There are 3 New Sponsorships Available for the 2017 DPHA Annual Conference and Product Showcase

The Program & Showcase Committee, under the leadership of Richard Campbell (Belmont Hardware) and Ryan Paul (GRAFF), announced three new sponsorship opportunities for the 2017 Annual Conference and Product Showcase:

COFFEE BAR SPONSOR, FRIDAY ($1,500)

• Sponsorship is for all coffee set-ups on Friday during the Product Showcase
• Recognition as the Friday coffee bar sponsor in the meeting Newsleak 
• Premier signage at the coffee service on Friday 
• Ability to show PowerPoint during the conference sign-ups along with the other conference sponsors

COFFEE BAR SPONSOR, SATURDAY ($1,500)

• Sponsorship is for a fancier coffee set-up on Saturday morning during the Product Showcase
• Recognition as Saturday coffee bar sponsor in the meeting Newsleak 
• Premier signage at the event 
• Ability to show PowerPoint during the conference sign-ups along with the other conference sponsors

SMOOTHIE BAR SPONSOR ($1,250)

• Sponsorship is for a Smoothie Bar set-up on Friday afternoon during the Product Showcase
• Recognition as Friday Smoothie Bar sponsor in the meeting Newsleak
• Premier signage at the event 
• Ability to show PowerPoint during the conference sign-ups along with the other conference sponsors

For a full list of conference sponsorship opportunities, click here, or contact Jim Babbitt at 224-999-0434 or via email at jbabbitt@dpha.net for more information.

DPHA Offers a New Partner Program with CEU Events

DPHA announced a new program with CEU Events that will offer all members discounted rates to their Continued Education platform subscription. CEU Events is an online platform for Continued Education providers that facilitates the management of existing CEU courses approved by IDCEC (ASID, IIDA, IDC, AIA and HSW). For more information, go to the members-only side of the DPHA web site and follow the path "Member Benefits > CEU Events" or click here if you already have your member login information.  You may also contact Jim Babbitt at 224-999-0434 or via email at jbabbitt@dpha.net for more information.

 

If You Are Going to the ICFF Show in New York City, Make Sure Your Tour Includes DPHA Members

If you are going to the ICFF Show next week, May 21-24, 2017 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York, NY, please make sure that your tour includes the following DPHA members:

• Artelinea USA - #1235
• Bagues Paris - #1653
• Brizo - #409
• Colonial Bronze - #2271
• Dornbracht Americas - #2171
• Duravit USA - #1439
• Franke Kitchen Systems - #2063
• Franz Viegener - #1129
• Gessi North America - #2033
• GRAFF - #309
• Hamilton Sinkler - #2352
• Hastings Tile & Bath - #2563
• Infinity Drain - #1967
• JACLO Industries - #1056
• Julien Inc. - #1346
• Keuco Management - #2353
• Lacava - #1957
• Lefroy Brooks - #819
• Neo Metro - #1374
• Oceania Baths - #1057
• OMNIA Industries - #1046
• ROHL - #1863
• Samuel Heath & Sons - #1847
• SLIK Portfolio - #663
• Stone Forest - #567
• Sun Valley Bronze - #457
• The Furniture Guild - #1063
• The Galley - #471
• THG Paris - #2011
• TOTO - #1741
• Turnstyle Designs - #215
• Victoria + Albert Baths - #1557
• WETSTYLE - #357

The 2017 DPHA Award Nominations Are Now Open!

