A well-run media center can make all the difference in the world when it comes to covering an event – and the World Pork Expo media center was exceptional.
The main reason for that is Leah Schomburg of TriLix Marketing Group, who has been handling this event for seven years now. She was attentive to the needs of the media, calm – if not always cool, especially today when it was pretty humid – and always had a smile on her face. She and the rest of the staff were more than helpful and pleasant. The last time I saw her today she was offering to give me a ride in the golf cart if I needed it.
Leah tells me that 75-100 media register for WPX each year, with another 50-60 often coming in “depending on the dignitary who shows up for the event.” This year that was Deputy Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner and one interview Leah set up with him was for MSNBC.
The best part about the media room was good wireless internet access and a quiet, comfortable atmosphere. At the high point on Thursday afternoon, I would say there were as many as 35 reporters working at the same time in different booths in the center and yet there seemed to be a very low noise level. I think the curtains provided good soundproofing.
Listen to my interview with Leah here: wpx08-media-leah.mp3
Or download here:
Leah Schomburg Interview (3:00 min MP3)
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Laura posted a 
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About 100 Harley Davidson motorcycles cruised down the main drag at World Pork Expo Saturday morning – the annual “Cruisin’ with the Hogs” event. Gotta appreciate the tie-in there. Harley Davidson has actually been quite prominent around the expo this week I noticed.
What would World Pork Expo be without Pork? I guess just World Expo – right??
Here we see our National Pork Producer president Bryan Black cutting up some pork outside the NPPC tent, and a luau-style roasted pig being carved up by the folks with 
The slogan for Novus International is “Performance Through Innovation” and that is why they employ more than 50 Ph.D. Animal Nutritionists and Doctors of Veterinary Medicine who work continuously to create new products and programs for animal health and nutrition.
Who says pigs don’t fly?
They do at World Pork Expo. The flag is a perfect image of the weather we had today in Des Moines – windy and sunny. Just a beautiful day.
For the second night in a row last night we had a major storm pass through the Des Moines area, and for the second day in a row the weather has been gorgeous.