As the one show for facility solutions, it’s easy to see why ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America draws cleaning professionals from far—and near.
 
Just ask Jeff Miller, president of Modesto, CA-based Randik Paper Co. “We bring all our sales people to the show because it’s so close,” says Miller. “For them to be able to see what’s out there and all the innovation is fantastic.”
 
Miller is just one of the more than 16,000 cleaning professionals expected to attend ISSA/INTERCLEAN® North America and the ISSA Convention seminar program, October 20-23, 2015, in Las Vegas, NV, USA, to find the right solutions for their needs and those of their customers.
 
Rated one of the Top-100 trade shows in the United States by The Gold 100, ISSA/INTERCLEAN, hosted by ISSA and its partner, RAI Amsterdam, will feature the top innovations from leading manufacturers along with more than 45 educational seminars, workshops, and networking events all packed into the one week where the entire industry comes together.
 
New Outdoor Exhibits
This year’s exhibition features a new outdoor exhibits area, where more than a dozen of the show’s 700-plus exhibitors from more than 30 countries will showcase their products and services in a unique, open-air environment.
 
In addition to food trucks, the outdoor area will feature many types of cleaning equipment, including live demonstrations of high-pressure washers; gum removal equipment; propane burnishers and floor strippers; and water reclamation, rider sweepers, and material handling equipment.
 
 
And demos are one of the best parts of being able to meet with exhibitors face-to-face, according to Miller. “The demonstrations are worth their weight in gold,” he says. “It just gives you such a better understanding of the product.”
 
Other exhibitors will have their large, branded trucks parked and open to showcase their equipment and products to outdoor area visitors
 
The exhibit hall will be open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Wednesday, October 21, and Thursday, October 22; and 9 a.m-1 p.m., on Friday, October 23.
 
A full list of exhibitors is available at www.issa.com/exhibitors.
 
ISSA Innovation Showcase
Inside the exhibit hall, the show floor will again feature the ISSA Innovation Showcase, where attendees can vote on their favorite products and services to choose the five Visitors’ Choice award winners in this year’s ISSA Innovation Award Program. The Visitors’ Choice selections will join the five online winners of the program, and all 10 winners will be announced during the ISSA Excellence Awards Luncheon, featuring Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary on Friday, October 23, at 1 p.m. ISSA members who are celebrating a milestone ISSA membership anniversary year will be recognized and ISSA/INTERCLEAN Best Customer Service Award winners will also be revealed during this luncheon.
 
ISSA Convention Program
The ISSA Convention seminars kick off Tuesday, October 20, and include hot topics such as infection control and green trends to tips on navigating the industry’s mergers and acquisitions environment. Additional sessions will be hosted right on the trade show floor Wednesday, October 21, through Friday, October 23 at the ISSA Keynote and Education Stage, Booth 281.
 
“We identified what keeps our members up at night, as well as where they want to grow and innovate, and then found experts to help them address those issues,” explains Kim Althoff, ISSA’s Director of Conventions and Meetings.
 
Workshops begin Monday, October 19, and run through Friday, October 23, and include opportunities to become an ISSA Certification Expert (I.C.E.), an accredited Certification Trainer (A.C.T.), or become Cleaning Maintenance Institute (CMI) Supervisor and Management certified. Plus, there will be multiple Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) floor care technician courses. All show floor education sessions are included in the trade show registration fee. Seminars and workshops not on the show floor require separate registration.
 
The complete education schedule is available at www.issa.com/seminars.
 
Co-Located Events
In addition to the ISSA Convention, several industry organizations co-locate their events during ISSA/INTERCLEAN:
·      Association of Residential Cleaning Services International (ARCSI)
·      Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI)
·      Cleaning Equipment Trade Association (CETA)
·      IEHA
 
For more detail, go to www.issa.com/colocated.
 
ISSA Keynote Speakers
The trade show floor will also host three ISSA Keynote Speakers, all at the ISSA Keynote and Education Stage, Booth 281.
·      Secrets of Flawless Execution — A global team of real fighter pilots, Afterburner Inc., will reveal how to be in full fighting form every day on Wednesday, October 21, at 8 a.m.

·      Funny Business: A Private Performance with Jay Leno — The famous comedian and talk show host will share his unique brand of everyday observations and business insights on Thursday, October 22, at 8 a.m.


·      ISSA Excellence Luncheon featuring Kevin O'Leary: How You Can Be a Successful
Entrepreneur at Everything You Do — The renowned investor and host of Shark Tank will disclose what it takes to be successful in today's volatile economy— no matter if you’re the CEO or the frontline employee — plus provide lessons gleaned from his popular TV show on Friday, October 23, at 1 p.m. This session will also feature the ISSA Awards Luncheon.

 
More information is available at www.issa.com/keynotes.
 
Show Floor Happy Hour
The opportunities for learning don’t end there. With thousands of cleaning professionals from around the world walking the show floor, ISSA/INTERCLEAN offers the most valuable educational opportunity of all: networking with peers. To make the most of this valuable mix of the industry elite, the schedule includes several networking events, including:
 
o   Show Floor Happy Hour, Thursday, October 22, 4-5 p.m., where more than 40 exhibitors, including in those in the outdoor exhibit area, will offer hospitality and raffle tickets for prizes.
 
o   ISSA LinkedIn Reception, Thursday, October 22, 4-5:30 p.m., at the ISSA Resource Center, Booth 899, (during the Show Floor Happy Hour), where ISSA’s LinkedIn members can meet face-to-face and win even more prizes. (To join the group of 23,000-plus industry professionals, just search “ISSA—The Worldwide Cleaning Industry” on LinkedIn under “Groups” and click “Join.” To attend the reception just print out the invitation or show you are a member on your smartphone.)
 
 
For Charlie Moody, owner of facility maintenance supply company Solutex, Inc., who has attended the trade show for 20 years, the networking is the best part of the show because it allows him to spend time getting to know vendors.
 
“I think there’s huge value in spending time with manufacturers,” he says. “They begin to understand how much we care about our customers’ needs, which helps when I have to call at 8 o’clock at night to ask for [more product].”
 
For more information on ISSA/INTERCLEAN, visit www.issa.com/show. To register, go to www.issa.com/register.
 
Complete information is also available in the show mobile app, sponsored by R3 Reliable Redistribution Resource, available at www.issa.com/mobile. The show floor also will offer free WiFi, thanks to SupplyWorks.