WFI has “yachts of fun” at conference
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Located along the Lake Michigan shoreline, the resort contains 182 family-sized
suites and 64 villas, as well as a 54,000 sq. ft. indoor entertainment area and
a 29,000 sq. ft. conference center.
The event kicked off Friday evening with a WFI Board of Directors meeting.
Afterward, the association hosted a nautical-themed buffet dinner in the resort
’s lakeside terrace.
Saturday’s highlights included a pair of informative business sessions. Jennifer Fisher,
a claims supervisor for SECURA, reviewed the various forms of coverage, such as
bailee, and the variety of claims that affect drycleaners and their businesses.
She also encouraged members to speak with their claim representatives to
discover the best solutions to issues involved with insurance claims.
Saturday’s second business session was titled “Spaceport Sheboygan,” presented by Jim Testwuide, chairman of the Spaceport Sheboygan Committee,
which is one of only nine
“portals to space” in the country.
Testwuide showed a short video on plans to construct the Great Lakes Aerospace
Science and Education Center in Sheboygan. The blueprints for the center
include several educational elements, such as interactive exhibits,
large-format multi-media for viewing films, real-time launches and NASA
archival footage.
The end result should lead to a lot of inspired children who want to learn at
the hands-on center.
“Kids are way too integrated into sensory applications at home,” Testwuide noted. “They can talk to people around the globe and then you sit them down and try to
have them learn math from a book. It
’s not going to happen.”
The Saturday afternoon golf outing was at The Bull at Pinehurst Farms—a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course. Refreshments were sponsored by
Leather-Rich, Inc.
At a buffet dinner in the evening, awards were given to the lowest golf score
winners: Brian Cass of One Hour Martinizing; Dan Baker of Minnesota Chemical
Company; Ron Kantor of Leather-Rich; and Leon Rasmussen of Tri-Supply Company.
On Sunday Morning, WFI Executive Director Brian Swingle and Rich Kline offered a
DERF update. Then, Carolyn Nankervis delivered a presentation on
“Using the Ultimate Competitive Advantage — Your Customers.”
Nankervis, who is president of MarketWise Consulting Group, focussed on the
power of mystery shopping, which utilizes anonymous consumers to objectively
evaluate a company
’s overall service and product standards.
Mystery shopping is an invaluable resource that provides a snapshot of the
consumer experience, using facts rather than opinions.
WFI is making plans for its first major event in 2008, the annual convention and
tabletop trade show. The event will be held from Feb. 22-24 at the Radisson
Hotel in Green Bay, WI.
WFI will hold an auction during during the convention with items donated by
cleaners and allied trades firms. A number of items have already been donated.
All donors will be recognized in the WFI newsletter and at the convention.
For more information and updates, visit the association’s web site, www.wiscleaners.com, or call WFI’s office at (414) 529-4707.