Everyone wants to be appreciated and recognized for their contributions, but few of us take the time to say thank you to our exceptional peers for what they do for our companies, our organization and our industry. We want to change this trend by encouraging you to submit applications and nominations to the 2017 DPHA Awards program. The award season officially opens today and runs through July 15. You can now submit nominations for the following honors:

• DPHA Showroom of the Year - 2016 winner was Pierce Hardware in Dallas, TX
• DPHA Showroom Professional of the Year - 2016 winner was Kymberly Weiner of Best Plumbing Tile & Stone
• DPHA Manufacturing Professional of the Year - 2016 winner was Cary Hergenrother of LIXIL Brands
• DPHA Representative Agency Professional of the Year - 2016 winner was John Matlack of Level 5 Sales & Marketing
• DPHA Rep Agency of the Year - 2016 winner was Associated Sales
• DPHA Manufacturer Customer Service Department of the Year - 2016 Winner was Infinity Drain
• DPHA Products of the Year (POTY) -
• Plumbing Product, Fixtures (sinks, tubs, toilets) - 2016 winner was the Alape 2step Sink
• Plumbing Product, Water Delivery (faucets, showerheads and valves) - 2016 winner was Axor's ShowerSelect SoftCube Thermostatic Trim
• Furniture - 2016 winner was The Galley Dresser
• Hardware - 2016 winner was Hamilton Sinkler's DP140Z Triangular Door Pull
• Accessories - 2016 winner was Mr. Steam's Linear Steamhead

Now is your chance to recognize peers for their outstanding contributions to the industry and association by clicking on www.dpha.net and logging into the members-only side of the web site. There you will find a link which takes you to an online nomination form that enables you to submit nominations.  There is also a second link that will allow you to download award nominations forms in a .pdf-fillable format.  

  

For the Product of the Year awards (POTYs), DPHA has also confirmed an independent panel of distinguished industry editors, designers and professionals for judging the five different products of the year. Those judges are:

1. Mary Jo Peterson, Mary Jo Peterson Design
2. Stacy Shoemaker, Editor Hospitality Design 
3. Eliot Sefrin, Editor Emeritus of KBDN 
4. Lindsay Crozier, Architect at Made LLC 
5. Nicole Wieland, Builder/Designer at Charleston Building & Development

And don't forget that last year the Awards Committee added the Dealer's Choice Award, an award that provides another opportunity to promote your products as award-worthy in front of the staffs of every DPHA dealer. In case you had forgotten, the Dealers' Choice award works as follows:

• Every product submitted for the 2017 Product of the Year (POTYs) will be eligible to win the Dealer's Choice Award.
• Voting will take place immediately following the annual conference and will be open for approximately six weeks. 
• All dealer showroom staff members who have a DPHA login will be eligible to vote. One vote per person. 
• The winner will be announced during the opening session of the 2018 Conference.

Manufacturers take note: When was the last time you were handed a golden opportunity to have your new products analyzed and critiqued by leading journalists of publications that are read and respected by your clients and prospects? DPHA is providing you this opportunity. Be sure to take advantage of it.

If You Are Going to the KBC China Show in Shanghai, China, Make Sure Your Tour Includes DPHA Members

If you are going to the KBC (Kitchen & Bath China) Show, May 31-June 3, 2017 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center in Shanghai, China, please make sure that your tour includes the following DPHA members:

• Axent Incorporated - Hall W2, D15
• Duravit - Hall W1, D15
• Grohe - Hall E2, A10
• Hansgrohe - Hall W1, D01
• Laufen - Hall W1, C15
• TOTO - Hall E1, B03

The 2017 Product Showcase Registration is Underway and Already Has Limited Availability

Do you want to end your year with a bang? If so, DPHA is providing a limited opportunity for member companies to place their products in front of an elite group of experienced and market-savvy distributors that run the best showrooms in North America. Plan to exhibit at the 2017 DPHA Annual Conference and Product Showcase, October 12-14, 2017 at the Sheraton Grand at the Wild Horse Pass Resort in Chandler, AZ. 

This year's Showcase will once again be a must-see event! DPHA will conduct a multifaceted marketing campaign targeting hundreds of dealer showrooms throughout North America. This effort will provide multiple reasons for dealers to attend. We will partner with you and every one of the Showcase exhibitors to promote new products, existing products and current best-selling products through Connections and creative eblasts.

