BSCAI Cleaning Convention: BSCs Will Tune up In Nashville

This spring, building service contractors from all over the world will head to “Music City USA” to “fine tune their team” at the 2006 Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI) Convention and Trade Show. This year’s event is at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, from March 24 to 28. With climate-controlled glass atriums, indoor gardens, rivers and waterfalls, Opryland is the perfect place for BSCs to get away from the office for a few days and pick up a new business tip or two.

Instead of being held over the course of three days, this year’s show floor will only be open for two, with extended evening hours on Saturday.

“BSCAI decided to vary the number of days and times for the trade show from year to year,” says John Barrett, BSCAI director and 2006 convention chairman, and also CEO for Kimco Corp., Norridge, Ill. “The trade show hours and days for 2007 may be very different from this years.”

During the new evening hours, a carnival-themed reception featuring games, food, drinks and entertainment will be held in the exhibit hall.

While it’s too early for hard numbers, Barrett does anticipate higher attendance than last year’s convention in Orlando due to Nashville’s central location.

Two big topics for BSCs to take note of this year are diversification and green, says Barrett. BSCs can learn how to branch out and offer security, land care, painting and other building maintenance services. On the green side, in addition to seminars discussing how to understand and implement green programs, Arthur Weissman, Ph.D., CEO of the Washington D.C.-based Green Seal Inc., will brief attendees on the status of the organization’s Green Cleaning Service Standard. Other highlights include:

More Educational Seminars: Saturday’s Supervision Seminar is conducted in both English and Spanish. This seminar will teach BSCs how to effectively communicate with, lead and train employees. The Bidding and Estimating Seminar begins on Sunday and spans two days. It will cover important topics such as workloading, acquiring bidding information and job costing, and includes a bidding case study. New to the show this year are two special presentations by prominent BSCs sharing their stories and successes: Don Aslett of Varsity Contractors (Saturday) and Steve Kletjian of Unicco Service Co. (Sunday).

Keynote Address: Each day of the convention will begin with a general session to inspire and educate attendees. In Saturday’s opening session, keynote speaker Howard Putnam, former CEO of Southwest Airlines, will instruct BSCs to place their people first in order to improve their bottom line. Putnam is the author of the book “The Winds of Turbulence” and will be available to sign copies.

Lessons in Motivation: Former Auburn University football coach and ABC Sports college football studio analyst Terry Bowden knows what it takes to fire up the team. He’ll share his experiences in Sunday’s general session.

Customer Viewpoints: In Monday’s general session, David W. Hewett, CCIM, CPM, RPA, CFM, FMA, chief elected officer of Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International, and alliance director for Trammell Crow Co. Global Services, Auburn Hill, Mich., will teach best practices in Change Management and Employee Empowerment.

Expert Advice: Tuesday’s general session offers answers to your questions and problems from a roundtable consisting of a who’s who in the BSC industry. Panelists include Wayne Simmonds, Ryan Hendley, Arlo Luke, Timothy Murch, Steve Southard and others.

Food and fun
After the show, convention-goers can remain at Opryland and still find plenty of delicious options for dinner with friends and colleagues.

The Old Hickory Steakhouse offers more than just signature steaks. Try the rack of lamb or the roasted quail. After dinner, sit in the Library Lounge and sample a cigar or cognac.

If in the mood for Italian, Ristorante Volare features freshly made pasta. Have a glass or share a bottle of a fine Italian wine. And don’t forget the tiramisu for dessert.

For seafood, try the Cascades Seafood Restaurant for monthly “fresh catch” entrees, grilled catfish, lobster tails or shrimp and grits. The more adventurous can head to Wasabi’s Sushi Bar for a variety of sushi rolls, nigiri sushi and sashimi.

If you’re looking for a more casual dining experience, try Findley’s Irish Pub for some fish-n-chips and a pint of Guinness. March Madness fans can stop into Rusty’s Sports Bar & Grill to check the score and grab a burger. With more than 20 televisions, you won’t miss any of the action.

For dinner and a show, book passage on the General Jackson Showboat (2812 Opryland Drive), easily accessible by hotel shuttle bus. The 300-foot-long vessel is styled in the grand tradition of the paddlewheel riverboats from the 1800s. The boat’s four decks offer a variety of dining and entertainment options while floating down the Cumberland River.

For riverboating on a smaller scale, try a Delta River Flatboat right inside Opryland. The Mississippi-style flatboats travel the indoor river through a four and a half acre garden while riders see and learn about the hotel’s Delta Island that features an 85-foot fountain and three waterfalls. During the ride you may even spot Danny, Opryland’s 80-pound catfish, swimming in the river.

If interested in visiting sites outside Opryland, be sure to check out The Hermitage (4580 Rachel’s Lane), the home of President Andrew Jackson. The plantation features the mansion of the seventh president of the United States as well as slave cabin and tomb of both the president and his wife Rachel.

To discover why Nashville is known as Music City, visit the Country Music Hall of Fame (222 Fifth Avenue South). Spanning an entire city block, the hall of fame honors legends such as Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn, and exhibits rare costumes, instruments and memorabilia, including Elvis Presley’s ’61 Cadillac.

Finally, a trip to Nashville is not complete without enjoying a concert at the Grand Ole Opry (2804 Opryland Drive). Through BSCAI, attendees can purchase tickets for Saturday night’s show along with roundtrip bus transportation.

This year’s convention has plenty to offer, so book now and start getting “in tune.”

Either click to register; call 800-368-3414 or 703-359-7090; fax 703-352-0493 or mail to BSCAI, 10201 Lee Highway, Suite 225, Fairfax, VA, 22030.