OCEAN CITY — It’s time to come out of winter hibernation and make plans to attend the 46th Annual Ocean City Spring Trade Expo on March 8-9.
Designed to bring hospitality buyers and sellers together for two days of discovery and non-stop networking, this event is produced by the non-profit trade group, the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association (OCHMRA). The expo has become the mid-Atlantic’s longest running and largest trade show of its kind. The OCHMRA welcomes the return of many loyal exhibitors and showcases new and emerging regional and national companies and products. Attendees have the opportunity to utilize their senses to see, touch, taste and experience the latest trends in every component of the hospitality business.
Celebrity speaker Ryan Estis will take the stage as the keynote speaker on Monday, March 9 at 9:30 a.m. prior to the expo floor opening for its second day. Estis has more than 20 years of experience as a top-performing sales professional and leader. As the former chief strategy officer for the McCann Worldgroup advertising agency NAS, he brings a fresh perspective to business events. As a keynote speaker, he is known for his innovative ideas on leading change, improving sales effectiveness and preparing for the future of work. He was recently recognized as one of “the best keynote speakers ever heard” by Meetings & Conventions magazine alongside Tony Robbins, Bill Gates, Colin Powell and Mike Ditka.
Estis delivers keynote speeches, courses and online learning with an emphasis on actionable content designed to elevate business performance. His curriculum emphasizes emerging trends influencing corporate culture, communication, collaboration, leadership, sales and brand experience. He helps participants prepare to thrive in today’s ultra-competitive, hyper-connected business environment.
Estis supports the world’s leading brands, including Liberty Mutual, Darden Restaurants, Goodyear, the Dallas Cowboys, Medtronic, ECCO USA and Blue Cross Blue Shield. He is a faculty member for the Institute of Management Studies, a member of the SmartBrief on Workforce Advisory Board and a certified Human Capital Strategist.
Estis and his team publish original research featuring client case studies to expand the live event experience. He is also the author of a popular blog on business performance. His writing has been featured in SmartBrief, Business News Network, CRN, Crain’s Business, Workforce Management Magazine, HR Professional Magazine, HR Times, Yahoo Business, SHRM publications and Staffing Management magazine.
Estis is an Ohio University graduate who resides in downtown Minneapolis. When he’s not traveling to speaking engagements around the world, he enjoys down time with family and friends, practicing yoga and cheering on his beloved Minnesota Timberwolves.
This keynote speaker is being brought to Ocean City through a partnership with the Restaurant Association of Maryland and is just one of several educational sessions planned for the industry expo. The Expo is not open to the public, therefore to walk the show floor, you must be a buyer or guest in the industry and you must be at least 21. For example, hotel, motel, restaurant, catering, concessions, bed & breakfast, condo/property management, campground, coffee house, ice cream store, nightclub, liquor store, convenience store, cafeteria, nursing home, schools/colleges, 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 8 from 11:00 a.m.-5 p.m. and Monday, March 9 from 11 a.m.-4 p/m. After February 28, on-site registration is $25 per person with proof of being in the industry; a business card or business license or letter from employer on the company letterhead; paystubs not accepted. For complete expo information, check out www.oceancitytradeexpo.com or call 410-289-6733.