museums&MORE Winter 2017

Editor’s Letter: Swan song for Jerry Mayer, Susan Mills By Zeke Jennings

If heading to the Smoky Mountains in early November has become something of a pilgrimage — and I know it is for many of us — this year’s trip may have been a little bittersweet.

This was the final International Gift Exposition in the Smokies for Susan Mills’ and Jerry Mayer’s M&M Gift Shows, the only administrator in the show’s 17-year history. It was announced that M&M Gift Shows sold IGES to Emerald Expositions in August. Mills, Mayer and their staff will assist Emerald with the transition in 2017 before stepping away altogether.

Susan and Jerry are the faces of IGES, though, and not having them there will take some getting used to for many of us. They made a point to visit every booth at every show, greeting buyers and attendees along the way. We’ll all miss seeing them riding around in their motorized carts with prized pooches up front in the basket.

It’s been a great ride for Susan and Jerry. We at Museums & More wish them all the best going forward. We also can’t wait to see what Emerald has in store for the show going forward.

Zeke Jennings