OUR LEADERSHIP

Mark White, CEO

Mark joined dmg world media (a predecessor company) to Marketplace Events in 1993 in the UK. His 31 years in the business have focused on business development (61 shows acquired in the last 17 years), corporate strategy, HR, show management and financial management. He spent 16 years as the company’s CFO before being promoted to President in 2023 then CEO in May 2024.

Mark graduated from Exeter University in the UK, and has worked for the business in London, Toronto and the Bay area, finally settling in San Diego. Mark’s primary responsibility is to foster the exceptional culture we have created at Marketplace Events and to lead the continued growth of the business.

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Tom Baugh, Vice Chairman

In July 2008, Tom became the founding CEO of Marketplace Events, passing those duties to his longtime colleague, Mark White, in May 2024.  As Vice Chairman, Tom is now taking the lead on expanding and accelerating MPE’s impressive M+A activities.

Prior to joining the company in 2003, Tom was a senior executive at industry-giant International Management Group (IMG) where he headed national sponsorship initiatives and consumer events.  Before that he was a vice president at Advanstar Expositions (now Informa) producing both trade and consumer shows.
 
Tom is the past president of the Home + Garden Show Executives International (HGSEI) and has served in leadership positions for the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) and the National Association of Consumer Shows (NACS).  He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and a board member of several charitable organizations in Akron, Ohio.

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Lisa Kropf, COO

Comprised of equal parts drive and smarts, Lisa oversees the company’s consumer and exhibitor marketing, sales & sponsorship, corporate communications, and research & development.

An entrepreneur at heart, Lisa came to the company in 2004 when her PR firm was retained to manage consumer food shows launched in partnership with television’s popular Food Network.

During her 13 years as principal at Kropf Public Relations (when you’re really good, you put your name on the door), her firm provided marketing services for several consumer shows, Pepsi, IMG, Advanstar, PBS, an HGTV show, and others. Lisa’s worked on more than 100 different events in her 25-plus-years career!

A Clevelander since birth and a loyal Browns fan, Lisa was named one of the city’s "50 Most Interesting People" by Cleveland magazine. She is a graduate of Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and is a member of NACS, SISO, IEG, and IAEE.

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Stacey Charkow, CFO

Stacey joined the company in 2006 as a financial analyst but rose to controller within two short years. In this role, she managed the company’s finance/accounting team and processes. You’ve heard the old adage “s/he who holds the purse strings wins”, right? Well, those letters of “CPA, CMA” behind her name means she’s winning. As CFO, Stacey is responsible for the strategic leadership of all finance functions.

Prior to Marketplace Events, Stacey worked at a large Canadian insurer. And to this day she still appreciates a long and complicated Declarations Page. If you ever find yourself breaking bread with Stacey, be prepared for a “When Harry Met Sally”-type of food ordering situation. She likes substitutions. Every time.

Stacey has a Bachelor of Commerce degree with honors from McMaster University and is a Certified Management Accountant. She’s also Certified Smart-But-Not-Stuffy, just for the record.

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Shelly Gepfert, CMO

Shelly first started with MPE in 2006 as Regional Marketing Manager, overseeing the consumer and exhibitor marketing for 11 annual home shows. She now oversees the consumer, exhibitor and digital marketing departments for 70+ annual home shows across North America. And we’re better for it!

But before that, she penned an article published in Mademoiselle magazine entitled “Live Like a Rich Bitch for $100 or Less”, won an Emmy for her work at NBC on the 2012 Olympics, and was employed by short-but-successful NBA star Isiah Thomas.

The only two-time recipient of the Marketplace Events “CEO Award of Appreciation”, Shelly holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Arts degree from Indiana University. When she’s not looking after her staff of 15 (at last count), she’s tending to her firstborn, plus twin daughters and her hubby Alan who is a former NFL cornerback.

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Our Senior Team

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