NewslineVolume IV, Issue 21 - October 31, 2003The Carpet and Rug Institute news for industry executives
Special Edition - CRI Annual ConferenceThis Special Edition of Newsline is devoted to the CRI Annual Conference which took place on October 24, 2003. The items included are intended to give you a summary of the topics and speaker remarks presented during the conference. More than 150 were in attendance at the conference. We appreciate those who attended and invite those who could not be present this year to please try to attend next year. We also welcome your comments and suggestions on how to improve on next year's conference. In This Issue: New Board Structure ApprovedThe CRI Board of Directors, at its meeting on October 24, 2003, approved revisions
to the By Laws which create a new fourteen-member Board structure: For additional information, please contact Werner Braun at 706.428.2100. New CRI Board of Directors Elected At the CRI Annual Conference, the following individuals were elected to serve
on the CRI Board of Directors for 2004: For additional information, please contact Werner Braun at 706.428.2100. Board of Directors Approve 2004 BudgetThe annual budget process of vetting expenditures with issue committees, the budget committee and the Executive Committee, culminated with the presentation of the budget to the Board of Directors at the CRI Annual Conference. Some highlights of this year's budget are an increased focus on the cleaning and maintenance issue, a reduced focus on the mold issue, and a continuation of the importance of sustainability. Almost all of the budget remained flat with the exception of the Market Issues Committee which will receive approximately a 10% increase to focus on getting our messages out. As with any budget, there are things CRI and its members would like to do but resources are not available to do everything every year. This year we will continue our focus on improving communications with key audiences and try to expand to others. Contact Frank Hurd at 706.428.2136. Dan Frierson of The Dixie Group Receives Joseph J. Smrekar Memorial Award
Mr. Frierson has worked tirelessly for the carpet industry - in his own company, as well as the time he has devoted to CRI. He has also given very generously of his employees' time to work on numerous CRI committees. He has given even more generously of his own time. For a number of years he has served, tirelessly, on CRI's Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Budget Committee, and in several other capacities. Congratulations on receiving this prestigious award, Mr. Frierson! CRI President Discusses U.S. Carpet Market
Contact James Beach at 706.428.2116. Featured Speaker Senator Saxby Chambliss Discusses Immigration Sen. Chambliss also touched on how the carpet industry must continue to keep tabs on China as it becomes a more dominent player in the carpet and rug industry. He pointed to the textile industry experience and cautioned that China was becoming very aggressive as it expands its role in the global capitalist marketplace. Contact James Beach at 706.428.2116. Trade Expert Casts Light on China
Mr. Colopy described China as the number one magnet of foreign capital in the world having captured that distinction from the United States. He portrayed the country as a "gambler's choice." Specific needs in business transactions may be indeed met, however, when taken as a whole, a business venture into China is still a game of roulette. The country is saddled with the world's greatest amount of bad debt, its environmental stewardship is practically non-existent, its number of unemployed is greater than the entire population of the United States, and organized crime continues to be a major internal problem. While typical due diligence would uncover these and other shortcomings, they are often ignored by countries and companies eager to invest their capital in China. In the coming years, China will impose many non-tariff barriers to trade, however, companies wishing to do business in China must expect these barriers and learn to deal with them. In anything to do with China, in every facet of its economy, society or environment, companies must amplify the results by the sheer numbers of people and enormity of the country. Napoleon described China as a "Giant, but it sleeps. When the Giant awakes, the earth will tremble." Based on Mr. Colopy's remarks, the Giant is beginning to stir. Contact John Miller at 706.428.2109. Consumer Health Expert Suggests Changing the Paradigm on Carpet and Health Contact Joan Seelaus at 706.428.2123. Former EPA Administrator Addresses Annual Conference Contact Frank Hurd at 706.428.2136. CRI Meetings* Commercial Caucus, November 3, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m., CRI Boardroom CRI Participation in Upcoming Events* Association of School Business Officials, October 31-November 4, Charlotte,
North Carolina If you are aware of other events that present significant opportunities to deliver our messages to our critical audiences, please contact Louise Dobbs at 706.428.2104. Check our website calendar for other industry related events |
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This year the Joseph J. Smrekar Memorial Award was presented to the Chairman
of the Board of The Dixie Group, Dan Frierson. The Joseph J. Smrekar Memorial
Award was established by Milliken & Company to honor the late Dr. Joe Smrekar
who, through Milliken's generosity, served on numerous CRI committees. Dr. Joe
set "the standard" for service to CRI and the carpet industry. Though
the award was established by Milliken, CRI staff members have had the honor
of choosing the recipient each year.
Werner
Braun, CRI President, reviewed recent developments in the U.S. carpet market,
detailing CRI's message of "Carpet for a Better Environment" and the
way in which the organization was attacking the barriers to profitability and
growth. On the environmental front, Mr. Braun detailed where the industry was
in 1990 and the significant amount of progress the industry has made in energy,
water, Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPS), waste, Carbon Dioxide reductions as
well as the recycling effort. He also discussed the new Seal of Approval program,
including the new cleaning chemical testing program and the new extraction cleaner
testing program. Mr. Braun also went into great detail about CRI's emergence
as a true business, discussing market surveys and a marketing plan to address
ways to get the CRI message out to the key flooring decision-makers. The plan
as outlined by Mr. Braun includes setting measurable goals, re-surveying critical
audiences and adjusting the market plan as needed.
US
Senator Saxby Chambliss of Georgia discussed Immigration Reform as the main
topic of his presentation at the Annual Conference. Sen. Chambliss described
the current situation of "winking and nodding" at illegal immigrants
in the country as a thing of the past, but said the government should not grant
blanket amnesty to illegal immigrants. Sen. Chambliss, who serves as Chairman
of the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Border Security, Immigration and Citizenship,
said that Congress must come up with a solution to the problem or it will continue
to get bigger and bigger. Currently, he stated, there are 8.7 million illegal
aliens in the country and that reform should allow illegal immigrants working
in the United States the opportunity to continue working as long as they are
not taking jobs away from American workers.
Michael
Colopy, the President and co-founder of International Commerce Consultants Incorporated
and an authoritative figure on China trade policy, discussed current issues
and perceptions related to business practices in that Asian country.
Dr.
Holly Atkinson, Assistant Professor of Public Health at Cornell's Weill Medical
College, Chair of the iVillage Health Initiatives and editor of the consumer
newsletter HealthNews, discussed carpet from a physician's perspective. Highlighting
the significance of allergies and asthma as a public health issue, she reviewed
the medical literature relevant to carpet, as well as the prominent debates
among medical experts. Given the lack of consensus among leaders in the field
and the gaps in research, Dr. Atkinson emphasized that media sensation has clouded
the debate. She concluded a very informative presentation with suggestions about
how CRI can approach future research, engage with thoughts leaders in the field,
promote evidence-based medicine, and take a leadership role in changing the
paradigm on carpet and health.
Carol
Browner, former administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, closed
the CRI Annual Conference with a very insightful presentation on how working
toward sustainability is not only good for the environment but it is also good
for the bottom line. Ms. Browner, who had the longest tenure for any EPA Administrator,
is now a senior fellow at the Aspen Institute's Program on Energy, the Environment,
and the Economy, where she serves as co-chair for a multi-stakeholder project
on sprawl and urban growth. CRI was indeed fortunate to have a person of Ms.
Browner's stature share her wealth of experience on sustainability.