Some Interesting and Fun Facts You May Not Have Known About the USA's Independence Day and Our Founding Fathers

And before you go and enjoy the holiday celebration, here are some interesting and fun facts you might not have known about Independence Day and our founding fathers:

• Congress made Independence Day an official unpaid holiday for federal employees in 1870. In 1938, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday.
• Only John Hancock and Charles Thomson actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. All the others signed later.
• One out of eight signers of the Declaration of Independence were educated at Harvard (7 total).
• The only two signers of the Declaration of Independence who later served as President of the United States were John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, who were also two of the people delegated with the responsibility of drafting the Declaration of Independence.
• The stars on the original American flag were in a circle so all the Colonies would appear equal.
• The first Independence Day celebration actually took place in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776. This was also the day that the Declaration of Independence was first read in public after people were summoned by the ringing of the Liberty Bell.
• The very first 4th of July fireworks show took place in Philadelphia in 1777.
• On July 4, 1778, George Washington ordered a double ration of rum for his soldiers to celebrate the holiday.
• President John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe all died on the Fourth of July. Adams and Jefferson (both who signed the Declaration) died on the same day within hours of each other in 1826.
• Benjamin Franklin proposed the turkey as the national bird but was overruled by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, who recommended the bald eagle.
• "Yankee Doodle," a popular American patriotic song, was originally sung prior to the Revolution by British military officers in mockery of the unorganized and buckskin-wearing “Yankees.”
• Fireworks have been a major part of Fourth of July since the earliest celebrations. In 1884, miners blew up the post office in Swan, Colorado, because it wasn't supplied with fireworks.
• Barbecue is big on Independence Day. Approximately 150 million hot dogs and 700 million pounds of chicken are consumed on this day.
• Every 4th of July the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia is tapped (not actually rung) thirteen times in honor of the original thirteen colonies.
• The oldest continuous Independence Day celebration in the United States is the 4th of July Parade in Bristol, Rhode Island; it began in 1785.

Have a wonderful July 4th holiday weekend and celebrate safely!

Happy Birthday - USA!

We know it's a day early, but since so many of our readers are enjoying the start of a 4-day holiday weekend right now, we thought we should send this special and abbreviated Independence Day issue of Connections on the actual day of the holiday celebration.

Indeed, July 4 is the day we celebrate the noble experiment that has lead to the greatest democracy in the history of the world. Let's take our time machine back to Colonial America where a group of educated, successful ideologues decided that they wanted to have a larger say in how they lived, were governed and taxed. Thomas Paine's best selling Common Sense argued that an island could not rule a continent. Many colonial intellectuals believed their right to self-determination was manifest from a higher authority. And given the outcome, perhaps there is more truth to that belief than many would like to admit.

"The republican experiment launched so boldly by the revolutionary generation in America encountered entrenched opposition in the two centuries that followed, but it thoroughly vanquished the monarchial dynasties of the nineteenth century and then the totalitarian despotism of the twentieth, just as Jefferson predicted it would," wrote Joseph J. Ellis in his Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Founding Brothers. In 2018, the United States is the oldest enduring republic in the history of the world, with a set of political institutions and traditions that have stood the test of time. 

When we look back on the revolutionary era, it's hard to imagine how our founding brothers believed they could take on the most powerful military force in the world and win. How could they imagine that creating a republican form of government based on the rule of law and the principle of popular sovereignty could succeed when it had never done so previously for any sustainable period of time, or attempt to oversee a landmass as large as the 13 original colonies?

Brilliant, principled men with a dream met in Philadelphia in June and July 1776 to debate breaking ties with their motherland and declaring independence. John Adams, who was very much the COO of the American Revolution, convinced Thomas Jefferson to draft a formal statement that would justify the colonies declaring their independence. And certainly, Jefferson was up to the challenge. On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted affirmatively to become independent. Two days later, Congress formerly adopted Jefferson's Declaration.

