Steven Levy

The Visionary

“People often don’t remember what you did but rather how what you did made them feel.”

As Senior Vice President and General Manager of MMPI Canada, Steven Levy oversees and manages six departments that produce events within the art, craft, design, food, construction, real estate and furnishing industries. Steven’s areas of expertise include marketing, organizational management, advertising, consumerism, sponsorship development, and market trends.

steven@mmpicanada.com
416.960.4500

Steven Levy is a blend of many ingredients. He has academic credentials, business acumen, and a passion for honesty.

Born and raised in Montreal, around the corner from St. Urbain, Steven received both a Bachelor and a Master degree from McGill University. He worked as Director of Youth Services at both Sir George Williams University (now Concordia University) and at Neighbourhood House in Montreal until he decided to return to university to complete a doctorate, which he received in 1977 from The University of Toronto.

While a doctoral student, he believed that Canada needed a national event where artisans from across Canada could sell their works to south Ontario consumers. It is from this notion, that he founded the One of a Kind Show (OOAK), then called The Canadian Craft Show. Today, the One of a Kind Show and Sale, is an event where hundreds of aspiring and established artisans and designers together create the largest Canadian shopping experience, passionately embraced by the hundreds of thousands of avid shoppers. It now sees offspring in Chicago, Vancouver and New York City.

After finishing his PHD, he established a market and social research firm, which conducted hundreds of national and provincial studies dealing with issues and concerns of a variety of populations, organizations and groups. He personally specialized in research dealing with the physically disabled. His proud moment was the presentation of a research paper to The World Congress on rehabilitation.

Also during this period he taught social research and policy at York University, Ryerson and University of Toronto.

In 1985, Steven decided to enter the trade show world with both feet and launched the acclaimed Festival of Canadian Fashion. The most elaborate fashion event of its kind, almost every major media in the world reported on the event and elevated Canadian fashion to the international arena.

He also founded Fashion Collections, The Schools and Skills Show and consulted for many other shows and events including The Canadian Gift and Tableware Shows, The Boat Show, The Hardware Show, the Sportsmen’s Show – just to name a few.

Steven has spoken at The Canadian Association of Exhibition Managers, The Retail Council of Canada, The Canadian Consul in New York, The Federation of Canadian Craft Associations, The Ontario Craft Council, as well as for several other business groups and colleges.

In 1997, along with his partner and daughter Shauna, they created The Interior Design Show (IDS). The show was an instant success and they were about to expand into a new design venture when Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. (MMPI) approached them to join their company. The Interior Design Show and One of a Kind Shows were acquired by MMPI, one of the finest trade show companies in the world.

Steven continues to have an exciting career with MMPI, working within the six sectors of art, craft, design, construction, real estate and furnishing. Under Steven’s management since 1999, MMPI Canada has grown to encompass over 55 events and 70 staff.