As producers of international trade and consumer events, conferences, publications and eMedia we are in business to support and build innovative, effective business communities.
Diversified Business Communications, a division of Diversified Communications, is a global media company with headquarters in the Eastern U.S. and divisions in the Western U.S., Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India and the United Kingdom.
We connect, educate and strengthen business communities through market-leading events, publications and eMedia.
1949
Diversified's beginnings can be traced back to 1949 when Horace Hildreth Sr., the former governor of Maine, president of Bucknell University and U.S. ambassador to Pakistan, purchased the license for Maine's first radio station, WABI-AM. In 1953, he launched Maine's first TV station- WABI-TV in Bangor, Maine. Today, we continue to operate this station and several others on the East coast.
1970
In 1970, Diversified entered the publishing/trade show business with the acquisition of National Fisherman and FISH EXPO Boston.
1972
In 1972, we entered the cable TV market when we formed New England Cablevision, a business we continued to grow until the sale of all our cable assets in 2000.
1993
Throughout the 1980's, we expanded our publishing and trade show business with products in the commercial marine and seafood industries. In 1993, we entered the international exhibition arena with the European Seafood Exposition, and today it's our largest event.
1996
Extending our international reach in 1996, we acquired and launched several Latin American events.
2000
In 2000, we entered the Australia/Asia market, acquiring Australian Exhibition Services- a leading Australian trade show organizer. We entered the Asian market with the launch of Singapore Seafood Exhibition.
2001
In 2001, our trade show and publishing division launched six shows in Australia and we announced two new joint ventures- Expo Comida Latina and Mediterranean Seafood Exhibition.
2002
In 2002, DBC Canada was formed, and we acquired Full Moon Communications in the United Kingdom - expanding our global reach and diversifying the industries we serve. DBC Canada announced two launches – Primary Care Today and IMPEX Canada – and purchased ProjectWorld Canada.
Diversified also formed a partnership with the Organic Trade Association to produce the All Things Organic™ Conference and Trade Show and announced two new joint ventures – China Seafood Expo and Natural Products Organic Asia.
2003
Full Moon Communications acquired Organex, incorporating it into its launch of Organic Products Europe.
We gained full ownership of the Expo Comida Latina show and announced a launch of the show in New York. We acquired two products serving the kosher industry, Kosherfest and its related publication, Kosher Today and announced the launch of All Asia Food Expo. In 2004, Expo Comida Latina, Kosherfest, and All Asia Food Expo will be co-located, creating an Ethnic Marketplace.
Pacific Marine Expo, an annual event serving the commercial marine market, is announced.
ProjectWorld Canada expanded to include annual workshops in Calgary, Ottawa and Vancouver. DBC Canada was contracted to manage Harvard Medical School’s Psychology of Investing conferenc in Boston.
2004
We continue to expand the ethnic food franchise with the launch of a Expo Comida Latina in San Antonio, Texas and All Asia Food Expo in Los Angeles.
Complementary and Alternative Healthcare Conference & Expo is announced.
In Australia, we acquired Australian Fitness Expo, Retail Business Technology/Shopfit Display and Design, and Franchise & Business for Sale Expo/Investment & Traders Expo/The Property Expo (Adelaide).
The Canadian divsion launched the New England Summit for Project Management and Business Analysis, extended its ProjectWorld brand to additional locations and announced the Primary Care Updates.
2005
The US division acquired two new events, The Administrative Professionals Conference and The Superfloral Show.
The CAM brand continues to expand with the acquisition of the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Expo in London, England and the addition of the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Expo West in Los Angeles, California.
In Australia, we announced the launch of LinuxWorld Expo.
The Canada division continues to expand its ProjectWorld, BusinessAnalyst World and Primary Care franchises.
2006
We announced that all our divisions would operate under the Diversified brand consolidating all of our divisions as a global network: Diversified Business Communications – US Headquarters, Diversified Business Communications Canada, Diversified Business Communications UK and Diversified Exhibitions Australia.
The US division celebrated SeaFood Business’ silver anniversary and the expansion of its business management portfolio with the acquisition of Administrative Professionals Conference Canada.
