National Clothesline

Those planning on registering for the Oregon Dry Cleaners Association’s annual convention and tabletop display won’t want to wait any longer.

The early registration deadline for the event is Sept. 25.

This year, it will be held Oct. 5-6 at the Kah-Nee-Ta High Desert Resort and Casino, located at 6823 Hwy 8 in Warm Springs, OR.

A full registration package for all events will only cost $139 per member prior to the deadline; after that, the cost goes up to $159 per member.

For non-members, full registration is $179 prior to Sept. 25, and $199 after that date.

There are also registration packages available for those who only wish to attend the meals and social events.

For members, the cost is $69 before the deadline and $89 afterward; for non-members, the cost for the same package is $99 for the early discount, and $119 otherwise.

Those who wish to participate in ODCA’s golf tournament at 1 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 5, must pay an additional $38 during registration.

On Friday evening, the association will host its President’s Reception from 7 to 10 p.m., which will include an Italian buffet for dinner. The vendor displays will also be open at that time.

The exhibits will be on display again during lunchtime on Saturday.

Earlier that morning, attendees can enjoy an 8 a.m. breakfast buffet before the official “President’s Welcome and Announcements” at 9 a.m.

Filling up the remainder of the morning and part of the afternoon will be several expert speaker presentations.

Among the guest list will be Nancy Judsen from Paychex, who will discuss “Solutions From Hire to Retire.”

She will examine ways to make your business more productive and profitable, covering topics such as: payroll, payroll taxes, pay-as-you-go workers ’ comp insurance, group health insurance and 401k plans.

Also on the agenda is Lyn Schmidt from Energy Trust. She will present a session on “Changing Business As Usual.”

In 2006, Oregon commercial and industrial businesses and institutions worked with Energy Trust of Oregon to complete over 2,500 projects designed to help reduce operating costs, improve efficiency and slow global warming.

Schmidt will reveal some of the results they discovered. That information can be applied by cleaners to their own businesses in order to make them more profitable.

Dick De Zeeuw of the state’s Department of Environmental Quality will be on hand to offer drycleaning program updates.

He will talk about some of the things discovered during recent audits conducted by DEQ at a few Oregon drycleaning plants.

Rounding out the list of speakers is Jan Margosian, who works as a consumer information coordinator for the Department of Justice. Her specialty is financial fraud.

She will speak on the subject of identity theft, one of the fastest growing crimes in the country, especially in Oregon where many methamphetamine users steal identities in order to support their costly drug habits.

Margosian will guide cleaners through the process of protecting themselves from becoming a victim, and she will discuss what to do in case you become one. She will also address the issues of consumer and business fraud.

Other events during the weekend include a general membership meeting at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, followed by a no-host cocktail hour later in the evening.

ODCA will announce its new officers, award prizes and acknowledge key members during the Saturday evening banquet, which will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Discounted rooms are available at the Kah-Nee-Ta for a rate of $85 per night.

To make reservations, contact the resort at (800) 554-4SUN and mention your affiliation with the ODCA convention.

For more information, visit ODCA’s site at www.oregondrycleaners.org.

Drycleaners from every corner of the world can gain a competitive advantage by attending the International Drycleaners Congress ’s 2007 “Golden Gate to Success” convention.

The event will be held at the Hilton San Francisco Financial District Hotel from Oct. 18-21.

This year’s educational programming will focus on current topics designed to help cleaners be more successful, regardless of which country they call home.

Kicking off the informative sessions will be Lynette Watterson, owner of Crystal Cleaning Center in San Mateo, and immediate past president of the California Cleaners Association, who will discuss one of the convention ’s main themes: the California ban on perc.

She will look at the experiences statewide cleaners faced in their negotiations with environmental regulators, including: what cleaners in other areas should watch for; what responses might have achieved different results; and what is likely to happen down the road for the industry.

Also speaking on the subject will be David Dawson of R. R. Street & Co. Inc.

Dawson serves as chair of the government affairs committee of the Textile Care Allied Trades Association. He will offer his thoughts on what is happening in California and its potential implications for the industry on a global scale.

Environmental regulations will not be the only topic examined at the convention, however; IDC has recruited a multitude of speakers whom are all well-versed in different aspects of maintaining a profitable plant.

Trudy Adams, director of customers service and sales for Cleaner Supply, Inc., will explain how customer service and energized employees can lead to a very satisfied clientele.

Along the same lines, Milt Chortkoff, owner of Milt & Edie’s in Burbank, CA, will show cleaners how they can build their volume with unparalleled customer service. Chortkoff has increased his own company ’s business from $5,000 per week to $75,000 per week, and it is still growing.

