NEFA plans Fall Fest in Hyannis
The North East Fabricare Association wants to help attendees clean up their profits at its Fall Fest ’07 convention, Nov. 3-4.
The event will be held at the Cape Codder Hotel and Conference Center in
Hyannis, MA. Highlighting this year
’s program will be guest speakers Chris Allsbrooks, Martin Young and Jan Barlow.
Barlow, owner of Jan’s Professional Cleaners, will kick off the seminars on Saturday morning with a 9
a.m. session on
“Cleaning Up on Profit.”
She will demonstrate proven methods of fine tuning your business in order to
create greater profits. Her presentation will be based on her own experience as
a successful cleaner in Michigan.
Barlow is one of only a dozen drycleaners worldwide who has earned all three
available certifications from DLI (formerly IFI).
At 10:30 a.m., Barlow will deliver a second seminar; this one will be called “Employees: Finding the Best with 7 Tips to Clean Up Your Staff!”
She will cover ways to evaluate your employees as well as how to motivate them
to make sure you
’re getting the most our of your resources as a plant owner/manager.
During lunch on Saturday, attendees will have the opportunity to listen to a
panel discussion on
“Environmental Reality: How Safe Are You and Your Business?”
The panel will be comprised of various environmental contamination experts who
will walk cleaners through potential exposures, the ramifications of testing
and how to handle any issues that arise
— regardless of what solvent you use or how long you’ve been in the industry.
A representative from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
will be on hand, as well as Billy Hoyerman, a Licensed Site Professional with
Coler and Colontonio; Bob Fasanella, an environmental attorney from Rubin and
Rudman; Peter Woodman, a risk assessor; and Maureen Dooley of Regenisis.
The program is critical to all cleaners who should keep apprised of their
rights, responsibilities and exposures when it comes to environmental
contamination issues.
In the afternoon, DLI Garment Analyst Chris Allsbrooks will take the podium at 2
p.m. to speak on
“Recognizing, Training and Evaluating Customer Service.”
Allsbrooks is a 14-year veteran of DLI and is a widely-known expert on customer
service. She will provide techniques for attendees to determine if their CSRs
measure up and if their customers are truly satisfied.
Rounding out the Saturday sessions will be one at 4 p.m. John Seidhoff, former
owner of Roxy Cleaners in Albany, NY, will discuss
“Energy Conservation: Cleaning Up Your Plant.”
The cost of utilities may continue to rise, but Seidhoff has the uncanny ability
to identify problem areas in a plant that could potentially cost thousands.
On Sunday, second generation drycleaner Martin Young will head a three-hour
program on
“Survive or Prosper: The Choice is Yours.”
He will provide attendees with the proper tools to evaluate their plant to make
sure its reaching its full potential.
Full registration packages are available for $195 each, which includes admission
to all educational sessions and social events.
The cost for rooms at the Cape Codder Resort is $105 per night. For
reservations, call (888) 297-2200.
For more information on NEFA’s convention, or to register, call (800) 442-6848.
Draperies, certification on NCA slate
In the coming months, the National Cleaners Association will offer cleaners several chances to brush up on their education and skills.
The New York School of Drycleaning will host a two-day, 16-hour DEC
certification course from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Dec. 2 and 9. Tuition is $595 for
members and $1,095 for non-members.
On Sunday, Nov. 18, NCA will offer an eight-hour course on “Drapery Cleaning and Marketing” from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Also, a class on “Hand Finishing — The Lost Art” will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 2.
The cost for either class is $250 for members and $275 for non-members.
Early next year, NCA will also present its four-day “Brainstorming with the Best” conference from Jan. 17-20. It will be at the Grand Velas Resort & Spa in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico.
For more information on any of NCA’s upcoming events, including a full list of its Webinar programs that take place
Wednesdays at 3 p.m. EST, visit the association
’s web site at www.nca-i.com or contact the office at (212) 967-3002.
