May/June 2011 Volume 41, No.

3

www.americanlightingassoc.com

Zia Eftekhar to Be Business Experts and Industry Leaders

Inducted Into Hall to Speak at Conference
of Fame
usiness experts
hundreds of accounts

ia Eftekhar, CEO of
Philips Professional
Luminaires North
America in Burlington,
Mass., will be inducted
into the Lighting Hall
of Fame on Sept. 13 at the ALA Annual
Conference in Palm Beach, Fla.
Eftekhar was appointed chief executive officer of Philips Professional
Luminaires North America as of January
1, 2010. He is a highly respected 40-year
veteran of the lighting industry.
Eftekhar played a crucial role in the
integration of the Genlyte businesses
into Philips, and in his new role he will
lead the drive to further grow Philips
leadership position in professional
lighting systems and solutions in North
America. Under his leadership, Philips
Lightolier has evolved to reflect the
needs of its customers.
He has served in multiple leadership
positions, including chair of the ALA
Board of Governors in 2003.
Zia is a classy gentleman and very
bright, says Stanley Johnston, chairman
of the ALA Awards Committee and
president of Johnston Lighting Associates.
He is always looking for the best and
correct way to do things as contrasted
by the expedient way. Zia served the ALA
from the days when it was AHLI, and he
has served in many roles but always as a
contributor and leader.
Eftekhars ALA leadership roles include:
2010 Lamp Manufacturers Committee
2008-2009 Manufacturer Sales
Survey Committee
2008 Industry Open Forum
Committee Moderator
2007, 2010 Membership Campaign
Committee
2007 Efficient Lighting Initiative Task
Force
2001-2011 Finance Committee
2001-2004 Board of Governors (Chair,
2003)
1997-2000 BiNational Advertising
& PR Program Launch Committee
(Chair)

Robert Stevenson
and Jon Schallert will
be featured speakers at the 2011 ALA
Annual Conference
in Palm Beach, Fla.,
this September.
Additionally, industry
leaders Zia Eftekhar
and Rick Leaman will
make a keynote presentation at the event.
President of Seeking Excellence Inc.,
Stevenson is an internationally recognized speaker and author of the books
How to Soar Like an Eagle in a World
Full of Turkeys and 52 Essential Habits
for Success. The former All-American
athlete has owned several companies;
sold internationally in more than 20
countries; established and maintained

worldwide; and managed a worldwide

sales force.
At the ALA
Annual Conference,
Stevenson will present his latest keynote
topic, If You Dont
Like Change, You
Are Going To Hate
Extinction, where
he will present case
studies from some of the top companies
and indentify tactics and strategies that
helped them succeed in todays volatile
marketplace.
Attendees will learn how to understand
the process of stimulating ideas; recognize
the value and importance of change;
understand why resistance to an idea isnt

Continued on Page 15

ALA and Leading Expert Launch

Internet Marketing Webinars in June

he ALA is partnering with John

Arnold leading web marketing
expert and author to offer a series
of web-marketing courses designed
for showrooms and offered at a discount to ALA members. The courses
begin on June 30. The ALA extends
a special thanks to this programs two
major sponsors, Lutron and Juno.
The courses, which will be offered in
both live-webinar and recorded-webinar
formats, include the following:
1. Web Marketing Basics How to
use the internet to get your business
in front of prospects and customers.
Thursday, June 30 (11 a.m. and
2 p.m.)
2. Web Marketing Strategy Reveals
several simple but powerful strategic
models to help you create a winning
marketing plan. Thursday, July 14
(11 a.m. and 2 p.m.)
3. Creating an Effective Website
Shares the essential components of
All times noted are for Central Daylight Time.

4.

5.

6.

7.

creating an effective website and

shows how to assemble your site for
maximum results. Thursday,
July 28 (11 a.m. and 2 p.m.)
E-mail Marketing How to send
effective e-mail marketing messages
to prospects and customers.
Thursday, August 11 (11 a.m.
and 2 p.m.)
Online Advertising and Pay Per
Click How to advertise your business on thousands of websites and
the top search engines. Thursday,
August 25 (11 a.m. and 2 p.m.)
Social Media Marketing How to
market your products or services to
prospects and customers on social
media sites. Thursday, September
8 (11 a.m. and 2 p.m.)
Search Engine Optimization
How to make your business appear
in Google search results when prospects and customers search for your
products and services.
Continued on Page 8

Light Watch
Mark your calendars now for
these upcoming lighting events.
May 19

ALA Live Webinar: Twenty Customer

Questions Every Showroom Needs to
Answer About Todays New Light Sources
Sponsored byBulbrite

June 16

ALA Live Webinar: The Increasing

Importance of Lighting Metrics
Sponsored by MaxLite

June 23-27

Dallas International Lighting Market

June 30
Internet Marketing Webinars begin

July 21

ALA Live Webinar: ENERGY STAR Update

2011:New Products That Are Part of the
ENERGY STAR Program

Sept. 11-13

2011 ALA Annual Conference

The Breakers, Palm Beach, Fla.

Paper or PDF?
If you would prefer not to receive
a paper copy of Lightrays, please
send your e-mail address to
bglenn@americanlightingassoc.com.
A link to the electronic pdf of
Lightrays will be e-mailed
to you for each new edition.

In This Issue
2 Government Affairs
4 2011 ALA Annual Conference
7 Showroom Management
9 Technology/Energy Efficiency
10 Education/Training
12 Association News
13 Rep Success
14 June Market
The American Lighting Association
is a trade association representing
the lighting industry, serving
members and their customers, and
working to protect and advance
the industry while promoting the
sale and application of quality
lighting products.

government affairs

Page 2

ALA Promotes Industry Interests at Annual Washington Mission

delegation of ALA members, ALA

staff and representatives from IES
and IALD will travel to Washington,
D.C., May 3-5, for the associations annual lobbying effort.
The 2011 ALA Washington D.C.
Mission delegation will meet with
members of the U.S. House and Senate,
plus key staff members of the Senate
and House Energy Committees.
We plan to meet with five House
members and five senators, says ALA
President and CEO Richard D. Upton,
CCE. All but one serve on the House
or Senate Energy Committee, and
are in position to help us advance industry interests. Importantly, we will
have the help of ALAs eight members
of Congress that we support through
the ALA-PAC.
The issues that will be addressed by
the delegation include:
Limit the frequency of lighting product regulations to allow the industry
to design, engineer, manufacturer,
live with and recapture their investment before new regulations are
considered/imposed

Work for the proper application of

lighting to be a vital part of regulatory requirements impacting the
lighting industry
Re-evaluate new ENERGY STAR
requirements that oblige the industry
to pay the expensive third-party tests
Work to add controls products to the
ENERGY STAR program
Gain repeal of the 4 to 7 percent
tariff on ceiling fans
Harmonize Canadian/USA energy
efficiency regulations
These are resounding issues that
truly need to be addressed, says Rene
Perez, vice president of Aransas Pass,
Texas-based showroom The Gallery of
Lighting.
While we cannot predict outcomes,
we know our government affairs efforts
have been successful during the last
few years, Upton says. We are wellorganized and we will be strengthened
with 12 ALA members who will be in
Washington, D.C. with me at their
own expense to help fight for the
lighting industrys interests.

