By someone who’s seen every corner of the show floor

It’s time we talk about the real MVPs of the trade show and corporate event world: forklift operators.

They don’t show up in keynote photos. They’re not on speaker panels. But if you’ve ever watched a show floor transform from a sea of crates into a polished experience in just a few days — you’ve seen their work. These crews are the heartbeat of the dock. They run on pride, precision, and pure grit.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of producing some of the largest and most complex events in the world — from Sweets & Snacks to McDonald’s Worldwide, Google activations, and even the LinkedIn global corporate event. Across every show, one thing has become clear: not all forklift ops crews are created equal.

So, just for fun — and with a deep appreciation for the trade — here’s my unofficial, unapologetically biased power ranking of the best forklift operator teams in the country: Oh and here’s my dads in the video…

1. San Francisco Teamsters

Deep talent, bold innovation, and unmatched drive. They move like a symphony and problem-solve like engineers. The gold standard.

2. Chicago Riggers

Masters of machine rigging. If you’ve got a 20,000-lb CNC machine or a giant custom structure, this is the team you want on the floor. Their rep is ironclad.

3. Atlanta (IATSE 834)

Best large-show crew in the country. That’s not just my bias talking — it’s reality. They’re fast, disciplined, and rock-solid under pressure.

4. Philadelphia

Rugged, no-nonsense, and reliable when it matters most. A crew that gets it done without the fluff.

5. Dallas

If it has an axle, they can drive it. Adaptive, hardworking, and always in motion. You’ll rarely find them standing still.

6. St. Louis Teamsters 600

A proud legacy with real muscle behind it. These operators carry a rich tradition — and a serious skill set.

7. New Orleans (IATSE 39)

Experienced and dependable. Deep bench strength, especially in tough setups with tight windows.

8. Nashville (IATSE 46)

Not the biggest crew, but home to some of the sharpest operators in the industry. Pure talent at the top.

9. Las Vegas

No denying the depth here — Vegas can throw hundreds on the floor. But with that scale comes some inconsistency. When they’re on, they’re elite.

10. Kansas City Teamsters

This crew doesn’t get enough love. Prideful, fast, and gritty. They show up with a chip on their shoulder — and it shows in their work.

This list isn’t about who’s “best” — it’s about recognizing excellence in all its forms. Each of these crews has their own culture, their own hustle, and their own way of making a show run. They all deserve their flowers.

What keeps me hooked on this work is exactly that: labor relations. Getting to know these operators, learning their strengths, building trust, solving problems side by side — that’s what I love most about this business.

So yeah, this list is all in good fun. If you’ve ever moved freight, flagged a truck, or built a booth from the dock up — you’ve got a place in this conversation.

Who would you move up?

Who’s missing entirely?

Let’s hear it from the people who keep the docks running and the booths standing.

#TradeShowLife #ForkliftOps #UnionPride #EventProduction #LaborMatters #CorporateEvents #RunTheDamnDock

So the show Landman has crossed my desk recently and I can’t help but see myself in the dust and diesel of Ole Billy Bob… A guy walking into rooms full of suspicion, trying to do a hard job in a harder world. The difference? My oil is freight. My wells are trade shows. And the land I cover isn’t Texas—it’s the cracked pavement of cities like Memphis, Nashville, St. Louis, Indy, Columbus, and Louisville.

I run the freight operations for the largest geographical region in my company. That means I’m the one on the hook for making sure millions of dollars in show freight moves in and out of convention centers on time, without getting lost, broken, or caught in union gridlock. I navigate labor politics in places where the handshake doesn’t matter if your last name isn’t known. And I do it at an age when people still ask, “How long have you been doing this?” as if experience can only be measured in decades, not disasters avoided.

The truth? This isn’t glamorous work. It’s long nights, unpredictable freight schedules, and 4 a.m. warehouse calls. It’s solving problems most people don’t even know exist—like making sure a client’s booth doesn’t get buried behind crates or helping a trucker make a 2-inch turn through a 10-foot dock door while half a dozen departments argue over who’s responsible. It’s not sexy, but it matters.

I’ve heard it all.

“You’re young.”

“You sure you know what you’re doing?”

“Are you Mack’s son?”

