THE URGENT CARE ASSOCIATION (UCA) is the trade association representing urgent care professionals, clinics, and organizations delivering accessible, high-quality care to patients across the country. UCA’s annual convention is the premier gathering of the urgent care community, bringing together clinicians, administrators, and industry partners for education, networking, and the connections that move the field forward. UCA 2026 drew over 1,000 attendees and 130 exhibiting companies.
SB Expos & Events supported the convention as a first-year partner, providing two distinct services: onsite registration support and full lead retrieval management.
THE CHALLENGE
Two services. One first-year partnership.
Association staff are pulled in many directions at their annual conference. Managing sessions, supporting speakers, liaising with partners, and assisting members throughout the event takes energy and dedication. Staffing the registration desk with someone who knows the technology deeply is a challenge when the team is already running at full capacity.
Likewise for lead retrieval, everything needed to be configured, communicated, tested, and executed correctly.
The Hilton Chicago’s exhibit hall added a logistical layer: two separate entrances—one via elevator, one at street level—creating split attendee traffic that required thoughtful setup and clear guidance across both registration and the exhibit floor.
SB’s task was to take both managing the registration desk and lead retrieval off UCA’s plate entirely.
“SB showed up prepared, managed registration and badging throughout UCA 2026 without a hitch, and delivered a lead retrieval experience our exhibitors could rely on. We’re grateful for the collaboration and excited to build on it.”
– Jackie Stasch, Senior Director, Shared Services, Urgent Care Association
THE STRATEGY
Onsite Registration
Association event staff are experts at running their conference. They shouldn’t also have to be experts in badge printing software, hardware setup, and registration system troubleshooting. SB provided a dedicated onsite registration technician for the full duration of UCA 2026. Because SB staff are Cadmium-certified and deeply experienced in EdgeReg and onsite check-in systems, there was no training curve and no ramp-up time required. SB arrived ready.
Pre-event, SB handled:
• Badge layout design and review
• Hardware and badge stock management
• Two pre-event Zoom calls with UCA’s registration team to align on workflows
• Staff training for UCA’s team
Onsite, SB handled:
• Full setup and final verification before exhibitor move-in
• Real-time troubleshooting of any hardware or software issues
• Support for check-in across the venue’s separate entrances
UCA’s staff could focus on their members instead of what was happening at the registration desk. When something came up at check-in, SB resolved it. That’s the value of a technician who knows the platform inside and out.
Lead Retrieval
Weeks before the event opened, SB configured and verified all lead retrieval software, test accounts, and devices. Exhibitors received high-touch onboarding guidance on setup and lead capture best practices before they arrived in Chicago. They hit the floor ready to scan, not still figuring out the platform.
Throughout UCA 2026, SB maintained a visible, responsive presence on the exhibit floor. When questions arose, SB was there. The goal was uninterrupted lead capture for every exhibitor, every day.
THE RESULTS
Registration:
UCA’s staff were free to focus on getting the most from their annual conference and serving their community. Check-in ran smoothly with no significant delays and no technology issues that disrupted the attendee experience. UCA’s team left the event with a clear understanding of the registration platform, trained and ready to build on the knowledge for next year.
Lead Retrieval:
More than half of the exhibiting companies participated in lead retrieval. The platform performed, and exhibitors were engaged throughout the convention.
A first-year partnership that covered two distinct services, a split-entrance venue, and new technology—and everything ran the way it was supposed to. That’s what ready looks like.
SB Expos & Events partners with associations to deliver lead retrieval, onsite registration support, expo sales, and full-service event management for 40+ events annually. Whether you need a dedicated technician for a single convention or a full-service partner year-round, we fit where you need us.
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