D E S I G N
Q

This years delegation includes

(as of April 1):
Clark Linstone, chair, chief financial
officer, Lamps Plus, Chatsworth, Calif.
Eugene Ansbaugh, president
and owner, Idaho Lights, Coeur
dAlene, Idaho
Michael Ber, CLC, president, Lighting
Inc., New Orleans, La.
Lars Bostrom, CLMR, president,
Bostrom Lighting Sales, Raleigh, N.C.
Nick Cardello, owner, Cardello Electric
Supply Company, Pittsburgh, Pa.
M. Thomas Early, president,
Burgess Lighting and Distributing,
Forestville, Md.
Brad Heimann, president and COO,
Craftmade, Coppell, Texas
Eric Jacobson, CAE, vice president of
membership, ALA, Dallas, Texas
Terry McGowan, FIES, LC, director
of engineering and technology, ALA,
Dallas, Texas
John McKiernan, vice chairman,
Lutron, Coopersburg, Pa.

Ronald Milam, owner, Lighting

Emporium, Inc., Springdale, Ark.
Brooks Mouchette, president,
Lighting Plus, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Fred Oberkircher, FIESNA,
Educational IALD, IDA, LC, IES
representative
Richard D. Upton, CCE, president/
CEO, ALA, Dallas, Texas

2011 ALA Policy

Positions
What are the American Lighting
Associations official policy positions? What are the governmentaffairs issues the ALA is fighting
for in Washington, D.C.?
For a comprehensive look at the
ALAs government-affairs positions, download the ALAs 2011
Policy Positions at www.american
lightingassoc.com (click on
Resources/Government Affairs).

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government affairs

Page 3

ALA-PAC Adds Two

New Champions

ecause of the continued growth of

energy efficiency regulations and
pending legislation, the ALA Political
Action Committee (ALA-PAC) has
added two additional members of
Congress as champions. They are
Sen. James E. Risch (R-Idaho), the
ranking member of the important
Senate Energy Subcommittee, and
Rep. Michael F. Doyle (D-Penn.), who
serves on the powerful House Energy
Subcommittee. Helping the ALA effectively interface with these champions
are Gene Ansbaugh of Idaho Lights
and Nick Cardello of Cardello Electric
Supply Company, who will act as strong
grassroots contacts.
To keep the ALA-PAC financially
strong, fundraising efforts have begun as
the association readies for the 2011-2012
cycle of primary and general elections.
We urge every member to support
the ALA-PAC, says Jack D. Fleischer,
CLC, president of Nashville, Tennesseebased Hermitage Lighting Gallery and
chair of the committee. The ALAPAC facilitates the contacts we need
to successfully battle for the industry.
Importantly, we have been winning.
The PAC serves as an effective
entity for the industry by placing the
ALA in an impactful position within
Washington, D.C. It is supplemental
to, yet separate from, the Government
Affairs Committee. All activities of the
ALA-PAC are transparent and all funds
raised for PAC contributions are segregated in a separate bank account.
Continuing ALA champions include:
Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.)
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.)
Sen.Mary Landrieu (D-La.)
Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX)
Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas)
Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.)
Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.)
ALA members interested in
contributing to the Political Action
Committee (PAC) must sign prior
approval forms before the ALA may
contact them regarding PAC support.
Permission to Contact forms may
be obtained from Cecilia Chavez at
800-605-4448, ext. 232 or cchavez@
americanlightingassoc.com, or
downloaded at www.american
lightingassoc.com under Members/
Resources/Government Affairs/
Political Action Committee.
PAC contributions must be from
individuals, not companies.

Senate Sends 1099 Repeal Bill to Presidents Desk

he Senate voted to repeal the expanded Form 1099 reporting requirements that were enacted as part of the new
health care law last year, sending the bill to
President Obama for signature.
The ALA, which has advocated
strongly for 1099 repeal since last

summer, welcomed passage of the bill as

necessary relief for businesses that were
bracing for burdensome, time-consuming
reporting beginning in 2012. The
expanded 1099 requirements would have
forced all businesses to issue a Form 1099
to vendors from whom they buy goods

totaling $600 or more annually.

The change could have resulted in
businesses having to issue hundreds or
even thousands of forms each year, track
cumulative payments to vendors and obtain tax identification information from
each vendor.

www.americanlightingassoc.comwww.lightrays-digital.com

2011 ALA annual conference

First-Class
Curriculum Set
for Conference

his years Annual Conference promises something for everyone, with

presentations geared toward all lighting
professionals as well as seminars specifically tailored to showrooms, manufacturers reps and manufacturers.
All audiences will gain valuable insight
from the featured presentations. Keynoters
Robert Stevenson and Jon Schallert,
as well as Zia Eftekhar, CEO of Philips
Professional Luminaires North America,
and Rick Leaman, president and CEO of
OSRAM SYLVANIA, will headline this
years conference (see p. 1 for details).
Seminars have been planned to meet
the needs of three different industry
groups: showrooms, manufacturers reps
and manufacturers.
In the seminar Mom and Pop on Top:
How to Be Small but Play Large, taught
by Jon Schallert, showrooms will learn
why Fortune 100 companies are now
trying to reposition themselves as small
businesses and why mom and pop
shops suddenly have a huge competitive
advantage. Schallert will also reveal why
becoming a destination business is
profitable and how having a smaller selection of product than the competition
can be turned into a huge benefit.
Manufacturers representatives will
discover ideas for alternative directions,
markets, products and selling strategies
to increase revenues in the seminar
New Revenue Sources in a World of
Declining Margins taught by Bryan C.
Shirley, CPMR.
Attorney at Law John M. Cutler
Jr. will cover the latest innovations in
supply chain management, transportation contract issues and suggestions
for improving efficiency in shipping
and receiving products in his seminar
Current and Emerging Issues in Freight
Transportation Facing Your Business,
designed for manufacturers.
Additionally, two pre-conference
CLC training sessions are scheduled for
Sunday, Sept. 11, from 9 a.m. to noon,
and from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Life After
Death: Opportunities for High Quality
(and Energy-Efficient) Residential Lighting
After the Demise of the 100 Watt A
Lamp and Providing Lighting Assistance to
Boomers for Residential Settings.
Both CLC training sessions are
taught by Fred Oberkircher, FIESNA,
Educational IALD, IDA, LC, who is an
emeritus associate professor at Texas
Christian University. Pre-Conference
course fees are $129 each or $179 for
both courses if registered by June 30.

Page 4

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contact@faztrack.com

ll ALA members who

register and pay for
the 2011 ALA Annual
Conference by June 30,
2011, will be entered to win
$500 in Breakers Bucks,
redeemable at The Breakers. The winner
will be chosen by a random drawing and
notified via e-mail.

www.FazTLight.com

The $500 in Breakers

Bucks will be delivered
to the winner during
the 2011 ALA Annual
Conference. The prize is
non-transferable.
Download a registration
form at www.ALAConference.com.

www.americanlightingassoc.comwww.lightrays-digital.com

2011 ALA annual conference

Page 5

Conference Updates
Showroom Scholarships
Available

A limited number of manufacturersponsored scholarships covering the registration fee and hotel for one delegate
from a qualified showroom are available
to ALA member showrooms, with preference given to showrooms that have not
sent a delegate to Conference before.
For more information and to obtain a
scholarship form, contact Eric Jacobson
at ejacobson@americanlightingassoc.
com or Beth Bentley at bbentley@ameri
canlightingassoc.com.

LIGHTS from Softlight is very

easy to use. All the information is
right there including the light bulbs
that need to be ordered. It is a great
investment for your lighting business.

