Medtrade Staff Sees Expanded Roles

Three team members working for annual HME industry conference and expo receive promotions.

• By David Kopf
• Jan 10, 2019

Group Show Director Kevin Gaffney, CEM, will expand his role to include vice president duties for Medtrade, Medtrade Spring and four other shows: Environments for Aging (EFA), Construction SuperConference, Healthcare Design and Hospitality Design. Gaffney underscored that trade shows continue to maintain their relevance, even in today’s digital media age.

“People thought the Internet would kill trade shows, but it’s really made them more important than ever,” Gaffney noted.

Mark Lind has transitioned from group sales manager to associate show director, healthcare, for Medtrade, Medtrade Spring and two additional shows. Lind says he will maintain a customer-focused approach to doing business.

“You always treat [customers] with respect, and with a sense of urgency,” Lind explained. “It’s important to treat customers the way you would want to be treated.”

Sarah Varner has been promoted to senior director of marketing for Emerald’s healthcare events, where she will continue developing marketing plans for Medtrade shows, as well as help oversee Healthcare Design (HCD) and Environments for Aging (EFA).

“I’ve worked on Medtrade since day one,” said Varner, a nine-year veteran of the company. “I’ve worked on HCD and EFA since they were acquired. Trade shows are still relevant because they provide a place to make connections with peers, vendors, and experts, and to form a community that’s a helpful resource all year long.”