NewslineVolume V, Issue 2 - January 26, 2004The Carpet and Rug Institute news for industry executives
In This Issue: CRI Issues ConferenceCRI will hold its first annual Issues Conference on March 10 and 11, 2004, at the Evergreen Marriott Conference Center in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The Conference has typically centered around technical issues, however, this year's event will feature a combination of the CRI Technical, Communications, and Government Issues Departments. This CRI members-only conference will include breakout sessions each day between the three departments. A reception and dinner will be held on March 10 at which time Michael Colopy will be the guest speaker. Mr. Colopy, an authority on Chinese trade and government matters, addressed the attendees of the CRI Annual Conference in November 2003. His knowledge and insight is constantly sought out by business and industry leaders. The Conference promises to be an information packed event. Make your plans now to attend. For registration information, visit the CRI website. Contact Barbra Wilson at 706.428.2125. State Legislatures Back in SessionState Legislatures in 36 states start back into session this month and many of those sessions have already begun. A number of states have introduced bills relative to indoor air quality on the whole and particularly with regard to IAQ in schools. Those states include: Virginia, New Jersey, Arizona, and Illinois. Many of the bills are similar to model legislation CRI introduced at the American Legislative Exchange (ALEC) Policy Summit in December of 2002. During the 2003 legislative session several states passed similar legislation. The bills in their present form will not adversely affect the industry in any way. CRI views these proposed bills as an opportunity to work proactively in these states. Other types of legislation that have been introduced which may affect the industry relate to mold hazards in indoor environments (NJ), regulation of interior designers (WA) and The Home Improvement Practices Act (NE). Contact Jennifer Mendez at 703.875.0735. West Coast Annual Meeting PlannedThe CRI West Coast Annual Meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 13, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Irvine Marriott in Irvine, California. Lunch will be included. Topics to be discussed include:
There will also be time to open the discussion to address any areas of concern from members. We hope our west coast members will be able to make the time available on their calendars. To RSVP or for more information, please contact Joyce Schuler at 706.428.2102. CRI Cited in Consumer Magazine "Real Simple"CRI's Barbra Wilson was quoted in an article about carpet maintenance in the December 2003/January 2004 issue of "Real Simple" magazine. The "Magic Carpet Guide" provides tips on how to clean common household stains: "No matter what kind of spill (soda, salad dressing) or what kind of carpet (synthetic, seagrass), these all-purpose stain treatments will lift up whatever's underfoot." The article references the CRI website (www.carpet-rug.com) as well as the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). The magazine has a readership of 3.6 million with a median household income of $78,701 and median age of 38.9. "Real Simple" readers are described as, "affluent change-makers... balancing professional, family and community priorities, [who] also recognize the importance of taking care of themselves." "These loyal, involved women spend nearly 50 interactive minutes with each issue-clipping articles and ads, ordering products, and incorporating the featured information into their lives." Contact Barbra Wilson at 706.428.2125. Chinese Visit/ConferenceCRI has been notified by Mr. James Leonard, Chairman of the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) for the U.S. Department of Commerce, that a group of Chinese business officials will come to Washington in the next month to six weeks to continue an ongoing dialogue with the U.S. and renew discussions with regard to export safeguards now in place against them. These import limits affect knit fabric, brassieres, dressing gowns and robes as provided within China's WTO Accession Agreement. Mr. Leonard has advised that he would like to set up some sessions to meet with the group and discuss our industry's concerns and issues with them. These concerns include distribution problems, tariffs and intellectual property rights; however, there may be others as well. A conference call will be scheduled amongst a number of interested parties to discuss these issues and draft a proposed agenda for the meeting with the Chinese officials. If your company has particular issues or concerns that you wish to be expressed through this process, you are encouraged to voice that desire by contacting John Miller at 706.428.2109. CRI Political Action CommitteeThe CRI Political Action Committee (PAC) has been in existence for a number of years. During this time, it has enjoyed various levels of success. CRI has made a committment to re-energize the PAC this year, as many state and federal elections, including the race for the White House, will be contested in 2004. The Chief Executives of member companies will be contacted within the next week requesting a listing of individuals who may then be directly solicited for contributions to the PAC. Contributions can be made by check or through payroll deduction. The 2004 goal for PAC contributions is $40,000. The CRI PAC is an important tool to benefit the carpet and rug industry by identifying those candidates and current officials that are allied with the interests of our industry. Contributions to these candidates and officials are made only with the approval of the CRI PAC Contribution Committee. If you would like further information about how you and your company can help to insure the vitality of the carpet and rug industry through participation in the CRI PAC, please contact either Barbara Day or John Miller at CRI. Barbara can be reached at 706.428.2138 and John can be reached at 706.428.2109. "Mold and IAQ" Panel Discussion Features Dr. Michael BerryIndoor air quality expert Dr. Michael Berry of the University of North Carolina was the featured speaker at a panel discussion January 16 on "Mold and Indoor Air Quality." Emphasizing a common sense approach to building maintenance and the importance of a "CLEAN & DRY" environment, Dr. Berry engaged with an "extremely attentive" audience consisting of facility managers from K-12 schools, state colleges and universities, municipalities, and housing authorities. According to event sponsor and coordinator Bethany Broyer, "It was fabulous. Dr. Berry was very well received. I have had people ask when we can get him back." CRI sponsored Dr. Berry, while the overall panel discussion was sponsored by Capital Carpet & Flooring Specialists, a commercial contractor which holds a contract with the state of Massachusetts for municipal buildings. Over 100 guests were expected at the event held at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, but due to inclement weather, attendance was around 60. Contact Joan Seelaus at 706.428.2123 . CRI Seeking Member Participation on Residential CaucusIf you work in marketing/communications in the residential sector, we invite you to join CRI's Residential Caucus, which will hold its first meeting on Thursday, February 12, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Chaired by George Davies of Shaw, the mission of the caucus is: "To identify, review, prioritize, and evaluate relevant issues affecting the residential carpet marketplace; discuss and communicate residential industry consensus through the CRI at-large; and implement appropriate actions to promote the growth of residential carpet floor covering in concert with other CRI committees." The Residential Caucus will work in concert with the Commercial Caucus to develop CRI's overall marketing strategy (for both the residential and commercial sectors). We are looking for member participation! If you are interested, please contact Joan Seelaus, Director of Communications at 706.428.2123 . CRI Meetings* Commercial Caucus, February 2, 12 noon - 2 p.m., CRI Boardroom CRI Participation in Upcoming Events* Surfaces, January 28-30, Las Vegas, Nevada 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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