The Great I - Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association

Transcription

C o n n e c t i c u t • M a s s a c h u s e t t s • M a i n e • N e w H a m p s h i r e • N e w Yo r k • R h o d e I s l a n d • V e r m o n t
SUMMER/FALL 2007
NOR’EASTER
‘Serving Northeast Members of the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Industry Since 1985’
— President’s Message 2007 —
It seems hard to believe that our busy
season is here! For some of you, by
the time you read this you will already
be in full gear as the early buy warehouse inventory begins to disappear,
while our checkbook balances begin
to look more normal, and our comfort
level increases! I hope everybody
had a chance to relax and get away
during this summer; all are well rested and ready for the
retail/wholesale volley of customers arriving!
and hogged my time leaving me with only 10 – 15 minutes to do
a 45-minute presentation! Needless to say I didn’t make it, but
to be honest I’d rather listen to Larry than listen to myself. Most
in the room, no doubt, were already sick of hearing from me on
Sunday! Thank you, Larry!
In closing, many of you know that the Webb family has agreed
to sell the assets of Saratoga Fireplace & Stove Inc. to long-time
employees and very close friends,
Matt and Wanda Thornton. This
has been in the works for a couple
of years and recently came to a
I had the pleasure of attending the 16th Annual Summer
close. I will be returning to my
Workshop of the New York State Chimney Sweep Guild on July
roots at Saratoga Masonry Supply
19th and played in their golf tournament. I had a great time and
along with my 24-year veteran
the fellowship afterwards, as always, was great. The workshop
employee and manager, Shane
host, Chris Prior, has been after me for YEARS to stop by and
Petteys, to concentrate on our
enjoy the festivities and seminars, so I figured as NEHPBA
masonry
material/landscaping
president this would be a good year to attend. I donned the
market. With that in mind, this will
NEHPBA red polo and off I went! It was good to talk to Ruthie
be my last report to you not only
Francisco, their president, and while we weren’t talking, their
as your president and Leg/Reg Tim at Annual Meeting 2001
Leg/Reg cohort Diane Pilger, easily filled in the time. If you
Chairman, but also as a regular
don’t already belong to your state sweep guild, I would encourNortheast face in the hearth indusage you to join! The information or use of cross information
try. I have some very fond memories and valuable friendships
comes in very handy and a little added business helps also.
gained in my 26 years in the hearth industry, and I certainly
have the fellowship of NEHPBA to thank for that! NEHPBA
5341HPBA08_AD9_HrthHM.qxd
8/1/07 12:35
What a great Annual Meeting in Sturbridge this year! If you
truly “works for me” and it can for you if participate and are willmissed it, shame on you! Our hats go off to the Annual
ing to make a difference! You have my promise that I leave you
Meeting Committee of Barb Christensen, Charlene Mazzeo
in good hands and that your board continues to work hard for
and our own resident “chief nag”, Diane Rossi. Unless you
your needs and listens. God bless and thank you all!
were involved on the committee, you can’t appreciate the hard
Your NEHPBA President
work and dedication it took, not only to do something different,
Tim Webb
but also to do it so well! Hours upon hours of personal time
and effort for five long months resulted in an Annual Meeting
like none other attempted. With the same now well-seasoned
committee already hard at work for next year, reviewing all of
YOUR comments and suggestions from your meeting evaluation forms, you better make plans now for the first weekend of
June 2008 and don’t miss out!
PM
Pa
As long as we are on the Annual Meeting subject, a special
thank you goes out to each and every corporate sponsor, “Tools
of the Trade” Showcase vendors, Sunday’s speakers, and each
and every speaker during Monday’s CEU offerings. Personally,
I had the pleasure of working with fellow Board Member, Larry
Miller, on “The Pellet Story”, which had 23 people in the room.
But next time…I’m going first! For a man who usually needs a
cattle prod stuck to him to get him to speak, Larry got on a roll
2008
See you in Atlanta!
T
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Legislative/Regulatory Committee
With this being the last NEHPBA Legislative/Regulatory report of the
year and the busy season upon us, I’m going to keep this short and
sweet. BUT, 90% of this article will be dedicated to the Connecticut
licensure process with information provided by the Department of
Consumer Protection. If you sell, install or work on gas hearth appliances in the State of Connecticut, you MUST read on!