And then five minutes later they’re asking me to fix something their department couldn’t handle.

There’s a strange kind of resistance in this industry when you come in young but competent. They like your energy, but they doubt your judgment. They want your hustle, but not your opinion. What they don’t realize is that age doesn’t teach you how to survive when four departments collapse onto the freight desk at once, or when a 40-foot trailer disappears in a union yard. Experience does—and I’ve earned that the hard way. Not to mention if it’s true your frontal lobe does not develop prior to age 25, but is molded by life experience. My brains decision making mechanism is strictly grounded in trade show logic. Which is as blue collar as it gets…

Like Bill the Landman, I didn’t get here by accident. I earned every mile of this territory. I’ve walked docks in the middle of the night, stood between feuding departments, and taken the heat for problems I didn’t cause. And I still show up early and stay late—because even if the industry hasn’t caught up to me yet, I’m already ahead of it.

This isn’t a complaint. I love my job. It’s my life. I love the grind. But don’t mistake youth for weakness. We’re the ones who will change the way this work gets done—and still carry the load while we’re doing it. Stay tuned.

Let’s get something straight: freight isn’t the problem. The cost is tied to labor laws, venue rules, equipment, and accountability. We don’t make the rules—we deliver within them. And when something goes wrong? We carry the liability. It’s our name on the report, our team on the ground, and our work that keeps the show moving. Oh yeah, btw… The processes. Rules and regulations are in every exhibitor kit that goes out. I think some people have been watching too many Mafia movies. Take it up with your local Senator’s office or even the NLRB. They generally sing a different tune.

So what’s really draining value from trade shows?

People who invoice for oversight but deliver no execution. Whether it’s a “company” or a “Freelancer”. Dime a dozen. It’s funny the guy starting all of this stuff is a metaverse guy from what can tell… Maybe I’m behind, but I think that means not real or something. I do applaud his use of emojis though. I wonder if he asked AI to use those specific ones before he pumped out his last LinkedIn post. Must of really enjoyed the last pandemic and all the teams meetings his company likely bills back.

They sit at home on a laptop while you’re sweating on-site, handling real-time issues. They layer in calls and critiques, but can’t answer where rentals live between shows—or how freight hits the dock at 5AM.

They don’t move product. They don’t solve floor problems. They don’t carry risk.

But they send an invoice like they did.

If someone’s billing your show while watching it unfold from a browser, it’s not just your team getting shortchanged—it’s the associations and organizers who are being fooled.

Because here’s the thing: ideas are cheap.
You can buy them from AI for the price of a coffee subscription.

Want to be indispensable?
Add inventory. Add labor. Add presence.
Otherwise, you’re not strategy—you’re overhead.

Trade shows make money on the floor.
Back the ones who build it.

#TradeShowTruth

#Live

Live events aren’t just about flashy ideas or slick presentations. They’re a high-stakes blend of logistics, creativity, and real-time execution. Concerts need perfect sound and ecstatic fans. Trade shows demand standout booths and lead-generating buzz. Corporate events require precision to impress clients or rally employees. Immersive experiences? They’re all about shareable, jaw-dropping moments that light up your world. If you’ve never booked a venue, wrangled a stage crew, or shipped a trade show booth, you’re in the deep end. Also known as the way. Come on man… Grey hair does not equal talent, and creativity and stubbornness are centrifugal force forever spinning with no results.

Live events are a physical, sweaty, human endeavor, and no amount of tech wizardry can replace the grind.

If you’re someone who’s never planned an event, your enthusiasm is cute, but your inexperience is a liability . A true live event pro can do it with any computer program out there. Just need the info. The info is not fancy. The info is data. Item/Amount/location/Time. No more, no less. If you are not helping us carry the item, we are carrying you.

Live events—trade shows, concerts, corporate gigs, or immersive experiences—are thrilling but brutal. Computers don’t have hands to set up stages, and no app can teleport freight (yet). Until tech catches up, suits gotta stick to funding the vision and collecting the checks. That’s the sick part anyway. (Shoutout the movie Stepbrothers). Let the pros, who’ve mastered the art of events, do the heavy lifting. They’ll save your budget, protect your brand, and deliver experiences that get IG and LinkedIn buzzing for all the right reasons. So, step aside, trust the experts, and watch the magic happen.