We will work with each exhibitor to identify dealers that would benefit from attending the Conference and will reach out to help encourage them to attend. DPHA will create an easy button that Showcase exhibitors can use to promote their participation at the Conference by providing compelling content you can issue to your customers and prospects that explain the benefits dealers will receive from attending the Conference.

The venue offers another incentive for DPHA members to attend. We again will be located at a first-class resort with all of the amenities, services and luxury experiences that you expect from an award-winning property with one exception - the price. We've negotiated an unbelievable room rate of $179 per night plus tax.

Space is now limited. Manufacturers and others interested in displaying this year at the DPHA Product Showcase should contact Executive Director Jim Babbitt at 224-999-0434 or email Jim at jbabbitt@dpha.net. Do so now, because given the initial response we've received for booth space, we expect a complete sell out in the next several weeks. And if you don't exhibit, you can't promote your products or services on or anywhere near the show floor.

Let DPHA Help Pay for Your Child's or Grandchild's College Education

We know that with so much going on in everyone's lives right now that many people forget our association has a way to help the children or grandchildren of a DPHA member with the cost of college.  Before the summer gets here and your attention may be diverted, remember DPHA's Council of Fellows is currently accepting applications for its 2017 Scholarship Fund.  Applications must be received by July 31st, 2017.

The DPHA Council of Fellows established its Memorial Scholarship in 2008 with two primary goals. The first was to honor the memory of an industry leader and the second was to provide grants to the children and grandchildren of any employee working at a DPHA dealer, manufacturer, representative agency or professional organization.

Download the application.

Application Requirements:

• Applicant must be a U.S. citizen.
• Applicant must be the child or grandchild of a DPHA member employee.
• Applicant must be a high school graduate currently enrolled in a college or university.
• Applications must be accompanied by a high school transcript, and if in college, a college transcript.
• Applicant must submit a double-spaced typed essay addressing the topic, "Why I Should Be Considered for the DPHA Memorial Scholarship." This essay should not exceed 1,200 words.
• To be considered for the award during a given year, applications must be received at the DPHA office by the close of business July 31, 2017.

Selection Criteria: 

• Applicant must fulfill all application requirements and complete the DPHA Memorial Scholarship Application Form.
• Essays will be judged on content, writing skills and adherence to accepted grammatical standards.
• Applicants must be well-rounded students, involved in extracurricular and civic activities and sports.
• The DPHA Council of Fellows reserves the right to interview Scholarship finalists prior to selecting a recipient.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Jim Babbitt via email at jbabbitt@dpha.net or phone at 224-999-0434 (if you get his voice mail, please leave a message).  Having sent his own four children to college, Jim certainly can "feel your pain".

An Easy Way to Recognize Rising Stars

We want to remind DPHA members of the announcement we made in March and April - the DPHA 17-on-17 Program recognizes up-and-coming influencers in the decorative plumbing and hardware business. This program will focus on profiling 17 individuals with 10 or less years of experience among all our membership base of dealers, manufacturers and independent sales agents. Each month from May through October 2017, two or three members will be inducted into the 17-in-17 club, and their stories will be featured in DPHA's weekly newsletter, Connections. To submit your nominations, click here to download the nomination form, complete it and send your nomination to Jim Babbitt via email at jbabbitt@dpha.net or fax at 866-623-6180.  It takes only a few minutes to complete a nomination form, but isn't that time well spent for recognizing someone who is making an impact on your business and/or our industry? 

2017 Conference Sponsors

Saturday Night Banquet

Saturday Awards Luncheon Sponsors

Key Card Sponsor

Lanyard Sponsor

Coffee Bar Sponsor, Friday

Coffee Bar Sponsors, Saturday

Smoothie Bar

Bar Sponsors - Friday Night

Bar Sponsors - Saturday Night

 

Breakfast Sponsors -

Stand Up and Be Recognized, April 2017 Recognition Program Graduates!

