Run the Damn Dock.

Tag: crews

  • On the Road Again: Episode1 Hells Kitchen, Fanatics Fest, coming home…

    On the Road Again: Episode1 Hells Kitchen, Fanatics Fest, coming home…

    I’ve spent the last couple of weeks in New York working Fanatics Fest, and every time I come here I’m reminded why this city has the reputation it does.

    The headlines usually focus on celebrities, athletes, and million-dollar collectibles. Mine start a little earlier—before sunrise, with steel, forklifts, coffee, and 30,000 steps a day.

    This wasn’t a vacation. It was work. The kind of work our industry understands.

    I stayed in Hell’s Kitchen, and it was probably my favorite part of the trip. Not because it was polished—it wasn’t. It felt gritty, loud, crowded, and alive. Walking those streets, I couldn’t help but think about all the stories I’d heard growing up about New York decades ago. Whether that’s exactly what it was like or not, the neighborhood still carries a rough-around-the-edges character that feels authentic. It’s a place where you keep your head up, keep moving, and mind your business.

    That same attitude carries over into the convention business.

    Inside the Javits Center, thousands of people are doing jobs most attendees will never notice. Carpenters, electricians, freight teams, labor crews, account teams, project managers, operations—everyone pulling in the same direction so that when the doors open, the fans think it all just appeared overnight.

    MSG.

    It didn’t.

    It was built.

    Some days topped 30,000 steps. Between the July heat, long shifts, and constant movement across the building, it almost felt like New York itself was part of the workload. Then, in true NYC fashion, a tornado warning rolled through and changed everyone’s plans, adding another day to the trip.

    That’s live events.

    You can have the best schedule in the world, but eventually reality gets a vote.

    One of my favorite moments was simply walking the city after shift. Grabbing dinner in Hell’s Kitchen, watching people from every corner of the world moving in every direction, then waking up a few hours later to do it all again. It’s exhausting, but it’s also why people fall in love with New York.

    Fanatics Fest is an incredible event, but what sticks with me isn’t just the athletes or the displays.

    It’s the people building them.

    The fans see the show.

    We build the experience.

    #RunTheDamnDock #RTDD #FanaticsFest #FanaticsFestNYC #FFNY26 #BehindTheScenes #EventProfs #TradeShows #LiveEvents #EventOperations #ConventionCenter #JavitsCenter #NewYorkCity #HellsKitchen #BlueCollar #BuiltNotBought #BuildTheExperience #SportsBusiness #Vlog

  • Episode 2: long time coming.

    Episode 2: long time coming.

    It’s back.
    After a couple of years on the shelf, the RTDD Forklift Labor Force Power Rankings return with a fresh look at the crews making moves across the country. Some cities climbed. Some fell. A few might surprise you.
    Think your city got robbed? Good. Click in, read the rankings, and join the debate. That’s half the fun.

  • Forklift Power Rankings: Episode 1

    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…

    The Mack Rankings. No reflection of the Stu Rankings.

    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