George Jage - Tea Industry Who's Who Bio
Wednesday, January 12th 2011 @ 4:40 PM
GEORGE JAGE
President, World Tea Media
Shortly out of college in 1993, George cut his teeth in the trade show industry by running the operations for a fast-growing discount apparel trade show. Following the sale of that business in 1999, George moved to Las Vegas to escape the frozen tundra of Wisconsin and to set up shop in the trade show capital of the world.
In 2003, after a friend asked if there was a trade show for tea, George researched the industry to see an enormous unmet need for an independent community and marketplace for the emerging specialty tea industry in North America. Immediately, George funded, founded, and launched the first North American tea trade show. Since the inception of the company, World Tea Expo® has been thrice recognized as one of the Fastest 50™ growing tradeshows in North America. George also developed the leading industry news source, the World Tea News®, and in 2008 co-created the North American Tea Championship™ with his wife and business partner, Kim Jage.
World Tea Expo has also in the past held the first ever tea auction on U.S. soil, created and hosted the Top Tea Cocktail Competition™, developed the World Tea Ratings™, publishes the World Tea Buyers’ Guide™, and most recently launched the Tea Infusionist Challenge™. George’s company, now dba World Tea Media, is solely focused on developing the tools, insights, and resources to catalyze growth of tea in North America.
In 2004, George was named as one of Tradeshow Executive’s “Next Generation of Leaders”. In 2006, George was named by Gourmet News as one of the “Top 20 Under 40” in the specialty food business. In 2008 was given the Nevada Entrepreneur Award by In Business Magazine. And most recently in 2010, George was honored by the University of Nevada Las Vegas with the Jerry Valen Award of Distinction for “Hospitality and Convention Executive of the Year”.
George has served on the Specialty Tea Institute Advisory Board and was chair for the 2005 STI Symposium. He was a member of Young Entrepreneurs’ Organization from 2003 to 2006. Since 2004, George has been a member of SISO (Society of Independent Show Organizers) and currently serves as a Board Member, and chaired the 2010 SISO Executive Conference.
See WorldTeaExpo.com
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