DPHA is pleased to honor the April 2017 graduating class of DPH professionals who have successfully passed all of the new

Recognition Program examinations. They are:

Bath & Kitchen Category:

• Patti Finney, Best Plumbing Tile & Stone
• Rachael Hyatt, Simon's Supply
• Harlin Robeson, Santa Fe by Design
• Noelle Rogovin, The Plumbing Place
• Susan Sidney, Simon's Supply
• Filomena Silva, Simon's Supply

Hardware Category:

• Rachael Hyatt, Simon's Supply
• Paul Martin, Simon's Supply
• Harlin Robeson, Santa Fe by Design
• Susan Sidney, Simon/s Supply
• Filomena Silva, Simon's Supply
• Aimee Welch, ProSource
   

General Knowledge Category:

• Rachael Hyatt, Simon's Supply
• Harlin Robeson, Santa Fe by Design
• Noelle Rogovin, The Plumbing Place
• Susan Sidney, Simon's Supply
• Filomena Silva, Simon's Supply

Special Acknowledgement to those who have completed all THREE

categories - Bath & Kitchen, Hardware and General Knowledge:

• Rachael Hyatt, Simon's Supply
• Harlin Robeson, Santa Fe by Design
• Susan Sidney, Simon's Supply
• Filomena Silva, Simon's Supply
• Aimee Welch, ProSource 

 
And for those folks who are current participants in the Recognition Program but who initially signed up for the testing program prior to January 1, 2017, don't forget that, as we announced in earlier issues of Connections, you will need to successfully complete the following four revised tests before being eligible to receive your 2017 category completion certificates:

1. Lavatory Faucets (Bath & Kitchen Category)
2. Kitchen Faucets (Bath & Kitchen category)
3. Locks and Latches (Hardware category)
4. Care and Maintenance (General Knowledge category)

The DPHA Recognition Program recognizes DPH showroom professionals for their product knowledge and sales expertise. The program is available only to DPHA members. The series of exams are based on information contained in the DPHA Education Program manuals, and each exam relates to an individual product category (e.g. lavatory faucets, tubs, cabinet hardware, etc.). To be recognized in each category, participants must answer 100% of the questions correctly. DPHA will electronically issue certificates to those participants who successfully pass all of the bath and kitchen, hardware and/or general knowledge programs. 

Additionally, the Education Committee, under the leadership of Fred Felder (Simon's Supply) and Traci D'Antoni (D'Antoni Sales Group), along with the Recognition Program Subcommittee headed by Jerry Williams (WMS Decorative Resource), is excited to announce a new benefit for the Recognition Program participants - anyone who successfully completes all 22 testing modules in 2017 will receive a desk name plate announcing their accomplishment. 

For more information on the DPHA Recognition Program, visit the member's side of  www.dpha.net or email Jim Babbitt at jbabbitt@dpha.net.

Make a Splash at the 2017 DPHA Annual Conference and Product Showcase

DPHA offers a menu of conference sponsorship opportunities available to showrooms, manufacturers and representatives. Each level of sponsorship provides different marketing benefits. However, the most significant benefit that you receive when electing to serve as a DPHA corporate sponsor is the statement you make to the industry. Your sponsorship tells the industry that you believe in DPHA's mission and programs. You are not only talking the talk, you are walking the walk to enhance professionalism and improve quality in the decorative plumbing and hardware industry.