Of course, another big key to generating big business is being instantly recognizable by the public. To that end, John Jordan of Fabritec International will talk about the importance of branding.

Following his presentation, Becca Anderson of The Write One will delve into the topic of marketing.

Also on the Saturday agenda is a a roundup of reports on the state of the industry all over the world. Among the speakers will be
Murray Simpson, CEO of Britain’s textile care industry trade association, the Textile Services Association. He will offer an update on the “European scene” of drycleaning. Other speakers will report on what is happening in other the regions of the world.

For those interested in tapping into new arteries of business, there will be National Clothesline columnist Harvey Gershenson. He will discuss “Starting and Building a Route Service.”

Another way to generate a new revenue source for your plant is to simply offer another service. Doris Easley, world-renowned expert in antique and delicate textile restoration, will tell cleaners how they can add such a service to their existing line-up.

Registration for the convention is $550 per IDC member, which includes admittance to all business sessions, as well as a plant tour on Friday, the banquet dinner on Saturday, and the Sayonara breakfast on Sunday.

Hotel accommodations are available at the Hilton at a special discounted rate of $199 per night for single or double occupancy.

Once filled out the forms can be sent to Yamato Travel Bureau c/o 250 E. 1st Street, Suite 1112. Los Angeles, CA 90012.

Prior to the convention, IDC will host a tour that will begin in San Francisco on Friday, Oct. 12.

The trip will head to San Luis Obispo on Saturday where convention-goers can tour Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, often called the “Prince of Missions.”

After a night’s stay at a romantic country inn, the caravan of cleaners will advance to San Simeon, home of the opulent estate of Hearst Castle (owned by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst).

Attendees will also visit Monterey and historic Cannery Row Sunday evening before heading to Napa Valley on Monday. A full day has been set aside for treks to several wineries located in the picturesque countryside.

The journey will head back to San Francisco on Wednesday so everybody will arrive back in town in time for the convention.

A full itinerary is available at IDC’s web site.

The cost is $1,750 per person for two people sharing a room, or $2,285 for single occupancy of room.

For information on travel arrangements, contact Yamato Travel Bureau at (213) 680-0333, Ext. IDC, or (800) 334-4982.








