Exploring Elko

I am somewhat of a veteran of the trade show circuit, having worked the SME, PDAC, and CIM shows – but this was my first Elko Mining Expo, and I must say it is a show unlike any other.

Cherie Ledoux, Maptek North America Marketing Director, who also attended the show, described it as “more of a county fair than a trade show.”   I couldn’t agree with her more, and I am delighted that it was the case.  I had a blast gorging on cotton candy and running around the grounds on a sugar high, riding the man-cage up and down, climbing all over the equipment displays, blasting the horn in the haul truck, and trying not to spill my “beverage” as I careened off of kids in the bouncy castle…  None of that happened, of course, but it could have and that’s the beauty of the Elko Mining Expo.

I was very impressed that the Elko Expo was such a strong community event, and that Elko embraces and celebrates the fact that it is a mining town.  For me, the best part of working a trade show booth is the chance to meet clients in person for the first time, and to catch up with people I’ve worked with in the past.  Since the Elko show is for the community and isn’t limited to just the folks who work in the industry, it was a great chance to not only meet and catch up with clients, but in many cases their families too.

At Maptek, we strive for personal connections with our clients – it is one of the most rewarding things about our jobs – and not one show I have been to has been as conducive to those connections as the Elko Mining Expo.

I want to thank everyone who stopped by our booth!  It was truly a pleasure to speak with each of you and I am looking forward to doing it again next year – and don’t worry, we’ll be sure to bring more yo-yo’s!