2017 CONFERENCE SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

SATURDAY NIGHT BANQUET SPONSOR ($4,250) 

• Recognition as banquet sponsor at the banquet
• Recognition as banquet sponsor in the meeting Newsleak
• Premier signage at the banquet
• Ability to show PowerPoint during the banquet
• Free quarter-page ad in the Conference Newsleak

FRIDAY NIGHT RECEPTION SPONSOR ($3,750)

• Recognition as reception sponsor at the reception
• Recognition as reception sponsor in the meeting Newsleak
• Premier signage at the reception
• Ability to show PowerPoint during the reception

SATURDAY LUNCH SPONSOR ($4,250)

• Recognition as luncheon sponsor at the luncheon
• Exclusive opportunity to show products on PowerPoint played during the lunch
• Recognition as luncheon sponsor in the meeting Newsleak
• Premier signage at the lunch
• Ability to show PowerPoint prior to lunch

KEY CARD SPONSOR ($3,000)

• Company's name and logo will appear on the room keycards that are given to members when they check into the hotel
• Recognition as the key card sponsor in the meeting Newsleak
• Premier signage at the conference
• Signage at the exhibitor's booth in the Product Showcase
• Ability to show PowerPoint during the conference sign-ups along with the other conference sponsors

FRIDAY LUNCH SPONSOR ($2,750)

• Recognition as luncheon sponsor at the luncheon
• Exclusive opportunity to show products on PowerPoint played during the lunch
• Recognition as luncheon sponsor in the meeting Newsleak
• Premier signage at the lunch
• Ability to show PowerPoint prior to lunch

WINE SPONSOR ($2,500)

• Company's name and logo will appear on the wine label that is affixed to the wine bottles during the Friday night reception and the Saturday night banquet
• Recognition as the wine sponsor in the meeting Newsleak
• Premier signage at the bar
• Signage at the exhibitor's booth in the Product Showcase
• Ability to show PowerPoint during the conference sign-ups along with the other conference sponsors

GOLF OUTING SPONSOR ($2,500)

• Recognition as golf outing sponsor at the bar following the Wednesday outing
• Recognition as golf outing sponsor in the meeting Newsleak
• Premier signage at the event
• Ability to show PowerPoint during the conference sign-ups along with the other conference sponsors

LANYARD SPONSOR (Taken in 2017 by LPG Buying Group)

• Your company logo/name placed on the name badge lanyard given to attendees
• Recognition as lanyard sponsor in the meeting Newsleak
• Premier signage at the conference

BREAKFAST SPONSOR ($1,100 - five sponsorships available)

• Recognition as breakfast sponsor at breakfast
• Exclusive opportunity to show products on PowerPoint played during the breakfast
• Recognition as banquet sponsor in the meeting Newsleak
• Premier signage at the breakfast
• Ability to show PowerPoint during breakfast

BAR SPONSOR ($1,100) (2 available for Friday night; 3 available for Saturday night)

• Recognition as a bar sponsor at banquet
• Recognition as a bar sponsor in the meeting Newsleak
• Premier signage at the bar

If you are interested in taking a Conference Sponsorship, email Jim Babbitt
at jbabbitt@dpha.net.

If You Are Going to the ICFF Show in New York City, Make Sure Your Tour Includes DPHA Members

If you are going to the ICFF Show, May 21-24, 2017 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York, NY, please make sure that your tour includes the following DPHA members:

• Artelinea USA - #1235
• Bagues Paris - #1653
• Brizo - #409
• Colonial Bronze - #2271
• Dornbracht Americas - #2171
• Duravit USA - #1439
• Franke Kitchen Systems - #2063
• Franz Viegener - #1129
• Gessi North America - #2033
• GRAFF - #309
• Hamilton Sinkler - #2352
• Hastings Tile & Bath - #2563
• Infinity Drain - #1967
• JACLO Industries - #1056
• Julien Inc. - #1346
• Keuco Management - #2353
• Lacava - #1957
• Lefroy Brooks - #819
• Neo Metro - #1374
• Oceania Baths - #1057
• OMNIA Industries - #1046
• ROHL - #1863
• Samuel Heath & Sons - #1847
• SLIK Portfolio - #663
• Stone Forest - #567
• Sun Valley Bronze - #457
• The Furniture Guild - #1063
• The Galley - #471
• THG Paris - #2011
• TOTO - #1741
• Turnstyle Designs - #215
• Victoria + Albert Baths - #1557
• WETSTYLE - #357