Empowering Today for a Better Future

Listen to this article

The 2018 edition of Global Pet Expo, presented last month by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) and Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA), showed why it will be recognized by Trade Show Executive Magazine as a “Next 50” honoree at its Fastest 50 Awards & Summit, which will be held in June at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

This year’s Global Pet Expo, which featured approximately 3,500 exhibitor booths, attracted thousands of buyers, including independent retailers, distributors and other pet professionals, from more than 125 countries. With so many of the industry’s finest companies and representatives attending the show, we felt it was an appropriate setting for us to host a live awards ceremony honoring the 2018 Pet Age Women of Influence recipients. The gala event culminated with yours truly presenting Susan Goldstein, co-founder and co-CEO of Earth Animal, with the first Pet Age Women of Influence Lifetime Achievement Award, which those in attendance can tell you had great personal meaning to me.

The trade show floor at Global Pet Expo featured several special sections, including the International Pavilion, Everything Aquatic and Natural Pet. The April issue of Pet Age offers feature articles on the continued growth and popularity of both the natural and eco-friendly trends in the pet industry. Small and large manufacturers alike are going green as the owners of these companies have made it their mission to do their part to reduce their carbon footprint.

In addition, we cover a wide range of categories in this issue’s profiles, with the April Pet of the Month spotlighting the Bengal cat, our Five Questions subject being Ark Naturals President/CEO Michael Stoeckle, and our Back Story featuring Julianna Carella, founder and CEO of Treatibles, which manufactures hemp-derived phytocannabinoid wellness products for pets.

There’s plenty more to discover, such as a Management piece by guest columnist Amy P. Castro, president of the Performance Communication Group, on the topic of why behavioral interviewing is the key to hiring the right employee. And we’re also including our annual Cat Guide, which is inserted in this issue!

What are you waiting for? There’s something for everyone in this issue. Find out for yourself. Enjoy!