For the past 242 years, Americans have celebrated this remarkable event. As we barbecue, enjoy the summer weather with family and friends and watch fireworks, let's take a moment to reflect on, and marvel at, the unfathomable accomplishment that resulted from our founding father's vision. We enjoy the great fortune and opportunity - despite all of our problems and political differences - to live in the greatest republic in the history of mankind. Enjoy your July 4!

Do You Want to Help Lead? 2020 Board of Directors' Applications are Now Being Accepted

Would you like to help set the strategic direction for the industry's leading trade association? Would you like to make your industry better? Would you like to expand your network and learn more about your industry? Would you like to give back to your industry and be a meaningful contributor to its future growth? If you answered "yes" to any of those questions, then consider submitting your name to serve as a Director on the 2020 DPHA Board of Directors. The Nominating Committee will be meeting in the next several weeks and we want to make sure that all Association members are aware of the opportunity to submit their names for Board consideration. If you are interested, send an email to jbabbitt@dpha.net. The deadline for submitting your application is Friday, July 12, 2019.

DPHA Members' Blog - June 28th

Each week DPHA publishes a new post to our Members' Blog. This blog is available to DPHA members only. As a DPHA member you may use this content as your own in any of your marketing efforts, including your website, emails, newsletters and more. Use images of spaces you've designed to accompany content and insert your market territory, showroom name and contact information as applicable.

Keys to Designing a More Beautiful and Functional Bath

Space is a premium in most bathrooms that we plan in (insert name of service territory), and it’s essential to have realistic expectations for how to best use the space. In smaller baths, it is often neither realistic or practical to include both a separate shower stall and a dedicated space for a tub. And some bathrooms would look crowded with a double vanity and double sinks. When thinking about a bath remodel, consider the area and how much room you and your family need to maneuver after a shower or bath in order to prepare for the day or a night on the town.

Click here to access the blog.

 

Join These 2019 Conference Sponsors and Make a Big Splash in Seattle with a Conference Sponsorship

Conference registration hasn't even started yet (we do anticipate registration beginning in the next few weeks), but we would like to thank those companies who have already signed up to be sponsors at the 2019 DPHA Annual Conference and Product Showcase (as of Friday, June 28):

• Saturday Night Banquet Sponsor - Mountain Plumbing Products
• Ice Luge Sponsors
• Hamat USA
• ICERA
• Saturday Awards Luncheon - California Faucets
• Lanyard Sponsor - Berenson & R Christensen Hardware
• Key Card Sponsor - AXOR/hansgrohe
• Saturday Morning Bloody Mary Sponsor - Julien Home Refinements
• Saturday Morning Mimosa Sponsor - Barber Wilson/Sterlingham
• Council of Fellows' Food & Wine Tour -
• Baci by Remcraft
• Barber Wilson/Sterlingham
• Salmon Fishing Tour - Amerec
• Friday Charging Station Sponsor - AD Decorative Brands
• Conference Giveaway Sponsors -
• Infinity Drain
• Keuco
• Breakfast Sponsors -
• Accurate Lock & Hardware
• Hastings Tile & Bath
• Friday Night Bar Sponsors -
• Frank Allart & Company
• Kartners Bathroom Accessories
• Lenova

Want to join this distinguished list? 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 for serving as a DPHA conference 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. These sponsorships are still available:



CONFERENCE DEALER GIVEAWAY SPONSORS ($2,000 each, 1 sponsorship is still available, and sponsor is also responsible for the cost of the giveaway item)

• Company's name and logo will appear on the giveaway item
• Specified announcement time for giveaway handout drawing traffic into your booth (2 announcement slots on Friday and one announcement slot on Saturday)
• Recognition as a giveaway sponsor in the meeting Newsleak
• Premier signage at the conference
• Ability to show PowerPoint during the conference registration along with the other conference sponsors
• Must have giveaway approved by staff prior to distribution

COFFEE BAR SPONSOR, FRIDAY ($3,000)