Wishful thinking…

When it comes to trade show freight in the River Boat Region, one name stands out: Stu Mitchell. As the Director of a leading trade show freight company, Stu oversees operations across eight cities—including St. Louis, Indianapolis, Memphis, Cincinnati, Columbus, Lexington, Louisville, and Knoxville—ensuring exhibits and materials arrive on time for some of the region’s biggest events. Based in Nashville, TN, he’s built a reputation as a no-nonsense, Atlanta-born powerhouse who delivers results. Today, we’re thrilled to introduce Stu Mitchell to the world—a man whose grit, leadership, and deep Southern roots make him a driving force in the trade show freight industry.

From Atlanta Streets to Trade Show Freight Leadership

Stu’s story begins in the working-class neighborhoods of Atlanta, a city he proudly calls home to this day. Raised in an environment where hustle was a way of life, Stu learned early on that reliability and resilience aren’t just traits—they’re survival skills. “Atlanta taught me how to stand my ground and get things done,” Stu says, reflecting on his roots. “You don’t make it there by cutting corners.” That unyielding spirit shaped him, and after a decade of working his way up through logistics roles, he landed in Nashville, ready to take on the fast-paced world of trade show freight.

Now, as Director, Stu leads his company’s operations across the River Boat Region, managing the complex logistics of trade shows and events in cities like Cincinnati, Columbus, Lexington, Louisville, and Knoxville, alongside St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Memphis. From convention centers to expo halls, his team ensures every booth, display, and piece of equipment arrives on schedule, no matter the challenge. Whether it’s a tight turnaround in Louisville or a massive expo in Memphis, Stu’s the guy who makes it happen with a steady hand in an industry where timing is everything.

Keeping the River Boat Region’s Trade Shows Moving

The River Boat Region isn’t just a job for Stu—it’s a mission. Overseeing trade show freight across eight cities means managing a complex web of routes, timelines, and teams, all while meeting the exacting demands of event schedules. Stu thrives in this high-stakes environment, where every decision counts. “Trade show freight isn’t for the faint of heart,” he says with a wry smile. “You’ve got to be ready for anything, and you’ve got to deliver—no matter what.”

Under Stu’s leadership, his company has become a go-to for trade show logistics, known for its precision and reliability. He’s streamlined operations, ensured on-time deliveries for events in cities like Lexington and St. Louis, and built a team that’s as tough as he is. For Stu, the real reward isn’t just in the successful setups—it’s in knowing that his work keeps the region’s trade shows running smoothly, supporting businesses and events that drive the economy, one delivery at a time.

Atlanta’s Spirit, Nashville’s Drive

Even after years in Nashville, Stu’s heart remains tied to Atlanta’s unyielding spirit. “Atlanta’s in my blood,” he says. “It’s where I learned what it means to work hard and stand tall.” He brings that same tenacity to his role, infusing his leadership with the grit and hustle he grew up with. But Nashville has given him something else—a chance to build something lasting. “This city’s got its own rhythm,” Stu notes. “I’ve found my place here, keeping trade shows moving across the River Boat Region.”

When he’s not on the job, you might find Stu unwinding with a harmonica, a quiet nod to his father, or sharing stories with his team over a cup of coffee after a long setup. Beneath the tough exterior is a man who values loyalty and connection, whether it’s with his crew or the cities he serves.

A Vision for the Future

Stu Mitchell isn’t just a leader—he’s a visionary in the trade show freight industry. He’s always looking for ways to innovate, whether it’s adopting new technology to improve tracking or finding smarter routes to cut delivery times between cities like Indianapolis and Knoxville. But at his core, Stu knows that trade show freight is about people. “It’s the team that makes it work,” he says. “I’m just here to set the pace.”

As he continues to steer the River Boat Region’s trade show freight operations, Stu is eager to connect with others in the industry who share his passion for excellence. If you’re a trade show professional, exhibitor, or logistics expert looking to collaborate, learn, or simply swap stories about the grind, Stu Mitchell is your guy. With Atlanta’s grit in his veins and Nashville’s drive in his step, he’s ready to keep the trade shows moving—and he’s just getting started.