Convention Industry Council

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B&B	1) Bed and Breakfast. 2) Brandy and Benedictine.
b/g	Background, as in background music.
B/P	Bills Payable.
B2B	Business-to-Business.
Baby Spot	1) Small spotlight in a booth/stand, usually 15 watt. 2) Small spotlight in the ceiling of function rooms used to highlight decor, such as centerpieces.
Babysitting Facilities	Arrangements for care of children during a short absence of the parents.
Back Drape	A drape, curtain or fabric panel that provides a soft, colorful background for a speaker. The audience's attention will be zeroed on the speaker with enhanced concentration and retention.
Back Light	1) A light source that illuminates any transparent or translucent material from behind. 2) A lighting instrument used behind and above a presenter to give more depth and better image when video taping or using image-magnification. 3) Lighting instrument used behind and above a presenter to give more depth and better image when video taping or using image-magnification.
Back of the House	A term used in hotels to refer to areas for staff only, as opposed to the front of the house.
Back Projection	Image projected on the back surface of a screen, which is placed between the viewer and the projector. See REAR PROJECTION. See Also Rear Projection
Backbone	A permanently installed series of cable comprised of copper wire cable and/or fiber optic cable, utilized as the main thoroughfare in a building to transmit voice and data signals in or out of the facility.
Backdrop	Drapes, curtain, or fabric panels at the back of a stage, speaker’s table, or exhibit booth/stand.
Backline Equipment	Equipment required by musicians that is needed in order to perform at an engagement. This varies from artist to artist and often must be rented by the event organizer. Generally, it is everything a live band needs, such as amplifiers, apart from the musicians and their instruments.
Back-Lit Panels	Three-dimensional structure (or box) with lights placed behind a transparent image.
Backloader	Truck which loads from a rear-opening door.
Back-of-Room Sales	The act and process of selling books, tapes, and other products at the back of the room, usually immediately after a speech.
Backstage	Portion of the theater behind the main curtain including stage, dressing rooms, and wings.
Back-to-Back	Travel or conference programs operating on a continuous or chronologically sequential basis so that one group arrives as another group departs or shortly thereafter.
Back-to-Back Booth/Stand	The standard exhibit configuration where booths/stands are placed in rows, back to back.
Back-Up Facility	Substitute facility that will serve as an as a viable alternative if the original facility become unavailable or inadequate for its intended purpose.
Backwall	1) The back wall (either hardwall or draped) of a perimeter, booth/stand/exhibit, or inline. 2) Panel arrangement at rear of booth/stand area.
Backwall Booth/Stand	An exhibit that is back to back with another exhibit or against a building wall. See PERIMETER BOOTH/STAND. See Also Perimeter Booth/Stand
Badge	Identifying sign, tag or emblem worn by event participants. Sometimes called a nametag.
Baffle	Partition to control light, air, sound, or traffic flow.
Baguette	Long French bread; crunchy crust.
Baked Alaska	Brick ice cream on cake, covered with meringue and browned quickly in the oven. Sometimes served flaming in a waiter parade.
Baklava	Russian, Greek or Turkish pastry made of flaky dough, honey, butter and chopped nuts.
Balance Sheet	A statement that indicates overall financial status by subtracting expenses from income.
Baling Wire	Thin gauged wire often used in display work for fastening or tying objects.
Ball	Formal social gathering for dancing.
Ball Light	Stationary adjustable light found on older model exhibits.
Ballast	A power supply used with arc or discharge lamps to control current through the bulb.
Bananas Foster	Dessert prepared with bananas, brown sugar, liqueur and served over vanilla ice cream. Often prepared flaming at table side.
Band	Portion of the audio frequency spectrum in the same way that green is a portion of the visible frequency spectrum. The audio frequency spectrum covers a range of over 10 octaves.
Band Pass	Set of two filters that attenuate frequencies beyond the frequency limits of a given band of frequencies. The telephone, for example, is a band pass filter that eliminates low frequencies below about 300 hertz and high frequencies above about 5,000 hertz, causing the characteristic telephone sound most people are familiar with.
