Southern hospitality suited many ISSA/INTERCLEAN®-goers this year — thousands flocked to New Orleans for the largest trade show in the cleaning and maintenance industry. More than 14,200 attendees visited the show floor over the three days, November 17-19. The number of distributor firms attending was 1,460, a 10 percent increase from the 2003 show in Chicago, according to ISSA.

Highlights of the show included the keynote speech, given by former president George H.W. Bush. Bush drew a huge crowd — 4,200 attendees. Some people had to be turned away due to fire marshal regulations on capacity, and it was standing room only for the last 200 or so.

Bush talked of his days in the White House, and produced a good number of chuckles from the audience along the way. He spoke of leadership, and his belief that good leaders rely on the people around them.

“I suggest you surround yourself with a strong team, then give them the credit,” he said.

He told attendees: “You are the real job creators in this economy. Today, the American economy is picking up steam. 330,000 new jobs were created in October.”

Following the speech, Bush fielded some audience questions, one of which was, “Can I shake your hand.” Bush obliged, and the happy audience member shook the hand of the nation’s 41st president.

New to the seminar lineup this year, leaders from ISSA’s Young Executive Society (YES) held a panel discussion to promote mentoring within the jan/san industry. The panel, facilitated by Gareth Mason, president of Nace Care Solutions and director of ISSA-Canada, consisted of five successful industry veterans: Paul Betz, president of Betco Corp.; Linda Silverman, president of Maintex Inc.; Roger Parrott, president of RoVic Inc.; Gary Gradinger, president of Golden Star; and Timothy Wind, president of Wind Associates.

Each veteran shared insights about their own experience in the industry, and offered advice on ways that younger executives can be successful. “You have to love people, because you’re going to learn from every single one of them,” said Gradinger.

The third annual ISSA Women’s Forum featured Sara Laschever, author of Women Don’t Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide, who spoke on pay inequity caused by women’s reluctance to negotiate their salaries. More than 200 people — a few of them men — attended the Thursday morning seminar.

“Men focus on higher targets and get more,” Laschever said. Learning to ask is the key, she added.

“Aiming higher is extraordinarily important in getting what you want,” she said.

In 2005, ISSA/INTERCLEAN® returns to its most popular venue — Las Vegas.

ISSA Photo Gallery (click on image, below, to view enlarged photo)

Les Brody and Danny Mannix demonstrate the advantages of CDC products.
A distributor learns about Soy Technologies’ newest products from Randy Frees, CEO.		 (l-r)
Dr. Michael Wheeler, CEO and president, Essential Industries; Vince Ronzano, territory sales manager; and Ed Zgrabik, vice president of sales North America, celebrate Essential’s success in New Orleans.

Restroom Essentials representatives welcome trade-show visitors.
Kent Euroclean’s Jim Liss, national sales director, and Joseph P. Carotenuto, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Nilfisk-Advance, North America, stand by their new machines.		 (l-r)
Leonard Shutzberg, Richard Williams and Doug Evenson of Americo.

Robin Running, Tom Dybsky, Lisa Weinberger, Lynn Lewis, Kathryn Lovik and Dennis Dore (l-r) catch the spirit of New Orleans at the Tennant hospitality at Bourbon Vieux.
Jay and William Ritter (l-r) stand by their mops and brooms at the Carolina Mop booth.
Steve Hipp and David Olmstead (l-r) welcome potential customers to the Athea booth.

Jeff Hanko, Thomas Stein, Dennis Meagher and Elliot Younessian at the Castlerock hospitality.
Waterbury Cos. promoted its “Ticket to Ride” contest at its booth — distributors can win a Harley Davidson motorcycle. The contest, promoting Waterbury’s Chrome product line, runs through June; distributors can contact their Waterbury representative for further details.
Zenex guests: Craig Nelson, president, Nelco Supply Co.; Jim Stieber, VP of sales, Osborne Marketing Inc.; Troy Osborne, president, and Wendy Osborne, marketing manager, Osborne Marketing; Paul Crowther, sales manager, Zenex; Fred Lombardi, sales manager, Zenex.

Richard and Sam Weiss (l-r) reveal United Receptacle’s Smoker’s Pole.
Electrolux’s Tony Dorley (far right) helps two distributors learn about the company’s product offerings.
Barbara West and Ken Parr (l-r) of Daley International promote the company’s newest floor chemicals. .

Award-winning sales reps were recognized for their achievements at a Clorox-hosted breakfast.
CA Hygiene’s hospitality took place aboard New Orleans’ Creole Queen.
Eric Titus, Industry Consultant for Mercury, joins forces with Alberto Ferracin, sales and marketing manager for TSM s.r.l., an Italian manufacturing company.

NaceCare president Gareth Mason and Reid Toreson of Wesclean Equipment and Supplies Ltd., Edmonton, Alberta, enjoyed food, music and conversation at NaceCare’s reception at New Orleans’ Musee Conti Wax Museum.
Al Hannum, vice president of marketing for Motor Scrubber, demonstrates the company’s innovative new products, while Richard Bashore, president, looks on.		 (l-r)
Doug Frain, executive vice president, and Mitchell Spurlock, CEO, of Diversified Maintenance Services Inc., Tampa, Fla., with Tim Jarnagin, national accounts manager, Minuteman.