• Sponsorship is for all coffee set-ups on Friday during the Product Showcase, which includes company logo on the coffee sleeves
• 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 registration along with the other conference sponsors

COFFEE BAR SPONSOR, SATURDAY ($3,000)

• Sponsorship is for a deluxe coffee set-up on Saturday morning during the Product Showcase, which includes company logo on the coffee sleeves
• Recognition as the Saturday coffee bar sponsor in the meeting Newsleak
• Premier signage at the coffee service on Saturday
• Ability to show PowerPoint during the conference registration along with the other conference sponsors

SATURDAY CHARGING STATION SPONSOR ($2,000)

• Recognition as Saturday charging station sponsor at the charging booth
• Recognition as charging station sponsor in the meeting Newsleak
• Premier signage at the conference
• Ability to show PowerPoint during the conference registration along with the other conference sponsors

BREAKFAST SPONSOR ($1,500, three sponsorships still 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

SATURDAY NIGHT BAR SPONSOR ($1,500, all three sponsorships still available)

• Recognition as a bar sponsor at banquet
• Recognition as a bar sponsor in the meeting Newsleak
• Premier signage at the bar
• Ability to show PowerPoint during the conference registration along with the other conference sponsors

If you are interested in taking a conference sponsorship, email Rebekah Covay at rebekah@dpha.net or click here to download a copy of the DPHA 2019 Conference Sponsorship Opportunities Registration Form.

They're At It Again - Did You Receive This Spam Email?

Well, those mystery emailers are at it again. If you or your staff received the above email this past week ago or so, please be advised it was not sent out by DPHA. On June 17th, DPHA Staff was notified of a spam email circulating through the inboxes of our clientele (again, thanks to those who let us know since our Apple computers automatically filed it in our Spam folders and therefore we never saw it originally). Please do not engage with those sending these emails to you. "Cindy", "Emily" and any other emails from events-info.com (or other such unknown entities, for that matter) are not associated with your DPHA Staff in any way. In fact, there is no current 2019 attendee list for the annual conference yet, and once there is a list it is only distributed to those members who are exhibiting in our Product Showcase, and this is something that the Association does not (nor ever has) charged for.

The DPHA database, email accounts and contact lists have not been compromised, and again, rest assured that we do not sell your contact information to others in any form. Please contact Jim Babbitt or Rebekah Covay with any questions or concerns you might have.

Council of Fellows' Spotlight: Ken Rohl

DPHA created the Council of Fellows to recognize career accomplishments. In keeping with DPHA’s tradition of innovation and defying convention, election to DPHA’s Council of Fellows is not simply an honor. It also is a call to continue to serve our organization and industry. The Council of Fellows does not have an agenda or mandate. The Council is expected to undertake projects that it deems important and vital to the continued success of our industry. As DPHA has matured, the organization continues to look to the Council of Fellows as a strategic think tank.

This week we feature Ken Rohl ...

Ken Rohl entered the decorative plumbing and hardware industry in 1981, working for a sink manufacturer. At ISH, he encountered a number of European manufacturers breaking ground with their designs and technology. He recognized opportunity and an untapped market when he introduced the pullout kitchen faucet to the United States. Several years later, Rohl created a company that set the stage for Rohl, LLC. He carved a niche in a highly competitive arena by introducing such lines as Perrin & Rowe, Shaw sinks and the Rohl country faucet collection. Rohl has served his industry through his involvement as a director on the NKBA Board of Directors and has been honored numerous times for his contributions to the industry, including being elected to the NKBA Hall of Fame.