Banding	Thin, flat wire used to hold cartons or crates together.
Bandwidth	The amount of information that can be transmitted in an information channel such as a telephone line, ISDN, or Ethernet. Higher bandwidth means that images and sound will load more quickly for use in videoconferences or on the Internet.
Banjo	Type of lightweight cloth used for backdrops.
Bank Draft	An order drawn for the payment of a specified sum of money through a bank to a particular person or entity.
Bank Guarantee Cash Deposit	Payable by the exhibitor to the forwarder, Customs agent, or official authorities in place of a temporary import bond to ensure the amount requested is the minimum amount of import duties and taxes that would be paid in case of final import.
Bank Maze	See STANCHIONS. See Also Stanchions
Bank Pin	Pin used for hanging booth/stand ID signs, alternative to S-HOOKS.
Bank Remittance	Money forwarded to a bank; may be by mail or electronic means.
Bank Transfer	Movement of funds between banks or from one bank account to another.
Banner	A suspended decorative or communicative panel, usually a temporary fabric or paper. Can be used as hanging signs.
Banner Advertising	An advertisement on a Web site which allows user to “click through” to the advertiser’s Web site.
Banquet	Formal, often ceremonial, dinner for a select group of people, often in honor of a particular person.
Banquet Captain	Person in charge of banquet service at food functions. For small functions, also serves as maitre d. For larger functions, may be responsible for a specific area of the dining room.
Banquet Event Order	BEO. A form most often used by hotels to provide details to personnel concerned with a specific food and beverage function or event room set-up.
Banquet Manager	A person in charge of banquet service.
Banquet Round	1) Round table used for meal service; depending on the diameter, can comfortably seat up to 12 persons. A round for 8 is usually 60-inches in diameter and is also called a 5-footer. The 66-inch round is a newer table size and seats 8 to 10. A round for 10is usually 72-inches in diameter and is also called 6-footer.
Banquet Set-Up	1) Seating arrangement where typically a grouping of rounds is set in such a way as to facilitate the serving of food, most often a hexagonal or square pattern. 2) Function-room set up and tear down. See HOUSEMAN. See Also Houseman
Banquet Set-Up Manager	In charge of function room set up, over housemen.
Bare Booth/Stand	Booth/stand with no services or facilities, meaning that these all have to be hired at an additional cost.
Bargaining Agent	Union recognized by the employer or designated by a government agency to act as the exclusive representative of employees in a bargaining unit.
Bargaining Unit	A group of employees designated by a government agency or accepted by the employer as constituting an appropriate unit for representation by a union.
Barn Door	Movable hinged flap used on stage lights to control light spill.
Barrier-Free	Absence of obstacles preventing handicapped persons from moving freely to all public areas within a building.
Barriers to Entry	Conditions that create difficulty for competitors to enter the market. For example, monopolies, cartels, copyrights, trademarks, patents, dedicated distribution channels and high initial investment requirements.
Barter	Trade in which merchandise or service is exchanged directly for other merchandise or service without the use of money. Barter can be an important means of trade with countries using currency that is not readily convertible.
Base	1) Steel floor support piece for upright post. 2) A stand on which something rests or is supported.
Base Currency	Currency in which all official business transactions will take place.
Base Plate	Empty dinner plate used as a base for several courses and removed prior to the main course. Also called Set Plate. See Also UNDERLINER. Compare With SHOW PLATE. See Also Underliner , Show Plate
Base Rate	The hourly rate or salary paid for a job performed. It does not include payments of overtime, incentives or other differentials.
Base Salary	The fixed amount paid to an employee on a regular basis, not including any gratuities, commissions, benefits or bonuses.
Batten	BATS. Lengths of pipe from which scenery, curtains, and lights can be hung.
Baud	Bits a modem can send or receive per second
BDI	Both Dates Inclusive.
Bead	Metal edge of lath or framing that finishes corners or openings and gives plaster finish continuous, smooth corners.
