[Andy Graves]

Aren’t you the guy that did that giant auditorium show at the first three expos? Remeber when they got a big conference room and crammed everyone into it. They had mics for the audience to ask questions and the panel consisted of about 10 people from the industry.

Here is the question. Would you consider doing something like this as this years Expo for the Fabricator Network? If so, I will contact Cygnus and see if something can be done. That was the best things about the show and then all of a sudden it stopped.

[Tom M]

Andy,
The only one I was involved in was (MGM Grand?) in 1999 (I think). I had Eliot Seferin, the head of AIA, the head of the Builder’s Association, and someone else I can’t recall at the moment.

The four of them were on stage with me, we had a mike in the aisles for the audience, and the front row consisted of Mike and Mike from DuPont, Billy Degeatano and Curt Haffner (I think) from WArt, and selected fabricators and distributor reps. Jeff Purcell from STI (not STC), Jack Hussey, I think Billy Shaw, some others.

I have it on tape somewhere, as ISSFA was going to market it, and sent me a copy.

I must have done well, because it seemed to be the talk of the conference. My head was so big, I think they had to widen the double doors (could have just been my gut, but hey). It would be the one where I finished with the Robert frost poem, “the road less taken”:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

It seemed apropriate, as this was the start of the big shift in Solid Surface. When fabricators often chose the custom or production route.

I would be happy to do another one, but not with the time it takes to prep what I did. I started that last one in June, and it went on in January, or February. If you let me know, I will be happy to do one year after next, but there’s just no time for this one. Sorry.

Good memory, though. Thanks.

Tom

[Tom M]

Jon might be able to confirm this, but I think Grant Garcia was in the front row as well.

I was polite, but I didn’t hold back. Russ can attest to that.

Tom

[Andy Graves]

Great. Maybe then I will start talking with Cygnus for the following show. If you have it on tape and have a copy, I would love to see it but no big deal if not.

[Tom M]

You got it, Andy.
Just as soon as I
A) Find them, and
B) Copy and mail.

“A” will be the tougher, by far.

Tom

[Tom M]

I would, of course, need Al to bring the hard questions.
And the research.
And the ideas
And the testicular fortitude.

Ok, Al should do it.

Tom

[ron turenne]

Too late, Tom has been drafted…

Really, Tom, some of the manufactures and not a few issfa members might show up with tar and feathers. Besides, I’ve been doing solid surface about six years now, just a baby in this business. Now, if we had a guy like you that has the history of this industry in his head answering these hard questions, I would be there for sure.

I am flattered to be mentioned……..

[Tom M]

Here’s the problem, Al, and it goes back to an earlier thread where it was suggested (by Wags?) that perhaps the trade show could have more people if they widened their target audience. Our fearless leader took the opposite side by saying the fact that the audience is smaller means the show is more focused, therby being more beneficial to those who are there.

What are you going to have that would serve as a truly interesting seminar? Good enough to hold the intrerest of every attendee? Back then the industry was coming out of its internal catfight with some decent form of a compromise. The fabricators had independence in their business model, and the manufacturers were given free reign to market how they wanted. Both of us, and our distributors, looked to the future together, to see what was coming down the road, and we all pretty much saw the same thing. We could debate then over how to get the message out that solid surface was the best. damn. material. ever. How are you going to do that now, when you would be ignoring half your audience? If you stand for everything, you’ll stand for nothing. It’s awful hard to ask how to get market share, when you pretty much have the whole dang market. excvept for laminate. That slacker. Mr 80%.

I suppose you could go the WWF route and have no holds barred tag team debates. That would stimulate the audience. Al of course, would be the captain of the solid surface team. Al, in fact, in the interests of fairness, you will be the only allowed member on your team at all. Sorry, but we must consider politically correct standards, here. Our lawyers told us that.

other suggested topics:

Advertising Bias – is solid surface the republican party of the surfacing industry?

Stone – hard on your love-life? (Norm will be heading that one up).

Porosity issues and sealing techniques in granite – “If you’re gonna be dumb, ya gotta be tough” hosted by
FEDSAW ‘you need it, I got it’ DAVE.

Five stone experts debunk the myths of difficult stone maintenance. (note: as this won’t take long, it will be paired with the following): Imortant maintenance tips to keep your granite countertop looking almost new. Almost.

Al will have hopefully left the auditorium by this time.

Anyone else?
Dave, man, I’m sure you can think of harmless seminars that reflect a balance of products?

[Gary]

Tom, you crack me up.

I think Norms’s point on the menage-a-stone had nothing to do with hard. Can anyone say “cold”?

I guess you are right about attracting a crowd when the show has diversified, my complaint about surfaces magazine these days. I know one seminar that would draw a crowd, Issfa and whether or not it needs a little viagra. Wait, bad example, except in V for vengence’s case……..

[Tom M]

Brad Reamer thought it was in 2001, so I might be wrong on the big panel discussion.

Tom

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