Massachusetts – At the end of June, we sent a letter to the states’
Plumbing, Gas Fitters Examiners Board director, Joe Peluso, requesting a meeting with him and perhaps his sub-committee on licensure to
discuss a program of a “limited licensure” within the state. Although
no one has yet to speak with Joe because he is out on medical leave,
our people have heard encouraging comments from those close to Joe
and the Plumbers Board, and we look forward to the pending meeting.
On July 19th several of us interested in licensure for gas hearth products in Massachusetts held a meeting at the home of Nate & Karen
Hindemith to discuss strategy for the pending meeting and/or in case
the Board was not hospitable to our proposal. At that time a special
NEHPBA sub-committee was formed to continue our quest for recognition in the state. It’s still too early for details, but we will keep you
posted as things progress.
New Hampshire – As of this writing, fellow board member and codes
coordinator Steve Dumais still has his hands full along with his State
Committee in the tug-of-war over gas licensure. The states’ Plumbers
Union has banned together to take control of gas licensure (including
us) away from the Fire Marshall’s Office to be their own. Experience
in other states with their plumber’s boards tells us that this is the last
place we want our control to come from! I’m sure that once the New
Hampshire legislative houses come back from summer break, you will
be hearing more from us and Steve when your help is needed.
Connecticut – I have been after each member who installs gas hearth
appliances in this state to apply for their new “Hearth Gas Products”
HPG-1 license for almost a year, and some of you still haven’t taken
the steps to do so! Our licensure program goes into full swing ending
the grandfathering period in July of 2008, but a new “bump in the
road” could cause problems for some by October of this year if you
haven’t yet received or applied for the new HPG-1 license. In speaking with Richard Hulbert, who is your commissioner of the
Department of Consumer Protection and the department charged with
overseeing our licensure program, we have learned of a bill passed by
the legislature active in October of 2007 that makes the practice of a
trade requiring a license without one a Class B misdemeanor and not
just a civil penalty. Those found guilty could be fined up to six months
in jail and/or a $1000 fine! Although our program does not officially
kick off until July of 2008, Richard believes confusion could cause
allegations against some of our people for practicing our trade without
a license if they are not in possession of a HGP-1 license. The bill is
known as Public Act 07-188 and can be found on the state’s website.
Although we have been assured by our lobbyist of our program start
date and that we will be OK, this is just another reason to get the lead
out and apply now! Ramifications of a class B misdemeanor on one’s
record would be very detrimental to your business!
Following this article you will find the procedure for licensure provided by DCP in detail for your guidance and review. Please, if you have
not applied and hold a current NFI gas certification, take the steps to
do so. If you currently hold or have employees who hold a HVAC or
G-1 gas license and they do your installs, you need not apply for the
HPG-1 license as you are already recognized as a trade able to install
gas hearth appliances.
Tim Webb
Chairman
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State of Connecticut Licensing Process
PSI Examination Services
Real Estate, Real Estate Appraisal
and Construction Programs
Candidates seeking licensure contact
the State for a license application.
Applications and Statutes web site:
www.ct.gov/dcp
Phone: 860-713-6150 (Real Estate,
Appraisal) Phone: 860-713-6135
(Construction/Trades)
Candidates complete license application and submit to the State:
Licensing Services Division, 165 Capitol Avenue, Room 110,
Hartford, CT 06106
State approves for testing those applications that are qualified for
licensure, all others are returned to the original applicant for further
documentation as requested.
State notifies PSI of the candidates eligible for testing.
PSI notifies the candidates of their eligibility for testing and provides
candidates with test registration and scheduling information. Each
approved application will be valid for a period of one year from the
date PSI receives the eligibility list from the State. Candidate must
review the Bulletin of Examination information which can be located at www.psiexams.com or call (800) 733-9267 (toll free).
Candidates register with PSI by paying their test fees. The fee for
each test portion is $52. Fees can be paid by check, or credit card.
Those paying by credit card can register over the telephone or on the
Internet. Registered candidates can schedule for their tests by telephone or by the Internet. PSI offers a touch-tone telephone service
that allows candidates to register by phone without operator assistance
24/7. (800) 733-9267 (toll free); (702) 932-2666 Fax; www.psiexams.com Internet scheduling is also available.
Candidates that need to change their testing date can do so up to
three-days in advance of their scheduled testing session. Candidates
that do not show for their testing sessions will forfeit their examination fees.