Grainger Industrial Supply’s Keith Young, manager, supplier sales planning, and Karyn Castro, region program manager, jan/san, joined Curt Olson, Minuteman’s Midwest zone manager at Pat O’Brien’s Grand Terrace/Jax Millhouse Brewery.
Advance’s region manager, Pete McNulty (far right), demonstrates the Advance Convertamatic scrubber to a crowd of customers.		 (l-r)
David Sikes, Sikes Paper and Greg Ford, vp of sales for Spartan; pose with “Mardi Gras Queens.”

ETC’s booth was named “Best island or peninsula” in the 800 square feet or less category.
ETC of Henderson’s customers and friends had a ball at the company’s Generation Hall hospitality.
A representative from Akemi shares product information with two potential customers.

Dave Maurer, left, vice president of Geerpres, mingled with folks from Western Pacific Associates at Geerpres’ hospitality. From l-r, Tim Neja, Frank Battung and Laddi Frisinger.
Bob McClennan, Misco Products Corp.’s marketing manager, fielded questions at the company’s booth.
Packlin Labs won a best booth award in the linear 300 square feet or smaller category. Pictured are (l-r). Le Tran, West regional manager; Sandy Wolfe, general manager; and Chuck Chevalier, national sales.

Scott Paper took the award for “Best island or peninsula” in the 1,000 to 1,600 square feet category. (l-r) Markham J. Ray, director of marketing; Nicola Blue, assistant brand manager; and Jeff Hunter, brand manager.
Sara Laschever spoke of pay equity at the Third Annual Women’s Forum, which drew more than 200 attendees.
Tuway American Group representatives take a moment away from their busy booth for a quick photo. From l-r: Barb Koester, HR Director; Bill Hielscher, marketing director; and Trudy Koester, president and CEO.

Reckitt Benckiser’s guests at Bourbon Street’s Cat’s Meow: James Carlson, national account manager, Lagasse; John Recchia, national sales manager, Reckitt Benckiser; Steve Schultz, president, Lagasse; Danny Dolan, region manager, Reckitt Benckiser; Glen Fick, regional sales & marketing director, Lagasse.
Earl Clardy, independent rep for Demlow Marketing in Texas, discusses the advanges of Tornado products with two potential customers.
Mark Unger, president of Unger Enterprises, left, joins Larry Shideler, president of ProTeam, in celebrating ProTeam’s 40-year anniversary.

ISSA’s Young Executives Society reception drew a crowd. Pictured: Gary Gradinger, Golden Star Inc., Career Coach panelist; John Calarese Jr., John Calarese & Co., Inc., 2005 YES chairperson; Linda Silverman, Maintex Inc., Career Coach panelist; Gareth Mason, NaceCare Solutions, Career Coach moderator.
Unger representatives promoted the company’s new ErgoToilet Bowl Brush System.
Steve Lewis of Golden Star, Doug Ireland of Capitol Sanitary Supply, and Gary and Pam Gradinger celebrate at Golden Star’s hospitality in the Grand Ballroom of the New Orleans Marriott.

Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush offered anecdotal wit and trenchant political insight in his keynote address to ISSA members.
Simoniz customer Wayne Sullivan (left), president of Dumouchel Paper Co. of Connecticut Inc., Waterbury, Conn., discussed new products with Dennis Joy, sales manager for Simoniz, at the company’s booth.
Panasonic executive Don Radke demonstrates the benefits of a new vacuum to two distributors walking the trade-show floor.

A representative from Pioneer Eclipse explains the advantages of a floor machine to a Japanese distributor.

Roger E. Parrott, president of RoVic, and Gary Gradinger, president of Golden Star, share their insights as part of the YES panel discussion.

Nathan Bakker and Dave Eakhoff man the booth for Link Mfg., Ltd.

Bill Fields, Tom Dyzkiewicz, Kevin Vandeberg and David Marling (l-r) promoted a new product at the NSS hospitality.
A representative from National Chemical Laboratories demonstrates the effectiveness of new products to distributors.
Cascades’ hospitality was held at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. (l-r) Herve Girard, Suzanne Blanchet, Stephan Doyon, and Dennis Lion of Cascades.

Mike Tarvin of Multi-Clean welcomes booth visitors.
ISSA promoted its 2005 Las Vegas venue with a blackjack table.
Bland Murphy and Eugene Labrie of Jones Yarn show off the company’s new series of floor care and maintenance products.

Distributors such as Robert and Bart Mandala (in blue and red, respectively), and Larry Hines (far right), enjoyed the Hoover/Pacific hospitality with executives from the two manufacturers.
Todd Shelton, Senior VP/General Manager, Lagasse, and Larry McIsaac, president of Rubbermaid Commercial Products, display a relic from the lively hospitality the two companies co-hosted.




POSTED ON: 12/1/2004