MS 9-05 SINGLE PAGE.qxd - Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association

A member benefit of MidStates HPBA
SEPTEMBER, 2005 • VOL. 6, NO. 3
Dayton Stove Changeout Pilot Campaign Moved to 2006
By Dan Maddox
The previously scheduled Great American Woodstove
Changeout for the Dayton area has been moved to
take place in February 2006. The reason for
doing this is simple - funding!
We were recently informed by the
Regional Air Pollution Control Agency
(RAPCA) in Dayton that it will be
receiving around $70,000 in funds
from a recent industry settlement
agreement. These funds will be used
to pay for aspects of the campaign
itself. Without the funds, the effort
would be smaller in scope.
“Our agency is helping to coordinate this effort because we recognize that particle pollution is a major
problem for our area,” says Bruno
Maier, Supervisor of the Monitoring & Analysis Unit, RAPCA.
“We are still working out the details as to how the funds will
be used within the Campaign, but we want to do anything we
can to help address this issue.”
The campaign also encourages people to update
existing open-hearth fireplaces by adding a clean burning hearth appliance, such as an insert or set of
gas logs. In addition it provides tips on how
to have a clean burning fire without an
insert.
■
Citizens are motivated to changeout
old wood stoves by a financial incentive
offered by hearth retailers, manufacturers and resources provided by the settlement agreement.
■
■ The Campaign also permanently destroys
the old, dirty-burning wood stoves and fireplace inserts removed from homes.
The Campaign promotional details are
still being worked out but will include
banners, hang tags and brochures, as well as publicity and
other promotional materials.
(continued on page 3)
At this point, the outline of how the campaign will be implemented remains the same, only the date has changed. The
Great American Woodstove Changeout Campaign in Dayton
is a public education and hearth appliance changeout campaign, funded by the federal EPA, the hearth industry and
other partners. Its purpose is to help decrease levels of particle pollution in the greater Dayton, Ohio, region by helping
citizens reduce excessive wood smoke from old wood stoves
and open-hearth fireplaces.
Campaign Details
■ The campaign works to educate people about the need to
reduce excessive wood smoke and encourages people to
changeout old, dirty-burning wood stoves and fireplace
inserts for cleaner burning hearth appliances (gas, pellet and
EPA-certified stoves as well as fireplace inserts).
MidStates HPBA • 16020 Swingley Ridge Road, Suite 300 • Chesterfield, MO 63017 • 636/449-5075 • www.midstateshpba.org
From the desk of the MidStates HPBA President
Cherie Clark-Radovic, President
As you can see from the lead story on the front cover of this edition of the newsletter, the Great Stove Changeout for the
Dayton, Ohio, area has been rescheduled to the first quarter of
2006. While this may seem like disappointing news for some
retailers, from my viewpoint it gives us more time to get organized, moves the promotion activities out of our traditionally busy season…and, best
of all, provides us with additional funding. Please take the time to read about this
exciting event that will be taking place in the heart of our affiliate territory.
By the time you receive this newsletter, your Board of Directors will have met in
Cleveland, Ohio, and inducted the four new board members. As the President, I am
pleased to welcome to our existing board Nancy Henry, Town 'N Country Hardware
& Fireplace of Garden City, Mich.; Bill Kiefer, B&G Fireplace Distributors, Inc. of
Canton, Ohio; Dale Remmelts, Remmelts Marketing, Inc. of Ada, Mich.; and John
Thomas, Suburban Fireplace of Pickerington, Ohio. Nancy and Bill have served our
affiliate through board participation in the past and will continue to do a great job
for all of us. Dale and John are new to our board, but certainly not to the hearth,
patio and barbecue industry, so I know they will make great contributions to the
board.
I am fortunate to know and have worked with each of these new board members
over the years, and I am confident they will all bring a level of knowledge and
expertise to the board that will make it even more dynamic. As always, if you have
any questions or concerns about issues in our affiliate states or matters that you
believe need to be addressed by the board and/or membership, be sure to contact
me or any one of the board members at any time. We are your board and our main
focus is to provide the leadership and expertise to the affiliate that will make it a
strong advocate for its entire membership. However, our success as a board is
incumbent on each member's contributions as well. We need your input as to how
we are doing, and, more importantly, the issues you are facing each day in the retail
world that need support from the affiliate or even from the national level. Don't
hesitate to step forward and let us know what other issues we need to address in
order to help you in making your business stronger and more profitable.
One last issue I want to address is that of NFI certification. Your MidStates affiliate
just recently held classes and testing in the Michigan and Ohio areas for our membership. While this is a part of the certification that the board can sponsor and support, the Continuing Education Units (CEUs) that you need to attain each year to
keep up your certification are up to you. So be sure to check the NFI Web site for
your standing on these credits and watch for classes that will keep you current. This
certification is and will continue to be a great asset not only for yourself but also for
the company in which you are employed.
