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KnowledgeFest Indy Brings the Experience East

Another Record-Setting Event

NORTH ANDOVER, MASS. – March 29, 2018 – The Mobile Electronics Association (MEA) announced attendance for its March 16-18 KnowledgeFest® event in Indianapolis, Indiana. Following a successful first-time event in Long Beach, California earlier in March, KnowledgeFest Indy, now in its fourth year, was another record-setting event with year-over-year growth for all KnowledgeFest events continuing in 2018.

Held in the Indiana Convention Center, KnowledgeFest Indy 2018 attracted more than 950 attendees, including more than 630 dealers, a thirty percent increase over 2017. KnowledgeFest Indy is the only industry event dedicated to the mobile electronics specialist, the installing dealer. And, KnowledgeFest is the only mobile electronics tradeshow east of the Mississippi; attracting dealers from more than ten surrounding states, as well as the east coast, “near east” cities like Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Buffalo and Rochester, and Canadian cities like Toronto and Ottawa.

Forty-five exhibitors packed a sold-out trade show floor. KnowledgeFest is unique in that it combines a tradeshow floor with educational programming and training for dealers. Indy featured sixty hours of manufacturer training and thirty hours of educational sessions focused on management, sales and installation. Billed as “Spring Training”, KnowledgeFest Indy is scheduled to allow dealers to get training on new products just coming to market and to kick-off the spring season.

“Indianapolis has become a great venue for us, our attendees and exhibitors. We continue to attract manufacturers from the specialty sector of our industry who don’t exhibit at other trade shows and who want to get their products and new technologies in front of our audience of mobile specialists, the installing dealers,” said Chris Cook, MEA president. “The opportunity for manufacturers to train dealers adds value to manufacturers and the dealers overall KnowledgeFest experience. Having Davis Distribution’s presence in Indy has helped drive attendance from nearby markets, and I thank them. As a Massachusetts-based business, we continue to focus on driving attendance from the northeast, New York City and Philadelphia. These dealers aren’t going to Vegas, so we need to communicate that KnowledgeFest Indy is accessible to them, inexpensive to attend, and a high-value experience.”  

KnowledgeFest is three regional events covering the eastern (Indianapolis), central (Dallas) and western (Long Beach) US and Canada. The next 2018 KnowledgeFest takes place in Dallas from August 17-19. For more information go to www.knowledgefest.org.

About the Mobile Electronics Association

Mobile Electronics Association (MEA) is a trade association comprised of installing dealers and product vendors dedicated to serving the needs of the mobile electronics specialist industry. MEA owns and produces KnowledgeFest®, events in Long Beach, Indianapolis and Dallas that combine educational programming and vendor training with a trade show floor. MEA owns and publishes the monthly Mobile Electronics® magazine, which is the industry’s #1 resource, as well as other digital media, including websites and the industry’s e-newsletter Hotwire. MEA provides software and data-driven services to vendors and retailers.

Words by Rosa Sophia

4-13-2018 Mobile Electronics -- The theme of this year’s Indianapolis KnowledgeFest was OEM integration, branding and profitability, while DSP took the forefront of the discussion as retailers discussed the future of 12-volt. Meanwhile, industry veterans shared advice on how to apply knowledge and lessons learned back at the shop.

On the first day of KnowledgeFest, attendees waited for the show floor to open. For newcomers, the crowds and classes, activities and trainings might have seemed overwhelming. There was a lot to do and even more to learn—but those who’ve attended many previous shows advise retailers to take notes, record trainings to listen again later, and don’t try to make too many changes at once upon returning to work.

At the Indianapolis Convention Center, crowds spread across the wide hallway while people lined up to check in and get their conference badges. On the event floor, some exhibitors displayed brands that were recently unveiled or set to be released in the next few months.

Many attendees had been to the event before. For some, it was a first-time experience. Wes Tyson, owner of Wet Audio & Accessories in Columbus, Ohio was there for his first KnowledgeFest, as well as to unveil an exciting build on a 2007 Jeep that he and two team members completed in 13 days. Memphis Audio sponsored the project.

“As a business owner, KnowledgeFest is a must,” Tyson said.

Read the rest of the story HERE.

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