Candidates take their tests at either of the two existing PSI testing
locations found in West Hartford and in Norwalk. Tests are given six
(6) days a week (Monday through Saturday) with both morning and
afternoon sessions. AND many other States ( contact PSI for other
locations)
Candidates need to bring in a government issued photo ID in order to
verify their identity prior to the testing session.
Candidates will have their picture taken at the exam site and will provide PSI a signature by signing the test center log.
PSI will administer a unique exam to each candidate. Each exam will
be equal in length and difficulty but will contain a unique mix of questions each time the test is administered.
Upon completion of the test, score reports will be given to each candidate.
Passing candidates will receive a passing letter that will include
instructions for completing the licensing process. Passing candidates
submit the successful score reports to the State with the Licensing
fee for processing.
From the Editor…
Every year at about this time, your affiliate
board begins the process of putting its president out to pasture. This individual goes
from ‘dead man walking’, to something
akin to a lump on a log, as the now pastpresident becomes ‘ex-officio’ and sits on
both the Board and the Executive
Committee as a non-voting member. We all
enjoy and value our ex-officiacho (Tim &
Kirk: did I get the spelling correct?), whose
years of experience and wisdom continue to
make a vital contribution to the Board, and to your affiliate.
Well…unfortunately for us…not this time
If you’ve read all the way through your president’s message, or have
any contact whatsoever with this fine man, you now know that Mr.
Timothy Webb, two-time board member and president of this organization, as well as chair of the Leg/Reg Committee since 1897 (or so
it seems to him!) is moving on. He claims he wishes to go back to
his days of being a stoner (or did you say rockhead, Tim?), and
therefore will be depriving us of his last year as ex-officio. His work
on the legislative and regulatory front over the years have affected
all of our businesses and improved our standing with state and local
code officials throughout the region. Whether you know of him and
his work or not, it should be acknowledged by all that he has worked
tirelessly on your behalf for many, many years.
For a guy who would be the last to accept any type of tribute from
his peers for all the work he’s done, well, too bad. Listen to some of
the individuals who should know:
“Tim’s intelligence, unassailable confidence, and ‘let’s get it done’
attitude have been instrumental to the successes we’ve had to date.
We have been very fortunate to have him during a turbulent and
intense period in the Northeast. He will be impossible to replace
and will be sorely missed! Good luck, Tim, on your
future endeavors! You’ve been a good friend and champion in the industry!”
Joe Biber, Preston Trading Post, Norwich, CT
“I wonder if more than a handful of members appreciate the dedication and tenacity Tim applied to regulatory issues over the years.
Those who ply their trade in the hearth industry would surely be
working under more onerous regulation if it were not for Tim and his
team. Regulatory issues are a bit like the weather; everybody talks
about them but few do anything about them. Tim answered the call
time after time and made things happen in our favor. Thank you,
Timmy; it has been a pleasure working with you, you surely will be
missed, and you leave some mighty big shoes to fill.”
Chuck Brewster, Accent Sales & Marketing, Carver, MA
I have had the privilege of working with and getting to know Tim
Webb for seven years, as HPBA’s government affairs director, and
now as president. I wish that the industry could clone him before he
heads off into the sunset. As NEHPBA is the industry’s “poster
child” affiliate in many ways, such as in government affairs, Tim is
the “poster child” volunteer. (I guess Tim’s comeback would be that
he’s no longer a kid anymore – that’s why he’s retiring!)
“Tim has been totally devoted and selfless in working on behalf of
NEHPBA’s members. If someone needed to pitch in, Tim was there.
Not only was Tim there when needed, but he thoroughly understood
the issues and has had the kind of passion that makes working in this
industry so special. Simply put, Tim is both Mr. Can-Do and Mr.
Gets-It-Done!
I will always remember Tim’s absolutely huge three-ring binder with
everything in it: every regulation and piece of legislation in New
England and New York that affects or could affect the industry. No
library or website was every needed when Tim was at the meeting or
on the phone.
The industry is deeply indebted to Tim, and I wish him as much happiness and satisfaction in his retirement as the good that he has done
for the hearth industry.”
Jack Goldman, HPBA President
“I have had the pleasure of working with
Tim for 12 of his 16 years on the NEHPBA
board, and have come to know him well.
His easy-going manner and “let’s-get-it
done!” attitude has had more than a positive effect on any project or committee on
which he has served. Working mostly
alone in the NEHPBA office, the Board
becomes my “extended work family”—and
losing my “big brother” leaves an enormous hole…..I will miss you, Timmy!”
