National Clothesline

Getting more out of a marketing budget will be the topic of a speaker jsust added to the Pennsylvania and Delaware Cleaners Association program for its Expo 2006 program in Atlantic City.

Lori Moore, who recently left Dependable Cleaners of Massachusetts to form her own business and marketing consulting company, will join the list of experts scheduled to speak at the Sept. 16-17 event.

During her six years in the employ of Dependable, she led the company to an 18 percent increase in sales and nearly doubled profit dollar growth.

At Expo 2006, she will deliver an interactive marketing program on Sunday morning as part of PDCA’s “Breakfast With the Best” lineup which will also feature two other industry experts, including popular trainer and consultant Jane Zellers, who will examine how to control plant costs.

Joining Moore and Zellers will be Art Hartzell of FH Bonn Co. He will focus his seminar on the topic of energy savings.

The three roundtable discussions on Sunday will also include breakfast.

On Saturday, Sept. 16, PDCA will present “New Challenges: A Look at the Changing Environment Picture.” The association will enlist an expert panel to answer questions such as: “What’s happening from the federal agencies?” and “What’s happening in the state?”

The panel will also take a look at what trade associations are currently doing and what cleaners can try do in their own plants to keep up with the industry’s changing regulatory landscape.

The panel will be comprised of several notable speakers, including: David Dawson, chairman of the Government Affairs Committee of TCATA and vice president of R.R. Street Co., Inc.; Stephen Risotto, executive director of the Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance; Mary Scalco, senior vice president of the International Fabricare Institute; and Michael Tatch, president of Tatch Technical Services.

The moderator will be Dale Kaplan, PDCA vice president of government relations and a drycleaner who has been appointed chair of the Pennsylvania Small Business Environmental Assistance Program.

PDCA will additionally offer several social functions to help cleaners network and relax throughout the weekend. There will be a Saturday evening reception with hors d’ouevres, carving stations and an open bar. On Friday, there will be a free welcome reception sponsored by TCATA.

The exhibit hall will be open to the public on Saturday and Sunday starting at 10 a.m. It will feature over 200 booths displaying a full range of equipment, supplies and services. Admission to the exhibit is free.

Full registration packages for Expo 2006 are available for $60, or registration for events may be purchased individually. Saturday’s seminar is $25. Sunday’s seminar is $30. The Saturday reception is $30.

Early full registration, if received before August 15, is only $50. Cleaners may sign up online at PDCA’s web site, located at www.pdclean.org.

The headquarters hotel will be the Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel, located across the street from the Atlantic City Convention Center. The rate is $159 per night.

Rooms can be reserved directly through the PDCA site or by calling (609) 344-3535. You must mention the PDCA Expo to receive that room rate.

For more information, see the web site or contact PDCA directly by calling (800) 822-7352.