Leslie P.C. Zech receives prestigious IMA Award for his longstanding contributions to the live marketing industry
Johann Jungreithmair, CEO of Reed Exhibitions Austria, and IFES President Bruno Meissner held the honorific speeches

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.

After I.M.Austria’s president Christine Opitz and its General Secretary Birgit Hölzl-Zech had welcomed the guests, two top-class experts of the industry held the honorific speeches.
First, Dir. Johann Jungreithmair, CEO of Reed Exhibitions Austria, pointed out the close relationship and mutual fertilization between himself and Leslie Zech since the 70s, which was particularly influenced by Zech’s perseverance and determination. That is why he was not surprised that in the late 90ies Zech, being a passionate networker and gifted visionary who constantly develops and implements new ideas, managed to gather 35 competitors in an association. “I gladly accepted the invitation that the stand construction company I then owned should become a member of I.M.Austria since it was high time for such a platform in Austria," said Jungreithmair. The next step was that Zech achieved international recognition for I.M. Austria when he signed the membership at IFES. Finally Jungreithmair stressed that he knew Zech as a very fair business partner and strong negotiator who nonetheless takes his time for his family and hobbies such as cooking and fast cars.

In the second speech, Bruno Meissner, president of the international umbrella federation IFES (www.ifesnet.com), emphasized the international achievements of the winner. E.g. did Leslie P.C. Zech give an incredible impetus to the association by starting an organizational reform (opening the association to corporate memberships). Zech’s strength lies in bringing people together and convincing them of his ideas, without losing sight of his own goals. Himself and Mr Zech are currently working hard on the organization of the IFES Convention 2012, which will be held in Moscow in cooperation with 5pEXPO.

In the concluding interview with I.M.Austria’s president Christine Opitz Zech placed emphasis on the importance of education and training, and pointed out that the members of I.M.Austria are heavily engaged in this sector by teaching at Vienna’s Advertising Academy (Werbe Akademie).

After the award ceremony, I.M. Austria invited like every year 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. Among the guests were e.g. Renate Danler (Managing Director of the Hofburg Congress Center), Christian Mutschlechner (Director of the Vienna Convention Bureau and IMA Award Winner 2009), Barbara Posch (Director of the Advertising Academy), Peter Baierl (CEO European Society of Radiology and IMA Award Winner 2005), Elisabeth Guertler, Thomas Ziegler (Managing Director of Design Center Linz) and the Board of I.M.Austria: Christine Opitz (Opitz & Hasil Event Company), Christian Steiner (Managing Director Steiner Mediensysteme), Thomas Wasshuber (Managing Director Bruckschwaiger), Roman Schiff (Managing Director Schiff fair solution) and Manfred Dittrich (Managing Director Dittrich Werbegestaltung). On an international level - next to Bruno and Barbara Meissner - Holger Giese (Managing Director Orgatech AG) and Voicu Sferdianu (Chairman IFES Membership Committee) with his wife Andrea attended this festive event, as well as Zech’s children Oliver, Leslie Aline and Alissa.