Diane Rossi, NEHPBA Executive Director
“Tim Webb’s decision to retire from the hearth industry
has been received by all who have come to know him
and witnessed what he has accomplished. Tim has
worked countless hours with selfless dedication to our
industry and its needs over the past quarter century,
most especially the last few years as NEHPBA president
and chairman of the Leg/Reg Committee, where the
challenges never end. Tim’s shoes will be a tough pair
Tim & Diane 2001
to fill. I sincerely hope that his retirement after his many
years of hard work and dedication will be a pleasant one
Tim, you’ve set the bar way too high! We’ll do our best to follow in
for him, he certainly has earned it”
Nate Hindemith, Woodstoves & Fireplaces Unlimited, Middleboro, your footsteps, but it’s a mighty daunting task. But we all move up
MA and on in life, and you deserve the best in all your future endeavors.
Believe us when we say we are deeply appreciative of the legacy
“It has been a few weeks since Tim Webb announced that he will be you leave us, the years of dedication and devotion to our cause, and
leaving the hearth industry. I am just coming to grips with the news. entrusting us to carry on all your noble work.
Tim has been a fixture at NEHPBA. When I joined the NESFA board
in 1990, Tim was already there. I believe only Howie Seligman and And now, we throw your immortal words right backatcha…
Sam Halsey have as many years of service.
“Thanks, Buddy!”
Bob Borella, Editor
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2007 Government Affairs Academy
The 2007 Government Affairs Academy was an amazing event! Stratt@comm taught us how to be prepared for television and
From day until night, my time was jam-packed with lectures, print interviews. Before attending the GAA, another hearth retailer
mock negotiating, committee exercises, media training, the NFI in my area recounted how he was taken completely out of conand what it means for the industry, and much more.
text during a camera interview. Stratt@comm put us on
camera and in the hot seat and taught us
Legislation that is unfavorable to the hearth industry
how to avoid being taken out of context
will continue to be forwarded to legislatures. How does
and, more importantly, how to stay on
one effectively handle unfavorable legislation? If the
message.
plumbers unions, extreme environmentalists, or others who
forward bills unfavorable to the hearth industry
Bob Guyer taught the principles of
stopped, this training would be largely unneceseffective lobbying. Guyer taught us
sary. But, as we all know, this is a ridiculous
that lobbying is simply getting votes.
thought. In fact, legislation that adversely affects
His methodology to lobbying was
us is only getting much worse. I found the
practical and encouraged me that
Government Affairs Academy to be a compreaccess is not necessarily only
hensive training program to help me deal with
through huge contributions to lawgovernment affairs and the ever-tightening burmakers. Guyer took us behind the
den government plays in our industry. This acadscenes to show us the legislative
emy put tools in our hands and showed us how
and regulatory process. He showed
they work so we are much better equipped to
that the process is systematic and
handle bad legislation and to effect changes we
approachable for all of us willing to
want by being proactive.
Dennis Worth
do the footwork. The GAA showed me that if
One of the tools the GAA showed me was the mountain of online those of us at the local grassroots level do our part to effect
resources that are available. I have found that the resources change by using our resources (largely time) to develop relationavailable online are a great tool. From the EPA and its multi- ships and alliances with lawmakers, code enforcement and any
layered website to my own state’s DEC website, a lot of informa- other parties that play a role in our industry, the job in defeating
tion is available online. During one of the exercises I had to take unfavorable legislation and creating favorable legislation will be
the position of the Colorado Lung Association. The American much easier.
Lung Association and its affiliates take a very startling and radical approach to wood smoke. The information on the web pre- HPBA’s 2007 Government Affairs Academy was the most intense
pared me to represent the Colorado Lung Association for my meeting I ever attended. I was stretched to uncomfortable limits
meeting with the mock committee the following day. Part of our from morning until night. The learning experience was invaluable,
training was also on the HPBA’s very powerful website. They and I will take the information I learned with me for the rest of my
have a government affairs section that opens up links to local life. I would do it again tomorrow!
newspaper contacts, our politicians and where they voted on
issues, legislative alerts, and a lot more useful information. The Thank you very much HPBA!
HPBA’s website does a lot of the work for those interested in
Dennis Worth
writing letters to editors or politicians by providing a letter temKitchen Hearth & Stove, Binghamton, NY
plate. Their website is a great timesaver!