Remember, the 2019 Award Nominations Are Open and Run Through July 15th

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 keep changing this trend by encouraging you to submit applications and nominations to the 2019 DPHA Awards program. The deadline to submit applications and nominations is July 15 for the following honors:

• DPHA Showroom of the Year - 2018 winner was Advance Plumbing and Heating Supply in Detroit, MI
• DPHA Showroom Professional of the Year - 2018 winner was Phil Hotarek of Lutz Bath and Kitchen
• DPHA Manufacturing Professional of the Year - 2018 winner was Barbara Kratus of Infinity Drain
• DPHA Representative Agency Professional of the Year - 2018 winner was Noel Garcia Sr. of Decorative Sales Associates
• DPHA Rep Agency of the Year - 2018 winner was D'Antoni Sales Group
• DPHA Manufacturer Customer Service Department of the Year - 2018 winner was Americh Corporation
• DPHA Products of the Year (POTY) -
• Plumbing Product, Fixtures (sinks, tubs, toilets) - 2018 winner was Zitta's Materia Shower Enclosure
• Plumbing Product, Water Delivery (faucets, showerheads and valves) - 2018 winner was SIGMA's Sigma Flo
• Furniture - 2018 winner was Stone Forest's Elemental Collection
• Hardware - 2018 winner was Colonial Bronze's Empire Collection
• Accessories - 2018 winner was Infinity Drain's Compact Floor Drain Body
• Dealers' Choice Award - 2018 winner was California Faucets' Morro Bay Single-Hole Faucet

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-portal side of the web site. Just click on the "Awards Program" menu and scroll down the page to the link for the online award nominations. For those who prefer the traditional route, you can also download form-fillable PDFs of the different award nominations by clicking on the appropriate links. Or if you would simply like us to send the application forms to you and you are a member of the Association, send an email to rebekah@dpha.net with your request.

For the Product of the Year awards (POTYs), DPHA has again assembled 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. Alissa Ponchione, Assistant Editor Hospitality Design 
3. Eliot Sefrin, Editor Emeritus of KBDN 
4. Alena Capra, Alena Capra Designs
5. Molly Switzer, Molly Switzer Designs

The Awards Committee added the Dealer's Choice Award a few years ago that provides another opportunity for manufacturers and representatives to promote their products as award-worthy in front of the staffs of every DPHA dealer. The Dealer's Choice Award works as follows:

• Every product submitted for the 2019 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 2020 Conference.

Manufacturers - 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.

DPHA Members' Blog - June 21st

Each week DPHA publishes a new post to our Members' Blog. This blog is available to DPHA members only. As a DPHA member you may use this content as your own in any of your marketing efforts, including your website, emails, newsletters and more. Use images of spaces you've designed to accompany content and insert your market territory, showroom name and contact information as applicable.

A Personal Refuge Is Not Just a Dream

What if you could convert your bathroom into an in-home spa that will not only help remove toxins from your body, but would rejuvenate your skin, refresh tired muscles after a workout and help you sleep more soundly at night? Is this something that you would enjoy?   If you would like an "easy button" to take advantages of these benefits on a daily basis, then a steam shower offers you that easy button which will convert your dreams into reality.   Today’s hectic lifestyle trends (in name of service territory) make steam a more attractive option.  A steam shower creates a personal oasis in your home that provides an escape from the outside world. It is a space that you can call your own, devoid of texts and tweets, that enables you and other family members to literally wash away the stresses of the day.

Click here to access the blog.

 

A Once A Year Opportunity You Don't Want to Miss

Do you want to end your year with a bang? Want to make a lasting impact with our current and many new members? If so, DPHA is providing an opportunity for member companies to place their products in front of an elite group of experienced and market-savvy distributors that are among the best showrooms in North America. Plan to exhibit at the 2019 DPHA Annual Conference and Product Showcase, November 7-10, 2019 at the Hyatt Regency Seattle in Seattle, WA.

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 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 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 that 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 hotel 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 $199 per night plus tax.

