In its fifth year, Print Oasis, billed as the only independent conference focused on the needs and challenges of print communications managers, print buyers, specifiers, and production professionals, has grown from its beginnings in an Arlington, VA, hotel in the spring of 2002 to a full-fledged conference in one of Las Vegas’ swankiest hotels with some 55 exhibiting companies and an expected attended in excess of 550. WhatTheyThink spoke with Suzanne Morgan, founder of Print Buyers Online, the e-community around which the Print Oasis conference was built, to learn what this year’s attendees have in store for them. The conference will be held from April 2-5, 2006, at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.

WTT: Suzanne, thanks for taking the time to speak with us today. Perhaps you could provide a little history of this event for our readers.

SM: Thanks for the opportunity to share information about Print Oasis with your readers. We started with our first conference in Arlington just a few short months after 9/11. Despite the difficult climate at the time, we were very pleased to have about 150 people attend the first year, more counting exhibitors. Since then we have grown. Last year we had 575 people in Chicago. That included 200 full conference attendees, 150 expo attendees, and exhibitors and speakers. This year we will have about the same attendance, with about 250 full conference attendees, up significantly from last year. We expect at least 100 additional attendees for the expo and paper show, and this year we have 55 exhibiting companies. We should have about 550 total attendees at the show from April 2-5 at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.