Marketing
Stop for a minute and think about how far
our industry has advanced, especially
since 1979, the last oil embargo. No
matter which fuel group you talk about,
there’s no doubt that our industry produces many “awesome” products today.
Installing and servicing products, to perform as well as they are designed to,
have required quite a bit of advancement
in all of us as well. The problem is, as
many of you already know, the general
public knows little of not only the “awesome” products we offer, but many also do not realize how
much expertise is required to sell, install and service these
products. It’s about time that our industry starts promoting itself
to the general public. Yes, it’s a huge undertaking, but all of us
here at your NEHPBA agree that we have to start somewhere!
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We think the place to start would be promoting all of you who have become NFI
certified; you’ve shown the knowledge, as
well as the desire, to safely sell, install
and service the advanced hearth products
our industry offers, and we want the public
to hear that. We have some media
choices that cover our NEHPBA region.
Again, this plan is for real; the ball is
rolling. You’ll be glad you are a NEHPBA
member – and if you’re not, there’s no better time to join than now!
Please send any comments or suggestions to Marketing at
[email protected].
Dean Michanczyk, Chairman
Annual Meeting 2007
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Education
Well, by now your showroom is jumping with activity and all the
training your employees have received should be paying off.Your
staff should be geared up with new knowledge they’ve received
during this past spring/ summer 2007 training season. Hopefully,
they’re NFI Certified and installations are going smoothly and
safely. I can’t stress enough the benefits of having all employees
trained and up to speed with current product knowledge (available from most manufacturers) and NFI certification (available
from NEHPBA and some manufacturers) going into the season.
It eliminates costly mistakes both on the sales side and the
installation side of your business, not to mention you’ll sleep better at night knowing that it was done right the first time! This year
NEHPBA brought NFI training and testing to approximately 150
potential candidates, and I’m happy to report that roughly 75%
passed and received certification. I would like to congratulate all
the new certified people out there (pages 10 &11); your commitment to the industry is excellent, and you should be proud of
your accomplishment! Over time it will make a difference to have
NFI Certification; the industry and
state codes are moving in that
direction.
Certified
At our last board meeting the Education
Committee made plans for training sessions for 2008. Here’s
what’s on tap for next year:
• NFI Gas in Hartford, CT - March 19, 2008
• NFI Wood, Gas & Pellet in Sturbridge, MA April 21, 22, 23, 2008
• NFI Wood & Gas in Portsmouth, NH - May 19 & 22, 2008
• NFI Wood, Gas & Pellet at the Annual Meeting site (TBD)
June 2, 2008
• NFI Wood, Gas & Pellet in Syracuse, NY June 16, 17, 18, 2008
Also, we’ll be inviting Dave Pomeroy back for his two-day Sales
Training course on Monday & Tuesday, May 5 & 6, 2008. His
class has met with great attendance and reviews from both
new salespeople and veterans alike.
So, there’s plenty to plan for as well as HPBA Hearth
Education Foundation on-line courses now available to all;
check them out at www.hpba.org. Just click on education to
view all of the courses. Great classes and you don’t have to
leave home to attend! That’s cool…
In closing, I hope we all have a great season with many safe
and happy installations. Remember, there’s power in education, and it will help you do a better job; and there’s nothing
wrong with that!
Richard Entwistle, owner of The Stovery in Argyle, NY, stands in front of
his "Wall of Fame" showing NFI certificates earned by his employees.
Kirk Meloney, Education Committee
Nominating
NEHPBA is pleased to announce its slate of three new
candidates who have signed their pledges to be placed on
the ballot to be elected to the board of directors this fall:
Tim Gerencer
Jotul North America, ME – Manufacturer
Jack Murdock
Ray Murray, Inc., MA – Distributor
Dennis Worth
Kitchen, Hearth & Spa Inc., NY – Retailer
The following are existing board members who have
agreed to be on the ballot for an additional two-year term.
Bob Borella
Friends of the Sun, VT - Retailer
Dan DeMagistris
Hearth Products Corporation, CT - Distributor
Woody Kenney
New England Wood Pellet, LLC, NH - Manufacturer
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Seth Lapine
David S. Lapine Inc., CT – Manufacturers Rep
Mike Rupp
Empire Distributing, NY - Distributor
A special thanks to Larry Miller from Heart Line Stove
Shop, NH – Retailer, who has agreed to be on the ballot
for an additional one-year term and to serve as our
President in 2008.