SOFTLIGHT
Lighting Package

Linda M. Pavletich, LS
Premier Lighting
Bakerseld, CA

Book Hotel Reservations

All Conference attendees should

make their hotel reservations online
through the hotel reservation link at
www.ALAConference.com or by calling
the hotel at 888-273-2537.
The ALA has negotiated a special
group rate of $179 per night, plus tax,
based on single or double occupancy.
There is no resort fee. Contact the hotel
for all suite options.
All reservations must be received by
the resort no later than Aug. 9 or until
the block is filled. After this date, rooms
will be confirmed at the group rate only
if available.

Manufacturers Exhibit
Space Almost Full

As of April 1, only 10 of the 54 spaces

remain available for the Manufacturers
Exhibit Luncheon at Conference. This
popular event allows manufacturers to
share product and company information
with showrooms in a no-pressure, nonsales environment.
To reserve a space, contact Beth Bentley
at bbentley@americanlightingassoc.com.

Annual Golf Tournament

Sponsorships Available

Sponsorship opportunities are still

available for the 2011 ALA Annual Golf
Tournament at The Breakers Ocean
Course on Sunday, Sept. 11.
If you are interested in sponsoring
golf holes, drink carts or giveaways,
contact Wendy Rollins at wrollins@
americanlightingassoc.com or 800-6054448, ext. 222.

Spouse/Guest Event

ALA spouses/guests are invited to

join James Ponce, The Breakers hotel
historian, for a private tour. This exclusive tour shares the history of the hotel
and many fun and informative stories
about former guests and legends that
have graced its halls. Lunch at the Beach
Club restaurant will follow the tour.
The event is limited to the first 30

Industry Specific Software

for the Lighting Industry
Things you should ask for in a lighting software package:
Is the software industry specic or was it written
primarily for another industry and adapted to
lighting?
Who provides support? When you call are you talking
to lighting people or someone who knows only about
writing software.
Are you charged more for adding computers to your
system or for using larger databases as your business
grows?

LIGHTS from Softlight is a computer software program

that manages and organizes the daily functions for the
Lighting Industry and Lighting Showrooms.
LIGHTS from Softlight can deliver reports and
paperwork at the touch of a key that can save you
many valuable hours of work. Customers are never
charged for adding more computers or features, and the
package is easy to learn. Visit the LIGHTS from Softlight
Web site or call for a complete demonstration.

Is the software easy to learn?

Call for free demo 1-888-544-4809 or visit: www.softlightusa.com

Not available in New Mexico.

spouses/guests to sign up. For more

information, contact Elizabeth Ware at
eware@americanlightingassoc.com or
800-605-4448, ext. 221.

Conference Travel Discount Codes

American Airlines 
Code: 8191AF
800-433-1790 or aa.com
Alamo 
BY #529118
800-354-2322

Avis 
Budget 
Hertz 
National 

AWD #B608500
800-331-1212
BCD# Z663400
800-527-0700
CDP #089817
800-654-2200 (U.S.)
800-263-0600 (Canada)
Disc #5021601
800-CAR-RENT

Call for Webinar Topics

o you have an idea for an ALA

webinar topic? Is there a particular subject youd like to study? The
ALA wants your input. Please send
your ideas for webinar topics to Nici
Juneau at njuneau@americanlighting
assoc.com.

www.americanlightingassoc.comwww.lightrays-digital.com

2011 ALA annual conference

Page 6

Conference Schedule

Thank You, Sponsors

Times and events subject to change.

Sunday, Sept. 11
7:30 a.m. 8:45 a.m.
8 a.m. 7 p.m.
8:45 a.m. 10:45 a.m.
9 a.m. Noon
Noon 6 p.m.
1 p.m. 5 p.m.
1:30 4:30 p.m.
5:15 p.m. 6 p.m.
6:15 7 p.m.
7 p.m. 8:30 p.m.

Finance Committee Meeting

Registration Open
Board of Governors Meeting
CLC Training Session 1: Life After Death: Opportunities
for High Quality (and Energy-Efficient) Residential Lighting
After the Demise of the 100 Watt A Lamp
Golf Tournament (arrive early for lunch, driving range, etc.)
Networking Group Meetings
CLC Training Session 2: Providing Lighting Assistance to
Boomers for Residential Settings
New Member Orientation
New Members/First Timers Reception
Gala Welcome Reception

Monday, Sept. 12
7:30 a.m. 5 p.m.
8 a.m. 9:45 a.m.

Registration Open
Opening Breakfast/Featured Presentation: If You Dont
Like Change, You Are Going To Hate Extinction
10 a.m. Noon
Seminars:
Riding a New Wave to Success: Building on the Essential
Habits for Success
LED Filling in the Blanks Core Information to Help You
Transition to LED Landscape Lighting
Solutions for Reps Biggest Challenges
Current and Emerging Issues in Freight Transportation
Facing Your Business
11 a.m. 1 p.m.
Spouse/Guest Hotel Tour & Luncheon
12:15 p.m. 2:15 p.m. Business Lunch/Featured Presentation: Growth of the
Lighting Industry in North America
2:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. Seminars:
Internet Marketing from Real Life Experience
New Revenue Sources in the New World of Declining Margins
How To Buy Right and Update Your Showroom
5 p.m. 6 p.m.
Young Executives Reception

TM

Tuesday, Sept. 13
7:30 a.m. 5 p.m.
8 a.m. 9:45 a.m.
10 a.m. 11:45 a.m.

Noon 2:30 p.m.

2:45 p.m. 4:30 p.m.

6:45 p.m. 7:15 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

Registration Open
Breakfast/Featured Presentation: Driving Customer Traffic
and Sales in the New Economy
Seminars:
Mom and Pop on Top: How to Be Small but Play Large
LEDs and Residential Luminaires How to Put Them Together
Harnessing Technology to Sell More Lighting Products
Tribal Sales Cultures Outperform
Manufacturers Exhibits/Lunch
Seminars:
Marketing Locally on the Internet
Integrating New Dimming Controls With Emerging
Lamp Technology
Relationship Marketing and How to Grow Your Business
The Five Biggest Mistakes Salespeople Make and How to Fix
Them
Reception
Annual Banquet

Congratulations, Winners!

ongratulations to the following

winners of the 2011 ALA Annual
Conference drawings. The ALA will
have many drawings over the coming
months, with the next drawing slated
for June 30 for $500 in Breakers Bucks.
All Conference attendees who have paid
their registration fees are eligible for the
upcoming drawings.
The winners so far:
Adam Cohen
Ricci Sales Agency
$250 in Breakers Bucks
Lucy Dearborn
Lucia Lighting and Design
$50 in Breakers Bucks
Shannon Ellis
CGE Sales

Free use of a cabana at The

Breakers Palm Beach
John Landolt
Wholesale Supply Group, Inc.
Free Delegate Registration
Skip Leigh
Lighting by Fox
Free Room Night
Tom Lillie
Holtkoetter International, Inc.
$250 in Breakers Bucks
Rita Santon
Coventry Lighting, Inc.
Free Guest Registration
Bob Warmbold, CLC
Accent Lighting
Free Delegate Registration

www.americanlightingassoc.comwww.lightrays-digital.com

Showroom Management

Page 7

Showrooms
Educating
Consumers
on Light Bulb
Options

Experience Energy Savings Beyond the Bulb

he new light bulb requirements now

in place in California and British
Columbia and in the rest of the United
States and Canada as of Jan. 1, 2012
have created some confusion among
consumers in local communities.
There is a huge amount of confusion
among customers right now, says Bruce
D. Paul, LS, CIRM, CLC, president of
Grapevine, Texas-based showroom
Passion Lighting. It is hard to combat
because people often just ignore the facts
based on a few articles they read that
most often are not written by anyone
from our industry and many times they
are misrepresenting the real situation.
We have to dish out the info in small
chunks so they are not overwhelmed.
Steve Hansen, general sales manager
for Draper, Utah-based showroom
Lighting Design Company, is also seeing
confusion in the marketplace. The public perception is that the 100-watt light
bulb is going to totally disappear, not
just disappear as we know it, he says.
They dont realize the things that will
take its place.

