October 2014 - Parks & Recreation - 87

Staff Spotlight: Molly Higgins

hese days, Molly Higgins is but a blur at NRPA's Ashburn, Virginia,
headquarters. As our exhibits sales and supplier relationship manager
of almost five years, Higgins is in constant motion in advance of the
2014 NRPA Congress, managing relationships, selling booth space, collaborating with the rest of the exhibits team and keeping all of us up to date on
the exciting exhibitors expected to appear in Charlotte. We managed to get the
energetic 29-year-old to slow down just long enough to give us a snapshot of
her life, career and personal interests.

Parks & Recreation Magazine: This
is a busy time of year for you as we
approach the 2014 NRPA Congress
- tell us about your role in getting
NRPA and our members prepared
for the event.
Molly Higgins: This time of year
is particularly busy for the exhibits
team and exhibitors! I continue to sell
exhibit space, sometimes quite literally until the moment I leave for Congress. I also work with the exhibits
team to remind exhibitors of upcoming deadlines and requirements and
field incoming inquiries to streamline the final steps necessary for their
booth. Most of our exhibitors attend
multiple tradeshows annually, so anything we can do to make the process
easy and straightforward is the goal.
P&R: NRPA Congress is only three
days out of the year - what else
are you up to when our industry's
biggest event isn't imminent?
Higgins: I think a lot of meetings
and convention professionals get
this question and it always makes
me laugh! We start planning each
Congress about a year and a half in
advance and it takes every last minute to execute a successful event,
especially when it overlaps multiple
conferences... Educating exhibitors
on industry trends, incorporating
innovative ideas on the show floor,

prospecting new exhibitors and sponsors for the event, and managing our
current suppliers' inquiries and deliverables are all part of the day-to-day.
P&R: What's the most challenging
aspect of your job?
Higgins: When you're working with
almost 400 exhibitors, it's no surprise
that it's a challenge to please everyone.
Unfortunately, because of the nature
and moving parts of a tradeshow,
things beyond our control like state labor rules and rates, damaged or missing freight, and even a leaky roof have
the potential to negatively affect an
exhibitor. We take exhibitor feedback
seriously, good and bad. Exhibitors invest a lot of money, time and energy
to attend our tradeshow, so we work
to constantly improve the exhibitor experience from start to finish. Because
ultimately, if they're happy, I'm happy!

degree in recreation studies -
what drew you to that major and
how has that experience molded
your professional career?
Higgins: During high school and college, I spent my summers working for
a local parks and recreation agency,
predominately as counselor for cheerleading and dance camps... I stumbled
upon OU's recreation program when I
decided to reevaluate my commitment
to the sports management degree I was
pursuing - it seemed like a natural fit.
Studying recreation provided me education and insight into the importance
of parks and recreation. Obviously my
background connected me to NRPA,
not only its mission and advocacy for
the members, but also its support and
encouragement of its own employees
to maintain a work-life balance.

P&R: What's the most rewarding
part of your job?
Higgins: Seeing the show floor come
together! It's so exciting to see the
how the booths evolve each year. The
creativity and innovation continue to
amaze me. I'd challenge anyone to
not feel like a kid again when they
visit our exhibit hall!

P&R: What park and recreation activities do you most enjoy when
you're not on the clock?
Higgins: I like to be active and incorporate variety so I don't get bored.
Luckily there is no shortage of things
to do in [Washington] D.C.! I'll bike
or jog on the trails, kayak on the Potomac [River], hit the driving range,
swim laps at the local pool or find a
partner for a tennis match.

P&R: You attended Ohio University
and graduated with a bachelor's

- Samantha Bartram, Associate Editor
of Parks & Recreation Magazine

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