to every show a business attends throughout the season or the year. There is a major relief in knowing one company has the ability to provide the same order, setup, or equipment to 50 shows around the nation or just 5 shows around the same area. Working with one point of contact who is familiar with an order and can replicate that order anywhere you need it, can save precious time, energy, and money. Nobody wants to keep track of five different companies, five different sales representatives, and five different sets of equipment when they have the same need for their meeting or trade show. This is why businesses and companies continue to choose SmartSource, and this is why SmartSource was awarded the Top Industry Supplier Award from Conventions.net!

If you’re not happy with your current rental provider, or are looking for ways to save money or improve on your existing rental agreement give us a call and see how we can help. 800.888.8686 or fill out our rental quote form.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Webinar Series 2 - Social Media Marketing Shift

Register now FREE - Session 3: Thursday, August 27, 1:00-2:00 EDT
Proven Strategies for Stimulating Traffic and Loyalty

Summary Of  Session 2:
Thursday, August 20, 1:00-2:00 EDT

The Great Marketing Shift: Leveraging “Pull” Social Media Strategies to connect Buyers and Sellers

Harness the Power, MTO Webinar

* The effectiveness of community, content and conversation
* Supporting purpose and passion
* Six rules for viral marketing
* Easy-to-use relationship tools

Speaker:
RD Whitney, CEO, Tarsus Online Media
Through his 19-year career, RD has become an expert developing online and offline communities that bring buyers and sellers together. He has deep knowledge in creating paid content models. RD has an impressive track record of building, growing and acquiring media assets to maximize value for investors.

Summary on the webinar:

This webinar is still available online here and had some great comments and information from RD Whitney on this great marketing shift relating to social media that is going on right now. Customers today are expecting everthing to be available to them whenever they choose to look for it, and companies need to realize this. Social Media is adding a new element to the already search centric world that connects Buyers/Sellers online.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Social Media Webinar Series

The first of three Social Media webinars sponsored by SmartSource was a big success last week and there are two more coming up fast so be sure to register now! If you are wondering how Social Media can help out with marketing your business, want to learn more from some hands on experts, or just see what all the buzz is about, then these free webinars are a great resource to help you learn. Sign up now and starting getting involved in one of the fastest growing new phenomenons on the web.

• Register for Free Webinar Thursday Aug 20th - The Great Marketing Shift: Leveraging “Pull” Social Media Strategies to connect Buyers and Sellers

• Register for Free Webinar Thursday Aug 27th - Proven Strategies for Stimulating Traffic and Loyalty

The first webinar in this series has also been posted online if you registered but could not attend or just want to review the information that was presented in more detail. You can check it out here.

The first webinar in this series touched on a variety of topics including the social media landscape, tools available, best practices and more. Here at SmartSource we are just getting started with social media but have already found it to be a great resource for communicated with other people who are involved in a lot of the same things we are involved with, or with people who are actively looking for our products and services.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Jennifer Weaver new Director of Publications for SFMPI

Jennifer Weaver has been installed as the Director of Publications for the South Florida Chapter of MPI.  In her new role, she is responsible for the news content in both, the chapter e-newsletter, Tropic Topics, as well as Florida Connects Magazine, a Joint Publication of MPI’s Florida chapters.  Jennifer has been a member of MPI since 1994 and is currently an Account Executive with SmartSource Computer & Audio Visual Rentals.

Meeting Professionals International’s vision is to build a rich global meeting industry community making its members successful in building human connections to: Knowledge/Ideas, Relationships and Marketplaces.
Our vision will be activated by using four strategies:  EVOLVE to become a global community,  RE-IMAGINE business relationship with its chapters,  ELEVATE the member conversation and experience, and  BUILD a great organization.  Locally, the 500 member South Florida Chapter supports that vision and provides professional development & networking opportunities for meeting professionals for over 25 years in Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Collier Counties. MPI is committed to delivering success for its 22,000 worldwide members by providing innovative professional development, generating industry awareness and creating business development opportunities. For more information, visit www.mpiweb.org.

Congratulations Jennifer!

Popularity: 4% [?]

MPI Dallas/Forth Worth Chapter Meeting

SmartSource Rentals was proud to offer support to the MPI Dallas/Fort Worth chapter’s effort to create a new meeting concept for their April monthly chapter meeting. SmartSource’s Live Event Solutions Digital Signage Technology was used to create a game scenario to keep attendees involved and having fun while they learned to work together to solve common meeting planner/supplier problems. The digital signage was also utilized to maximize sponsor value by displaying sponsor messages during networking time.

In Addition, SmartSource Rental’s Digital Document Library solution was used by the Dallas/Fort Worth Corporate Social Responsibility group to eliminate paper waste and shipping costs by allowing attendees to choose sponsor handouts, chapter documents, and meeting information to download directly from computer kiosks to USB Flash drives. The Digital Document Library is both a green solution as well as a practical solution that allows attendees to get information digitally as well as tracking what data is accessed for future reporting purposes.