Officers for 2008
Larry Miller - President
Bob Borella - Vice President
Mike Rupp - Secretary
Steve Dumais - Treasurer
Ray Mayer - At Large
Steve Dumais, Chairman
MEMBERSHIP
ARE YOU SURE YOUR BUSINESS IS PROPERLY INSURED?????
This was one of the topics presented at this year’s NEHPBA
Annual Meeting in Sturbridge, Massachusetts on June 3 & 4.
If you were unable to be there, you missed a good meeting.
We had a new format, which consisted of a “Tools of the
Trade” Showcase. This was NOT a trade show, but rather a
presentation of products we use everyday to help make our
businesses run more smoothly. Over 18 vendors were on
hand to display their products.
The educational speakers were
excellent, covering topics from
store design and layout to how
to sell today’s wood stoves. The
topic I found most interesting
was the one covered by an independent insurance adjuster,
“Are You Sure Your Business Is
Properly Insured????” Before
you answer that question, think
about it. As the speaker presented the topic, it made more and
more sense.
Most of us have been doing business with the same insurance
person for most of our business
career and hopefully have had
only minor claims. What happens if you had a major loss?
What if your store and warehouse burned down and I’m talking to the GROUND? This is
exactly what happened to Tom
and Carrie Swan of Black Swan
Hearth & Gift in Connecticut. It
was after the fire they realized TOO LATE that they had
inadequate coverage for their business; the fight has been
long, difficult and was avoidable, if they had done what
they know now—SEEK THE ADVICE OF AN INDEPENDENT INSURANCE ADJUSTER BEFORE YOU HAVE A
CLAIM.
The presenter made the following good points.
1. The insurance agreement is loaded with fine print on
purpose, intended to cover their position. It also contains exceptions and overrides to confuse the insured.
2. Even though the agent may be your best friend or rela-
tive, he or she is powerless to help you in receiving the
coverage you thought you had.
3. Once a claim is submitted it goes directly to the claims
department. The insurance SALES PERSON (“your
friend”) may never find out you had a claim. At this point
you are now a “CLAIM NUMBER”!
4. The claims department and sales department are purposely separated from one
another—they may be in totally
different buildings or even cities.
You may get sympathy from your
insurance agent, but at the time
of submitting a claim IT’S ALL
BUSINESS. The insurance company makes their profit on what
they can keep for themselves.
5. If you do find yourself in need
of professional advice, DON’T
CALL YOUR ATTORNEY FIRST.
He or she understands law, not
insurance. Besides, they will
charge you 40% of the claim!
They hire an adjuster to gather
the information and pay him or
her 10%. Save yourself the 30%
and hire your own independent
adjuster.
6. Don’t wait to call an independent adjuster to review your
policy. The fee the adjuster may
charge to examine your policy
should be around $150.00 to $200.00. They are not there
to encourage you to change agencies. They will advise
you of the strengths and weaknesses of your policy so
you can discuss them with your agent.
7. “LUCKY NUMBER SEVEN’’—THE BEST ADVICE OF
ALL! If you had been at this year’s NEHPBA Annual
Meeting, you could have attended this seminar and many
more like it. If you are not a member of NEHPBA, call me
and I’ll explain how simple and inexpensive it is to sign up
($37.50 a month for a retailer!). If you are already a
member, get involved and take advantage of how your
dues are “working - for YOU”.
Mike Rupp, Chairman
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Tech Talk
House Pressure in Relation to Wood Stoves
What does house pressure have to do with wood stoves? Did
you even know that your house was under pressure? Do you
care? Read on and you will see that indeed it does have a profound effect on the successful operation of your stove.
So, what is house pressure? Well, to explain what it is we have
to understand a little about relativity. Don’t worry, you don’t have
to be Einstein to understand relativity. First, to make sure we
are all on the same page, we are talking about air
pressure! The pressure inside the house is relative to the
pressure outside the house. It may be either higher or
lower than the pressure outside. If the pressure inside
the house is positive or higher than the pressure outside, and a window or door is opened, air will leave or
flow out of the house. If the pressure inside the house is
negative or lower than the pressure outside the house, air
will flow into the house when that door or window is opened.
If for some reason all of the doors and windows in the house
were open, equilibrium would be reached and the pressure
would be the same inside and out. Nature loves balance!