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In 2007, former U.S. President

George W. Bush signed the Energy
Independence and Security Act into law.
The provisions in this law were intended
to reduce energy usage and greenhouse
gas emissions and enable the United
States to be less dependent on foreign
sources of energy. One of the provisions provided for phasing out todays
standard 40-watt, 60-watt, 75-watt and
100-watt general service incandescent
light bulbs in favor of lower-wattage,
energy-saving bulbs.
The law sets minimum-performance
standards affecting light output, watts
and rated life for general-service incandescent bulbs, making it necessary for
manufacturers to replace the popular
incandescent bulbs with more energyefficient versions, says Terry McGowan,
FIES, LC, ALA director of engineering
and technology. Additionally, new
packaging requirements in the U.S. will
change the way we choose light bulbs.
Theres an effort underway to get
people to buy light bulbs based upon
lumens or light output rather than
on wattage, McGowan continues.
Thats good because bulbs should

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* Savings based on replacing a switch with a Lutron C L dimmer and replacing your incandescent bulbs with dimmable CFLs. Actual savings may vary
depending on use and application. A high percentage of the savings derive from switching from the incandescent to the CFL. Typical residential savings
are estimated to be $22 per year. Stated savings of $50 based on replacing (5) 65 W incandescent reflector lamps (rated at 1,500 hours each, costing
$1.75 per lamp or (5) 3,000 hour halogen bulbs costing $3.35 per lamp) with (5) 16 W CFL reflector lamps (rated at 8,000 hours each, costing $11.49
per lamp) and dimming for 5 hrs per day with electricity cost of $0.1176/kWh. $50 savings further assumes lamps are dimmed to 50% perceived light
level, corresponding to 40% reduction in power level. For further details and to calculate your own savings, visit www.lutron.com/energycalc.

2011 Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.

be selected because they provide the

required amount of light, not because of
their power rating.

Choosing Alternatives
According to McGowan, there are
three alternatives to the standard 100watt, general-service incandescent lamp:
the new, 72-watt halogen incandescent
lamp, a 26-watt CFL (compact fluorescent

lamp) and the LED or SSL (light-emitting

diode or solid-state lighting) lamp.
Although the halogen incandescent
lamp meets the new 72-watt requirement and is dimmable, it only provides
1,000 hours of life while costing around
$2 to $3, as compared to 60 cents for
the old-fashioned 100-watt bulb lamp.
Meanwhile, the 26-watt CFL also costs
around $2 to $3, yet it lasts for 8,000

hours eight times the life of the halogen

incandescent. The only drawbacks to the
CFL are that it is not dimmable (although
dimmable versions are now available)
and it contains a small amount of mercury, so it must be disposed of carefully.
Another potential choice is the
LED screw-in bulb, McGowan says.
Currently, it costs around $40 but
Continued on Page 8

www.americanlightingassoc.comwww.lightrays-digital.com

Page 8
Light Bulb Options
Continued from Page 7

provides more than 25,000 hours of

life. However, the drawback is its lower
output. Right now, there are LED bulbs
that can replace the 40-watt and 60-watt
incandescent bulb, but not the 100-watt
bulb.
Will consumers who only have $2 or
$3 to spend continue to buy the halogen
incandescent or will they switch to a
CFL? I think its going to be very interesting to see what consumers do, when
presented with a choice, McGowan says.
Certainly the CFL would represent a
much better bargain because not only
does it save energy, it lasts eight times as
long as the halogen.

Seizing the Opportunity

McGowan believes showrooms can
benefit from the general confusion
surrounding the light bulb issue by
taking advantage of the inherent sales
opportunity. New light bulb technologies present a way for showrooms to
expand assortments and drive revenues
as lighting experts.
There are lots of opportunities
for showrooms to demonstrate their
lighting expertise and knowledge to
customers, McGowan says. They can

be a source of information to their local

communities.
To this end, showrooms are taking a
proactive role in educating their customers about the new light bulb requirements and discovering an inherent sales
opportunity in the process.
We plan on doing a series of articles
that we will post on a few sources, including Facebook, our website and on a
social media site, Passion Lightings Paul
says. We also plan to distribute to local
media. We are also stocking up on bulbs
of various types in the showroom, some
of which are stocked almost nowhere
else, so we can provide a more complete
set of options for our customers and better inform them.
Lighting Design Companys Hansen
was recently quoted as the expert lighting source in the article, Incandescent
light bulbs being phased out, which
appeared on Salt Lake Citys www.abc4.
com and in a segment aired on the local
ABC affiliate television station.
We train our salespeople in our
organization to try to educate the public
as part of their sales process, Hansen
says. Therefore when they have a question or their friends have a question, we
become the knowledgeable people who
they turn to.

Austin Bluffs Lighting. John Arnolds

Thursday, September 22 (11 a.m. courses take the confusion out of social
media and show the savvy business
and 2 p.m.)
owner not only how to navigate social
8. Blogs, Video and Other Media
media but to profit
How to utilize online
Thank you, marketing
from it.
media to capture inwebinar sponsors
I attended John
terest and sales from
Arnolds
seminar at the
prospects and cusALA Conference in Las
tomers. Thursday,
Vegas last September,
October 6 (11 a.m.
says Fred Naimer, presiand 2 p.m.)
dent of Union Lighting
9. Mobile Marketing
& Home. John opened
How to reach
my eyes to where the
people through
internet is today in relamobile devices such
tion to our business, and
as smartphones and
he gave me an idea of
tablets. Thursday,
where it was going in the
October 20 (11 a.m. and 2 p.m.)
not-too-distant
future.
I was so impressed
10. Marketing Tools & Technologies
that
I
had
John
come
up
to Montreal to
Shares the essential tools and techgive his presentation to my management
nologies you need to market your
team. We all agreed afterward that John
business on the internet.
would be our consultant for our venture
Thursday, November 3 (11 a.m.
into the world of e-commerce.
and 2 p.m.)
To encourage members to sign up for
The courses will be taught by John
the
courses, the ALA and Arnold are offerArnold, a leading marketing expert,
ing
the courses for only $39 each a $20
author, speaker, trainer and consultant
discount
when ALA members use the
who specializes in marketing advice for
coupon code p1v8 to sign up for the classes
small businesses.
at http://johnarnold.com/categories/ALA.
Social media is one of the most
Additional discounts will be offered for
important marketing tools in business
today, and it is also the most confusing, registering for the entire webinar series.
says Kevin Herdt, CLC, president of

John Arnold Continued from Page 1

Numbers Dont Lie

90% of consumers shop online

67% of pre-shoppers surf after 9:00pm

94% of retailers have a website

85% of pre-shoppers convert to buyers

Talk to the experts at MyLightingShowroom.com

(0r, your business may be just another statistic of the past)

800.974.3243

www.americanlightingassoc.comwww.lightrays-digital.com

Technology/Energy Efficiency

Page 9

ALA Members Win

Next Generation
Competition
Honors

ntries by ALA member manufacturers were among the 42 commercial

LED lighting products recently recognized for excellence by the third annual
Next Generation Luminaires (NGL) Solid
State Lighting (SSL) Design Competition.
The innovative, energy-efficient luminaires that were selected demonstrated
high lighting quality and consistency,
glare control, lumen maintenance and
luminaire appearance.
More products were proposed for
submission to the 2010 NGL competition
than ever before 328, compared with 265
in 2009. But because of the stringent documentation requirements, only 138 products
actually made it to the judging phase.
The NGL competition was launched
in 2008 to promote excellence in the
design of energyefficient LED luminaires
for general illumination in commercial
lighting applications.

