August 18, 2003—Jon Trivers, Marketing Wit & Wisdom looks at Coverings the trade show, the reasons behind the board of directors’ decision to change show management firms, the competition that exists between the two shows, the new PanAmerican Stone & Tile Show and effects this show may have on both coverings and Surfaces.
August 18, 2003—Larry Winter, Winter & Harris CPAs discusses managing cash flow and inventory for mid and small-sized business. Winter contends that small business, despite models and computer programs, should actually out perform larger companies in these areas and offering some rules for the road and tips to excel in this arena.
August 17, 2003—Dean Marcarelli, Co-COO, Carpet One discusses the co-op’s new advertising program, which was announced at its Orlando, FL convention this past weekend convention. Also disussed the expansion of the Carpet One SelectAFloor concept into ceramic and stone and other programs introduced at the convention.
August 17, 2003—Charlie Dilks, Co-COO, Carpet One discusses the co-op's new advertising program, the research that lead up to the program, the co-op’s gains over the past year, its goals for the future and this year's Carpet One summer convention.
August 13, 2003—Frank O’Neill, Publisher, Floor Focus Magazine and Dave Foster, Host, FloorRadio discuss: Koch Industries announced negotiations to acquire DuPont Textiles and Interiors; Background concerning Koch Industries; Armstrong’s 2nd quarter loss and the company’s options after exiting Chapter 11 and; Berkshire Hathaway earnings that doubled in the 2nd quarter.
August 13, 2003—Jim Burke, Allegheny Contract, an independent flooring contract dealer and Starnet member and StarNet “HotShot” expert. discusses the company recycling effort that sees nearly all of the carpet removed in connection with Allegheny installations recycled. Burke talks about how the initiative began, its nominal costs and the rewards the company reaps as a result of the effort.
August 12, 2003—Sam Green, Director of Sales for the Americas, KronotexUSA discusses the company’s activities globally, its mission in the U.S. and its long-range goals for the U.S. market. Green also discusses the laminate marketplace, price erosion, retailers both independent and the big boxes, the consumer’s changing taste for laminates and product enhancements that have taken place in the category.
August 10, 2003—Paul Friedrichsen, Executive VP, The Hauser Group in the 3rd segment of an ongoing series on branding for the independent retailer discusses the selection of media, the advantages and disadvantages of each: yellow pages, newspapers, radio, TV, outdoor and direct mail.
August 7, 2003—Tim Baucom, General Manager Spectra Contract Floors discuss the evolution of this unit of Shaw, its focus on delivering a broad range of hard and soft surface from virtually every supplier in the industry offering a broad range of services. Baucom discusses the long and mid-term goals of Spectra and the changing commercial marketplace.
August 7, 2003—Mike Barker, Investment & Retirement Management discusses The slump the market has been in; Why interest rates have risen after the Fed last rate cut; What the bond market may be trying to telling us; 2nd quarter earnings reports; What the bulls and the bears are saying about the current market situation and; The Mohawk, Ross, Burlington, Lees Carpet situation.