The Australia division expands its portfolio with the acquisition of Western Australia Wine and Food Festival, which was rebranded as Good Food & Wine Show.
The Canada division launched the Symposium francophone de médecine in Québec extending its Primary Care content to this French speaking community.
2007
We focused on eMedia in order to serve our communities with information and connections online year round. We launched IntegrativePractitioner.com, SeafoodSource.com and an online sourcing tool for buyers in the workboat industry.
The Canada division expanded its BusinessAnalystWorld brand into Australia, the UK and the US and SANNAS Storage Networking Summits launched in eight more cities in Canada and the US. Also in the business sector, Project Summit moved into US cities and launched ProjectTimes.com, an online community and eNewsletter supporting the project management community 24/7/365. The World Conference on Disaster Management was acquired, broadening our reach within the business sector.
The UK division launched the National Executive PA Conference further expanding our business management portfolio.
The Australia division announced the acquisition of the Security Expo and Australasian Oil and Gas Exhibition and Conference.
2008
The Australia division acquired Restaurant, the Gluten & Allergy Free Shows and the Irresistible Gluten Free Show complementing our food and food service portfolio of events. To support this growth we opened another office in Sydney.
In the US, we further expanded our portfolio by acquiring an equity stake in HD EXPO Inc. which operates a suite of products serving the entertainment technology industry.
2009
Expanding globally, we established divisions in Hong Kong and India. Diversified Events Hong Kong was established by acquiring an equity stake in Asia Business Events and its two events, Retail Asia Expo & Congress, and Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong. This was followed by the announcement of Asia Seafood Exposition, a launch in 2010 to be co-located with Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong.
Continuing our global expansion, we formed Divsersified Communications India when we acquired Infocast India’s portfolio of events and publications serving the entertainment technology industry: Publications - Studio Systems, Pro Sound Systems and Cinema Systems | Events - Palm Expo, Musician Expo, Info Communica Expo, Cinema India Expo and Home Entertainment India Summit.
In the US, we continued to diversify our portfolio by acquiring Spar Point Research, organizing events for the 3-D laser-imaging business in the US and Japan and launching The WorkBoat Executive Summit at our International WorkBoat Show to meet the changing needs of the commercial marine industry executive. Our Burbank, CA division, HD Expo/Createasphere launched two US expos with conferences serving the digital asset management business sector, and the Macao, China International Digital Cinema Festival & Entertainment Technology Expo.
Adding to the support services we provide Administrative Professionals through our Administrative Professionals Conference and American Society of Administrative Professionals we added a certification program called PACE - Professional Administrative Certification of Excellence. The UK division, also serving this business sector announced the launch of Office*, a trade show aimed at the modern Personal Assistant and office professional.
We redesigned and rebranded several events in the US and Canada to reflect the addition of new market segments and products: New England Foodservice and Lodging Expo is now the New England Food Show; The Super Floral Show has become the International Floriculture Show; and SAN NAS Summit is ITech.
Our Australia division announced the launch of Hotel Hospitality + Design, the expansion of our very successful Fine Food brand in New Zealand and acquisition of dmgworldmedia's portfolio of products in Australia- DesignEX, FoodPro, and Building Services & Maintenance Expo - broadening the reach and securing our position in those marketplaces.
2010
Our U.S. offices launched Digital Asset Management by Createasphere, Asian Seafood Exposition in Hong Kong, SPAR Europe in Amsterdam, the PACE training program for administrative professionals and National Fisherman’s Profitable Harvest, a conference attached to Pacific Marine Expo.
Canada launched itHealthcare Canada, Online Learner, Oncology Today, tripled the number of Building Sustainability Forums and added cities to existing brands. Canada also welcomed CME Solutions as an acquisition, a business that extends our product offering to our pharmaceutical customers.
Our UK division launched office* and won show of the year for the second edition of lunch!
Diversified Exhibitions Australia launched Hotel Hospitality + Design, ran DesignEx for the first time and took the Fine Food brand to New Zealand and the Good Food and Wine Show to Adelaide. Setting the stage for 2011 this division partnered with FremantleMedia Enterprises to launch Grande Designs Live Sydney in October 2011.