Call it karma, or just dumb, ironic luck.

I spent 17 years – if you count kindergarten, when I remember sitting crisscross apple sauce (then known as Indian) style on a piece of carpet somewhere between story, snack and rest time – avoiding the front row of classrooms.

I now find myself at conferences throughout the eastern U.S. sitting in one of the front two rows of large seminar rooms. I’m the one usually with no one around for five rows; the one with a mini-recorder, notepad and camera in hand(s). Me, myself and I are sitting with back straight and eyes looking forward at the podium. I’m sure my past teachers are laughing at my fate, and former classmates wish they had their revengeful chance to shoot spitballs at the back of my head.

Event coverage is part of the services TriAd Marketing & Media provides its clients – whether for publications or videos – we are adept and used to working away from the friendly confines of the TriAd office. A trait TriAd associates soon learn – especially for our construction and utility clients – is that next to our desk is our pair of work boots, a hardhat and safety vest. I also have a sleek looking pair of safety glasses in my glove compartment that my son wants to borrow. Collectively as a staff, we visit clients, attend and work venues and perform quality checks out of the office approximately 300 days a year.

In my years of event coverage for TriAd, I have heard many speakers with different backgrounds talk on a variety of topics – some interesting and some not so interesting. I have also heard many of the same jokes that I have feigned laughter because – as I mentioned before – I’m the only person in the front row and I have first hand heard the chirps of crickets when my own jokes die a lingering death.

Despite times spent in hotel rooms and not in the comfort of my own bed, and eating a variety of banquet-style foods or at restaurants that are within walking distances of the hotel, covering events in person provides the opportunity to visit with clients and staff. It also gives us a chance to become more recognizable to national industry officials that travel to the same events. By sharing out-of-the office experiences, it’s our goal to not only learn more about our clients but also form stronger relationships with them.

By Jerry Marks, Editorial Director