Dallas Market Center has announce that Joan Ulrich has joined the company as Executive Vice President of Leasing, responsible for leasing strategy across the gift, home, lighting, holiday, floral, and design neighborhoods of the 5 million square foot marketplace.
Ulrich brings over 20 years of experience in the trade show, wholesale and consumer show industries. She reports to Dallas Market Center president and CEO, Cindy Morris.
“Joan’s keen understanding of our business and our opportunities for growth are matched by a track record of innovation and visionary leadership,” says Morris. “As we extend our trajectory across gift, home, lighting, floral and holiday, and as we look for innovative ways to serve an eager community of buyers, I am confident she will deliver tremendous value for our customers, including adding new resources and enhancing the market experience for buyers and sellers.”
Ulrich joins Dallas Market Center during an evolution in retail and wholesale, presenting unique challenges for traditional brick-and-mortar stores, e-commerce enterprises, and interior design agencies to serve their customers with products and experiences to drive interest and sales. For Dallas Market Center those challenges are viewed as opportunities as Ulrich focuses on serving this rapidly changing marketplace by serving as the company’s “chief merchandiser.” Her mission will be to evaluate and adapt the marketplace to anticipate trends, present new and distinct resources, and to create the most inspiring collection of products via permanent showrooms and temporary exhibitors.
Ulrich launched her career with Enesco, the giftware wholesale company, more than three decades ago, later joining Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI). During her tenure of 14 years with MMPI, she was responsible for permanent gift and home leasing in the Chicago Merchandise Mart, 7 West 34th in New York, and the LA Mart, as well as overseeing temporary events in Chicago and Los Angeles. She was also the developer of successful consumer events in Chicago, including the One of a Kind Show, The Artist Project, and the International Antiques Fair. Following her time at MMPI, Joan spent four years at Urban Expositions involved in various management roles within their 30-plus annual trade and consumer events. More recently, she launched UnCommon Markets, a monthly art and entertainment event based in Scottsdale, AZ.
