South

Everything from the front counter to delivery routes will be covered this year at the South Eastern Fabricare Association’s 2002 Southern Drycleaners Show.

The event will take place from Aug. 3-4 at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center, located at One International Dr. in Savannah, GA.

IFI President Lang Houston will offer welcoming remarks at 8 a.m. on Saturday right before IFI CEO Bill Fisher takes the podium to present “Can We Survive? YES WE CAN!” The hour-long discussion will focus on where the industry has been, where it is now, and where it’s going to be in the future. Fisher, a long-time veteran in the industry, has plenty of experience to draw from. He first joined the research department of IFI (at the time, known as the National Institute of Drycleaning) in 1965, became director of research and head of all Maryland operations in 1976, and was promoted to assistant general manager and vice president in 1986.

A second Saturday seminar on “The Front Counter” will run from 9 to 10 a.m., presented by fabricare specialist and consultant Norm Oehlke. He has spent a lifetime in the industry, including a stint as a fabric analyst and consumer relations coordinator at IFI for several decades. He also is an author of many articles, bulletins and brochures pertaining to drycleaning.

Oehlke will ask his attendees the question: “Is your personnel responding to the customer’s needs?” His program will examine the physical and verbal actions of counter people, as well as what customers have come to expect from them beside a warm body to receive and distribute their orders.

Also during the day, SEFA will present various spotting seminars throughout the exhibit hall from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 4 to 5:30 p.m. More spotting seminars are also planned for the following day between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 and 3 p.m.

The exhibit hall will be open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

“How to Deal with Difficult Employees” will begin Sunday’s seminar sessions at 8 a.m. Dr. Sandy Seay, Jr., president of Seay Management Consultants, will present the one-hour program that will focus on ways to motivate employees who respond favorably to management and what to do with the troubled employees who do not respond well.

Dr. Seay has earned a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech, a master’s degree from Rollins College and a Ph.D. in Humanities from Warnborough University in the United Kingdom. He has also held personnel management positions with Burlington Industries, American Hospital Supply Corporation, Roanoke Memorial Hospitals and SESCO Management Consultants.

From 9 to 10 a.m., Rex Carrigan, owner of Carrigan Consulting, will speak on “Home Delivery and Route Service.” Attendees will learn how to sell to new customers and build value with existing customers by driving and managing delivery routes properly.

Carrigan has over 40 years of sales experience, including 11 selling at the Grande Ole Opry. He has 25 years of experience in the medical supply industry and 14 years in the drycleaning industry as a route manager, plant manager and general manager of White Way Cleaners in Nashville, TN.

Hotel reservations for the 2002 Southern Drycleaners Show should be made by June 14 with Westin Savannah Harbor Resort, located at One Resort Dr., or by July 2 at the Savannah Marriott Riverfront at 100 General McIntosh Blvd. A discounted room rate will be applied if the show is referenced during the reservation call. Hotel reservations at the Westin can be made by calling (912) 201-2000; the Mariott’s phone number is (912) 233-7722.

The Small Business Administration is planning several free tax workshops this June throughout South Carolina.

On Thursday, June 13, a free workshop is scheduled to take place at Winthrop University in Rockhill, SC, located at 118 Thurmond Building in the College of Business, Room 212. Those who wish to register should call (803) 323-2283.

One week later, another “Small Business Tax Workshop” will be presented in Greenville, SC, free of charge at The University Center at 225 S. Pleasantburg Dr., Room 513. Reservations can be made by calling (864) 297-1016.

On Thursday, June 27, a third small business tax workshop will take place at the Clemson Small Business Development Center at 600 Monument St., Park Plaza Ste. 106, in Greenwood, SC. It is recommended that those who wish to attend register in advance by calling (864) 943-8028.

The SBA will also be hosting a seminar for $29.95 called “On the Web in an Hour” on Monday, June 24 at the University of South Carolina Moore School of Business in Columbia, SC.

Small business owners will have an opportunity to experience a hands-on presentation of how to develop a homepage for their company’s web site from start to finish. Participants will even select a domain name, create a homepage and be listed on the World Wide Web in about an hour utilizing a one step program. Visit www.uscbiz.net to see an example of what can be done in one hour. The seminar will be conducted from 7 to 9 p.m. in Room 701. Attendees will be asked to bring with them 5 choices for their companies web-listing name. For further information and to register please contact Nora Martin at (803) 777-5118.

SBA’s web site is located at www.sba.gov.

The Laidlaw Corporation will be offering a wetcleaning seminar on Wednesday, June 19 at Sir Galloway Cleaners, located in Miami, FL.

The program will answer many questions, including: Why is wetcleaning so successful and popular? It will also focus on how to control shrinkage and dye bleeds while wetcleaning.

Mike Achin and Bruce Osheroff of the Laidlaw Corporation will present the hands-on class from 6 to 9 p.m.

For more information, call (954) 914-8064.