Bead Board	A circuit board, which is most often carrying less than 24 volts of electricity.
Beaded Screen	Type of screen with highly reflective surface used for front protection.
Beam	The size, shape and sharpness of the image of the light as projected on a surface.
Béarnaise Sauce	A derivative of the hollandaise mother sauce. It is prepared by adding a tarragon reduction to hollandaise. Béarnaise must be kept on or near heat or it will separate and break down. Often served on Filet Mignon.
Bed and Breakfast	1) A guesthouse, small hotel or private home that offers overnight accommodations and breakfast for paying guests. 2) Sleeping room rate includes breakfast. See CONTINENTAL PLAN (CP). See Also Continental Plan
Bed Hook	The size, shape and sharpness of the image of the light as projected on a surface.
Bed Tax	See TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX. See Also Transient Occupancy Tax
Beef Wellington	Tenderloin coated with liver pate and baked en Croute (flaky crust).
Beep	Audio signal used for cueing and editing.
Beeper	Small radio receiver that emits a beeping noise when signaled to alert the person carrying it.
Beignet	(ben yay) 1) French doughnut, square shaped, minus the hole, lavishly sprinkled with powdered sugar. 2) Foods dipped in batter and deep-fried.
Bell Captain	A hotel employee who supervises the work of staff whose primary responsibility is to carry luggage, run errands, etc. at a hotel or club. Not to be confused with Concierge.
Below-the-Line Expenses	Expenses for general business purposes not related directly to an event, common referred to as general overhead expenses such as office rent, health insurance, etc.
Benefits	1) Entitlements made available in accordance with employment, such as a medical insurance policy, vacation, sick leave, etc. 2) Compensation or coverage from an insurance policy.
BEO	Banquet Event Order. A form most often used by hotels to provide details to personnel concerned with a specific food and beverage function or event room set-up.
Bermuda Plan	Hotel accommodations with full American-style breakfast included in the rate. See BED AND BREAKFAST. See Also AMERICAN PLAN, CONTINENTAL PLAN, DEMI-PENSION, EUROPEAN PLAN, MODIFIED AMERICAN PLAN. See Also Bed and Breakfast , American Plan , Continental Plan , Demi-Pension , European Plan , Modified American Plan
Betacam/BetaSP	Common video format for presentation graphics, not compatible with VHS format. Commercial beta is used for broadcast quality video. See VHS Format. See Also VHS Format
Bible	See SPECIFICATIONS GUIDE. See Also Specifications Guide
Bid	1) A statement of what one will give or take in return for something else (a price); proposal. 2) Proposal submitted by a convention & visitors bureau and/or hotel(s) to an event organizer that includes defined dates and room blocks.
Bid Document	The proposal, usually prepared in response to a request for proposals or sales lead, submitted by a destination or a facility, inviting an organization to hold its event n their venue. See REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS See Also Request for Proposals
Bid Manual/Specifications	Written document issued by an organization which contains requirements and conditions for future events, and solicits proposals for needed services from venues and other service providers. Often also includes primary selection and decision procedures. Same as REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP). See Also Request for Proposals
Bien Cuit	(ben kwee) Well done, as in steak cooked well done.
Bill of Lading	B/L. A document that establishes the terms of a contract between a shipper and a transportation company under which freight is to be moved between specified points for a specified charge. Usually prepared by the shipper on forms issued by the carrier, it serves as a document of title, a contract of carriage, and a receipt of goods. See AIR WAYBILL. See Also INLAND BILL OF LADING, OCEAN BILL OF LADING, THROUGH BILL OF LADING. See Also Air Waybill , Inland Bill of Lading , Ocean Bill of Lading , Through Bill of Lading
Billing Instructions	Notice as to how charges for an event should be handled and to whom invoices should be addressed.
Billing Weight	Generally refers to airfreight and van line shipments. The billing weight is the number upon which freight charges are based. The billing weight will be the actual weight or the dimensional weight, whichever is greater.
