Trifecta Collective Acquires the International Mass Timber Conference and International Mass Timber Report from Forest Business Network – Trifecta Collective
Press Release

Trifecta Collective Acquires the International Mass Timber Conference and International Mass Timber Report from Forest Business Network

Arlington, VA. — December 14, 2022 – Trifecta Collective LLC, owned and backed by GreyLion, an investment firm focused on high-growth businesses in the lower middle market, today announced that it has acquired the International Mass Timber Conference (“IMTC”) and International Mass Timber Report (“IMTR”) from Forest Business Network.

The IMTC is the largest gathering of mass timber experts in the world, focusing on the entire industry supply chain. The conference, co-produced with WoodWorks, is held annually in Portland, Oregon, with the 2023 event taking place March 27-29. The IMTR is a first-of-its-kind manual, offering an international focus on the entire mass timber supply chain that’s widely regarded as a leading information source for mass timber professionals.

As part of the transaction, Forest Business Network’s owners, Craig Rawlings, Arnie Didier, and Tom Waddell, will continue to remain in their respective leadership positions. Trifecta Collective executives, including Rick McConnell, Chief Executive Officer; Jennifer Hoff, President; Donna Bellantone, Chief Operating Officer; and Bill Doll, Chief Financial Officer; will closely work with Messrs. Rawlings, Didier, and Waddell to help enhance and build upon their already successful platform.

“Teaming up with Trifecta and GreyLion sets the stage for taking the International Mass Timber Conference to a new level of quality and value,” said Craig Rawlings, Chief Executive Officer of Forest Business Network. “We are thrilled to work together in continuing to grow the conference for years to come. This partnership has us excited to meet conference attendees in Portland March 27-29 to discuss how we can all better amplify the mass timber conversation, build out this event to add even greater value for registrants, and elevate the mass timber industry as a whole.”

Rick McConnell, Chief Executive Officer of Trifecta Collective, said, “I am thrilled to be able to work with Craig, Arnie, and Tom to help take IMTC to the next level. The International Mass Timber Conference plays a pivotal role connecting forest product leaders through abundant new product launches and introductions, meaningful networking, and cutting-edge content offerings. I am looking forward to leveraging my trade show experience and background in the construction industry to help enhance the conference and ensure that it remains a must-attend event for timber industry participants.”

Ryan Anderson, a partner at GreyLion added, “The International Mass Timber Conference has been one of the fastest growing events in the U.S. since it began in 2016, and the projected 15-20% industry growth in the mass timber industry provides significant future tailwinds. We are confident that the combination of Trifecta Collective’s background with IMTC’s existing leadership team will continue to position the conference for long-term success.”

Trifecta Collective’s acquisition of the IMTC and IMTR is the second trade show transaction that has been completed year-to-date and builds on the team’s March 2022 transaction involving the North American Trailer Dealer Association.

Nick Curci of Corporate Solutions in Westport, Connecticut was the exclusive advisor to Forest Business Network in arranging, structuring, and negotiating this transaction.

About International Mass Timber Conference and International Mass Timber Report

The International Mass Timber Conference is the largest gathering of mass timber experts in the world focusing on the entire industry supply chain. This is the 7th annual event for the fast-growing conference and will take place in Portland, Oregon, USA. Cross-laminated timber (CLT), nail-laminated timber, glulam, mass ply panels, dowel-laminated timber and laminated veneer lumber are just a few of the building products that are featured. WoodWorks has been a co-producer of the conference since the beginning and plays a key role in planning and building out the event’s leading educational presentations and their associated continuing education credits, the pre-conference mass timber 101 design workshop, and other important content. The learning program examines the many opportunities in global design, construction development, manufacturing, and more.

The International Mass Timber Report is a valued information source for mass timber professionals. The annual report focuses on trends, construction practices, industry opportunities, and expert opinions.

About Trifecta Collective

Trifecta Collective is a trade show platform formed by GreyLion and trade show industry professionals, Rick McConnell and Jennifer Hoff. Mr. McConnell has extensive experience building and leading industry events across multiple industry sectors and has previously held senior leadership roles at Hanley Wood and Informa. Ms. Hoff has an equally impressive track record in show management, having held numerous positions at National Tradeshow Productions and more recently as the Founder of Taffy Event Strategies, which she continues to run today. Since 2021, Trifecta Collective has been building a portfolio of market-leading trade shows and events that are leaders in their respective market segments.

About GreyLion

GreyLion focuses on investing in high-growth businesses in the lower middle market. We seek to partner with existing owners and management teams across the consumer, industrial, software and services sectors to deliver capital in tailored and flexible minority and control structures. GreyLion invests $25-$125 million of capital per investment, primarily within the United States. GreyLion currently manages private equity funds with aggregate commitments of $1.7 billion. For more information, please visit www.greylion.com.

Contact Information

Trifecta Collective | Rick McConnell | CEO
rmcconnell@trifectaeventsllc.com | 214-693-0672

GreyLion | Jody Shechtman | Partner
jody@greylion.com | 646-475-3544