Tony Calanca has over thirty years of experience in the exhibition industry, managing domestic and international trade and consumer shows for Reed Exhibitions (RX), Advanstar, UBM and Informa.  Tony is one of the country’s leading specialists in the management of larger-scale exhibitions.  His broad expertise and strong reputation in the exhibition business have brought frequent industry speaking engagements and industry association leadership positions.

 

Tony’s twenty-two year career at RX included over fifteen years as both VP and Senior VP of Operations for the North American division, directing venue and vendor selection, negotiation and management, logistics, registration, housing and travel and negotiations for this $200 million division, while forging key relationships with every major venue, contractor group, and convention bureau in the country.  For six years, Tony was Senior Vice President of the consumer and association show management group at RX, launching and managing shows for the PGA of America (PGA Merchandise Shows, Premier Golf), Vision Council of America (Vision Expo, EyeQuest), American Gaming Association (Global Gaming Expo), National Shooting Sports Foundation (SHOT Show), American Booksellers Association (Book Expo), Tennis Industry Association (Tennis at the US Open), and the New York Restaurant Association.

 

For the past thirteen years, Tony has been Executive Vice President of Exhibitions at Advanstar and the companies which subsequently acquired the Advanstar portfolio, UBM (acquired in 2014) and Informa (acquired in 2018).  Tony’s role included overall responsibility for venue and vendor selection, negotiation and management, registration, housing and travel vendor and program management, and oversight of most other customer facing administrative functions.  He was also responsible for expense analysis and management and all event contract review and approvals. He held operational authority over several portfolios including the Fashion Group, which includes MAGIC, Project, WWD, Platform, Coterie, ACIC, the Powersports Group which consisted of up to fourteen consumer and one trade event, and the Licensing Group, with shows in the US and Britain.

 

Tony’s stature in the exhibition industry was recognized with his appointment as a thirteen-year Board Member of the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO), culminating in his role as Chairman in 2015-2016. Tony is also a recipient of SISO’s Robert L. Krakoff award, joining an elite group of industry leaders.

 

Tony and his wife, Pat, have lived in New Canaan for thirty four years and have been very involved in the community.  Tony served two terms on the Board of Assessment Appeal in the past.