Binding	Process of fastening pages of books, brochures, magazines together. See PERFECT BINDING. See Also SADDLE STITCH, SIDE-STITCH BINDING. See Also Perfect Binding , Saddle-Stitch Binding , Side-Stitch Binding
Bio	A slang term for biography.
Biographical Sheet	A profile, one-sheet or a short document that lists a speakers’ major credits and gives a brief history of his or her career. A biographical sheet is not a job resume or a vital. To remain true to its singular limit, a biographical sheet should be no longer than one page.
Bisque	(bisk) Soup thickened with a vegetable puree; usually a shellfish soup.
Bit	A unit of measurement that represents one figure or character of data. A bit is the smallest unit of storage in a computer. Bit multiples are called bytes.
Bitmap	A set of bits that defines a graphic image.
Black Light	Ultraviolet lighting that when applied causes phosphorescent paints to glow.
Black Tie	Required dress: dinner jacket, bow tie and cummerbund for the men and formal evening dress for the women. May include national dress. In the U.S. and Canada, Black Tie indicates Tuxedo. “Black tie optional” indicates that formal dress is preferred but not required. See FORMAL DRESS. See Also WHITE TIE. See Also Formal Dress , White Tie
Black Tie Optional	Men can wear a tuxedo or dark business suit; for women a long, formal gown or a shorter, elegant dress or suit.
Black-and-White	A black-and-white photograph of a speaker, sometimes referred to as a B&W. See GLOSSY. See Also Glossy
Blackboard	Hard, smooth, usually dark surface used for drawing or writing with chalk. See CHALKBOARD. See Also MARKER BOARD. See Also Chalkboard , Marker Board
Blanket License	Used particularly in regard to music licensing, a blanket license allows the music user unlimited access to the collectives' licensed repertory, for a contractual period of time, in exchange for a profit participation in the music user's economic growth. See Also ASCAP, BMI, & SESAC. See Also ASCAP , BMI , SESAC
Blanket Wrap	Non-crated freight shipped via van line covered with protective blankets or padding.
Bleachers	Stand of tiered planks providing seating space for spectators. Can be permanent or temporary.
Bleed	Ink that extends beyond edges of printed page. Area beyond usable section of blowup or copy block that allows for trimming or wrapping.
Bleeding Edge	A level of technology more advanced than cutting edge or state-of-the-art. Bleeding edge equipment should be given extra attention, being careful to test and retest and not make adjustments between the rehearsal and the event.
Blind Commission	A commission that is paid by a hotel to a third party that reimburses for services and comes out of the hotel sleeping room rate, but is not disclosed to the guests or the event organizer. Such commissions may fall within commercial bribery laws and if involve use of interstate commerce may also be federal law violation. See KICKBACK. See Also Kickback
Blind Fastening	Method of using nails or screws to secure tongue and groove flooring into the edge of the board just above the tongue thus concealing the fastener.
Blintze	Thin pancake rolled around a filling of cream cheese and chopped meat or fruit.
Blister Pack	Vacuum formed transparent plastic wrap.
Block	1) Number of rooms reserved for one group. 2) To assign space.
Block	1) Total number of sleeping rooms reserved for an event. 2) A number of rooms, seats, or space reserved in advance for a group. 3) To assign space. See ROOM BLOCK. See Also Room Block
Blocked Space	Sleeping rooms, exhibit, event, or other function space reserved for future use by an individual or organization.
Blocking	1) First stand-up rehearsal during which the director sets up all the action for the scene. 2) The act of reserving or assigning sleeping rooms, exhibit, event, or other function space.
Block-Out	Usually refers to painting out portions of photo or negative on screen.
Blower	General term for device to circulate or remove warm air from restricted areas (i.e., projector housings).
Blow-Up	Enlargement of photo, art, or typography.
Blue Laws	State or local laws that regulate the types of businesses that must be closed, or the types of products that may not be sold on Sundays.
Blue Sky	Term for extreme design, thinking or abstract value.
Blueline	Final proof copy for client's approval before printing. Also referred to as a proof.
