Show Manager – Special Events & Meetings

Tracey Wilson serves as American Pet Products Association’s (APPA) Show Manager – Special Events & Marketing. For nearly a decade, Tracey has played an important role in helping make Global Pet Expo the world’s largest annual pet products trade show, and establishing it as the premier event of the pet products industry.

Global Pet Expo, a joint show presented by APPA and the Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA), has enjoyed tremendous growth over the years even despite the tough economic times facing our nation. At Global Pet Expo 2009, which took place in February in Orlando, FL, the show featured 779 exhibiting companies, 2,306 booths and total attendance was up by 2% with more than 4,100 buyers. These numbers were truly impressive as many shows have reported significant declines in attendance since 2008.

When show time arrives and Tracey is at Global Pet Expo, she oversees the wildly popular New Product Showcase, and coordination with on-site service providers. She also assists with overall show operations, specifically with regard to special meetings and events that take place during the Show. In preparation for Global Pet Expo, Tracey coordinates housing for staff and VIPs, and advertising placement in pet industry publications, both domestic and international.  

Thanks to the efforts of Tracey and Global Pet Expo organizers, the Show is now ranked #102 in the prestigious Tradeshow Week 200 Show, which is a list of the top 200 largest trade shows in the United States, and is published by Tradeshow Week magazine. Tradeshow Week also named Global Pet Expo one of its Fastest 50, an award for the top 50 fastest growing trade shows, for two consecutive years.

Global Pet Expo has garnered global media attention and was highlighted in a one-hour special that aired nationally on HGTV. Thousands of stories on the latest and greatest in pet product innovations have also been seen on network television, in magazines, daily newspapers, blogs and other news websites as a result of successful Global Pet Expo media coverage.

Prior to joining APPA, Tracey worked in the hotel/resort industry. While at APPA she also previously served as Trade Show Coordinator. She is a member of the International Association for Exhibition Management (IAEE), the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA). She is also active in the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at her son’s school.

Tracey earned her Bachelor of Science in Hotel/Restaurant Management from the University of New Haven in West Haven, CT.  

Tracey resides in Bridgeport, CT with her husband and son.