OCEAN CITY — Ocean City is getting down to business as the 44th Annual Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association Trade Expo takes place in the Ocean City Convention Center March 4-5.
Filling three halls of the Convention Center, the expo has grown to be one of the area’s premier industry events. Attendees have the opportunity to see, touch, taste and experience the latest trends in every component of the hospitality business. With a little over 400 exhibit booths operators will leave armed with new ingredients, knowledge, equipment and inspiration to successfully run their business. This face-to-face interaction provides a valuable, efficient, and cost-effective opportunity to do one-stop shopping and product comparison.
The expo is not open to the public. To walk the show floor, you must be a buyer or guest in the industry and you must be 21. For example, industry parameters include hotel, motel, restaurant, catering, concessions, bed and breakfast, condo/property management, campground, coffee house, ice cream store, nightclub, liquor store, convenience store, cafeteria, nursing home, schools/colleges and hospital. Expo management reserves the right to determine if your registration fits these parameters. If you sell to these types of businesses, you would be considered an exhibitor and must purchase a booth to attend the expo.
Expo hours are Sunday, March 4 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Monday, March 5 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. On-site registration is $15 per person with proof of being in the industry.
The following is a look at a schedule of events of seminars.
Sunday, March 4
Culinary Showcase Stage
11:30 a.m.: Master Chef Season 7 Winner Shaun O’Neale will be mixing it up with a lively and entertaining cooking demo, meet and greet and cookbook signing.
2 p.m.: Where will our seafood come from in the future? Sourcing sustainable seafood in a protein short world. Join fish expert, biologist and Congressional Seafood Vice President Tim Sughrue as he explores this topic and shares samples.
3:30 p.m.: Food on Tap – Cooking with Craft Beer: Sysco Eastern MD Chef Candace Hilger teams up with EVO craft beer to explore developing craft beer inspired dishes and incorporating craft inspired flavors into your menu.
Educational Sessions-Room 210 Second Level
Noon: P.O.S.: Proven. Organizational. Success. Using technology to achieve better sales and reduced costs. Think your POS software is just for ringing in the sale? It’s not. Use technology to manage labor costs, reduce waste and spoilage, inventory management, increase customer turnover and increase average check values to increase profitability and efficiency. Learn about the newest to reduce costs and improve sales. Presented by Steve Silberman, MPI Point of Sale
1 p..m.: Interceptors and Grease Traps 101 – Protecting Our Environment -Grease, Fats & Oils and the Proper Handling of Waste: Discussion will involve all aspects of dealing with grease and how to keep it from flowing into our bays. Presented by Rich Ballard, Valley Proteins, and Scott Brinsfiled, FiltaFry, and the Maryland Coastal Bays Program.
2 p.m.: Everyone’s a Critic, Deal with it!: Everyday customers are talking about your business on TripAdvisor, Google, Facebook and others. Join this session to explore how to handle negative reviews and manage your online reputation. Presented by: Todd Collins, chief operating officer at RestaurantReputations.com
3 p.m.: Technology Ideas to Generate Repeat Guests: In this session, two industry experts discuss using a point of sale system, online ordering, loyalty programs, guest data and other available technology to help manage and grow your business as well as keep your guests happy, and happy enough to return. Presented by Henry Pertman, Cohn Reznick and Michael Tash of Essential System Solutions
4 p.m.: Protect Your Employees, Protect Your Assets-Keeping Employees Safe & Procedures for Returning to Work: Learn about industry leading accidents and what business owners can do to protect their employees and their companies. Hear the benefits of working with insurance providers to reduce exposure. Presented by Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company
12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.: Exhibit Booth #2614, Chesapeake Cafe by Eastern Shore Coffee & Water
Monday, March 5
Culinary Showcase Stage
11:30 a.m.: Meet the Makers: Stop by to learn more about craft products and spirits and the makers that produce them.
1 p.m.: Ocean 98 Presents MINGO – Music Bingo: Join us on stage for this entertaining and interactive chance to win prizes. Featured music will showcase food and beverage and hospitality related songs.
2:30 p.m.: Executive Chef Paul Suplee takes center stage and delves into the heart of the kitchen.
Educational Sessions Room 210 Second Level
10 a.m.: Paid Sick Leave Compliance – MD Working Healthy Families Act is Here, Now What? Join Niles, Barton & Wilmer as they explore the new law in layman’s language. Presented by Niles, Barton & Wilmer, LLP in Room 208.
11:30 a.m.: Mine Your Data, Mind Your Business – Data is everywhere! Learn how to use creative strategies to put that data to work to attract new customers, encourage repeat business and drive direct bookings. Presented by John Gehrig, D3Corp
Noon: Legionella-What’s in the Water: Assessment, Prevention & Remediation: Discussion will include what legionella is, the new ASHRAE 188 Standard and how it will affect your property, how to prevent an outbreak and water system remediation. Presented by David Hollingsworth, ARC Water Treatment in Room 208.
12:30 p.m.: Technology Ideas to Generate Repeat Guests: In this session, two industry experts discuss using a point of sale system, online ordering, loyalty programs, guest data and other available technology to help manage and grow your business as well as keep your guests happy, and happy enough to return. Presented by Henry Pertman, Cohn Reznick and Michael Tash, Essential System Solutions
1:30 p.m.: Everyone’s a Critic, Deal with it! Everyday customers are talking about your business on TripAdvisor, Google, Facebook and others. Join this session to explore how to handle negative reviews and manage your online reputation. Presented by Todd Collins, RestaurantReputations.com
2 p.m. Buy your business network like you purchase your cell phone: Stop by and learn how you can save money by paying for your business networking equipment like your firewall, Wi-Fi, and phone system on a monthly plan. Presented by Telewire & ADTRAN in Room 208
2:30 p.m.: How to Maximize (ok squeeze) Your Marketing Dollars: Budgets today are not only tight for our clients and prospects but for us as well; but we must continue to market nonetheless. So with these tight budgets what does one do? This seminar discusses numerous ways to create affordable marketing touch points in a very tight economy. Presented by David Addi, Fired Up Promotions
Show Floor Exhibition
Noon and 2 p.m.: Exhibit Booth #2614, Chesapeake Cafe by Eastern Shore Coffee & Water