						Oregon association readies fall convention Those planning on registering for the Oregon Dry Cleaners Association’s annual convention and tabletop display won’t want to wait any longer. The early registration deadline for the event is Sept. 25. This year, it will be held Oct. 5-6 at the Kah-Nee-Ta High Desert Resort and Casino, located at 6823 Hwy 8 in Warm Springs, OR. A full registration package for all events will only cost $139 per member prior to the deadline; after that, the cost goes up to $159 per member. For non-members, full registration is $179 prior to Sept. 25, and $199 after that date. There are also registration packages available for those who only wish to attend the meals and social events. For members, the cost is $69 before the deadline and $89 afterward; for non-members, the cost for the same package is $99 for the early discount, and $119 otherwise. Those who wish to participate in ODCA’s golf tournament at 1 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 5, must pay an additional $38 during registration. On Friday evening, the association will host its President’s Reception from 7 to 10 p.m., which will include an Italian buffet for dinner. The vendor displays will also be open at that time. The exhibits will be on display again during lunchtime on Saturday. Earlier that morning, attendees can enjoy an 8 a.m. breakfast buffet before the official “President’s Welcome and Announcements” at 9 a.m. Filling up the remainder of the morning and part of the afternoon will be several expert speaker presentations. Among the guest list will be Nancy Judsen from Paychex, who will discuss “Solutions From Hire to Retire.” She will examine ways to make your business more productive and profitable, covering topics such as: payroll, payroll taxes, pay-as-you-go workers ’ comp insurance, group health insurance and 401k plans. Also on the agenda is Lyn Schmidt from Energy Trust. She will present a session on “Changing Business As Usual.” In 2006, Oregon commercial and industrial businesses and institutions worked with Energy Trust of Oregon to complete over 2,500 projects designed to help reduce operating costs, improve efficiency and slow global warming. Schmidt will reveal some of the results they discovered. That information can be applied by cleaners to their own businesses in order to make them more profitable. Dick De Zeeuw of the state’s Department of Environmental Quality will be on hand to offer drycleaning program updates. He will talk about some of the things discovered during recent audits conducted by DEQ at a few Oregon drycleaning plants. Rounding out the list of speakers is Jan Margosian, who works as a consumer information coordinator for the Department of Justice. Her specialty is financial fraud. She will speak on the subject of identity theft, one of the fastest growing crimes in the country, especially in Oregon where many methamphetamine users steal identities in order to support their costly drug habits. Margosian will guide cleaners through the process of protecting themselves from becoming a victim, and she will discuss what to do in case you become one. She will also address the issues of consumer and business fraud. Other events during the weekend include a general membership meeting at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, followed by a no-host cocktail hour later in the evening. ODCA will announce its new officers, award prizes and acknowledge key members during the Saturday evening banquet, which will begin at 7:30 p.m. Discounted rooms are available at the Kah-Nee-Ta for a rate of $85 per night. To make reservations, contact the resort at (800) 554-4SUN and mention your affiliation with the ODCA convention. For more information, visit ODCA’s site at www.oregondrycleaners.org. IDC to open Golden Gate to Success Drycleaners from every corner of the world can gain a competitive advantage by attending the International Drycleaners Congress ’s 2007 “Golden Gate to Success” convention. The event will be held at the Hilton San Francisco Financial District Hotel from Oct. 18-21. This year’s educational programming will focus on current topics designed to help cleaners be more successful, regardless of which country they call home. Kicking off the informative sessions will be Lynette Watterson, owner of Crystal Cleaning Center in San Mateo, and immediate past president of the California Cleaners Association, who will discuss one of the convention ’s main themes: the California ban on perc. She will look at the experiences statewide cleaners faced in their negotiations with environmental regulators, including: what cleaners in other areas should watch for; what responses might have achieved different results; and what is likely to happen down the road for the industry. Also speaking on the subject will be David Dawson of R. R. Street & Co. Inc. Dawson serves as chair of the government affairs committee of the Textile Care Allied Trades Association. He will offer his thoughts on what is happening in California and its potential implications for the industry on a global scale. Environmental regulations will not be the only topic examined at the convention, however; IDC has recruited a multitude of speakers whom are all well-versed in different aspects of maintaining a profitable plant. Trudy Adams, director of customers service and sales for Cleaner Supply, Inc., will explain how customer service and energized employees can lead to a very satisfied clientele. Along the same lines, Milt Chortkoff, owner of Milt & Edie’s in Burbank, CA, will show cleaners how they can build their volume with unparalleled customer service. Chortkoff has increased his own company ’s business from $5,000 per week to $75,000 per week, and it is still growing. Of course, another big key to generating big business is being instantly recognizable by the public. To that end, John Jordan of Fabritec International will talk about the importance of branding. Following his presentation, Becca Anderson of The Write One will delve into the topic of marketing. Also on the Saturday agenda is a a roundup of reports on the state of the industry all over the world. Among the speakers will be Murray Simpson, CEO of Britain’s textile care industry trade association, the Textile Services Association. He will offer an update on the “European scene” of drycleaning. Other speakers will report on what is happening in other the regions of the world. For those interested in tapping into new arteries of business, there will be National Clothesline columnist Harvey Gershenson. He will discuss “Starting and Building a Route Service.” Another way to generate a new revenue source for your plant is to simply offer another service. Doris Easley, world-renowned expert in antique and delicate textile restoration, will tell cleaners how they can add such a service to their existing line-up. Registration for the convention is $550 per IDC member, which includes admittance to all business sessions, as well as a plant tour on Friday, the banquet dinner on Saturday, and the Sayonara breakfast on Sunday. Hotel accommodations are available at the Hilton at a special discounted rate of $199 per night for single or double occupancy. Once filled out the forms can be sent to Yamato Travel Bureau c/o 250 E. 1st Street, Suite 1112. Los Angeles, CA 90012. Prior to the convention, IDC will host a tour that will begin in San Francisco on Friday, Oct. 12. The trip will head to San Luis Obispo on Saturday where convention-goers can tour Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, often called the “Prince of Missions.” After a night’s stay at a romantic country inn, the caravan of cleaners will advance to San Simeon, home of the opulent estate of Hearst Castle (owned by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst). Attendees will also visit Monterey and historic Cannery Row Sunday evening before heading to Napa Valley on Monday. A full day has been set aside for treks to several wineries located in the picturesque countryside. The journey will head back to San Francisco on Wednesday so everybody will arrive back in town in time for the convention. A full itinerary is available at IDC’s web site. The cost is $1,750 per person for two people sharing a room, or $2,285 for single occupancy of room. For information on travel arrangements, contact Yamato Travel Bureau at (213) 680-0333, Ext. IDC, or (800) 334-4982.

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