A Seamless Plasma Video Wall from SmartSource provided an additional point of interest, allowing a highly visible display for presentation material and sponsor content. Seamless Plasma Video Walls leave a huge impression on attendees by displaying a literal “wall” of seamless plasma display monitors that can all be centrally controlled from a laptop or computer.

The Dallas/Fort Worth (MPI D/FW) Chapter is an affiliate of Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the meeting and event industry’s largest and most vibrant global community with 25,000+ members belonging to 71 chapters in over 80 countries. The D/FW Chapter currently ranks as the 6th largest chapter in the world with over 970 members. The D/FW Chapter is the only MPI chapter to be recognized five times as the Chapter of the Year in 1989, 1990, 1994, 1996 and 2001.

Popularity: 4% [?]

63rd Annual Tony Awards

Nominations for the American Theatre Wing’s 63rd Annual Antoinette Perry “Tony”® Awards in 27 competitive categories  were announced May 5th, 2009 by Tony Award Winners Cynthia Nixon (Sex in the City) and Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights). The Nominee Announcement was broadcast live on CBS morning news.

This year’s Tony Award Nomination Announcement was expanded to include 5 plasma screens on a support structure for graphics accompanying the names of the nominees. Audio Visual Services from SmartSource Rentals were selected to design and construct the support structure, provide the plasma display monitors, and aid in the production of the graphics on a short time line beginning the evening before the presentation. In addition providing Audio Visual services and equipment for the Nominee Announcement, SmartSource Rentals also handled the press room operation on the Sunday night of the Tony Awards (June 7th, 2009) providing a stage and sound system for press interviews of the winners, and monitors for viewing of the Tony Awards broadcast throughout the Rainbow Room.

SmartSource Rentals has been involved in the Tony Award presentations since 2000 (formerly as ACE AV).

This event was sponsored by IBM. The nominees were selected by an independent committee of 26 theatre professionals appointed by the Tony Awards Administration Committee. The 2009 Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. Marking 63 years of excellence on Broadway, The Tony Awards was broadcasted live from Radio City Music Hall on CBS, Sunday, June 7th, 8:00 – 11:00 p.m. (ET/PT time delay).

For more information, please visit the the American Theatre Wing’s Antoinette Perry “Tony”® Awards website.

To view an official press release from the 2009 Tony® Award Nominations, click here.

To view some video from this event, click here.

Please visit us online more information on professional Audio Visual Services from SmartSource Computer & AV Rentals.

Popularity: 4% [?]

IPC chooses SmartSource Audio Visual

SmartSource was recently named as the official Audio Visual provider for the IPC Midwest 2009 Conference. This exciting event will take place the week of September 19th at the beautiful Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center in Illinois. This show offers a comprehensive show floor, educational opportunities, industry leaders and more. If you make or buy boards or assemblies in the Midwest, mark your calendar now to attend the event that’s only focused on you! SmartSource has been contracted to support all IPC Educational and Technical Sessions for this event along with being named as the official Audio Visual provider for IPC Midwest 2009.

About IPC
IPC is a global trade association dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 2,700 member companies which represent all facets of the electronic interconnect industry, including printed circuit board design and manufacturing, electronics assembly and test.

As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $1.7 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains offices in Bannockburn, Ill. (headquarters); Taos, N.M.; Arlington, Va.; Garden Grove, Calif.; Stockholm, Sweden; Moscow, Russia; and Shanghai and Shenzhen, China.

For more information, visit the official IPC website.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Ken Edwards receives Supplier of The Year Award!

Meeting Planners International of Greater New York (MPIGNY) issued awards to individuals and companies that have made significant contributions to the meeting industry at their Annual Gala this week in New York City. We are very pleased to announce that Ken Edwards was honored as the “Supplier of the Year.”

Ken Edwards, a long time member of MPIGNY, graciously accepted the award and dedicated it to SmartSource Rentals’ founder, Julian Sandler, who passed on earlier this year. “Julian was not only our founder, but also my mentor” said Ken in his acceptance speech. Ken also went on to thank previous recipients, his wife, and the many people that work to make Mr. Sandler’s visions a reality. Ken has served as the Vice President of Communications for MPIGNY, and was recently elected to serve as the Vice President of Finance for the coming year.

About MPIGNY

Meeting Professionals International’s vision is to build a rich global meeting industry community making its members successful in building rich human connections to: Knowledge, Relationships and Marketplaces for meeting professionals in New York City & Long Island. The vision will be activated by using four strategies: EVOLVE to a global community, RE-IMAGINE business relationship with its chapters, ELEVATE the member conversation and experience, and BUILD a great organization.

Popularity: 5% [?]

TAB chooses SmartSource Audio Visual

SmartSource provided full Audio Visual Services and sponsorship for an event in Long Island recently including sound, projection, screens, laptops, and full AV Service. In addition to being a national leader in computer rentals & laptop rentals, SmartSource also provides a wide range of full Audio Visual Services and AV Rentals & Staging Equipment. Our production teams have decades of combined production experience and are capable of providing Full AV Service and Equipment to any size event.

