John Kmitta Associate Publisher / Editorial Brand Director jkmitta @ epgmediallc . com 763-383-4405

I probably say this at this time every year , but it ’ s hard to believe it is December and we are wrapping up yet another year . And although 2021 presented plenty of challenges (“ supply chain issues ” anyone ?), this year was a marked improvement over 2020 .

Case in point is the industry getting back to some sort of normalcy with regard to in-person meetings . As I write this , I am just coming off a trip to GIE + EXPO , the outdoor power equipment industry ’ s showcase event ( see our post-show recap beginning on page 30 ). This was my

first work-related travel since January of 2020 , and it was great to see so many of my contacts and friends in the industry .

Heading into GIE + EXPO , we weren ’ t sure what to expect , because we didn ’ t know how much the current health concerns would impact attendance and people ’ s willingness to get back to in-person events . But if GIE + EXPO is any indication , industry professionals are ready to get back out there , connect with their peers , attend in-person education opportunities , and see what is new on the market .

According to GIE + EXPO show management , although the number of exhibitors was down ( especially international exhibitors ), and the amount of personnel that exhibitors sent to the show was down , the number of GIE + EXPO attendees was up over 2019 and 2018 ( according to show management , GIE + EXPO 2021 drew 23,922 attendees ).

This is a great sign for upcoming industry events , such as the Irrigation Show ( Dec . 6-10 in San Diego ), and , of course , the 2022 STMA Conference and Exhibition ( Jan . 17-20 , 2022 in Savannah , Ga .), as it signals a return to business as usual .

I ’ m sure many of you are ready to get back to networking with your peers and seeing your friends – and learning something new in the process . As highlighted in our November issue , the STMA Conference and Exhibition is the must-attend event for sports field management professionals . For more information , or to register , visit https :// www . stma . org / conference /

I hope to see you in Savannah in January , and I wish all of you a happy and healthy holiday season . SFM

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SportsField Management | December 2021 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com