Karel: 50 years and counting
Ray Allegrezza, Editor in Chief -- Furniture Today, January 25, 2010
The year was 1960. The average price of a new home was $12,700. A new car would set you back $2,275 and with gas at 25 cents a gallon, you really could see the U.S.A. in your Chevrolet.
That was also the year that JFK defeated Nixon, Cassius Clay won his first fight and another feisty kid — Larry Karel — stepped into the home furnishings arena to build a network of expositions that would bear his name.
Fast forward 50 years and Larry is still bobbing and weaving with the best of them. Best of all, he's not lost an iota of his incredible passion for his business and in my book, that warrants special recognition.
Like many of us, Larry had other plans for his career. I bet even those of you who've known him forever don't know that he wanted to be in the music business.
Back in the day, Larry wrote a column for the music industry magazine Cash Box. That ended on a sour note when Larry asked for a raise and his boss said no.
Unruffled, Larry went to work with his father, who produced events such as the Housewares Show. They moved the business to Florida and later were asked if they had any interest in producing a furniture show.
The rest, as they say, is history.
I asked Larry about some of the changes he's seen in half a century at the helm of Karel Exposition Management.
He has a list, but also maintains that the essence of trade shows is essentially the same. “It all boils down to bringing the buyers and sellers together in an environment that facilitates business.”
I also wanted to know, especially in an era where so many things seem disposable, what motivated him to do the same job for 50 years. After giving it some thought, Larry replied, “I just love this business. I love watching an empty convention center transformed into a dynamic, living thing filled with people and merchandise.”
Even so, I had to ask him if he was ready to step out of the ring.
“No way,” he shot back. “Since I got into this business, there have always been those smaller companies that couldn't afford to participate in bigger venues, so we've tried to provide them with a unique opportunity. I can't stop now. Besides, if I retired, I would probably go crazy.”
Congratulations on 50 great years, Larry. I only hope I'm around to see what you've got planned for the next 50!
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