I hope you all have had a great summer and that this coming hearth product season
is good to you as well.
for members of the MSHPBA.
Submission of articles is
encouraged and welcome.
Address correspondence to:
[email protected] or call
636/449-5075.
PAGE 2
(Term expiration year in parentheses)
Cherie Clark-Radovic, President (2006)
B&G Fireplace Distributors, Inc.
Canton, OH
[email protected]
John Ashby (2006)
Heat Exchange, Inc.
North Ridgeville, OH
[email protected]
Nancy Henry, Secretary (2008)
Town ‘N Country Hardware & Fireplace
Garden City, MI
[email protected]
Greg Hill, Treasurer (2006)
Hearthland Sales, Inc.
Uniontown, OH
[email protected]
Robert Huta, Vice President (2006)
Michigan Chim-Flex
Gaylord, MI
[email protected]
Ron Johnson (2007)
Monsma Marketing Corporation
Grand Rapids, MI
[email protected]
William Kiefer (2008)
B & G Fireplace Distributors, Inc.
Canton, OH
[email protected]
Dan Maddox (2007)
Hearth Products Controls Co.
Dayton, OH
[email protected]
Marty Morrison (2007)
Fireplaces 'N' Fixins, Inc.
Martins Ferry, OH
[email protected]
Dale Remmelts (2008)
Remmelts Marketing, Inc.
Grand Rapids, MI
[email protected]
MSHPBA Office Staff
Fireside Update is published
MSHPBA Board
of Directors
Rick Dungey, Editor
Cherie Clark-Radovic
Communications Chair
Sarah
Dungey
RickAmmann
Coordinator
Program
Executive
Director
[email protected]
[email protected]
Cindy Seebauer (2006)
Busy Bear Fireplace & Patio Shop
South Euclid, OH
[email protected]
John Thomas (2008)
Suburban Fireplace & Patio
Pickerington, OH
[email protected]
MIDSTATES HPBA NEWSLETTER
HPBA Board Report
Dayton Stove Changeout
(continued from page 1)
Pete Anderson
Region IV Director
Trade Show Dates
The HPBA Board of Directors
approved relocating the 2007
Expo Show from Dallas to Reno,
Nevada. The dates for the show are March 15-17. This
move was necessary because construction will consume the
space planned for the outdoor burn area. The outdoor burn
area continues to grow and each year is becoming a more
significant part of the trade show experience. Visitors to the
2005 trade show in Atlanta may remember that the exhibit
was visited by more than 50 environmental officials, who
viewed a real-life demonstration of today's new clean-burning stoves. Those visiting the 2006 trade show in Salt Lake
City will see several positive changes to the outdoor burn
area, including improved restrooms, aisle signs and upgraded restaurant services.
I encourage everyone to attend the 2006 Expo in Salt Lake
City. If you were unable to attend the last time the trade
show was in this city, you really missed a lot. Salt Lake is
one of the most beautiful cities to host the Expo. Situated
in a valley and surrounded by snow-capped mountains,
there is a million-dollar view from every window. There are
plenty of hotel options within easy walking distance of the
convention center. After the show ends for the day, there
are plenty of fun places to meet and eat.
Budget News
The Campaign will be open to any retail store in the Dayton
area selling hearth products that qualify for the Dayton
Changeout Campaign. There will be a registration fee for
retailers to participate; the fee pays for the listing on the consumer Web site plus all the promotional materials. Members
of MSHPBA will pay a much lower rate than non-members, so
if you are in the Dayton area and have not paid dues for 2006,
contact the MSHPBA office to activate your membership!
Reps and Distributors: If you have customers in the
Dayton area, you should alert them now that they will
have this opportunity in 2006. Please contact the
MSHPBA office at 636/449-5075 to make sure we
have their address and contact name, or else they will
not receive an application for the program.
HPBA is projecting a modest budget surplus at the end of
the year. While a slight deficit has been budgeted to
respond to several opportunities, a highly successful trade
show should have us in the black at the end the year.
New Staff Member
Tom Stroud has joined the staff of HPBA in the role of
Senior Manager for Codes and Standards. Tom is a 25-year
industry veteran and will add valuable experience to HPBA's
government affairs team.
Project Underway
The Libby Stove Change-Out project is underway. Industry
members and the HPBA have donated more than $1 million
in goods, cash donations or services to support this cause.
MIDSTATES HPBA NEWSLETTER
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MIDSTATES HPBA NEWSLETTER
Energy Policy Act of 2005
Renewable Energy
Security Provision FAQs
Q
What is the Energy Policy Act of 2005?
