Under great participation of representatives of the Austrian and international live-marketing industry, Leslie P.C. Zech, former president of I.M.Austria and IFES, was bestowed the IMA Award 2010 on 3 October during the trade fair access in the premises of Hofburg Vienna. This prize is awarded annually for special achievements in the Austrian exhibition, event and congress industry.

The two speakers, Johann Jungreithmair, CEO of Reed Exhibitions Austria, and Bruno Meissner, President of IFES, recognized Zech's achievements in the industry. He is known as a very fair business partner and strong negotiator who never rests after a success but continues to elaborate new projects which he, due to his determination, always brings to an end.

After the ceremony, I.M. Austria like every year invited to a champagne reception at its booth, where the guests had the opportunity to talk personally to the award winner, the speakers and all representatives of I.M.Austria.

The award winner
Zech has been working in exhibition construction and consulting for over 30 years. During the international expansion of his Vienna-based company IEEC (formerly Zech-Expo), it became more and more important to him to work for the development of the industry on a higher level. Consequently, in the early 1990s he founded I.M. Austria as an association of Austrian exhibition stand builders, with the aim to strengthen their market position and to set new impulses in the exhibition industry. Over the years, the association has developed into a strong and reliable partner in the sector. Zech became President of I.M.Austria in 2000 and carried the association to its present meaning, as he opened it for company members from all areas of live marketing.
Moreover, Leslie P.C. Zech always found it important to set new impulses also on the international scale. Therefore, he has been member of the Board of IFES (International Federation of Exhibition Services) since 1992. During his presidency (2000-2004) IFES has grown steadily and has been recognized as THE assertive platform for the exhibition industry with a focus on international cooperation and exchange of experiences. On his initiative as Chairman of the Membership Committee, IFES was transformed from a pure trade association to a joint venture of organizations and companies that currently has members from over 40 countries in all continents. Zech pays special attention to alliances with the BRIC countries - among others he is currently working as chief negotiator for the IFES Convention, to be held in 2012 in Moscow.
In 2006, Zech was awarded the Roger Taurant fellowship in recognition of his exceptional contribution to the development of the international exhibition industry and his work within IFES.