September 5, 2014 – Exposition Development Company, Inc. (ExpoDevCo) announced today the launch of the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Expo, an annual trade show serving the Restaurant, Foodservice, Lodging and Hospitality industry in North Carolina. The inaugural show will be held September 21-22, 2015 at the Raleigh Convention Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The show will be developed with the key support of the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association. “We are very excited to offer a foodservice and lodging tradeshow for the North Carolina hospitality industry. This has been a top request and desire of the membership for the past several years and by partnering with ExpoDevCo we can utilize their already existing foodservice show network and expand on that to bring our statewide industry together for an all-inclusive annual event.” stated Lynn Minges, President & CEO of the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association.

“North Carolina is a major market for the restaurant and hospitality industry, and we are looking forward to working with the NCRLA and others to build an event for the industry.” commented ExpoDevCo’s President & CEO, David Audrain. Audrain has a history in the Foodservice market, having spent nearly adecade as an executive at one of the largest restaurant industry trade associations during which time he managed one of the top foodservice industry trade shows in North America.

During the expo, a comprehensive educational program will be available to attendees at no extra cost. Additionally, specialized training courses and certification classes will be offered. And live demonstrations from renowned Chefs and Restaurateurs will add value each day of the two-day event.

According to the National Restaurant Association, there are more than 17,500 eating and drinking establishments in North Carolina, that generate $16 billion in sales, supporting more than 426,000 jobs.“Add to those numbers the establishments in southern Virginia, and the northern part of South Carolina, and you have a target audience of more than 20,000 establishments” adds Audrain.

ExpoDevCo produces a number of trades shows and events across North America, including the Atlanta Foodservice Expo in Georgia. For more information, visit www.ExpoDevCo.com

Media Contacts:

Exposition Development Company, Inc.:

• ? David Audrain, President & CEO, 404-334-4585, David.Audrain@ExpoDevCo.com
• ? Stephanie Everett, EVP & COO, 404-334-4582, Stephanie.Everett@ExpoDevCo.com

North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association:

• ? Lynn Minges, President & CEO, 919-844-0098, lminges@ncrla.org
• ? Karen Mann, Marketing & Communications Manager, 919-844-0098, kmann@ncrla.org