The Wilmington Convention Center marked a milestone recently with the return Aug. 6 of the N.C. Healthcare Engineers Association’s Annual Conference & Exhibition.

The NCHEA holds the distinction of being the first convention group to sign a multi-year contract with the Wilmington Convention Center in April 2010, before it opened later that year, according to a news release.

The conference had more than 475 attendees.

“We have been coming to Wilmington for the last 10 years for our conference and our membership always looks forward to the service and hospitality of the (convention center) and the city,” Jerry Thompson, president of NCHEA, stated in the release. “We especially enjoy partnering with a local nonprofit organization for our community outreach and have been fortunate to donate significant goods and money during our time here. This year, we have two organizations we are supporting – Kids Making It and First Tee.”