A
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 is the official title of the energy
bill, passed by Congress in July 2005, and signed by President
George Bush on Aug. 8, 2005. The full energy bill is over 1,200
pages of text and encompasses thousands of provisions related to
energy production, distribution and cost for a variety of fuels.
This is the first comprehensive federal energy policy to pass
Congress since 1992.
Q
What is the Renewable Energy Security Provision?
A
The Renewable Energy Security Provision (Title II, (A), Sec. 206)
provides a discount of 25 percent, capped at $3,000, for consumers choosing renewable energy appliances, including pellet
stoves, with a thermal efficiency rating of 75 percent. The provision gives oversight and full administrative authority to the U.S.
Department of Energy to operate the rebate program.
Additionally, the provision authorizes funding levels for the program, but it does require additional action by Congress, in the
form of an appropriations measure, in order to implement the
program.
Q
When will the Renewable Energy Security Provision
take effect?
A
The Renewable Energy Security Provision takes effect upon passage, however, it will take approximately one year to fully implement. The Department of Energy will need time to set up the
appropriate management infrastructure, as well as to receive
funds from Congress, in order to initiate the program.
Q
What is the role of the retailer and the manufacturer?
A
The legislative language itself is very unspecific about the burden
of proof for the rebate. Currently, it is unclear whether the retailer or the manufacturer will be the rebate recipient, but HPBA/PFI
will be working with the Department of Energy officials to create
appropriate procedural guidelines. Nevertheless, retailers and
manufacturers both are encouraged to continue contacting lawmakers asking for support of appropriations for this provision.
HPBA/PFI will be contacting you again with advocacy requests.
Q
What is the impact on the hearth and pellet industry?
A
It is too early to speculate about the eventual impact that the provision will have on the industry, as it generally relies on the measure of funding that lawmakers decide to allot for the program.
Any federally-endorsed incentive for consumers to choose a
renewable energy appliance is an important step in the right
direction and will be beneficial for the long-term health of the
industry, despite any initial operational uncertainties.
MIDSTATES HPBA NEWSLETTER
Congratulations!
The following members completed their NFI Specialist
Certifications in 2005:
Simon Anderson, Lehman's Hardware & Appliance (Gas); Douglas
Ball, Grate Balls Afire, LLC (Gas, Woodburning); Matt Beam, Earth
Friendly Stoves, Inc. (Woodburning); Coleen Behr, Behr Necessities
Hearth Shoppe, Ltd. (Woodburning); Michael Behr, Behr Necessities
Hearth Shoppe, Ltd. (Gas); Bill Bradley, Persinger Supply Company
(Gas); Charles Brannen, Center Hardware, Inc. (Gas); Jeffrey Bryson,
Emmett's Energy West (Gas); Mark Collins, Williams Panel Brick (Gas);
Samual Crawford, Miles LP Gas, Inc. (Gas); Michael Crossley,
Williams Panel Brick (Gas); Kevin Davis, Buckeye Stove (Woodburning);
James Farrabee, Comfortec Inc. (Gas); Brian Fish, Country Hearth
Center (Gas); Robert Fowler, Creative Fires LLC (Woodburning);
Douglas Goss, Youngstown Propane Inc. (Gas); Eric Haldeman,
Millstone Home Appliance Center (Gas); Jamie Hall, DeHaven Home &
Garden Showplace (Gas); Garry Hosmer, The Dog Paddle, Inc.
(Woodburning); James Howson, WHBS Installed Products (Gas);
Chuck Hudson, Tate Builders Supply, LLC (Gas); Michael Huss,
Overhead Door of Toledo (Gas); Richard Jackson, IPS (Gas, Pellet);
James Jarrard, Williams Panel Brick (Gas); Gary Keck, Persinger Supply
Company (Gas); Jeff Keefer, The Chimney Care Company (Gas); Craig
Kujawski, Myers Hearth & Casual (Gas, Woodburning); Bryan Kyle,
Dayton Fireplace Systems Inc. (Gas); William Libby, Williams Panel
Brick (Gas); Robert Martin, Youngstown Propane Inc. (Gas); Joseph
McKinney, Persinger Supply Company (Gas); Matthew Neeley, Kerns
Fireplace and Spa (Gas); Michael O'Bryant, Patio Enclosures (Gas);
Peter Pfeffer, Williams Panel Brick (Gas); Michael Recker, DeHaven
Home & Garden Showplace (Gas, Woodburning); Thomas Rhines, AllChimney Cleaning & Maintenance (Woodburning); David Roberts,
Country Hearth Center (Gas); David Rutan, Comfortec Inc. (Gas); Tom
Schneider, Superior Chimney Sweeps & Services, Inc. (Gas); Peter
Seebauer, Busy Bear Fireplace & Patio Shop (Gas); Mike Smalligan,
Flame Center (Gas); Kenneth Snyder, Positive Chimney & Fire Place
(Gas); Jerry Spahr, Portage Salt & Supply (Pellet); Kenneth Swink,
Blue Flame, Inc. (Gas); Travis Thomas, Suburban Fireplace & Patio
(Gas); Dave Tiffe, The Gas Man Inc. (Gas); Dustin VanZandt,
Persinger Supply Company (Gas); Jay Winiecki, Grate Balls Afire, LLC
(Woodburning); Jason Zeeryp, Positive Chimney & Fire Place (Gas)
PAGE 5
News & Notes...
