Producing Superior Trade Shows for the Gift Industry and Others!

Western Exhibitors produces semi-annual wholesale trade shows in Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Washington and San Francisco, California. These events collectively utilize approximately 500,000 net square feet of exhibit space and draw more than 60,000 buyers and exhibitors twice yearly.

ABOUT US

Mike Dean 
President

Born: Burlingame CA, January 26, 1945
Educated: BA in Journalism and Advertising, San Jose State 1966
Employment Background: US Army – x-ray technician, locksmith, public relations assistant at San Francisco Mart
Hobbies: Skiing, golf, scuba diving and world travel
Came to Western in (year): 1967
Responsibilities at company: President
Favorite thing to do: Other than walk the floor of our shows on opening day to see the fruits of our labor, I like to travel, especially to foreign lands & with my wife and daughter when possible.

Wendy Tonkin 
Executive Vice President

Born: San Francisco, CA
Educated: San Francisco State University Major: Health Sciences, Minor French
Employment Background: Planned Parenthood 9 years, Counseling in Teen Center and Medical Aid, 1 year American Cancer Society, Counselor Breast Cancer Screening, Hired part time while finishing degree at Western Exhibitors to answer phones and count postcards and stickers in stack of 100 in 1981. Ronald Regan voted in as President and all Public Health Services/Funding were dramatically cut. Just kept working more and more at WE
Hobbies: Having Babies, Exercise, Gardening, Cooking, Reading, Knitting- Actually very little time for hobbies, eventually would love to travel more
Came to Western in (year):1981
Responsibilities at company: Co-Show Director San Francisco International Gift Fair & Seattle Gift Show, Long Range Business Planning/Development, Floorplan Assignment, Support Personnel Development
Favorite thing to do: Business Related would be just coming in to the office every day and approaching the everyday challenges with the great group of people who we work with-Traveling to other shows with my partner Mike and other Western Exhibitors’ members. Love working the shows and love the people I work with in the office and in the community. I feel incredibly lucky to enjoy what I do so much.
Favorite personal thing to do: Basically I love being a mom. I could have had a dozen kids. Love playing games with them, reading, sports, baseball games, just being a mom! I also love it at the end of the evening going from room to room with four or five sleeping boys whomever happens to be at home and plant kisses on their cheeks!

Robert Low 
Controller, Vice President Finance & Administration (for Universal Shows Inc and its various related entities)

Born: Sydney, Australia
Education: Barker College, Sydney; Bachelor of Commerce in Accountancy, University of New South Wales (May 1972)
Professional: American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants; Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia
Employment Background: Joined Universal Shows Inc in 1991 as Chief Financial Officer, after 5 years as Chief Financial Officer with a San Francisco based publisher of second language media. Also served as CFO for a specialty retailer located in the Bay Area. Prior to these positions, was with Touche Ross & Co (now Deloitte & Touche), working in their Detroit, San Francisco, Guam, and Sydney offices.
Other: Enjoys travel, both business and personal, walks and hiking, & spending time with the kids and grandkids. Prior to transferring to the United States, played rugby union and was Commissioned in the Australian Army Reserve, serving 5 years with the University of New South Wales Regiment. In younger days was active in the Boy Scouts, enjoyed caving, rock climbing and long distance bicycle journeys.

Nancy Glenn 
Director of Operations

Born: Charlotte, North Carolina
Employment Background: Worked nine years in advertising department for Oakland retail store, ten years as Executive Director for California Men's & Boys' Apparel Association trade show, and ten years as Executive Director for Golden Gate Apparel Association producing the women's apparel trade shows. I have been at Western Exhibitors since 1991.
Responsibilities at Company: Director of Operations and is responsible for show arrangements for catering, facility set-up, show decorator, security, shuttle buses, staffing, registration, and such. Office Manager - responsible for day-to-day business operations of the corporate office.
Personal: Married thirty-five years to Bob, and two sons: Tony is an Account Manager for GES Exposition Services and Chad graduates from college in May with a degree in Manufacturing Engineering.
Hobbies: Enjoy reading, volunteering, and family activities. Last child graduates from college in May, and hope to travel more.
Favorite Thing to Do - Work Related: Arriving at show site and seeing the culmination of months and months of work, and affirming that I have not forgotten anything important.
Favorite Thing to Do - Away From Work: My most favorite thing is to spend lots of time with my new grandchildren. It has been 23 years since I had babies around and I love every minute of it. The second most fun thing is going to South Lake Tahoe and playing the dollar slots.

Stacey L. Heiss 
Director of Marketing

Born: Fremont, California
Educated: University of Utah
Major: Business Administration
Employment Background: Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) —1 year—Facilities Project Coordinator; Whisler-Patri Architects—5 years—Office Administrator/Manager worked with architects on project presentations, city planners and political leaders; Western Exhibitors—13 years (and counting)—Director of Marketing
Hobbies: World travel (whenever there is a week free in my schedule, I’m usually in another part of the world), gourmet cooking, reading, hiking, eating out in restaurants
Came to Western in (year): 1990
Responsibilities at company: Responsible for direct mail copy for both buyers and exhibitors for all shows; educational programming; budgets; working with graphic designers and mailing houses; and all marketing function
Favorite thing to do—Business Related: Traveling to other markets and putting together the educational programming for buyers and exhibitors. I believe that a person cannot have enough education!
Favorite thing to do—Personally: Traveling (especially LOVE France) and experiencing new foods/cultures …when I’m home I like to cook elaborate meals and entertain friends.

Gayle Shearman 
Director of Information Services

Education: Bachelor of Arts, University of the Pacific and Master of Arts with an emphasis in Demography, Washington State University
Employment Background: Demographic Planning with California – Nevada Conference of the United Methodist Church and several of its Church Extension Societies. One of two current full time employees who started as temps on the same day in October 1984. I worked in almost every area of the company, including typing all the cards for the winter series of show directories, until April 1 of the following year when I was hired as the Buyer Registration Manager. An interest in personal computers and the departure of the Computer Services Manager moved me to that position in January 1990, where major emphasis was placed on transitioning to an attendee registration system that facilitated on-site computerized registration at our shows.
Responsibilities at company: Manage the Information Services and technical equipment for the company. Facilitate employee use of information services and equipment. Oversee the setup and operation of the temporary information systems on-site at our shows. Coordinate list selection and marketing results review/statistics.
Volunteer Activities: member of Golden Gate District United Methodist Women’s Executive Team; and serve on the Boards of Directors of Mary Elizabeth Inn and Gum Moon Residence/Asian Women’s Resource Center.
Hobbies: Computers; Surfing the web; Hiking; Travel; Needlework
Favorite thing to do: Business Related is getting to do what I like to do for fun as a job.
Favorite personal thing to do: Go to the beach; Walking; Camping with my husband and dog; and Playing with my wire-haired dachshund, Alex.

Andrew Toplarski 
Director of Show Production

Born: Massachusetts, grew up in Montana
Educated: University of Montana Major: German
Employment Background: Family retail 12 years, Ethnic Dance 2 years, Costume Production 2years, Duty Free airport retail 4 years
Hobbies: Showing and raising Wirehaired Dachshunds, Gardening, Cooking, Travel
Came to Western in (year): 1987
Responsibilities at company: Director of Show Production Division Manger Jewelry vaults in SF and SEA, Show Manager, International New Age Trade Shows
Favorite Business Related thing to do: Working with floorplans and fitting together the right mix of exhibitors. I really enjoy seeing new exhibitors grow and succeed.
Favorite personal things to do: Go to a new place; cook for friends and family, savor each day.