Chandeliers

Change the way

you look at lighting

Mini-Pendants

Winning ALA Manufacturers

Accent Lighting
Tech Lighting
Juno Lighting Group
Recessed Accent Lighting
Juno Lighting Group (two fixtures)
Wall Washing and Grazing
Cooper Lighting
Juno Lighting Group
Decorative Pendant Lighting
Juno Lighting
Philips Lightolier
Wall Sconce
Edge Lighting
Recessed Downlights
Cooper Lighting
Philips Lightolier
JuiceWorks
CREE LED Lighting
In-Grade Lighting
Edge Lighting (two fixtures)

Product Data
Standard Updated

he ALA Electronics & Technology

Committee recently updated the
ALA Product Data Standard spreadsheet, which is used by the lighting industry to simplify exchanging item data.
The new Product Data Standard
is a great step forward, says Jason
Petersen, chair of the ALA Electronics
& Technology Committee and president
and CEO of XOLogic Corp./Hansen
Lighting. We have added some missing

Outdoor

Recessed

The world's first comprehensive line of

residential LED lighting fixtures.
Energy-Saving

Long-life Lamps

Warm White

Dimmable

Cool Operation

Environmentally-Friendly

Contac t your Progress Lighting Representative for details.

items such as Finish, Style, etc., and weve

also worked to help standardize some
categories. This should make it much
easier for vendors to get data that is ALA
data-compliant, and it should also be a
huge benefit to showrooms and other
businesses that rely upon vendor data.
The Product Data Standard is set
up as a simple one-page spreadsheet of
all common attributes and pricing that

w w w.progresslighting.com

are typically used to describe lighting

products.A manufacturer can easily
send this to its showrooms and reps,
who can then quickly import data into
their business systems and be completely
up-to-date.Manufacturers that use the
standard are recognized as being ALA
data-compliant.
I cannot stress enough how much
benefit vendors will receive by getting

Step/Wall Lights

their data up to the ALA data standard,

Petersen says. Most showrooms are
going digital. One of the most common things we hear is If we cant get a
vendors data into our system easily, it
is very hard to sell their product.Most
vendors are now either ALA-compliant
or getting close, and I think those that
invest in getting there will see an immediate benefit.

www.americanlightingassoc.comwww.lightrays-digital.com

e d u c at i o n / t r a i n i n g

ALA Launches OnDemand Webinar

Program

or members who would like to increase their industry knowledge but

dont have time to attend one of the ALAs
live webinars, the ALAs on-demand
webinar program offers a flexible learning
format. Featuring timely and on-trend
topics, the on-demand webinar program
allows members to study whenever they
want, wherever they want. All they need
is a computer and an internet connection.
Priced at only $39 each, the ALAs
on-demand webinars allow members to
increase their industry knowledge on
their own time. Available 24/7 online,
these webinars provide members with
up-to-date training in a format that fits
with their schedule.
On-demand webinars are a quick
way to access classes 24/7 and a great
way to keep staff trained on a large variety of topics with the ease of a computer
and no travel, says Nicole Juneau, ALA
director of education. Earn CLC credit,
stay up-to-date on the latest in the industry or train a new hire. ALA continues to offer live monthly webinars that
will be added to our list of on-demand
courses.
To order, visit www.americanlighting
assoc.com and click on Member Store.
Below are the on-demand webinars
currently available:
Advanced Kitchen and Bath Lighting
Solutions
Sponsor: ALA Education Foundation
The Realities and Myths of Energy
Efficient Lighting
Sponsor: Philips Lighting
Concepts and New Technologies for Bath
and Vanity Lighting
Sponsor: Besa Lighting
How to Lay Out a Lighting Plan Quickly
and Accurately
Sponsor: Kichler Lighting
How to Light a Media Room or Home
Theater
Sponsor: Lithonia Lighting
How to Sell and Design a Landscape
Lighting System
Sponsor: Philips Hadco

How to Sell Crystal for Maximum Profit

Sponsor: Schonbek
LED and Solid State Lighting Update
Sponsor: Cree LED Lighting
Solutions, Inc.
Sizing Techniques for Decorative Fixtures
in Large Vaulted Spaces
Sponsor: American Brass & Crystal
Techniques for Improving Your Lighting
Sales in Tough Times
Sponsor: ARTCRAFT
Whats New in Recessed Lighting and
How to Sell it for Maximum Profit
Sponsor: Cooper Lighting
Fundamentals of Lighting and Interior
Design Styles
Sponsor: Dolan Designs
How to Sell and Design a Landscape
Lighting System
Sponsor: Philips Hadco
How to Specify, Design and Sell Low
Voltage Lighting: Concepts for Inreasing
High End and Custom Builders
Sponsor: Westinghouse Lighting
Corporation
Expanding Your Lighting Sales into
the High End Remodeling and Custom
Building Markets
Sponsor: House of Troy
Trends in Lighting Styles and New
Technologies
Sponsor: JUSTICE Design
Are Incandescent and Halogen Going
Away? How to Prepare for an EnergyEfficient Future
Sponsor: SATCO
Dimming and Lighting Controls: High
Tech Products to Increase Your Profit
Margins
Sponsor: Philips Lightolier
How New Concepts in Crystal Design
Can Expand Your Customer Base
Sponsor: Elegant Lighing
The LED Products Every Showroom
Should Stock and Sell
Sponsor: Progress Lighting
Why CFL GU24 Lamps Should Become
a Major Part of Your Sales Focus
Sponsor: Alico Industries, Inc.
How to Sell, Select and Specify High-end
Recessed Lighting for Maximum Profit
Sponsor: Lutron
Whats New in LED Lighting in 2011:
Fundamentals to Advanced Applications
Sponsor: Progress Lighting

Congratulations, New CLC

oe DiFeo, lighting designer

for Greenbrook, New Jerseybased Aura Lighting, recently
earned the Certified Lighting
Consultant accreditation from
the ALA.
A New Jersey resident who has
been in the lighting industry for more
than 20 years, DiFeo worked as an electri-

cian for many years, wiring and

laying out lighting designs in large
high end homes and estates.
I found a passion for lighting
and lighting fixtures of all types,
DiFeo says. I decided to enter
the lighting-only realm and get
real lighting showroom experience and
training. I started working in a local light-

Page 10

Upcoming CLC-Credit Live Webinars

egistration forms may be downloaded from www.americanlightingassoc.com

(click on For Members). Contact Nici Juneau at 800-605-4448, ext. 226 or
njuneau@americanlightingassoc.com for more information.

