Show Partners

Catersource has established a number of valuable industry partnerships that  allow us to tap into the greatest resources and build the best educational programs in the industry. Each organization brings unique and valuable expertise as well as their respective attendees to the 2012 Conference & Tradeshow because they share the belief that quality education strengthens the industry as a whole. These partner organizations come together to share their knowledge with you:

The American Culinary Federation (ACF)
The American Culinary Federation, Inc., established in 1929, has 22,000 members spanning 230 chapters nationwide. The organization offers educational resources, training and apprenticeships, and accredits secondary and postsecondary culinary programs. In addition, ACF operates the most comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United States, including two certifications specifically designed for catering executives. ACF is home to ACF Culinary Team USA , the official team representing the U.S. in culinary competition. www.acfchefs.org

Association of Luxury Suite Directors (ALSD)
The Association of Luxury Suite Directors (ALSD) was established in 1990 to provide a single platform for our member teams and venues with accurate and timely information from across all layers of the premium seat industry in stadiums and arenas throughout North America with a growing global reach. With its integrated marketing and advertising programs, the ALSD is also positioned to link buyers and sellers, including vendors, suppliers and food and beverage concessionaires for the venue marketplace. alsd.com

The Culinary Institute of America (CIA)
Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is an independent, not-for-profit college offering bachelor's and associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts as well as certificate programs in culinary arts and wine and beverage studies. As the world’s premier culinary college, the CIA has a network of more than 40,000 alumni that includes industry leaders Grant Achatz, Anthony Bourdain, Michael Chiarello, Cat Cora and Duff Goldman. The college has campuses in New York (Hyde Park), California (The CIA at Greystone, St. Helena), and Texas (San Antonio). The CIA also offers courses for professionals and ProChef Certification in addition to classes for food enthusiasts, such as Culinary Boot Camp and Weekends at the CIA. Visit the CIA online at www.ciaprochef.com

Event Leadership Institute
Catersource has partnered with the Event Leadership Institute to bring you video clips from their class library. Classes cover Business Ownership, Event Management, Technical Production, Venues, Inspiration Studio & more.

The European Party Caterer Association (EPCAS)
EPCAS is dedicated to look after the interests of the European professional party caterer with a goal to offer the European party caterers a platform in which networking and knowledge sharing on mutual and current subjects are key issues. EPCAS creates transparency within this line of business so that differences between regulations and legislation in the participating European countries can be addressed at the European Parliament. Learn more at www.epcas.org

International Caterers Association (ICA)
Since 1981, The International Caterers Association has been dedicated to the education of the catering industry. The organization is committed to supporting, promoting and improving all aspects of the catering business.  ICA’s ongoing alliance with Catersource strengthens the professional catering industry by a mutual endeavor of providing quality education, products, and services for continued growth, opportunities and success. www.internationalcaterers.org

International Military Community Executives Association (IMCEA)
IMCEA is the professional association of choice for military Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR/Services) professionals. Established in 1972 as an association for military club managers, IMCEA has grown to encompass all military MWR/Services programs.

Our partnership with the IMCEA will result in hundreds of foodservice  professionals attending our conferences from the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. IMCEA members interface directly in serving our nation’s military personnel and their families. www.imcea.org

National Association of Catering Executives (NACE)
The National Association of Catering Executives (NACE) is the leading organization that provides education, business solutions, local communities and national connections to professionals within the catering and events industry. With member benefits such as the Certified Professional Catering Executive (CPCE) certification, the Experience!™ conference, 45 local chapters, and national buying power, NACE has something for everyone. For more information find us on Facebook at The Official NACE National Fan Page and on Twitter at NACENational. www.nace.net 

The National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS)
The National Association of College & University Food Services has been supporting the college and university foodservice industry for more than 50 years, providing members with the programs and resources they need to excel—from benchmarking and best practices to educational programming and professional networking.  The association’s membership consists of approximately 550 institutions of higher education from across the U.S. and Canada, and nearly 500 industry members from the food, equipment, and consulting market segments. www.nacufs.org

Nevada Restaurant Association (NvRA)
Founded in 1982, the Nevada Restaurant Association is the leading business association serving the needs of food service operators in Nevada. As an affiliate of the National Restaurant Association, and together with the NvRA Educational Foundation, the Association’s mission is to promote, protect and educate the restaurant industry which is comprised of more than 5,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets employing more than 150,000 people. www.nvrestaurants.com

National Ice Carving Association (NICA)
The National Ice Carving Association (NICA) is a global organization based in the United States that is devoted to promoting the art of ice sculpture or ice carving, networking carvers, education, business and competition across the country and around the world. With nearly 400 members, NICA sanctions, organizes ice carving competitions, promotes and educates ice carving businesses around the world. Use NICA's Find-A-Sculptor Directory: www.nica.org/findasculptor to locate an ice carving business near you to create a one of a kind sculpture for your next event. Continually reaching for the highest standards, NICA carvers have become some of the best in the world. www.nica.org 

Wedding Industry Professionals Association (WIPA)
WIPA was launched in July 2008 under the leadership of Joyce Scardina Becker as the Founding President in California. WIPA is a non-profit national association that is run by its esteemed members and represents a multitude of wedding disciplines. We understand what it takes to produce a wedding since we represent the multitude of wedding disciplines: cake designers, caterers, DJ's, florists, entertainment companies, hoteliers, invitation companies, musicians, officiants, photographers, rental companies, wedding planners, venues, videographers and many more! It is our goal to advance and enhance the professional growth to our members through education, as well as raising the bar for ethics and professional conduct in the wedding industry. WIPA is in the ground breaking stage of developing Chapter Formations throughout the USA. www.wipausa.org