It takes an entrepreneur who’s had the customer experience at trade shows to truly understand the needs of exhibitors – especially in times of global pandemic and uncertainty. That’s what separates Gateway from competitors; we understand the trials, frustrations, and desires that entrepreneurs have in taking their companies and exhibitions to the next level. Serial entrepreneur and founder of Gateway, Rick Marchbanks, founded Gateway as a means to fill a need he saw in the exhibition industry. While there are plenty of competitors in the industry, few truly understand the entrepreneurial spirit and the needs that come along with a successful exhibition.
Trade shows were nothing new to Rick when he founded Gateway. He’d been on the exhibitor side for a dozen years, beginning when he founded Closed Loop Recycling in 1995. CLR is an industrial launderer, helping companies to minimize their waste footprint. Rick and the CLR team have had to start from the ground up, utilizing trade shows to build brand awareness and their customer base. This strategy worked, and he was able to glean valuable lessons for building a business and about the trade show industry.
Rick saw the need for a centrally-located, entrepreneurial-minded organization in the exhibition industry in 2001, and decided to go into the Trade Show business. He began with a Skyline dealership, bringing a handful of employees from CLR and finding new industry-insiders who shared his vision. With a leadership team assembled, they set about filling each department and building Gateway into the premier Midwest exhibit house. Located in the heart of America, Gateway can service shows all over the country. He founded Gateway as an independent company in 2006, and the rest is history! We are proud to stand strong with our clients throughout recent issues and are excited to play our part in the changes to the industry as we shift towards the “new normal”. Read more about how our company pivoted during the COVID-19 crisis.
Gateway is a brand built by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs. Our mission is to make exhibiting easy, to focus on the goals of our customers while advising based on our own experiences. Rick and the rest of Gateway’s team sees and hears all of the troubles that exhibitors and companies are facing – even now. We pivoted our entire company to meeting our customer’s needs for plexiglass shields and hand sanitizer – making options for offices and trade show booths. Experience matters. Period. Gateway’s team has decades of experience both as exhibitors and as an exhibit house, allowing the team to see the industry from all angles. If you’re interested in our capabilities and want to put your next trade show in the hands of true experts, contact us today.
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Who We Are
We are dedicated to designing and fabricating innovative exhibits and displays, providing best in class event marketing services, and executing forward thinking marketing solutions.