Blueprint	A mechanical drawing of booth/stand layout, construction and specifications. See FLOOR PLAN. See Also Floor Plan
Bluetooth	The process for the wireless convergence of cell phones, computers, personal digital assistants (PDA), etc.
BMI	Broadcast Music Incorporated. A music licensing organization that represents individuals who hold the copyrights to music written in the United States. It grants licensing agreements for the performance of music.
BO	1) Bad Order. 2) Buyers Option.
Board	Body appointed by the governing board or general assembly to manage the affairs of a society, association, etc., on a day-to-day basis.
Board Meeting	A meeting of the governing body of an organization.
Board of Trustees	An official body which manages the affairs and administers the funds of an institution or organization.
Boarding Pass	Permit to board a ship, train, plane, or other form of transportation.
Boardroom	A room set permanently with a fixed table and suitable seating.
Boardroom Set-Up	Seating arrangement in which rectangle or oval shaped tables are set up with chairs on both sides and ends. Often confused with HOLLOW SQUARE SET-UP. See Also Hollow Square Set-Up
Body Type	Type size used for main text.
Boeuf à la Bourguignonne	(boff a la borg in yone) Traditional beef stew with vegetables in burgundy wine sauce.
Boldface	Darker type distinguished from lighter type faces.
Bomb Threat	A claim of knowledge or belief that an explosive or incendiary bomb has been or will be placed.
Bombé	Molded dessert of ice cream, whipped cream and fruit.
Bonbon	Any sweet candy.
Bonded Warehouse	A warehouse authorized by customs authorities for storage of goods on which payment of duties is deferred until the goods are removed.
Bonding	The purchase, for a premium, of a guarantee of protection for a supplier or a customer. In the hospitality industry, certain bonding programs are mandatory.
Bone Yard	Storage area where equipment is stored during an exhibition. This area may be located within the exhibition hall in an unused portion of the floor. Alternate spelling is Boneyard. See DUMP. See Also Dump
Boneyard	Storage area where equipment is stored during an exhibition. This area may be located within the exhibition hall in an unused portion of the floor. Alternate spelling is Bone Yard. See DUMP. See Also Dump
Bonus	A sum given to an individual in addition to the individuals base compensation, generally as a reward for accomplishing a goal.
Book	To reserve flights or accommodations for a passenger or guest.
Book of Abstracts	Collection of abstracts being presented during an event which are made available to event participants for use in selecting which sessions to attend.
Booking	1) An arrangement with a company for use of facilities, goods or services. 2) For a Hotel Event, a future event contracted in writing by an event organizer with a hotel. According to guidelines from the International Association of Convention & Visitor Bureaus, the local CVB should receive a copy of the contract, or a written communication from an authorized agent of the hotel that a contract has been signed. The communication should detail dates, space requirements and estimated room block. The CVB should track estimated attendance and attendee spending for the event. 3) For a Citywide or Convention Center event, according to guidelines from the International Association of Convention & Visitor Bureaus, given the long-time frame often involved in such an event, the booking process generally takes two steps. The first is a “Confirmed Booking” where a future event is confirmed in writing (letter, booking notice), signed by an authorized agent of the event organizer and the convention center (if applicable). The written communication should detail dates, space requirements and estimated room block. The local CVB should track estimated attendance and attendee spending. The second step is a “Contracted Booking” where a future event is contracted in writing by the event organizer with the event facility (e.g., convention center). The local CVB should receive communication of this stage in writing from an authorized agent of the convention center.
Booking Policy	Guidelines by which a convention center (or other venue) prioritizes reservations; may correspond to hotel rooms the event will use in the area.
Book-on-Payment	BOP. Payment guaranteed by travel agency for a package reserved within cancellation period.
Boom	Adjustable support for positioning microphones or lighting fixtures.
Boom Arm	Attachment placed on a standard straight microphone stand which extends the reach of the stand to the side. Often used to place a microphone in front of a singer seated at a piano.