Twenty Customer Questions About Todays New

Light Sources Every Showroom Needs to Answer
Date: May 19
Time: 11 a.m. Central
Instructor: Joe Rey-Barreau, AIA, IES
Credit: 1 CLC hour
Member Cost: $39 per participant
In this seminar participants will learn:
Why CFLs are an effective replacement for incandescent bulbs and
what to say to customers who dislike their color
Which type of CFL is becoming the
standard for all new fixtures designated for CFL use

What to say when a customer asks,

Are incandescent bulbs being
banned, and what do we use instead?
Five facts you need to know about
LED lighting
Which applications are better for CFL
use and which are better for LED use

Sponsored by:

The Increasing Importance of Lighting Metrics

Date: June 16
Time: 11 a.m. Central
Instructor: Joe Rey-Barreau, AIA, IES
Credit: 1 CLC hour
Member Cost: $39 per participant
In this seminar participants will learn:
Why an in-depth knowledge of color
temperature is becoming a necessity
in lighting showrooms
When color rendering index should
be discussed and when it should not,
and whether incandescents have a
color rendering number

Why a discussion of lumens, watts

and efficacy should be included in
every conversation with customers
How knowledge of lighting metrics
is the best marketing technique for
showrooms to enhance their reputation in the marketplace
Why it is important to discuss the
concept of lamp lumen depreciation
when explaining the fundamentals
of LED lighting

Sponsored by:

ENERGY STAR Update 2011: New Products That Are

Part of the ENERGY STAR Program
Date: July 21
Time: 11 a.m. Central
Instructor: Joe Rey-Barreau, AIA, IES
Credit: 1 CLC hour
Member Cost: $39 per participant
In this seminar participants will learn:
Which states are moving towards
implementing energy codes that
will govern the use of ENERGY
STAR in homes
Why builders are becoming increasingly interested in energy-efficiency
and which ENERGY STAR prod-

ing showroom and quickly moved up

the ladder. As the years progressed and
after working in and managing various
showrooms, I am now at Aura Lighting in
Greenbrook, New Jersey.
This is a brand new lighting
showroom that I assisted in opening
with two very good friends, a husband

ucts you should be stocking for

builder sales
How the LEED for Homes program
will affect lighting sales, and which
ENERGY STAR fixtures can be
included for credit in the LEED for
Homes program
What criteria define CFL and LED
fixtures as ENERGY STAR and what
you should be telling customers
How promoting ENERGY STAR
lighting increases your credibility in
the marketplace

and wife team, who are also long-time

lighting colleagues, from another
lighting showroom, DiFeo continues.
There, I work as a lead lighting designer, working on lighting projects for
interior designers and builders. I also
work the sales floor assisting customers
with their lighting projects.

www.americanlightingassoc.comwww.lightrays-digital.com

e d u c at i o n / t r a i n i n g

Page 11
Lightrays Ad_June2011.ai 1 2/8/2011 8:45:27 AM

Four-Day Lighting
Specialist Training
Set for June 6-9

he ALA will hold its annual four-day

residential lighting training workshop at Juno Lighting in Des Plaines, Ill.,
June 6-9. Upon successful completion of
the final test, graduates of this course are
awarded certificates qualifying them as
ALA Lighting Specialists.
This intensive four-day workshop
explores fundamental and advanced
lighting principles, design techniques
and sales strategies.
Stan Johnston, president of Johnston
Lighting Associates, will lead the training. Member cost is $525, plus travel
expenses. Additionally, all attendees
must bring their own copy of the newly
revised Residential Lighting Training
Manual, published in 2011.
To register, visit www.americanlight
ingassoc.com and click on Member
Store, or contact Nici Juneau at
njuneau@americanlightingassoc.com
or 800-605-4448, ext. 226.
C

CM

MY

CY

CMY

New ALA
Certified Lighting Consultant

As of April 1, 2011

Aura Lighting
Joe DiFeo

New ALA Lighting Specialists

As of April 1, 2011

Bright Light Design Center

Jacqueline Mendelson
Carols Lighting
Jimmy Shelton
Anita Teer
Kharris Lighting Design
Katharine Harris
Lighting Design by Wettsteins
Alison Clark
Lighting Unlimited
James Murphree
Renata Murphree

New ALA Lighting Associate

As of April 1, 2011

The Hite Company

Debbie Benton

2011 Membership
Campaign
Volunteers
Tony Davidson, Kichler Lighting, Chair
Richard Alan, Richard Alan &
Associates, LLC
Jay Almer, Arrow Electronics, Inc.
Chris Berumen, LC, Toshiba
Bill Branham, The Brecher Company
Neil Caraccio, Michael Carr and
Associates, Inc.

Cameron Cole, Legrand N.A.

Ryan Davidson, Davidson Sales
Lisa Dixon, Pace Lighting
Sabrina Eckert, Legrand N.A.
Shannon Ellis, CGE Sales
Steve Falk, Kichler Lighting
Jack Fleischer, Hermitage Lighting
Gallery
Nathan Frampton, Fanimation
Monty Gilbertson, Lighting Design
by Wettsteins

Kerri Grawe, Juno Lighting Group

Ron Hersh, Authenticity Lighting LLC
Skip Hulett, S.L. Hulett & Assoc.
Larry W. King, Capital Lighting
Abby Leavitt, Crown Supply
Company, Inc.
Skip Leigh, Lighting by Fox
Wendy Lofing-Rossotti, Lofings
Lighting, Inc.
Jimmy Norris, Minka Group
Jason Petersen, XOLogic Corp./

Hansen Lighting
Rene Quintana, Fine Art Lamps
Brett Robinson, Robinson Lighting
Jason Scanlon, JDA Group
Jeffrey Seigal, Wolfers Lighting, Inc.
Jeff Sessler, Designers Fountain, Inc.
Bill Solomon, American
Fluorescent Corp.
Greg Vandia, Murray Feiss Lighting
Judy Ziccardi, Lighting Innovation

www.americanlightingassoc.comwww.lightrays-digital.com

A s s o c i at i o n n e w s

Manufacturers Sales Survey Results

Released for Second Half of 2010

he American Lighting Association

recently released the results of its fifth
consecutive Manufacturers Sales Survey,
which reported on industry sales volume
for the third and fourth quarters of 2010.
This most recent survey gleaned a positive
and impressive response from the industrys largest manufacturers participating.
The only survey of its kind in
the lighting industry, the ALA
Manufacturers Sales Survey was designed
by a task force of industry manufacturers
and provides the most up-to-date data
on the lighting industrys sales volume
figures in various fixture categories. The
survey was launched by ALA in 2009 and
is produced twice a year.
One of the great needs of every
lighting fixture manufacturer is accurate
industry sales data, says ALA President/
CEO Dick Upton. The limited information that previously existed was incomplete and not recent enough to be of
value. This is why we initiated the ALA
Manufacturers Sales Survey to provide
the industrys manufacturers with indepth, timely sales data.
As a manufacturer, I find the survey
to be very valuable, says Rick Seidman,

president and CEO of Quoizel, Inc. and

chair of the Manufacturers Sales Survey
Task Force. Armed with the survey data,
I can determine the direction of market
trends, monitor industry changes and
calculate my companys market share.
My analyst has stated that the ALA
survey is the first piece of objective business intelligence weve had, Seidman
continues. It is very useful to estimate
overall market capitalization and our
market share by classification of product.
The survey has been a wonderful tool.
To ensure confidentiality, the
Statistical Operations Department of
the National Electrical Manufacturers
Association (NEMA) conducts the
survey for ALA and e-mails the results
to the participants. The final report only
lists aggregate information, and no ALA
staff or committee member ever sees any
company data.
Its quite a testament to the ALA to
have as many participants as it does on
a consistent basis, says Stacey Harrison,
director of statistical operations for
NEMA, who personally conducts the
survey on behalf of the ALA.
Although the survey is a free service

