With buyer attendance up 3 percent, the show floor was busier than last year and exhibitors were happier.

Held for the second time in conjunction with the California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers’ Garden Market Expo, SuperZoo featured 507 companies in 878 booths. The exhibitor count was down 2 percent from 518 companies in last year’s record-breaking event, and the booth count was down 5 percent from 926 booths last year.

“The move to the Mandalay Bay from the Las Vegas Convention Center, where SuperZoo was held last year, by all accounts, both attendee and exhibitor, was an outstanding success,” said Doug Poindexter, executive vice president of WWPIA.

“I have been attending WWPIA/SuperZoo shows since the 1990s, and this year’s show in Las Vegas was the most vibrant I can remember,” said Michael Levy, chief executive officer of Pet Food Express (San Leandro, Calif.).

Highlights of this year’s show included the new World of Wonders Zone, comprised of the new International Innovations Center, featuring hourly seminars and demonstrations; and a lavish pond.

Experts from the pet and garden industries led seminars during WWPIA’s Business Education Day. Other retail experts led seminars on merchandising, promotions and selling strategies.

The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (Washington) offered canine and feline certification seminars.

In addition, about 300 groomers took part in grooming seminars and a grooming competition organized by Barkleigh Productions Inc. of Mechanicsburg, Pa. (see “Las Vegas Hosts Super ProGroom”).

Steve Segner of California Premium Cages (Altadena, Calif.) was named president of WWPIA for the 2005-2006 term. Serving with Segner are Robert Bray of Star Milling Co. (Perris, Calif.), first vice president; Mike Lasky of Current USA Inc. (Vista, Calif.), second vice president; Jim Alvord of Petco Animal Supplies Inc. (San Diego), chief financial officer; and Ruth Jeffers of Jeffers Pet Supply (Dothan, Ala.), secretary.

Directors elected to two-year terms include Mike Guerber of Precise Pet Products (Nacogdoches, Texas); Rick Newman of Newman’s Fish Foods Inc. (Hackensack, N.J.); Jeffers and Segner. Rick Taylor of Breeder’s Choice Pet Foods (Irwindale, Calif.) was appointed to the board to serve the remainder of the term for Jeff Sutherland, who resigned from the board.

In addition, Doug Poindexter, executive vice president of WWPIA, received an award for 15 years of service to the association.

The next edition of SuperZoo is scheduled for Sept 20-22, 2006.

“As is customary for WWPIA, we listen and respond to our members, exhibitors and attendees. They want SuperZoo to go back to a three-day show to afford them more time to conduct business. They have also expressed interest in having more opportunities to grow their business through education. So in 2006 we will focus even more on education,” Poindexter said.

However, the Garden Market Expo will remain a two-day event, presented Sept. 20-21.

For more information, contact WWPIA at 800-999-7295, or visit www.wwpia.org.