Boom Lift	A motorized platform used to lift people to a given height. See SCISSOR LIFT. See Also Scissor Lift
Booth	One or more standard units of exhibit space. In the US, a standard unit is generally known to be a 10' x 10' space (one standard booth/stand unit, equaling 100 nsf). However, if an exhibitor purchases multiple units side-by-side or back-to-back, the combined space is also still referred to as a BOOTH or a STAND. Specific area assigned by management to exhibitor under contractual agreement. See STAND. See Also Stand
Booth/Stand Area	Amount of floor space occupied by exhibitor. Also Called EXHIBITION AREA. See Also Exhibition Area
Booth/Stand Contractor	Company which constructs or assembles exhibit booths/stands under contract with the organizing committee. See GENERAL SERVICE CONTRACTOR. See Also General Service Contractor
Booth/Stand Number	Number assigned by the event's management to designate each exhibitor's space.
Booth/Stand Package	When an exhibitor receives a variety of services for one single price (e.g. each booth/stand receives carpet 1-6’ draped table, a 500-watt outlet and 500 lbs of drayage).
Booth/Stand Personnel	An individual assigned to represent the exhibitor in an assigned space.
Booth/Stand Sign	1) Identification sign indicating name, city, state and booth/stand number for each exhibitor. 2) Sign behind desk indicating service provided at that point. See FASCIA. See Also Fascia
Booth/Stand Size	Dimensions of assigned exhibit space.
Boothmanship	See EXHIBITORSHIP. See Also Exhibitorship
Bootleg Wages	The wages above those at the prevailing rate or the union scale which an employer may pay in a tight labor market to hold or attract employees. May also refer to wages at rate below the prevailing or union rate which an employee may accept in order to obtain employment.
Bordeaux Wines	Wines from the Bordeaux region in southwest France known for richness and fragrance. Red wines (also known as Clarets) include Médoc, Margaux Saint-Emilion, Pauillac and Pomerol; fine white Bordeaux include Sauternes, Barsac and Graves. A Château is a wine estate in Bordeaux; some of the best are Château Latour, Château Mouton-Rothschild, Château Lafite-Rothschild, and Château Margaux.
Border Chaser	Border of lights placed around a sign or other object whose lights can be turned on and off in a sequence that make them appear to chase around the border.
Border Light	Rows of lights mounted above the acting area.
Borscht	Chilled soup made of chopped beets, onions, lemon juice or vinegar, salt and pepper, water or soup stock, topped with sour cream. Sometimes cabbage is added.
Bouillabaisse	Wine-flavored mixed seafood stew.
Bouquetière	Mix of fresh vegetables, in season.
Box Lunch	Light lunch to go, in a box.
Brad Gun	A nail gun. A pneumatic device which installs fasteners of various types and sizes.
Brains Trust	A group of expert advisors assembled especially to answer questions of immediate or current interest.
Brainstorming	Group sessions in which all participants contribute creative ideas which are not initially judged for merit.
Break	Short interval between sessions at which time coffee, tea and/or other refreshments are served. See COFFEE BREAK. See Also ENERGY BREAK, REFRESHMENT BREAK. See Also Coffee Break , Energy Break , Refreshment Break
Break Terminal	Location at which common carriers separate consolidated freight.
Breakage	Expenses budgeted for a tour but not used or extended, thus resulting in additional profit to the operator.
Break-Bulk Center	Regional distribution center that consolidates and distributes multiple less than truckload (LTL) shipments headed in the same direction.
Breakdown	1) Time required to dismantle a function area. 2) To itemize estimates, invoices, and the like.
Break-Even Point	The point at which revenues are equal to expenses.
Break-Out Rooms	Small function rooms set up for a group within an event as opposed to a plenary or general session.
Break-Out Sessions	Small group sessions, panels, workshops or presentations, offered concurrently within the event, formed to focus on specific subjects. The event is apart from the general session, but within the event format, formed to focus on specific subjects. These sessions can be arranged by basic, intermediate or advanced; or divided by interest areas or industry segment.
Breakpoint	Level at which quantity discounts are allowed for volumes of freight, number of items printed, etc.