Members Use
Bright Ideas
E-Newsletter

design ideas and other timely information to consumers. It is delivered monthly to consumers on the associations
e-mail contact list and also to member
showrooms for distribution to their customer lists. In this way, showrooms can
better service their customers with design, redecorating and remodeling tips.
We have a number of clients in the
XO network that use Bright Ideas for
content on their
websites, says Jason
Petersen, president
& CEO of XOLogic
Corp./Hansen
Lighting. Its a terrific resource for them.
Those that are using
Bright Ideas are integrating with the ALA
website and thats
raising their search
engine visibility.
In fact, we just
started sending Bright Ideas to our showroom customers, and weve gotten a very
positive response, Petersen continues. I
wish we had started doing it a lot sooner
because its easy content. We dont have
to spend a lot of time writing and designing our own content. And designers,
in particular, love it.

he ALA provides members with

a free tool called Bright Ideas, a
sophisticated consumer e-newsletter
with lighting ideas and tips. Designed
for consumers,
the Bright Ideas enewsletter makes the
perfect marketing
tool for showrooms
that need content
for their monthly
e-newsletter communications to
their customers.
Dave Clark,
president of Clark
Communications
Group, says his company
uses the Bright Ideas e-mail on a regular
basis. The information-rich content
appeals to core lighting customers,
Clark says. We find that the open rate is
about the same for Bright Ideas versus a
promotional e-mail.
The Bright Ideas e-newsletter offers
interesting home lighting tips, interior

Page 12
provided to ALA manufacturer members, only participating manufacturers
receive the survey results.
ALA encourages every manufacturer to sign up and participate in the
Manufacturers Sales Survey. The survey
is easy to complete. To sign up to participate in the survey, contact Brittany Glenn
at bglenn@americanlightingassoc.com.
Thank you to the following industry manufacturers who participated in
the recently released Manufacturers
Sales Survey:
ALICO Industries, Inc.
American Brass & Crystal
American Fluorescent Corp.
American Lighting, LLC
Artcraft Lighting
Artistic Lighting and Designs
Besa Lighting
Capital Lighting
Craftmade
Crystorama Lighting
Dale Tiffany
Designers Fountain
Dolan Designs
Emerson Ceiling Fans
Excel/Galaxy Lighting
Fanimation
Generation Brands
LBL Lighting
Monte Carlo Fan Company
Murray Feiss Lighting
Royce Lighting
Sea Gull Lighting Products, LLC
Tech Lighting, LLC

GM Lighting
Golden Lighting
Hinkley/Fredrick Ramond Lighting
Holtkoetter International
Hubbardton Forge
Hubbell Lighting/Progress Lighting
Hunter Fan Company
Casablanca Fan Company
International Lighting
JESCO Lighting Group
Juno Lighting Group
Justice Design Group
Kalco
Kendal Lighting Inc.
Kenroy Home
Kichler
Lite Source Inc.
Litex
Lithonia
Maxim Lighting
Minka Group
Pacific Coast Lighting
Philips Group
Allscape
Bronzlite
Forecast
Hadco
Hanover Lantern
Lightolier
Thomas Lighting
Quoizel, Inc.
Regency Ceiling Fans
Schonbek Worldwide Lighting Inc.
The Uttermost Company
WAC Lighting
Westinghouse Lighting

Cut Your Costs on

Office Supplies
with ALA Discount

Office Depot Copy Paper

$35.99 -Retail Price
$30.99 -ALA Online Price
HP Black Toner Cartridge
$96.99 -Retail Price
$83.11 -ALA Online Price
Avery Address Labels
$33.99 -Retail Price
$17.22 -ALA Online Price
Also, you can save an average of 5
percent off non-core items.
For assistance, contact the ALAs
Office Depot account manager,
MarianneBuchanan, at Marianne.
Buchanan@officedepot.comor at
817.228.7298.

he ALA/Office Depot preferred vendor program allows ALA members

to receive discounts on office supplies and
other Office Depot services. The ALA has
negotiated deep discounts on a best buy
list of more than 200 core office supply
items ranging from paper to a wide selection of ink and toner cartridges.
Typical core product discounts include:

Pillar of the Industry Nominations

Accepted Through June 1

he ALA is accepting nominations

for the 2011 Pillar of the Industry
awards until June 1.
Up to three ALA members (manufacturers, manufacturers reps and/or
showrooms) will be recognized for their
unique and meaningful service to advance
the lighting industry and the ALAs programs and mission during the past year.

Only ALA members in good standing

are eligible. Winners will be recognized
during the ALA Annual Conference, Sept.
11-13, at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla.
Nominations may be submitted
by any person or group. To obtain a
nomination form, contact Larry Lauck
at 800-605-4448, ext. 227, or llauck@
americanlightingassoc.com.

www.americanlightingassoc.comwww.lightrays-digital.com

rep success

Page 13

Limiting
Liability as a
Manufacturers
Rep

Discover the Allure of Mariana.

n todays litigious society, manufacturers representatives are increasingly

exposed to legal liability. As a result,
manufacturers reps should take steps to
protect themselves from liability exposure.

Changing Landscape
It seems that the landscape of liability for a rep is changing, says Fred
Fennell, CLMR, a manufacturers rep
and owner of Barrie, Ontario-based
Fennell Marketing & Sales, Ltd. For
example, if a dealer comes to market
and buys some chandeliers, often reps
will offer to help install that product in
the showroom as a value-added service.
However, now liability is involved. If
something should ever happen, were on
the list to be sued because we hung the
product in the showroom.
According to Daniel E.Beederman,
Esq. a Chicago-based attorney who has
handled legal issues involving independent sales representatives for 31 years
Fennell is correct in his assessment.
Even if a sales rep is indemnified
and held harmless by a manufacturer
for products liability claims or warranty
claims, there may be a question as to
whether or not the reps actions intervened and were the causal event of the
problem, Beederman says. This could
raise a dispute as to who is to blame. Was
it the fixture or was it the advice provided or actions taken by the rep? I am
aware of reps who have been sued within
the context of products liability claims.
Beederman believes reps today are
being called on by their manufacturers
to do much more than sell. The role of
a sales rep has expanded, so not only are
they responsible for bringing a buyer and
a seller together, but oftentimes they also
are providing services that a manufacturer
used to employ people to do, he says.

Protecting Yourself
What can a manufacturers rep do to
protect himself from a landmine of legal
liability? One of the most important
steps is to purchase product liability
insurance, so youre covered in the event
that legal action is brought against you.
Make sure you have product liability
insurance, if available Beederman says.
You also want to make sure that you are
covered as an additional insured under
the terms of the manufacturers products
liability policy. Additionally, ensure

TIMELESS

designs

irresistible
style

Masterful Creations for the Home

ELEGANT

details
www.marianalighting.com 1-888-514-1292
Lightray Ad-May-June'11.indd 1

that in your rep contract it says that the

manufacturer will indemnify, defend and
hold you harmless. Also, you need to be
incorporated so youll have some insulation from personal liability. You have
exposure for personal liability if you
operate your business as a proprietorship
or as a general partnership. I recommend that sales reps remember the three
is: incorporate, insure and indemnify.