Support the SCHPBA Katrina Relief Fund
Due to the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, there are
members of the South Central HPBA who are currently in need
of support in rebuilding their businesses.
To make a donation, which will go to these businesses in full,
send a check to the SCHPBA office at:
South Central HPBA
3305 Teakwood Drive
Tyler, TX 75701
Or, you may fax your credit card information, along with the
amount of your desired donation, to 903/533-1674. For questions, contact [email protected].
In addition, HPBA is launching an online bulletin board, located at www.hpba.org/jobfinder, to match employees affected
by Hurricane Katrina with available employers. Please contact
HPBA or visit the site if you have a job posting.
Time to Renew Your Membership
Membership renewal information will be mailed out to all
MSHPBA members beginning October 1. Be sure to renew
your membership to keep receiving all of your member benefits, including:
■ Discounted registration fees to the annual meeting and
other special events, providing opportunities for education
and networking
■ Free MSHPBA newsletters, news alerts and a subscription
to Hearth & Home magazine
■ The assistance of a trained Codes & Regulations committee
to keep you informed about issues affecting the industry
■ Access to savings through affinity programs, such as credit
card processing, financial services, mailing services
and more!
If you do not receive your renewal forms, please contact MSHPBA at 636/449-5075.
Would Your Business Survive a Disaster?
At least one-fourth of all businesses that close because of a
disaster never reopen. To help small businesses prepare for and
recover from disasters, the Institute for Business & Home
Safety is offering a free tool kit – Open for Business™, a comprehensive disaster-planning resource in booklet and CD-ROM
formats. Open for Business includes an assessment tool that
helps the business determine its susceptibility to disaster wherever it has facilities and minimize its risk. The tool kit also
includes materials to help organize the business' critical inforPAGE 6
mation and review its essential operations. To request a free
copy, send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 866/657-IBHS.
Source: SBA Solutions
Luxury Consumers Continue to Invest In
Homes
Over the past 12 months, approximately 6 million luxury consumer households, or nearly 20 percent of the total affluent
market (households with income among top 25 percent of
households or $75,000 and above), either bought a new or
existing home or purchased a second/vacation home. By comparison, the National Association of Realtors reports that just
over 10 percent of existing homes across the country were sold
in 2004.
Unity Marketing's latest survey among luxury consumers found
that two-thirds were active in the home market in the past
year, either buying a new, existing or vacation home or
expanding, remodeling or redecorating their existing home.
And even more luxury consumers (69 percent) have major
home plans in the coming year, including about 17 percent
who plan on buying a new, existing or vacation home.
According to the market research firm, that presents a significant opportunity for home improvement spending. Luxury
consumers who stay put are expected to invest in major home
improvements that will bring their already large and highpriced homes up to true luxury levels. That will mean lots of
homeowners redoing bathrooms and kitchens and enhancing
the outdoor garden and patio living areas.
Source: Unity Marketing Online.com
Don't Toss It, Shred It!
If you don't already have a shredder, get one. As of June 1,
2005, a new federal regulation requires businesses to shred
many documents they once routinely tossed in the trash. What
do you do with the rejected resumes in your in-box or the
stack of unwanted tenant applications? If you just hit “delete”
or toss the applications in the garbage, you're probably violating Federal law. For full details on the legislation, visit
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/ 2005/06/disposal.htm.
Source: The Rhonda Report
If you have an announcement or news item for a future
issue, please send it to Rick Dungey at [email protected] or via fax to 636/449-5051.
MIDSTATES HPBA NEWSLETTER
MSHPBA 2005 Promotional Partners
Thank you for your support!
Platinum
Hearth Products Controls Co.
Silver
MIDSTATES HPBA NEWSLETTER
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16020 Swingley Ridge Road, Suite 300
Chesterfield, MO 63017
www.midstateshpba.org
Serving
HPBA's
Members
in Kentucky,
Michigan,
Ohio &
West Virginia