Break-Up	Image or audio distortion, such as losing signal on cell phone.
Bridge	Device allowing multiple outputs from the same input. Most often used to allow electronic media to take a feed of the program for use in broadcast programming.
Bridgeway	1) Area between booths/stands for audience traffic movement. 2) Space between sets of tables, chairs or booths/stands to allow passage of attendees. See GANGWAY. See Also Gangway
Brilliance	Degree of intensity of colors.
Broadband	Ability to transmit huge volumes of voice and video over a network or the internet, without jumpy images.
Broadcast Fax	A service that transmits a fax to a large number or people, such as an entire association membership or company.
Broadcast Music, Inc.	BMI. A music licensing organization that represents individuals who hold the copyrights to music written in the United States. It grants licensing agreements for the performance of music.
Brochure	Printed marketing folder describing and promoting the advantages of a particular hotel, event, destination, etc.
Broker	A non-asset based transportation provider that sells transportation services for commercial shippers. Brokers commonly use freight forwarders.
Brokering	Bureau with customer who wants a speaker goes to an agent representing an exclusive speaker, to buy said speaker. Commission is determined by the exclusive agent.
Brushed Finish	Finish primarily on aluminum or steel achieved by rubbing with wire brush or steel wool to achieve a matte quality.
Brussels Tariff Nomenclature	An international system of classification for goods that was once widely used for specifying tariffs. It was changed, in name only, to the Customs Cooperation Council Nomenclature (CCCN) in 1976 and was later superceded by the Harmonized System of Tariff Nomenclature. See HARMONIZED SYSTEM OF TARIFF NOMENCLATURE. See Also Harmonized System of Tariff Nomenclature
Brut	Dry, as in wine. Not sweet.
Buck-Boost Transformer	A transformer used to convert electrical voltage either up or down (such as 208v to 220v, or 240v to 220v).
Budget	A statement of estimated revenues and expenditures for a specified period of time; divided into subject categories and arranged by principal areas of revenue and expense. See BUDGET CHART. See Also CASH FLOW CHART, PHASED BUDGET. See Also Budget Chart , Cash Flow Chart , Phased Budget
Budget Chart	Estimated total of revenue and expenditure; divided into subject categories projecting cash needed to meet expenses over a specific time frame. See BUDGET. See Also CASH FLOW CHART, PHASED BUDGET. See Also Budget , Cash Flow Chart , Phased Budget
Budget Philosophy	Financial goal of the event (break even, profit or lose money).
Buffer Zone	1) Block of seats on plane located between smoking and nonsmoking sections allowing for variance in the smoking and nonsmoking boundary on international flights. 2) Zone in Canada, 225 miles from the U. S. border, dividing the two tax structures applied to Y class fare. (First class, business class excluded.)
Buffet	Assortment of foods, offered on a table, self-served.
Building Rules	Regulations set by building management outlining procedures for their property.
Build-Up	System of programming flasher to light lamps in cumulative sequence with time intervals between.
Bulk Carrier	A bulk carrier is a vessel engaged in the carriage of such bulk commodities as petroleum, grain, or ores which are not yet packaged, bundled, bottled, or otherwise packed.
Bulk Fare	Rate/fare available only to tour organizers or operators who purchase a specified block of seats, passes or tickets at a low, non-commissionable price and then have the responsibility of selling the block, including a commission in their marked up price for the block.
Bulkhead	Seats at the front of an airline cabin facing a wall.
Bullet Catch	Device for holding hinged door closed.
Bullets	Large, heavy dots or symbols used in written text for emphasis or to separate points used for emphasis.
Bullnose	Technique for finishing raw edge with half round molding, or shaping to half round.
Bumping	1) Removing a confirmed passenger from a full flight to make room for a passenger with higher priority.
Bunching	Linen gathered together in loose folds on top of a table to provide a decorative ‘bed’.
Bungee Cord	An elastic type cord used for hanging drape around columns.
Bunting	Flags used collectively, or swagged strips of cloth hung as festive decorations from walls or tables.
