by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
The Osborn Center has seen its share of conventions and exhibitions. Every year there’s a home and patio show, a car show and a boat show. Most years a quilt festival fills the building and the list of cheer and dance competitions, charity breakfasts and luncheons and other events fills the calendar from New Year’s Day to New Year’s Eve.
This week a completely different show fills the halls. It’s not only the first time the Military Air Assets Exhibition and Conference has come to Jacksonville, it’s the first time it’s been held, period.
New from the New York City-based Institute for Defense and Government Advancement, the show brings together defense contractors who are displaying their products and subject matter experts from the U.S. Armed Forces and defense contractors.
“IDGA puts on events for the defense industry and we conduct executive-level conferences for the military,” said MAASEC Program Director Shamara Ray. She said the event joins the company’s Military Health Care Convention in San Antonio, Texas, and another exhibition and conference that focuses on military land vehicles that IDGA hosts each year in Detroit.
With more than 100 exhibitors and four days of presentations by active duty military experts and Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security consultants and contractors, Ray said she expects “several thousand invited visitors” to attend the inaugural show.
More than 250 delegates booked almost 800 room nights at Downtown hotels and many were new to the city. Several exhibitors said they were enjoying the Downtown experience, particularly the restaurants and the location.
“This is my first time in Jacksonville,” said Greg Winchell, director of sales for REBTECH, a company that designs night vision equipment for aircraft. “I’m staying at the Hyatt and what a beautiful view.”
IDGA has already scheduled a return to the Osborn Center when the Second Annual MAASEC will take over the convention facility March 29-April 1, 2011. The event is open only to military personnel and civilian contractors.
One of the few items at the show that doesn’t fly is Telephonics Electronic Systems’ Mobile Surveillance System designed for enhancing border security with RADAR and infrared video cameras.
Sonny Steptoe is the systems engineer with North Eastern Aeronautical Inc. The company manufactures control systems for unmanned reconnaissance and attack aircraft. He said he couldn’t activate the entire setup because much of it is classified.
356-2466