From February 6th-8th, the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association (OPRA) held its yearly conference and trade show at the Kalahari Resort in Sandusky, Ohio. There were more than 70 educational sessions with the trade show this year. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to attend any of the educational sessions, but I took full advantage of the trade show opportunities.
The evening before the trade show, OPRA held its networking event – something I wish more shows would incorporate. It was nice to catch up with previous customers and meet potential customers. Networking events like these always prove to be a valuable part of the conference experience – as I can educate more people on what we do at the Creative Composites Group.
I started the first day of the trade show at the breakfast buffet. If you are staying at the Kalahari Resort, I recommend checking out the breakfast. There is a large assortment of food that will satisfy the pickiest of eaters. After some eggs and coffee, it was time for the show to start. I arrived at my booth eager to start the show. This year, I decided to do something different to attract more foot traffic to the booth. Our company LinkedIn post showed our booth, the location and directed people to mention the post to me to receive a treat since I would be handing out snack-size bags of assorted popcorn to show-goers.
The second day of the trade show was much like the first. I got the opportunity to meet with many park owners to talk about our Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer (FRP) products and how FRP can be used within their parks. Many of the people I spoke with were surprised by what I had to tell them about the benefits of using FRP. They walked away with new considerations for future bridge and boardwalk projects.
I want to give a huge shout-out to the organizers of the show. They do a fantastic job with this show, making it enjoyable for the attendees and their families. I am already looking forward to going back in 2023!