Seems easy enough to understand. Nature has its own very predictable, but perhaps not very well known, rules. One of them is
that areas of high pressure flow to areas of low pressure. Of
course, when it comes to burning a wood stove in the house, we
will be looking at what effect house pressure has on chimneys.
Wouldn’t it be great if that was all there was to it? We could all
high five and walk away! Of course, as with most things in life
there is a little more to it than that. In fact, in most houses there
is an area of negative pressure, an area of positive pressure, and
a magical place in between called the Neutral Pressure Plane
(NPP). The NPP is the place where the pressure inside the
house is equal to the pressure outside the house. They are all
in a state of flux, changing quite literally with the wind and many
other factors. The negative pressure area is typically located in
the lower portion of the house, and the positive pressure area is
normally in the upper portion. The NPP as I have mentioned is
between them. The NPP is often depicted as a straight line, but
it can actually be slanted or wavy and can jump around from
level to level.
So, let’s apply some of what we are talking about to wood stoves
and chimneys. There are two openings in our system, the door
(or the air control) on the inside of the house and the chimney
termination on the outside. If we put our system in an area of
negative pressure, the chimney, which is a conduit that air or flue
gasses can flow through, might, like an open door or window,
allow air to flow into the house, especially if it is an outside chimney. If we locate the system in an area of positive pressure, the
air should flow out of the house.
Now, let’s add some variables that can sabotage our system.
Anything that will take air out of the house mechanically like, but
not limited to, down draft ranges, bathroom exhaust fans, dryers,
whole house fans, shop exhaust fans and range hoods can create negative pressure. Recessed lighting is another culprit. If
not sealed properly they are like holes in the ceiling that air will
flow through and raise the NPP, creating a greater area of nega-
8
tive pressure. A masonry fireplace with an open damper may be
taking air out of the house and creating negative pressure.
Some people sleep with a window open on the second floor and
that can raise the NPP. There are other culprits, but I think you
get the picture.
So, what is the solution to stopping all of these forces that are
trying to get between us and a nice warm fire in the woodstove? The best possible solution is to locate the
chimney inside the house and have it run up through
the highest point in the insulated envelope. The opposite of this is a chimney that is located outside, which
is almost certainly doomed to fail. If the chimney is
inside the house and terminates through the highest
point of the roof, we achieve many desirable results.
First and foremost, we keep the chimney warm. A warm
chimney is a happy chimney! This is because a good chimney produces draft, and draft is a temperature difference that
produces a pressure difference that pulls air or flue gasses up
the chimney. It is much easier to keep a chimney warm when it
is located inside the house. Just think of what the temperature
difference would be when it is 70 degrees inside and below
freezing outside. Because the warm, happy chimney is producing strong draft, it will be able to compete with all of the other
forces that are trying to keep it from doing its job. Remember
that pesky little NPP I was talking about? Well, if located inside
the house, the chimney will have one that is higher than the NPP
in the house, and the result will be a chimney that has draft even
when the stove is not running! As Louis Armstrong would sing,
“What a wonderful world”. Let’s not forget the best part—with all
the cards in our favor, the wood stove will be responsive to control and provide sought-after heat.
That’s all for now, but tune in next time when we take a look at
the wisdom behind outside air for wood burning appliances.
Tim Gerencer, Jotul North America
(If you would like to download this article to print for your customers, please go to the NEHBPA website at www.nehpba.com)
20 Year Membership
(l to r) Williamson Hardware in Willliamson, NY; Cracker Mill Hearth &
Emporium in Shokan, NY; Dean's Stove & Spa in Plantsville, CT; Best
Fire in Albany, NY; Summit Wholesale in LeRoy, NY
WELCOME, New Members!
Please welcome the following new members to our NEHPBA family!
Autogevity Inc.
Larry Worden
Windsor, NY – Retail Member
East Coast Sales Associates, Inc.
Rich Hughes
Tully, NY – Manufacturers Rep
Lunkers Outfitters
Nuno Figuerial
Ashland, MA – Retail Member
Big Flats Hearth & Home
Bill Owens
Big Flats, NY – Retail Member
F&G Pools & Stoves Inc.
Fred Giametta
Newburgh, NY – Retail Member
M&K Hearth and Fireplace
Kathleen Melahn
Ridgefield, CT – Service Member
Bottings LLC
Larry Botting
Martville, NY – Retail Member
Fiamma, Div. Of H&S Group LLC
Rob Dilisio
Woodbury, CT – Retail Member
New Way Equipment
Alan Coyne
Avon, NY – Retail Member
Buffalo Fireplace
James Downing
Buffalo, NY – Retail Member
Green Heat Inc.