Space is already being reserved, but you still have a chance to join these other members who will be promoting their products and services in Seattle, WA (as of Wednesday evening, June 19):

• Accurate Lock and Hardware - 412
• ACO Inc. - 311
• AMBA Products - 408
• Amerec - 204
• Americh Corporation - 400
• Baci by Remcraft - 405
• BainUltra - 311 and 313
• Barber Wilson/Sterlingham - 308
• Baril - 208
• Belwith Products - 504
• Berenson & R. Christensen - 301
• Blanco America - 304
• California Faucets - 305
• CEU Events - 402
• Danze - 101
• DDI Systems - 503
• Fairmont Designs - 501
• Franz Viegener - 604
• Hamat USA - 106
• hansgrohe/AXOR - 401
• House of Rohl - 509
• Hydro Systems - 209
• Icera - 607
• in2aqua GmbH - 410
• Infinity Drain - 505
• Jaclo Industries - 404
• Julien, Inc. - 409
• KEUCO Management - 309
• Laufen - 312
• Lenova - 201
• Mountain Plumbing Products - 205
• MrSteam - 300
• Nantucket Sinks - 313
• Nikles USA - 500
• Oceania Bath - 200
• QM Drain - 513
• SH – Showroom Design Build - 302
• ShowroomMarketing.com - 608
• ThermaSol - 508
• Unik Stone - 105
• Waterstone Faucets - 203
• Zitta - 109

Manufacturers and others interested in displaying this year at the DPHA Product Showcase should contact Rebekah Covay at 630-854-3911 or email her at rebekah@dpha.net. Remember, if you don't exhibit, you can't promote your products or services on or anywhere near the show floor.

DPHA Welcomes Hajoca to the Association

DPHA would like to welcome Hajoca Corporation to our association! Over thirty showrooms have already sent us their information, and more location registrations are coming in every day. With more than 100 showrooms in the Hajoca family, the "dealer perspective" of the Association will certainly expand and offer even more insight into industry trends

As is the usual practice, we will list all new individual member showrooms in a Connections issue shortly after the start of the third quarter 2019. In the meantime, we wanted to take a quick moment to welcome the Hajoca showrooms as a group.

And to all our new member companies, no matter who you are or what membership category you belong to - if you have any questions about the benefits that DPHA has to offer you, please feel free to contact Rebekah Covay at rebekah@dpha.net or Jim Babbitt at jbabbitt@dpha.net. After all, we love talking about our Association.

Council of Fellows' Spotlight: Faye Norton

DPHA created the Council of Fellows to recognize career accomplishments. In keeping with DPHA’s tradition of innovation and defying convention, election to DPHA’s Council of Fellows is not simply an honor. It also is a call to continue to serve our organization and industry. The Council of Fellows does not have an agenda or mandate. The Council is expected to undertake projects that it deems important and vital to the continued success of our industry. As DPHA has matured, the organization continues to look to the Council of Fellows as a strategic think tank.

This week we feature Faye Norton ...

Faye Norton has been a pioneer in the decorative plumbing and hardware industry. Designer Hardware by Faye was the destination of choice in Oklahoma City and was a decorative plumbing and hardware institution for many years. Norton has always felt the need to contribute meaningfully to her industry and advance professionalism. She, along with a number of her peers, was responsible for creating the Decorative Plumbing & Hardware Council for NKBA. Norton took on a leadership role in the Council from its inception, serving as secretary, vice chairperson and chair. She also served as chair of the membership benefits committee at NKBA.

During her tenure in leadership roles, Norton represented the needs of the industry with insight and integrity. Norton was an influential voice in the need to develop a new trade organization that would focus exclusively on decorative plumbing and hardware. She attended the first organizational meeting that lead to the creation of the Decorative Plumbing & Hardware Association and served as chair of the Education Committee for 10 years after DPHA was established. During her tenure, DPHA developed the industry’s most comprehensive training program and published the industry’s first point of purchase consumer pieces that relate the tremendous value a professional showroom provides to consumers and projects.

We Really Need Your Feedback - Are You Interested in a Salmon Fishing Trip at the 2019 DPHA Annual Conference?

Since the opening session of the 2018 annual conference in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, DPHA has been promoting the 2019 Annual Conference and Product Showcase November 7-10 at the Hyatt Regency Seattle in Seattle, WA. And as many of you are aware (especially if you fish), when you talk about the Seattle area in the fall you can't help but think about salmon fishing.

