{"id":8802,"date":"2026-06-26T07:02:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T12:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mhisolutionsmag.com\/?p=8802"},"modified":"2026-06-26T05:45:43","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T10:45:43","slug":"whos-walking-the-show-floor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mhisolutionsmag.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/26\/whos-walking-the-show-floor\/","title":{"rendered":"Who\u2019s Walking the Show Floor?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Member Stories: How Changing MHI Event Demographics Are Shaping Exhibitor Strategy\"christy<\/h3>\n
BY CHRISTY DULA<\/span>, CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, MHI<\/div>\n

W<\/span>ALK THE AISLES<\/strong> at any recent ProMat and MODEX, and one thing is immediately clear: the audience is changing.<\/p>\n

Exhibitors are engaging with a more diverse mix of attendees than ever before\u2014from first\u2011time visitors and early\u2011career professionals to C\u2011suite executives and digital transformation leaders. That evolution reflects a broader shift in how supply chain decisions are made.<\/p>\n

I spoke with two industry veterans and members of MHI\u2019s Mpro community of marketing professionals about these trends. Tracy Niehaus, global vice president of marketing at MHI member Ocado Intelligent Automation, has been in the industry since 2000 and has participated in 24 MHI exhibitions. Joining us was Chelsea Tarr, director of marketing at MHI member Paccurate, who entered the industry in 2012 and has exhibited in 10 MHI shows.<\/p>\n

\"that<\/h3>\n

The pair offered insights into how changing attendee demographics are reshaping conversations on the show floor, as well as impacting how companies structure their exhibits.<\/p>\n

A MORE LAYERED AUDIENCE<\/h4>\n

Both Niehaus and Tarr noted that buying decisions are no longer driven primarily by operations and engineering teams, instead becoming more cross\u2011functional. With more leadership, information technology (IT) and operations stakeholders involved in the process, a broader cross\u2011section of titles now attends shows.<\/p>\n

“Job title demographics have really evolved,” observed Niehaus. “Operations and engineering professionals are still the core attendees, but we\u2019re seeing more participation from the C\u2011suite, IT and others.”<\/p>\n

“I would add that there are more younger attendees, but that\u2019s been a gradual shift,” said Tarr. “Millennials are increasingly stepping into decision\u2011making roles, while Gen Z attendees are still more likely to be in support positions. The younger attendees are there to learn, not to make buying decisions.”<\/p>\n

Further, show audiences are becoming more global and diverse. This reflects both the international expansion of supply chain organizations and the increasing global reach of MHI events. Exhibitors no longer engage with a primarily domestic audience; they\u2019re speaking to a global one with varied perspectives and experiences.<\/p>\n

The rise in first\u2011time, early\u2011career and international attendees changes the tone of conversations, said Niehaus. “There\u2019s a different level of curiosity that influences discussions\u2019 tone and content. It also brings a lot of energy.”<\/p>\n

That curiosity creates opportunity\u2014but also requires a more thoughtful staffing approach.<\/p>\n

“We have to really look at those conversations and make sure that we have the right people at the booth talking to them,” she added, noting that these interactions often blend education with early\u2011stage strategic thinking.<\/p>\n

FROM EXPLORATION TO EXECUTION<\/h4>\n

As the audience has evolved, so too has attendee intent, said Tarr. She noted that trade shows are no longer just environments for discovery but increasingly tie into active business needs.<\/p>\n

“There\u2019s been a shift in the conversations. People are coming with a problem they need to solve,” Tarr explained. “I don\u2019t think people can cost\u2011justify going to a show anymore on education alone. They have to come back and say, \u2018This is the problem you sent me to solve, and here are the potential solutions I found.\u2019”<\/p>\n

Niehaus observed a similar trend, with attendees arriving better prepared\u2014but not always with the right answers.<\/p>\n

“They\u2019ve done some research, and perhaps they have a specific project in mind,” she said. “But they don\u2019t always know exactly what they need, so they\u2019re looking for options.”<\/p>\n

Niehaus and Tarr agreed that attendees\u2019 combination of preparation and uncertainty has shifted conversations toward validation, guidance and problem\u2011solving.<\/p>\n

MORE STAKEHOLDERS, MORE COMPLEX CONVERSATIONS<\/h4>\n

The changing makeup of attendees is also transforming how solutions are discussed and evaluated.<\/p>\n

“We\u2019re not just talking about hardware anymore,” said Niehaus. “There\u2019s a much stronger emphasis on software integration, data visibility, the scalability of a solution and its return on investment (ROI).”<\/p>\n

That reflects the increasing complexity\u2014and cost\u2014of supply chain investments.<\/p>\n

“These are often times multi\u2011million-dollar investments,” she added. “Buying authority doesn\u2019t lie with just one person, so exhibitors are having conversations with multiple stakeholders.”<\/p>\n

Click here to read the full article.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

ISTOCK.COM<\/a>\/MICROSTOCKHUB<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Member Stories: How Changing MHI Event Demographics Are Shaping Exhibitor Strategy BY CHRISTY DULA, CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, MHI WALK THE AISLES at any recent ProMat and MODEX, and one thing is immediately clear: the audience is changing. Exhibitors are engaging with a more diverse mix of attendees than ever before\u2014from first\u2011time …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":8804,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,9,5,10],"tags":[2097,442,1902,1907,625,466,441],"class_list":["post-8802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured-article","category-education","category-features","category-industry-trends","tag-emerging-technology","tag-mhi-solutions","tag-mhi-solutions-magazine","tag-mhisolutionsmag","tag-modex","tag-supply-chain","tag-supply-chain-innovation"],"yoast_head":"\nWho\u2019s Walking the Show Floor? - MHI Solutions<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mhisolutions-digital.com\/mhiq\/library\/item\/0326_volume_14__issue_3\/4349245\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Who\u2019s Walking the Show Floor? - MHI Solutions\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Member Stories: How Changing MHI Event Demographics Are Shaping Exhibitor Strategy BY CHRISTY DULA, CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, MHI WALK THE AISLES at any recent ProMat and MODEX, and one thing is immediately clear: the audience is changing. 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