Of course, product liability insurance is

expensive, and were living in a time when
expenses are increasing daily. In Canada,
you pay about $2,000 a year for $1 million
in liability and for every million after that,
its $1,000 more, Fennell says. As the rep
continues to offer this service, his insurance rates are going to go up.
Although product liability insurance
is costly, Beederman believes it will save

Dallas

Atlanta
3/29/11 9:53:26 AM

you money in the long run should a liability issue arise. In this day and age its
difficult enough just to be a good sales
rep and to sell products, Beederman
says. Why not try to avoid issues that
could take away money as opposed to
making money? Making money is difficult enough. Having to give it back or
losing it is even worse.

www.americanlightingassoc.comwww.lightrays-digital.com

June market

Page 14

2011 June Market ALA Board/

Committee Meetings

ARTS Awards Voting Open Online

All meetings held in Suite 345 of the World Trade Center.

Thursday, June 23
7:30-8:30 AM
7:30 - 8:45 AM
9:00-10:00 AM
11:30-12:00 Noon
12:30-1:00 PM
3:00-4:00 PM
4:15-5:15/5:30 PM

Manufacturers Rep Steering Committee

Education Committee
Awards & Recognition Committee
2012 Governors Nominating
2011 Officers Nominating
Showroom Steering Committee
Manfufacturers Steering Committee Meeting

Board Room
Small Conference Room
Small Conference Room
Board Room
Board Room
Board Room
Board Room

Education Foundation Committee Board of Trustees

Public Relations Committee
Seminar
Education Foundation Nominating Committee
2011 Conference Committee
2012 Conference Committee
Certification Committee
Government Affairs
PAC
Electronic Technology Committee
Seminar
Finance Committee

Small Conference Room

Board Room
Seminar Center
Board Room
Small Conference Room
Board Room
Small Conference Room
Board Room
Board Room
Board Room
Seminar Center
Board Room

Board of Governors
Seminar

Board Room
Seminar Center

Friday, June 24
7:30 8:45 AM
7:30-8:45 AM
8:00 9:30 AM
8:45 9:15 AM
9:00 10:00 AM
10:30-11:30 AM
11:30 AM 12:30 PM
11:30 AM 12:30 PM
12:30 AM 1:15/1:30 PM
2:00-3:00 PM
4:00-5:30 PM
4:15-5:15/5:30 PM

Saturday, June 25
7:00-9:15 AM
8:00 9:30 AM

nline nominations are being accepted for the 23rd Annual ARTS
Awards through July 1.
Presented by the Accessories
Resource Team and the Dallas Market
Center, the annual recognition program
honors outstanding achievement in
retailing, manufacturing, sales representation and product design.
Award categories that may be of particular interest to ALA members include:
Manufacturer Portable Lamps
Manufacturer Outdoor Living
Manufacturer Lighting Fixtures
Product Designer of the Year
Sales Representative of the Year
Lighting Showroom Regional

International Retailer
Rising Star Award (New Business)
Academy of Achievement
Anyone in the home furnishings industry can nominate within the category
rules. Neither membership in ART nor
representation in Dallas Market Center
is necessary for nomination.
Nominations should be submitted at
www.accessoriesresourceteam.org/cms/
ARTS_awards.php.
Those receiving the most nominations will be contacted in July with
competition instructions. Winners will
be announced at a grand gala during the
January 2012 Dallas Market.

June Dallas Market Travel Discount Codes

American Airlines
Code: 6761AZ
800-433-1790 or
www.aa.com
Alamo
BY #529118 800-354-2322
Avis
AWD #B608500 800-331-1212

Budget
BCD# Z663400 800-527-0700
Hertz
CDP #089817
800-654-2200 (U.S.)
800-263-0600 (Canada)
National
Disc #5021601 800-CAR-RENT

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Seeing is believing. See Juno LED Mini-Pendants at LightFair, Schneider Electric Booth 1729.

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www.americanlightingassoc.comwww.lightrays-digital.com

june market

Page 15

ALA Offers Three

Seminars at June
Dallas Market

hree ALA seminars have been scheduled for June 24-25 at the 2011 June
Dallas Market. Classes will meet at the
ALA Seminar Center on the third floor
of the World Trade Center in Suite 345.
ALA members who attend will earn
1.5 CLC credit hours for each seminar.
Manufacturers representatives can use the
credits towards the Lighting Knowledge
Training requirements of the CLMR
designation.
The fee for each 1.5-hour course is $44
for members and $67.50 for non-members.
Contact Nici Juneau at njuneau@
americanlightingassoc.com or 800-6054448, ext. 226, for more information.
To register for courses, visit the ALA
website at www.americanlightingassoc.
com and click on Member Store.

Friday, June 24

8 a.m. 9:30 a.m.
Light Sources: What Is Available
Now, How to Use Them and Whats
to Come in the Near Future
(CLC Credit: 1.5 hours)
Instructor: Norm Brown, CLC
Sponsor: SATCOs KolourOne Brand
of LED Products

Friday, June 24

4 p.m. 5:30 p.m.
The LED Advantage Understanding the New Technology and Using It
as a Lighting Solution

hinkleylighting.com
life A G L O W

VISIT
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(CLC Credit: 1.5 hours)

Instructor: Jeffrey Dross
Sponsor: Kichler

Saturday, June 25 8 a.m. 9:30 a.m.

Tips, Tricks and Traps of Kitchen &
Bath Lighting Design
(CLC Credit: 1.5 hours)
Instructor: Al Thomas, CLC
Sponsor: ARTCRAFT

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Continued from Page 1

always bad or wrong; and capitalize on the

ever-changing needs of the customer.
President of The Schallert Group, Inc.,
Schallert teaches businesses and communities how to reinvent themselves into
consumer destinations. He speaks to audiences around the country on his 14- step
Destination Business strategy, which he developed after more than 25 years of on-site
consultations with small business owners.
At the ALA Annual Conference,
Schallert will present Driving Customer
Traffic and Sales in the New Economy,
where he will show business owners the

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most important tools to use to survive

and thrive in todays economy. Attendees
will leave with a concrete list of new tactics to pull more customers in their doors.
Additionally, attendees will learn how
to use several little-known resources that
pull in top customers for minimal dollars; how to take advantage of free online
tools that allow them to gain national
publicity; the one question that must be
answered before theyll ever beat a larger

competitor; and how to get customers

to love their business in the first seven
seconds after they enter the doors.
Two highly esteemed industry veterans Zia Eftekhar, CEO of Philips
Professional Luminaires North America,
and Rick Leaman, president/CEO of
OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc. will co-present
the featured presentation, Growth of the
Lighting Industry in North America, at the
ALA Annual Conference.

Attendees will learn about lighting

trends that drive market growth; solid
state lighting and technological shifts;
and macroeconomic factors and emerging public opinion.
Visit www.ALAConference.com
to register for the 2011 ALA Annual
Conference.

www.americanlightingassoc.comwww.lightrays-digital.com

P.O. Box 420288 Dallas, TX 75342-0288

1-800-60-light Fax: 214-698-9899
E-mail: bglenn@americanlightingassoc.com
www.americanlightingassoc.com

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