New Orleans to host DLI conference
Owning a drycleaning plant is hard work, but the work can be made a little
easier with smart management.
The Drycleaning and Laundry Institute hopes to help plant owners and managers
run a smoother business with knowledge gained from its two-day Five-Star Management Conference. The event will be held at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in New Orleans on Friday and
Saturday, Feb. 22 and 23.
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Kicking things off on Friday morning is DLI CEO Bill Fisher, who will present
opening remarks at 8:30 a.m.
Following will be a conversation with one of R.R. Street & Co.’s top executives. He will discuss why Street’s, a leader in the drycleaning industry, introduced the new Solvair system even
though it had already invested heavily in perc and hydrocarbon in its history.
The discussion will not be a technical assessment of the merits of the new
cleaning process, but rather, an exploration of the reasoning for Street’s decision to develop Solvair.
Ray Keating, an economist with the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, will deliver a seminar at 9:45 a.m. that will reveal
where he believes the economy is heading and how it will impact small
businesses, in particular.
Keating holds an MA in economics from New York University, an MBA in banking and
finance from Hofstra University, and a BS in business administration and
economics from St. Joseph’s College.
At 11 a.m., a panel of various industry experts will offer a session called “Intelligent Innovations Equal Increased Productivity.” Panelists will include: Lenny Gershater, vice president of sales for DCCS;
Michael Euliss, the director of marketing and customer training for Phonetree;
Mark Jones, vice president of technology for SPOT Business Systems; and Chad
Boucher, who developed PieceCounter with his brother Craig.
Each speaker will look at some of the new equipment options that are available
for drycleaners, how much they cost, and who can benefit from them. They will
also explain how such innovations can be implemented in plants and what kind of
impact they will have on customers and overall business.
Afterward, attendees will be encouraged to share their own innovative ideas, as
well. DLI has allotted time at noon for cleaners to participate in a discussion
on what they believe will be the “next best thing” for the industry.
A DLI gift certificate will be awarded to the best idea.
After lunch, attendees will be back in the spotlight to discuss what problems
they see in the industry’s future and what solutions will work. The roundtable discussion will run from
1:30 to 2:45 p.m.
At 3 p.m., a panel of industry experts will bring their own ideas on the
industry’s future in a 90-minute panel discussion moderated by Carol Memberg, publisher
of National Clothesline and executive director of PDCA.
The group will give their personal forecast for the industry for where they see
it going in five years, ten years, and beyond. Topics covered include solvent
options, equipment and machinery concepts.
Panelists will include: DLI CEO Bill Fisher; Sid Tuchman of Tuchman Training
Services; and John Tipps of Clean Concepts.
The second day of the conference will start with a pair of programs on
insurance. First up, Mitch Stringer will present “You Can Make Insurance Affordable” at 8:30 a.m.
Stringer is the managing partner of Select Benefits Communications Group in
Towson, MD, a firm that specializes in the design, communications, enrollment
and administration of voluntary insurance benefits at the workplace.
Afterward, Peter Saucier from Kollman & Saucier will cover the hows and whys of employee benefits, emphasizing the “Top Ten Costly Employee Mistakes.”
Saucier, who is a partner of Frank Kollman, a monthly columnist for National
Clothesline, will also spend time talking about the ins and outs of immigration
law.
Bill Fisher will present closing remarks from 11:30 a.m. until noon.
Registration for the conference is open to DLI members onlyt. The cost is $479
for Five-Star members and $579 for all others. Additional attendees from the
same company may attend for $279 each. To sign up, contact DLI at (800)
638-2627.
The headquarters hotel, located on Bourbon Street, offers a special room rate of
$179 for the conference. Reservations can be made by calling (800)
504-586-0300.