Bureau	A booking or sales company that sells the services of multiple speakers. See SPEAKERS BUREAU.
Bureau Listing	A speaker grants the right to a speakers bureau to list the speaker as available. See LISTING. See Also Listing
Burgundy Wine	Wine from the Burgundy region in eastern France which produces both red and white wines. The white wines, made from Chardonnay grapes, and the red wines, made from Pinot Noir or Gamay grapes, are considered the world’s best examples of these wines. Some of the better known Burgundy wines include those from Beaujolis, Pommard, Beaune, Meursault, Chablis, Pouilly-Fuissé, Chambertin, Corton, Romanée Conti and Echézeaux.
Burned In Copy	Written copy appearing on photographs.
Bus	1) Vehicle for transporting people. See SHUTTLE. See Also MOTOR COACH. 2) Connector panel which allows passage of signals. 3) To clear trash from an area where food and beverage are being served. See Also Shuttle , Motor Coach
Bus Duct	Metal raceway enclosing high-voltage power feeds, suspended from overhead or in the floor, from which high-voltage power over 100 amps must be fed.
Bus Schedule	Designated time locations where motor coaches will pick up and discharge passengers.
Bus Staff	Personnel who remove dirty dishes and reset tables in a restaurant or hotel.
Business Agent	Political, elected position within a union. Salary is not paid by service contractor, but by the union itself. See FOREMAN. See Also SHOP STEWARD, UNION STEWARD. See Also Foreman , Shop Steward , Union Steward
Business Attire	Business suits or jackets with shirts and ties for men and day dresses or suits for women; usually taken to mean office and not recreational wear. Can include informal forms of national dress.
Business Casual	A style of dress that is less formal than the standard office attire of suit and tie or dress.
Business Center	Area in hotel or event venue offering various office facilities and services.
Business Center Services	Services that will allow attendees to keep in touch with their office (phone, fax, message, etc.)
Business Class	Class of airline service between first class and economy class with special amenities for business travelers.
Business Exchange	A Web site that serves as a year-round online marketplace for buyers and sellers within a given marketplace. Such sites are also referred to as business-to-business (B2B) marketplaces, business-to-consumer (B2C) marketplaces or consumer-to-consumer (C2C), depending upon the target audience.
Business Occurring	Referring to the number of groups and attendees meeting in a city during a specific time frame.
Buss	Like a bus that may carry many passengers, an audio buss is a wire or circuit that may carry more than one audio signal at a time.
Busy	Cluttered image on the screen.
Butler Service	1) Servers offer a variety of both hot and cold hors d’oeuvres on platters to guests at receptions. 2) A style of table service where guests serve themselves from platters presented by the server. 3) Specialized in-room service offered by a hotel.
Butt Joint	Joint in carpentry achieved by nailing and gluing square ends of lumber together.
Buyer	The person or group representative who signs the contract and pays for the speaker.
Buying Agent	See PURCHASING AGENT. See Also Purchasing Agent
Buying Team	Two or more people from the same company who jointly evaluate a product or service and either make, or influence, the buying decision.
Buzz Session	Method to increase audience participation by dividing all participants in discussion groups each of which reports the group’s findings and opinions during a following plenary session.
Buzz Set-Up	See CRESCENT-ROUND SET-UP. See Also Crescent-Round Set-Up
BX Cable	BX is no longer manufactured, but the term is still common in the field. See MC CABLE. See Also MC Cable
By the Bottle	Liquor served and charged for by the full bottle.
By the Drink	Liquor served and charged for by the number of drinks served.
By the Person	A fixed price per attendee; covers all consumption of food and beverage at a function, within a given time frame; usually includes beverages, snacks or hors d’oeuvres. In some cases, beverages are purchased by the person, while food is ordered by the piece.
By the Piece	Food purchased by the individual piece, usually for a reception.
By-Laws	See ARTICLES AND BY-LAWS. See Also Articles and By-laws
Byte	The amount of memory needed to store one character such as a letter or a number.
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