Kennedy, a director of Perton Signs, will work alongside ESSA chairman Nick Marshall and director Chris Skeith to support members and the industry.
The decision was ratified at the most recent ESSA board meeting and means Kennedy will succeed Marshall as chairman, following Marshall’s two-year term.
Kennedy said: "I am delighted to be able to take up the position of vice-chair of ESSA. Perton Signs is approaching 150 years of trading and as the first member of both ESSA and its predecessor BECA I felt that the time was right to take on this role. I am looking forward to working with Nick and Chris in the coming months."
ESSA represents contractors and suppliers of goods and services to the exhibition industry. It is run by its members through an elected council of representatives, working groups and a full time secretariat, which it shares with the Association of Event Organisers (AEO) and Association of Event Venues (AEV).
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