Jeff Roumph, owner of W.D. Patterson Co., joins us to talk about the 2022 GEAPS Exchange & Expo.
Learn what the Exchange Host Advisory Councils (HAC) does and why the GEAPS Exchange is being held in Kansas City, MO, for three straight years.
Transcription of Jeff Roumph, owner of W.D. Patterson Co.
Feed & Grain: What is the Exchange Host Advisory Councils (HAC)?
Jeff Roumph: The HAC committee gets together in the local town where the exchange is going to be and we help with ideas, restaurants, things to do, places to go.
In years past, we put together ideas for the spouses too, which they've now done away with. It's always kind of fun, because you're on it with a lot of the local GEAPS members in the in the area. Plus, you'll get a few from out of the area and some new folks that want to sit on and help so it's always kind of exciting to meet new folks in the HAC committees.
F&G: Where should attendees eat when visiting Kansas City?
Roumph: You know, Steven, Kansas City restaurants are so individual. You know, barbecue is always good. And Kansas City, I'm sure I'm different than everybody else, you know, I can like a little sweeter soft. So I'm, I'm more of a, you know, maybe an Arthur Brian's, and not as much as Gates. But it's, you know, Oklahoma Joe's Jack stack. They're just so so many of them smokehouse. And they all offer something a little different, a little bit different flavor for all of them. So it kind of depends if you're a beans guy, Spoke Cast has great beans, you know? Yeah, I think Kansas City's done well for the barbecue.
F&G: What has you most excited about this year's Exchange?
Roumph: I'm excited to get there, especially after two years of the COVID and having things shifted around. I think people are slow to get back into it. You know, the first couple shows, we've gone to are still a lot of exhibitors, not as many attendees. I'm really hoping that since we're kind of right back to Kansas City, and there's a lot of folks, you know, within three, four hours that can drive in, that we'll see a lot more, a lot more attendees and not many exhibitors.
F&G: Why should new members of the industry come to the GEAPS Exchange?
Roumph: I think anybody new into this industry, GEAPS is good organization to get to know people. The local chapter meetings are always valuable, just get to meet people get to know what they do. Plus, it's it's relationships. Anytime you get a new industry, new business, it's all about building relationships, you know, getting comfortable with people, because the more people you know, the better off you are. It's not always what you know, as much as who you know.
F&G: Excited about GEAPS Exchange returning to Kansas City for two more years?
Roumph: We are. A few years ago, when I was sitting on the boards, we had the opportunity to take it for three years in Kansas City. We had talked about it for years, whether GEAPS should be more of a local Midwest show, you know, to keep it, you know, in the Midwest and maybe just change it from Kansas City, Minneapolis, Omaha and Indianapolis.
We've outgrown Omaha, and we're not really big enough to go back to Indianapolis. The original intent was to move the show around so that each chapter around the nation could be the host chapter. That was the original intent of moving the show from different parts of the country.
As we've looked at attendance, you know, there's certain areas that do garner much better attendees and others. And what we'll find out after year three, what it looks like again. I'm sure year one will be fine. Year two will probably be solid. Year three is probably a question mark. You want to keep everybody coming.
Are they still gonna be interested to come back to Kansas City? Back to the same place? Or will they be ready to move on to someplace new?
F&G: Any other advice for attendees?
Roumph: The What's New session is always nice to go see, to see who's got something new coming out. The speakers at the end sessions are always rock solid and do a great job. Put those together and get people on the docket and give good presentations.