GES and Exhibitgroup/Giltspur Will Integrate Offerings to Bring Greater Innovation, Efficiency and Service to Clients

As part of an overall reorganization taking place through its parent company Viad Corp (NYSE:VVI), the GES Exposition Services (GES) and Exhibitgroup/Giltspur (EG) organizations are joining forces to create a greater depth and breadth of comprehensive services for clients. While continuing to work under their individual brands, the two companies will be collaborating more closely as they come together under one business unit, Viad's Marketing & Events Group.

John is a great leader and I am committed to support him in this transition. His strong background in marketing services and experience running a variety of different businesses will be invaluable assets to the business. The combined management team reporting to John is extremely talented and poised to take the industry to the next level.

Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) July 13, 2009

As part of an overall reorganization taking place through its parent company Viad Corp (NYSE:VVI), the GES Exposition Services (GES) and Exhibitgroup/Giltspur (EG) organizations are joining forces to create a greater depth and breadth of comprehensive services for clients.

While continuing to work under their individual brands, the two companies will be collaborating more closely as they come together under one business unit, Viad's Marketing & Events Group. The business unit will be led by John Jastrem, currently serving as president and chief executive officer of EG.

The combined companies will create an unmatched, world-class organization by leveraging the best-in-class strengths of GES and EG. The companies are making these changes to align with customer needs and remain on the forefront of an ever-changing marketplace. The exhibition and event industry and clients will benefit from:

Full Scale Official Contracting Services providing consistent, best-in-class event production and service delivery
Cutting Edge Creative & Design to build unique, powerful and memorable opportunities to connect businesses face to face
Marketing and Measurement Services positioned to generate increased value from exhibitions and events
Unparalleled Global Reach to provide solutions around the world, including North America, Europe and the Middle East

"Bringing the companies together is the right strategic move and one we have been working toward for the past few years," said Jastrem. "We have strong, global positions and capabilities through the GES and EG organizations. As a unified network, the depth of our talent, from tactical to strategic, will be unmatched."

Kevin Rabbitt, president and chief executive officer of GES, will remain with the company through September 30, 2009 and will serve in an advisory capacity to Jastrem through the end of 2009.

Rabbitt said, "John is a great leader and I am committed to support him in this transition. His strong background in marketing services and experience running a variety of different businesses will be invaluable assets to the business. The combined management team reporting to John is extremely talented and poised to take the industry to the next level."

The focus of integrated services will be to help clients maximize the return on their event and marketing spend. By approaching the event experience holistically, the combined power of GES and EG will create a more compelling and informative experience for event organizers, exhibitors and attendees through:

An unmatched creative network to produce engaging experiences before, during and post events
New and innovative products and services, including video measurement from GES' ethnoMetrics and expanded rental solutions offerings
Seamless and efficient execution at events, including coordinated move-ins and priority access to show site labor teams

"This is all about using our capabilities to drive results for clients with a new approach to events and the experience they can create," Jastrem said. "I am excited to meet with clients and leaders in our industry to explain firsthand the full power of our offerings."

About GES
Las Vegas-based GES Exposition Services, a subsidiary of Viad Corp (NYSE: VVI), services every major exhibition and event market across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and in Abu Dhabi through the GES Worldwide Network. GES provides a wide range of services, including exhibition planning and design, turnkey and custom exhibit rentals, material handling, staging, overhead sign rigging, temporary electrical equipment, signs and graphics manufacturing, installation and dismantling labor, carpet and furnishings, and transportation services. GES produces many well-known shows including the International CES, Spring Fair Birmingham, International Council of Shopping Centers, MAGIC, and CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE. For more information, visit http://www.ges.com.

About Exhibitgroup/Giltspur
Exhibitgroup/Giltspur (EG) is an award-winning experiential marketing agency known for creating meaningful and memorable connections between leading companies and their customers. By producing powerful brand experiences through exhibits, events, mobile marketing tours, permanent installations, and temporary retail environments, EG helps clients accelerate the sales process, deepen brand loyalty and consistently deliver superior results. The company also creates branded entertainment experiences that surprise and delight audiences worldwide. Backed by the financial strength of its parent company, Viad Corp (NYSE: VVI), EG employs nearly 600 professionals in 28 client care centers throughout the world. For more information, go to http://www.e-g.com.

Viad is an S&P SmallCap 600 company. Major operating companies include GES Exposition Services, Exhibitgroup/Giltspur, Brewster and Glacier Park, Inc. For more information, visit the company's Web site at http://www.viad.com.

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