BCD Meetings & Incentives Adds User Conference Tech Through One World Buy

BCD Meetings & Incentives today announced the acquisition of San Francisco Bay-area based incentive, conference, meetings and events management company One World Partners for an undisclosed amount.

The acquisition gives BCD a West Coast presence and a platform to move into the technology industry meetings and user conference sector, according to BCD M&I president Scott Graf. BCD will maintain the One World brand for the Sausalito, Calif., office. One World founder Teri Hollowell will serve as the executive director of that location, which houses about 15 employees. BCD currently has major offices in Atlanta, Chicago and Philadelphia.

Through the acquisition, BCD adds about 20 to 25 accounts, most of which are technology companies, into its client portfolio, said Graf.

BCD will integrate with One World's user conference and events technology, creative services and corporate social responsibility offerings, Graf said.

"Today they are very strong in handling the user conference markets, and today we're not," Graf told BTN. "In the past, where we've not had the expertise or technology to address that market in any part of the country, we now pick up the technology and thought leadership that allows us to say yes to that."

The buy is the first BCD M&I acquisition since the 2007 purchase of U.K.-based Talking Point, which followed parent company BCD Holdings' acquisition of U.K.-based travel agency The Travel Company, which at the time was a part-owner of Talking Point.

"Now is a good time to be looking," Graf said. "The market is tough and you can get some situations where owners of smaller or midsized companies are maybe looking to liquidate some or all of their business. For us, it might be a good opportunity to extend in a certain market and a good time to buy."

BCD M&I is an operating company of BCD Holdings, which also is the shareholder of corporate travel companies BCD Travel, Park 'N Fly and TRX.