{"id":1941,"date":"2020-08-13T13:53:45","date_gmt":"2020-08-13T13:53:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asi2.wpenginepowered.com\/uncategorized\/asi-show-cancels-2020-chicago-trade-show-and-moves-january-2021-shows-to-q2\/"},"modified":"2025-07-01T14:34:55","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T18:34:55","slug":"asi-show-cancels-2020-chicago-trade-show-and-moves-01-2021-shows-to-q2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asicentral.com\/press-releases\/asi-show-cancels-2020-chicago-trade-show-and-moves-01-2021-shows-to-q2\/","title":{"rendered":"ASI Show Cancels 2020 Chicago Trade Show And Moves January 2021 Shows To Q2"},"content":{"rendered":"

Focus shifted to Oct. 15 virtual Education Day and enhanced online events<\/em><\/p>\n

TREVOSE, PA \u2013 August 13, 2020 \u2013\u00a0<\/strong>ASI Show\u00ae<\/sup> today announced the cancellation of its 2020 Chicago trade show and the planned rescheduling of its 2021 Orlando and Fort Worth trade shows from January to the second quarter of next year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe health, safety and well-being of everyone in the industry is of paramount importance,\u201d said Timothy M. Andrews, president and chief executive officer of ASI. \u201cTrade shows bring together thousands of new prospects and customers and include touching and feeling hundreds of new products. In light of the current transmission rate of COVID-19, we don\u2019t believe it\u2019s possible to have a safe and healthy environment at trade shows until the second quarter of next year.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a result, <\/a>ASI Show is moving January 2021\u2019s ASI Orlando to April and ASI Fort Worth to May. Details will be announced shortly. ASI Chicago will be held as planned July 27-29, 2021.<\/p>\n

This is the first time in its long history that ASI Show has canceled a large, live event, but made the decision out of concern for the health of employees, exhibitors, distributors, Chicago city residents and out-of-state travelers confronting two-week quarantines.<\/p>\n

Andrews added that as much as ASI Show had hoped to hold its Chicago show this fall for members who said they wanted and needed it for their business, it\u2019s become clear that worsening health risks and still-strict government guidelines would prohibit hosting Chicago in 2020.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of us, in business and in life, must set examples for responding to this unprecedented crisis and it\u2019s clear to me that large, live events will not be possible until farther into next year,\u201d Andrews said. \u201cWe\u2019re not going to compromise members or the industry by hosting large events before it can be done safely. We look forward to great ASI Shows, benefiting suppliers and distributors, starting in the second quarter of 2021.\u201d<\/p>\n

Right now, residents of more than 30 states have quarantine requirements when they travel to other states and it\u2019s impossible to predict what quarantine and other health and travel guidelines will be in place through the first quarter of 2021. Andrews said, \u201cEven if unrestricted travel becomes possible, I don\u2019t believe a large trade show would produce an effective ROI for distributors and suppliers who are literally counting every dollar, every investment, as they work to remain healthy physically and as a business.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the interim, ASI Show is broadening its offerings of virtual education and exhibitor events. Andrews noted that ASI\u2019s ESP\u00ae business platform\u00a0has added more features, more products and more product information than ever, giving distributors a constantly updated tool to find the best products to help their clients succeed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough we won\u2019t be able to host any brick-and-mortar shows this year, we remain committed to our longstanding goal of helping our members connect and do business together by bringing suppliers and distributors together virtually,\u201d said Rita Ugianskis-Fishman, senior vice president and general manager of ASI Show.<\/p>\n

A virtual Education Day, free for ASI distributor members, will be Thursday, October 15, from 1-4 p.m. ET. The virtual event will offer the same valuable business content and expert instructors as ASI\u2019s traditional in-person education day, specifically created to help distributors maneuver in an uncertain economy, with an emphasis on new and emerging markets carved out by recent shifts in the marketplace, including:<\/p>\n