The Program & Showcase Committee, under the leadership of Richard Campbell (Belmont Hardware) and Kim Killgore (The Rain Company), are exploring the possibility of organizing a salmon fishing trip for interested members who will be attending the 2019 annual conference. We would like to get your feedback as soon as possible. If there is sufficient interest, we will schedule the event for Wednesday morning (November 6th) prior to the start of the Conference. The cost to participate would be $150 per person, limited to a maximum of 18 participants (6 anglers per boat, with a maximum of 3 boats). And our sincere thanks to the folks at Amerec, who is sponsoring the event and helping us keep the costs reasonable.

If you are interested in fishing at the 2019 Seattle conference, please email Rebekah Covay at rebekah@dpha.net, letting her know of your interest. Although your answers are non-binding, please do not express your interest unless you are 90% certain that you want to take part in the fishing trip.To finalize arrangements, DPHA will have to make a financial commitment.

Additionally, if you missed the announcement about the hotel and the room reservation link that we posted on our website at the beginning of the year, as well as mentioned in past issues of Connections, here is the information. 

Recently opened in late 2018, the hotel is located in the heart of downtown Seattle, within a mile of the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, Pike Place Market and so much more. DPHA members will enjoy a $199 per night (plus tax) rate during the DPHA Conference. Reservations may be secured by clicking here before October 6th.

DPHA Members' Blog - June 14th

Each week DPHA publishes a new post to our Members' Blog. This blog is available to DPHA members only. As a DPHA member you may use this content as your own in any of your marketing efforts, including your website, emails, newsletters and more. Use images of spaces you've designed to accompany content and insert your market territory, showroom name and contact information as applicable.

Why Renovate?

The ability to convert dreams into reality is the number one reason to undertake a renovation project, found a recent survey of more than 142,000 homeowners conducted by Houzz.com. Nearly half of the survey respondents undertook a renovation project in 2018.  

The reasons for all types of renovation projects parallel the reasons our clients (in name of service territory) decide to renovate their homes.  The other major reasons for renovating in 2018 (and likely in 2019) include:

Click here to access the blog.

 

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

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.

We know that with so much going on in everyone's lives right now many people forget DPHA has a way to help the children or grandchildren of a member with the cost of college or university. But now that graduations are over and before the summer gets going "full speed ahead" and your attention may be diverted, remember that DPHA's Council of Fellows is currently accepting applications for its 2019 Council of Fellows' Memorial Scholarship Honoring Fred Silverstein. Applications must be received by July 31st, 2019. Click here to download the application.

Application Requirements: 

• Applicant must be a citizen of a North American country.
• Applicant must be the child or grandchild of anyone who works at a DPHA member firm.
• Applicant must be a high school graduate currently enrolled in a college, university or accredited trade school.
• Applications must be accompanied by a high school transcript, and if in college or trade school, a college or trade school transcript as well.
• Applicant must submit a double-spaced typed essay on "Why I Should Be Considered for the DPHA Scholarship." This essay should not exceed 1,200 words.
• Applications must also include the applicant's photo, which will be used for promotional purposes only after the winners have been decided.
• 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, 2019.

Selection Criteria:

• Applicant must fulfill all application requirements and complete the DPHA 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 other questions about the application process, feel free to contact Jim Babbitt at 224-999-0434 or via email at jbabbitt@dpha.net.

For Our Many New Members or In Case You Missed It Earlier, Here's a New Member Benefit: Your Chance for a First Page Appearance on Internet Searches

In case you missed our earlier announcements or are just new to our association and/or newsletter, or even if you didn't, it bears repeating - DPHA has created a new member benefit that enables your showroom to show up on the first page of Google searches in your market territory without having to pay for ad words or other costs.

Introducing the Blog-for-Our-Members program where we produce blog content weekly that DPHA members can use as their own, because each blog is easily customizable to include your showroom’s name, address and service territory. Service territory is important because all search is local. We offer this new member benefit because we know that many of our members don't have the time to create a consistently issued blog. We do the work and all you need to do is post the blog on your website.  

