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Still in the game » Exhibition City News

10 years of connecting joy and industry

by Danielle Dodds

If you have spent any time working in the Las Vegas hospitality industry over the past three decades, you know the name Gary Bordman (CSEP). His catchphrase is “Just call Gary” and his reputation for being able to provide a solution or answer to your Las Vegas event needs is the foundation of his wild and colorful legacy.

Stefanny Avera, Boardman’s chief operating officer and daughter-in-law, recalled: “The moment I realized how important Gary was in the Las Vegas event community, we had people contact us and ask if we knew him. Anybody, a sloth.” Boardman didn’t miss a beat. “Oh, by the way, I know a guy!” While Boardman doesn’t work with live animals, his mastery of live event entertainment enhancements has made him an industry leader since the early 1990s.

As CEO and owner of Entertainment, Exhibition & Event Services (AE&ES), Boardman provides entertainment and engagement services to businesses and private groups. His business is a hub for interactive and immersive experiences, arcade game rentals, event enhancements, custom oversized decorative letters, photo opportunities, and even some items you haven’t dreamed of yet. “I would say we create experiences,” Boardman muses. “We’re a portable version of Dave & Busters.”

“Call Gary!”

Creating enjoyable moments starts at a young age. Boardman’s journey into award-winning interactive events began as a teenager when he and his father attended carnivals during the summer. As he shared at the 2023 BizBash 15 Over 50 Recognition Conference, he got his first taste of the entertainment industry while running various mid-game games under the scorching sun with a diverse crew. The seasonal gigs foreshadowed the path ahead for him, which would take several years to materialize.

When Boardman arrived in Las Vegas, his racing fortunes began to take off. With three children, a wife, and an honorable discharge from the Air Force, he began the adventure of a new career. Boardman owned an inflatable wrestling suit that he rented to the company and saw the potential to enhance the event. He began to accumulate more inflatables, formed strategic partnerships, and became more deeply involved in the company.

Boardman’s reputation for service, responsiveness and innovative solutions earned him considerable attention and respect during those critical early years. He served as president of the International Live Events Association (then the International Special Events Association) and was active in every major trade association in the city. In 2014, Boardman founded AE&ES and began building his brand on his reputation. “Call Gary!” was the mantra that kept the phone ringing. While their business is convivial, the high level of expectations of corporate events requires a keen eye for detail and project management.

Reach out with your right hand at the right time

His right hand, Avera, showed off his keen insight. Avera joined AE&ES in 2019. Her extensive experience in staffing and event management is the perfect support the company’s business volume requires. Her expertise includes marketing experience, a calm personality and a nuanced understanding of how Boardman runs a show. “I like to say she’s the female version of me,” Boardman explains. Since joining the team, Avila has taken center stage, freeing Boardman from the minutiae. “I love being on the event floor,” he said, “but now I can focus on continuing to grow the business while Stephanie runs the company to ‘Gary Standards.'”

Their cohesion and efficiency serve them well. Shortly after Avera launched, the pandemic rocked the world. While the rest of the industry lay dormant, AE&ES saw a light of opportunity and became a beacon in a dark landscape of activity. “We were down for less than a month,” Avila recalled. Boardman isn’t sitting still, transforming his company into a digital, socially distanced connection hub. The crumbling office was transformed into a green screen studio. Tactile team building goes virtual. They have developed an interactive platform specifically for online team building. The team works hard to explore new ways to create technology touchpoints to unite a fragmented industry. No longer bound by distance, events in Asia will take place at 4:00 AM and in Las Vegas at 2:00 PM. They worked around the clock to produce more than 100 virtual shows during the shutdown. When industries reopened, human connections were seamlessly reestablished through interactive games.

They tell these stories with the kind of mild surprise that any event professional would have as he reflects on the survival of the industry. They’ve accomplished more than they expected since those days of social distancing.

Ten years have passed; I will never forget it

The company is now celebrating ten years of serving the industry. Over the past decade, AE&ES has positioned itself as a joymaker in the corporate world. Their interactive activity enhancements add a final layer of engagement to an otherwise dull environment. With an inventory of nearly 1,000 games and a 15,000-square-foot warehouse, their daily schedule is packed with events on the Las Vegas Strip, across the country, and even internationally. They are proud to be one of the first suppliers to one of the first events at the world famous Allegiant Stadium. They’ve done campaigns for Shaq’s Playground, Sports Illustrated and Ferrari, as well as a major press conference for the Super Bowl. Their award-winning recognition continues with BizBash’s Most Recognized and Influential Event Professionals, the NFL’s Business Connect and Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) designations.

Watching the team play, one can understand why they remain at the top of their game. “We bring people together and take them back to their childhood and create emotional moments,” Boardman said with a smile. Avila believes the key to their success is something else entirely. “He values ​​relationships, whether it’s his industry connections or his team. Gary truly values ​​his relationships.”

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