Larry Kulchawick is a seasoned leader in the global trade show and exhibit design industry, with over 45 years of experience specialising in international face-to-face marketing. He is also the author of “Trade Shows from One Country to the Next,” a widely respected guide detailing exhibit strategies and cultural insights across 45 countries. His work emphasises the critical importance of adapting marketing strategies to local customs and cultural expectations.  

Larry’s career spans leadership roles at three of the top U.S. exhibit design firms — Exhibitgroup, Derse, and 3D Exhibits. He has served as President of the Exhibit Designers & Producers Association (EDPA) and the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services (IFES), representing members in over 45 countries. In recognition of his impact on the industry, he has received the Hazel Hays Award from EDPA and the Roger Taurant Award from IFES.  

A graduate of Southern Illinois University, Larry studied design under legendary visionary Buckminster Fuller, whose influence shaped his approach to creative problem-solving and global design thinking.  

Today, Larry remains actively engaged as a consultant, speaker, and educator, supporting college-level exhibit design programs at Bemidji State University and FIT/NYC, and contributing a regular column on international topics for Exhibit City News.  

Larry’s unique global perspective, combined with his passion for mentoring and industry advancement, continues to make him a vital voice in the evolving world of trade shows and experiential marketing.  

• Larry Kulchawick talks about the process of writing his book on the trade shows and events industry, “The Invisible Industry”, and what led him to write it. Bob McGlincy also co-authored the book, and together they have written about the history and evolution of the trade show industry, starting with the world fairs in Europe, which were not even industry-specific at the time. 
• Since then, trade shows have come a long way in terms of specialisation, processes, technologies and scale, growing to be a one trillion-dollar industry that is unlikely to be known outside stakeholder circles. 
• Larry believes that the power of face-to-face interaction, emotion, and the possibility of discovery— a Eureka moment by his definition— are the crucial reasons why the trade show industry receives the largest portion of the marketing budget allocation and continues to be relevant. 

Run time – 01:01:04 mins.