The Alternative Board (TAB) of Suffolk County hosted the recent conference in Long Island as part of the Business Prosperity^SM Series 2009 - now in its 5th successful year! This conference was entitled “Beat the Recession - Best Marketing & Sales Practices for Tough Times” and featured sales guru and business author Alf Nucifora. These conferences are aimed at the needs of business owners and each event draws over 300 attendees.

The Alternative Board

The Alternative Board (TAB) of Suffolk County, founded in 1999, is an exclusive member-only organization of Long Island business owners, CEOs, presidents and partners that meet once a month in board of director-like groups.

Board members bring their challenges and opportunities to discuss with the group where they receive practical business advice from their fellow business owners. In addition, members receive monthly private coaching sessions at their offices to make real progress on their business goals.

There are currently over 150 TAB member companies throughout Long Island.

The organization provides peer guidance and direction to help  business owner members 1) increase revenue 2) improve profitability and 3) operate their businesses more effectively.

For more information on The Alternative Board, please visit their website.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Rainforest Alliance uses SmartSource AV

SmartSource was pleased to provide AV services for The Rainforest Alliance on Wednesday, May 6, 2009 at their annual gala dinner and awards ceremony at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Environmentalists, progressive companies, celebrities and distinguished leaders in the business and diplomatic communities gathered for this distinctive event. The gala recognized exceptional achievements made by individuals and companies in the areas of sustainable agriculture, forestry and tourism. Proceeds from the gala benefited comprehensive conservation initiatives.  SmartSource was able to interface the screens and projection they provided with the existing projection screens in the museum, as well as providing screens for their electronic silent auction, and sound for this distinguished event.

SmartSource provides professional Audio Visual services and equipment rentals to large scale events and productions nationwide.

Popularity: 4% [?]

SmartSource sponsors 2009 MPI Awards Gala

The Greater New York Chapter of Meeting Professionals International (MPIGNY) is rolling out the red carpet for the 2009 Annual Awards Gala and Installation. The celebration is taking place June 16th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Times Square in New York City. SmartSource currently has members in MPIGNY, as well as numerous other local MPI chapters and other professional organizations.

SmartSource is proud to honor Ken Edwards, who has been nominated for this year’s “Supplier of the Year” award. In addition to his role as National Account Executive with SmartSource Rentals, Ken is also the incoming Vice President of Finance for MIPGNY after serving last year as MPIGNY’s Vice President of Communications. SmartSource is also proud to be a platinum sponsor at this year’s event, and looks forward to the celebration and festivities.

About MPIGNY

Meeting Professionals International’s vision is to build a rich global meeting industry community making its members successful in building rich human connections to: Knowledge, Relationships and Marketplaces for meeting professionals in New York City & Long Island. The vision will be activated by using four strategies:  EVOLVE to a global community,  RE-IMAGINE business relationship with its chapters,  ELEVATE the member conversation and experience, and  BUILD a great organization.

For more information, visit www.mpiweb.org

Popularity: 5% [?]

SmartSource Sponsors ISES Event

SmartSource recently sponsored the ISES (International Special Events Society) NJ North Chapter’s 2009 Dining Spaces competition.  SmartSource  provided plasma displays & digital signage, highlighting the sponsor logos throughout the evening. This was a memorable event, where event professionals were able to show off their creative talents & share ideas with their peers.  SmartSource is continually committed to being the technology provider of choice for the events industry.

View some photos from the event online or learn more about the International Special Event Society New Jersey North Chapter.  Video above is from the Dining Spaces 2008 posted to youtube by DavidWarnerEvents

Popularity: 4% [?]

Chicago Product Showcase

May 28th -29th, 2009. Come see the new products and services SmartSource has to offer at our Cutting Edge Products and Services Showcase in Chicago, May28th-29th 2009. This is your opportunity to see some of the great new offerings from SmartSource that can help to make a lasting impression at your next event. If you missed the product showcases earlier this year in New York City or Boston, now is your chance to attend in Chicago.

This Showcase will feature the following SmartSource Rental Products, Services and Solutions:

Digital Signage
Video Wall
Digital Document Library
Audience Tracking & Lead Retrieval
A/V Product Display

Celebrate Summer with Cutting Edge Products and Services from SmartSource Rentals. You won’t want to miss this two-day event showcasing our cutting edge products and services that are kind to the environment and your budget. This is your opportunity to view industry-leading technology and learn how it can make a great impression at your next event.

The official invite for the Chicago event will have information on registration options by phone, email, or online registration and info on how to schedule a personalized appointment with a knowledgeable representative. Attendance is free although you must register in advance. If you are going to be in the Chicago area and work in the events, tradeshow, or rental industry, don’t miss this event!

Popularity: 4% [?]

Boston Technology Showcase

On February 26th-27th, 2009, SmartSource Computer and Audio Visual Rentals featured industry leading products and technology services that are both cutting edge and environmentally sensitive. This event was held in Boston and proved to be quite a success. To see a slide show of images from the Boston event and some additional information on Video Walls visit  our website.

The Boston Showcase featured the following SmartSource Rental Products, Services and Solutions:

Digital Signage
Video Wall
Digital Document Library
Audience Tracking & Lead Retrieval
A/V Product Display

Popularity: 4% [?]

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