Jordan Morgenstern, the Society of the Plastics Industry Inc.'s longtime director of its NPE trade show, is retiring from the trade association, SPI announced May 18.
Morgenstern, who had been vice president of trade shows at Washington-based SPI since 1986, will retire May 31.
SPI said that during Morgenstern's tenure, NPE consistently ranked as one of the top five manufacturing expositions in North America and more than doubled in size, with 1.1 million square feet of exhibit space at the last show, in 2003. The trade show is a significant moneymaker for SPI, contributing millions of dollars to its annual budget.
``Jordan's enthusiasm and instinct for the trade show business have been crucial to the success of NPE and SPI as a whole,'' SPI President William Carteaux said in a news release.
Morgenstern said in a telephone interview that it's a good time to step down, more than a year before the next NPE, which is set for June 19-23, 2006, in Chicago. He said he does not have any specific plans.
SPI officials said planning for NPE 2006 will continue on schedule, but did not address finding a replacement for Morgenstern.
