A Las Vegas exhibit house has been honored for its rental-first strategy, which minimizes waste in trade show marketing while maintaining the quality of the client experience.
The Exhibit Happy by Steelhead rental-first model reduces waste without compromising the client experience, and that’s a strategy the events industry should take notice of.”— Russ Fordyce, Chief Recognition Officer, Business Intelligence Group
Exhibit Happy by Steelhead, an event marketing and exhibit agency headquartered in Las Vegas, announced today that it has been selected as a winner in the 2026 Sustainability Awards, organized by the Business Intelligence Group (BIG), in the Sustainability Initiative of the Year category. This accolade honors organizations, products, teams, and individuals that are converting sustainability pledges into tangible, quantifiable outcomes.
The 2026 Sustainability Awards celebrate accomplishments across a wide variety of industries and applications, highlighting organizations and leaders that go beyond promises to achieve practical, measurable results. This year’s program acknowledged 57 winners in nine categories spanning seven countries.
Exhibit Happy by Steelhead earned this recognition for its rental-first exhibit approach, which prolongs the lifespan of trade show materials and cuts down on waste, costs, and storage demands linked to traditional exhibit ownership, all while preserving the creative adaptability that clients anticipate. Over the last 12 months, the company kept 77,668 pounds of waste out of landfills, prevented 36,767 water bottles from being used, planted 870 trees, and reduced energy consumption per employee by 61%, even as its facility expanded by 56%—from 80,000 to 125,000 square feet—and its workforce grew from 72 to 82 employees.
“Exhibit Happy by Steelhead shows that sustainability and creativity don’t have to be a compromise in trade show marketing. Their rental-first approach cuts waste without cutting corners on the client experience, and that’s a model the events industry should be paying attention to," stated Russ Fordyce, Chief Recognition Officer, Business Intelligence Group.
“We are honored to be recognized in the 2026 Sustainability Awards," said Sean Combs, CEO and co-owner of Exhibit Happy by Steelhead. “This award reflects the dedication of our team, the trust of our clients and partners, and our commitment to building sustainability programs that create real outcomes, not just headlines. We believe the future belongs to organizations that can pair ambition with accountability, and we are proud to be part of that movement.”
As a Certified B Corporation exhibit house with EcoVadis recognition placing the company in the top 35% globally for sustainability performance, Exhibit Happy by Steelhead paired this year's environmental progress with an elite 9.8 client satisfaction score, evidence that sustainability and service excellence can advance together.
To see the full list of 2026 Sustainability Awards winners, visit: bintelligence.com.
About Exhibit Happy by Steelhead
Established in 1996 and marking 30 years in operation in 2026, Exhibit Happy by Steelhead is a Las Vegas-based event marketing and exhibit agency that focuses on custom rental exhibits. The firm assists brands in crafting high-impact trade show experiences while minimizing the waste, expense, storage, and redesign issues associated with conventional exhibit ownership. Exhibit Happy by Steelhead is the first B Corp certified exhibit house in North America and holds EcoVadis recognition, placing it in the top 35% globally for sustainability performance. Learn more at exhibithappy.com.
About the Sustainability Awards
The Sustainability Awards celebrate organizations, products, teams, and individuals at the forefront of environmental and social responsibility. The program assesses accomplishments across a broad spectrum of industries and regions, honoring initiatives that transform sustainability pledges into measurable, verified results. Evaluated by a panel of seasoned business executives who offer transparent feedback and detailed scoring, the awards recognize those demonstrating that sustainability and business success can progress together.
About Business Intelligence Group
Business Intelligence Group (BIG) is an independent awards organization that has been acknowledging outstanding business achievements since 2012. Now in its 14th awards season, BIG runs 12 annual programs covering innovation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, customer service, cloud computing, sustainability, sales and marketing, workplace culture, and women's leadership. Winners receive a full promotional toolkit, including blockchain-verified credentials, press release support, social media assets, and featured placement across BIG's global community of over one million business professionals. For more information, visit bintelligence.com.
Elizabeth Martinez
Exhibit Happy by Steelhead Productions
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
TikTok
X
Other
