Join MWHPBA as they celebrate their 10th Annual Meeting. This year's event that is packed with informative sessions, excellent speakers, and great networking opportunities!
   
Don't Gamble with Your Business by Passing on this Event!
   
 
Sunday, August 2, 2009*
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM NFI Woodburning, Gas, or Pellet Certification
NFI Certification is recognized as the basis for a specialty license to
install hearth products in a number of state, county and municipal
jurisdictions, including the City of Lawrence, KS, Salina, KS, and
Wichita, KS. By becoming NFI Certified you can increase sales,
earn stature with local officials, reduce your insurance premiums,
and have a more productive and knowledgeable staff.
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10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Golf Outing at the Tiffany Greens
Tee up with us Sunday afternoon for our Annual Golf outing at the
Tiffany Greens Golf Course in Kansas City, MO. The Tiffany Greens
is an exquisitely manicured, par-72 experience, featuring rolling
terrain, tree-lined creeks, and generous zoysia fairways and tees.
The Tiffany Greens Golf Club has been ranked in the Top 10
courses in Missouri by Golf Digest since opening in 1999. Whether
you are a “scratch golfer” or a “duffer”, you will enjoy the course, as
well as spending a day on the links with your golfing buddies.
The registration fee of $80 includes 18-holes of golf, a golf cart,
range balls, a sleeve of golf balls, and two drink tickets.
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6:30 PM 10th Anniversary Reception
Gather with friends and colleagues for a delicious dinner as we
celebrate 10 years of summer meetings and kick off our 10-year
anniversary as an association. During this reception, MWHPBA will
honor those who have dedicated their time in making MWHPBA
successful. Join us for the celebration!
   
Monday, August 3, 2009*
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7:00 AM - 8:00 AM Exhibitor Set Up
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7:30 AM - 8:00 AM Registration for all exhibitors and attendees
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8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Breakfast with Roundtable Discussions
Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss with their peers
issues facing their business and the industry and/or share how they
have overcome these issues. Topics will include the $1500 tax
credit, low mass fireplaces, green building standards, and more.
Each table will have a moderator knowledgeable in the discussion
topic to answer questions and offer advice.
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9:00 AM - 10:30 AM CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS
Your choice of Technical Workshop
session! Pellet Troubleshooting (CEUs Pending)
Rob Stuhr, EvenTemp Distributing
The regular changes in pellet appliance technology require that you
and your staff keep up-to-date and present yourselves as the
experts to your customers. In this course you will learn not only the
basics of the technologies, but also how to properly diagnose and
solve problems efficiently and effectively.
  Business Workshop
  Turning a Consumer into a Customer (1.5 CEUs)
Van Coker, Marketing Firepower
Consumers are a fickle bunch and can be a stumbling block for
retailers. In this seminar, Van will share the decision-making
process that consumers go through before calling or coming into
your business and the three key elements any business must have
in place to attract and keep customers for a lifetime.
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10:30 AM - 11:00 AM Break, Tabletop Displays
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11:00 AM - 12:30 PM CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS
Your choice of Technical Workshop
session! Gas Valves Used in Today's Hearth Products (1.5 CEUs)
Terry Brumbaugh, Hearth Products Distributing
In this course, you will learn the many types of gas valves that are
currently used in the hearth industry. With so many products now in
the industry, it is important to understand what valves can be
expected in what appliance, how they operate, and what function
they perform. In addition, the session will discuss how to select one
gas valve type over another in order to help qualify a customer's
needs.
  Business Workshop
  Finding the Right Media Mix Choices (1.5 CEUs)
Van Coker, Marketing Firepower
A recent Department of Commerce survey showed that 85% of
small business owners would like to increase sales through more
effective advertising and marketing, but the problem is they don’t
know how. Information is often conflicting and measuring the
effectiveness of advertising is difficult. This seminar will discuss
the various media options for small businesses and ways to use
each effectively.
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12:30 PM - 2:00 PM Lunch, Annual Meeting of the Members, HPBA Update
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2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

Grassroots Lobbying: The Path to Political Power (1.5 CEUs)
Allan Cagnoli, Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association
Today, the smart politicians are focusing more on what is being said
by the local communities and the people. Your activity can have a
major impact on how you do business in the future. Learn ways you
can make a difference; ways to simply write, call, meet or fax your
representative; and the tools available that identify the hot issues
affecting you.
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3:30 PM - 4:15 PM Break, Tabletop Displays
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4:15 PM - 5:45 PM Surviving the Storm: Business Management for Tough
Economic Times (1.5 CEUs)
Jerome Praught, Lloyd F. Pugh & Associates
Anyone can manage a retail store when the economy is booming.
The true test of a retail manager is producing profits when the
economy is receding and costs are rising. Why are dealers in the
Northeast enjoying record sales while dealers in the rest of the
country are struggling to stay in business. Understand the formula
that will determine if, and when, the wood heat explosion will affect
your store. Learn the Six Steps that all hearth retailers should
implement to not only survive the upcoming recession, but to thrive
in the eventual recovery.
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5:45 PM - 6:00 PM Final Words, Meeting Adjourned

 
Registration is a simple 2-step process.
 
STEP 1: REGISTRATION
Complete and return the annual meeting registration form. MWHPBA
will accept payment by check, payable
to MWHPBA, or credit card, Visa or Mastercard only.
 
The MWHPBA early registration deadline is Saturday, July 18, 2009.
 
STEP 2: HOTEL RESERVATION

To make your room reservations: Call
the Argosy Casino at (800) 270-7711 and
ask for the Midwest Hearth, Patio
and Barbecue Association group rate.
 

Room Rates are $109 per night, plus tax.
 
The cut-off date for hotel reservations
is Saturday, July 18, 2009.
 
 

New Solutions to Toughest Challenges

CEU Accredited Education Sessions

Networking Opportunities

Get Involved with MWHPBA
 
 

Store Owners

Sales Team

Installers

Service Representatives
 
 

"We go to the annual meeting because
this is where we find the Winners and Doers of our industry. In a short time we
learn what's new and hot, what we can
do to make our business run better and pick up a few bits of information to take back to the shop for employees so they
too feel they have gained by our participation."
John Bassemier, President
Bassemier's Fireplace & Patio
 
"The national EXPO is such a busy time
for all of us that its nearly impossible to connect with others on a one-to-one
basis. But at the summer meeting of our Midwest Affiliate is a different story.
There IS time for those personal connections with retailers, reps and manufacturers. It's also a time to learn about the latest new trends in products, government regulations and marketing."
Barbara Barker, President
Barker's, Inc.
 
 
With a casino, spa and five different restuarants, it is hard to find reasons to leave the Argosy. But if you are looking for off-site entertainment for the you or the whole family below are some excellent options.
 

Power & Light District

Westport

Country Club Plaza

Harley-Davidson Plant & Museum

Worlds of Fun

Oceans of Fun

Kansas Speedway

Cabela's

Boulevard Brewing Co.

Kansas City Zoo
 
 
 
 
 
 
  * Schedule subject to revisions.  
     
© 2006 Midwest Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association, 6209 Mid Rivers Mall Drive, #195, St. Charles, MO 63304