IMAGE: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Rarely are show organizers as high-profile as the expos they produce, but Gustave Rives was an exception. An architect celebrated for his "opulent eclecticism," Rives managed many iterations of the Paris Motor Show in the early 20th century, which was famous for the excessive – and expensive – decorative touches he added. The satirical magazine Le Rire caricatured him on its cover (seen above) as a plump man/peacock in tribute to his "fairy-like exhibitions." After the 1908 Paris Motor Show, however, Rives was asked to step down from his position to ensure less pageantry and more profit.