 

Why blog?

1. Blogging boosts search engine optimization. Google loves fresh content and there is no better way to generate frequent content than from blog posts. That's how blogging helps your showroom or company show up on the first page of local market Google searches without having to pay for ad words.
2. Nearly 80 percent of people identify themselves as blog readers.
3. Companies that blog generate 67 percent more leads than those that do not, 424 percent more indexed pages and 97 percent more indexed leads, which is why blogging helps improve SEO and ranking.
4. Blogging develops and enhances relationships with potential and existing customers.  
5. Blogging creates connections with web site visitors, because the blogs we will offer answer questions that customers ask most often.
6. Blogging makes you an expert. It helps to build trust and clout within your clientele and market.
7. Blogging connects people to the company's brand and reflects a personal side of the business.
8. Blogging creates opportunities for sharing. Every blog post can be shared by your audience with others. 

How Does the DPHA Blog Program Work?

 

Each week, we will post a blog on the members’ portal side of www.dpha.net along with an image. You can simply copy and paste. Each blog is designed to be customized to include the market territory that you cover, your showroom’s name, address and phone number, and each blog includes at least one call to action. You are encouraged to use your own images in your blog but may use our supplied image if you would prefer. 

 

How Much Time Will It Take You Each Week to Blog?

 

Logging on to the DPHA web site, accessing the content, downloading, inserting your market territory, address and phone number and posting to your blog site should take less than six minutes a week.

 

How Much Does It Cost?

 

$0.00 if you are a DPHA member. If not, you can’t afford this. 

 

Additional Reasons to Take Advantage of this Free Benefit

 

This is a great chance for DPHA members to not only quit complaining about the Internet, but also to use it to their advantage. We know that almost every bath remodel begins on Google. Now, here is your opportunity to appear on the first page of Google searches and convert more online visitors into showroom customers. 

 

How Do You Start?

 

Because you want to control the content that you use, we recommend that you host your own blog on your website because it allows you to name the blog what you want to name it and own the content.  If a third-party hosts the blog, that entity owns the content. Not a good situation.

Contact your web master to create a blog page on your web site if you don’t already have one. A real easy button is to install Word Press, the world’s largest blog platform, on your web site.  You can do this yourself or ask your web page or marketing consultant to do this for you. Word Press has thousands of templates, offers great support and it will load insanely fast.  Your content can be shared, commented upon and Word Press is free.   

If you have a mailing list of clients and prospects, you can invite them to subscribe to your blog.  If you need assistance, contact Tom Cohn in the DPHA office at tcohn@dpha.net or call him at 301-657-3065.

Council of Fellows' Spotlight: Jeff Burton

As we move into the summer, we thought this might be a good time to briefly remind our readers about the members of DPHA's Council of Fellows.

DPHA created the Council of Fellows to recognize career accomplishments. In keeping with DPHA’s tradition of innovation and defying convention, election to DPHA’s Council of Fellows is not simply an honor. It also is a call to continue to serve our organization and industry. The Council of Fellows does not have an agenda or mandate. The Council is expected to undertake projects that it deems important and vital to the continued success of our industry. As DPHA has matured, the organization continues to look to the Council of Fellows as a strategic think tank.

This week we feature Jeff Burton ...

Jeff Burton built the Bath and Beyond in San Francisco into one of the premier showrooms in the United States. Winner of numerous industry honors, including the DPHA Showroom of the Year, the Bath & Beyond has continually been recognized as one of the most visually dazzling showrooms in the nation.

However, Jeff Burton has been more than a savvy, astute and successful businessperson. He is a true professional. Burton became the first representative of the decorative plumbing and hardware industry to serve as President of the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). He then continued to give back to his profession by serving as the first DPHA President. He provided the organization with instant credibility and laid the foundation for DPHA to become the nation's largest decorative plumbing and hardware organization within 18 months of its formation. He also served as president of the Forte Buying Group.