The overall fastest-growing award for attendance went to UBM/Informa’s CPhI North America & Informex, a show that launched in the last few years and has grown in leaps and bounds.

“This is an embarrassment of riches,” said Brand Director Joseph Marks. Earlier in the evening he also had accepted the award for fastest-growing for-profit show for attendance.

Thank you, Louisville, for really rolling out the red carpet,” he added. “We’ve had a great couple of days!

MJBizCon had snagged the award for fastest-growing for-profit show for net square footage also earlier in the evening, as well as the overall fastest-growing show for net square footage.

“We really are blessed to be working in an incredibly industry and be in 30 states that have made (marijuana) legalized,” MJBizCon’s Chris Day said.

Other awards presented at the gala emceed by local Louisville 

broadcasting personality Joe Arnold included the TSNN “Best of Show” award that, in a heated social media contest, was given to Informa’s WasteExpo and E.J. Krause/Tarsus Group’s Expomanufactura.

Expomanufactura’s Jose Navarro said, “Doing shows in Mexico is a challenge, but we have tequila!”

Also awarded was the 2018 TSNN Awards “Best of Tech Innovation Award” that was accepted on behalf of ASCRS-ASOA (The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery) by onPeak’s Bev Hill and Beth McEntee-Rome

The 2018 TSNN Industry Icon Award honoree, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ Megan Tanel, also took the stage after a video was played in which her co-workers and family congratulated her.

Tanel’s two youngest daughters joined her onstage as she thanked her team and her family for their support.