Jeff Poremba
West Hurley, NY – Retail Member
Northeast Home Enterprises, Inc.
Gina Grogan
Ballston Spa, NY – Retail Member
Chimney Specialtys
Marc Diverdi
Clinton, MA – Service Member
Harris Hearth and Home Inc.
Harris Lonergan
Staten Island, NY – Retail Member
Robbins Garden Center, Inc.
Pat Robbins
Oxford, MA – Retail Member
Comfort Wise Heating & Supply
Tom Tschauder
Richland, NY – Retail Member
Hearth Products Corporation
Dan DeMagistris
Southport, CT – Distributor Member
Smokestack Lightning, LLC
Carter DeFranceaux
Vergennes, VT – Service Member
Countryside Stove & Chimney of
Oxford
Peter Faber
Oxford, NY – Retail Member
Holland Stove
Dennis Nelson
Holland, NY – Retail Member
Don’s Chimney Care & Stove Shop
Don & Teresa Oakes
Livermore, ME – Retail Member
Johnson Pool, Spa & Hearth, LLC
Audra Kemmerling
Owego, NY – Retail Member
Note: In the Spring issue, we incorrectly
printed David Kress at Countryside
Stove & Chimney of Rochester, Inc. It
should be Frank Kress. We apologize!
2007 Annual Meeting Revolution!
This year NEHPBA revolutionized the Annual Meeting format at Old Sturbridge in Massachusetts. It was a year
of many “firsts”, setting a new standard for future annual meetings:
•
•
•
•
It was the first Annual Meeting
demonstration extraordinaire.
to top 180 in attendance!
offering 9 CEU approved classes
with “Tools of the Trade” vendor displays.
with our vendors providing a “Griller’s In Action” cooking
Speaking of future Annual Meetings, NEHPBA is already
well into the planning stages for 2008, and we welcome
both member input and active committee participation.
Current plans call for expanding the CEU offerings,
encouraging more “Tools of the Trade” vendors as well as
grilling vendors, plus adding NFI course reviews and tests.
NEHPBA is committed to keeping our member‘s Annual
Meeting registration fees low so that everyone can take
advantage of these offerings while also providing great food,
entertainment and the opportunity to network with your
northeast industry partners.
The Annual Meeting is Your Dues at WORK!
9
Congratulations!!
NEHPBA would like to congratulate all our current members & HPBA manufacturer members
who have either just become NFI Certified or renewed their certification in 2007.
10
Connecticut
Lewis Banning
Jeffrey Barile
Joseph Biber
John Busch
Scott Dandelski
Daniel DeMagistris
William Dene
Shane Driscoll
Andrew Drwiega
William Duffy
Mauro Falotico
Forest Gajdosik
Louis LaBelle
Michael LeMoine
David Lord
Brian McKinney
Kevin McMeans
Dean Michanczyk
Daniel Notaro
Gordon Rathbun
Stephen Sobczak
Adam Speeg
Gabe Stein
Scott Stirling
Nicholas Sylvester
John Tarquinio
David Tomas
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Woodburning & Gas Specialist
Woodburning, Gas & Pellet
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Woodburning & Pellet Specialist
Gas Specialist
Pellet Specialist
Gas Specialist
Pellet Specialist
Pellet Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Woodburning, Gas & Pellet Specialist
Pellet Specialist
Extreme Maint. LLC
Connecticut Appliance & Fireplace Distributors LLC
Preston Trading Post
The Trading Post
Fireplaces By Superior, Hearth, Spas & Leisure
Black Swan Hearth & Gift
By Superior, Hearth, Spas & Leisure
Dean’s Stove & Spa, LLC
Black Swan Hearth & Gift
Mike’s Spa Repair & Pellet Stove Service
The Trading Post
Fire Finesse, LLC
The Trading Post
Fireside Supply Inc.
Total Chimney Care, LLC
Preston Trading Post
V & V Woodstoves Inc.
Fireside Supply Inc.
The Trading Post
Cheshire
Southington
Norwich
Monroe
Milldale
Southport
Newtown
Milldale
Southington
Southington
Plantsville
Newtown
Plantsville
Pomfret Center
New Milford
Plantsville
Wethersfield
Plantsville
New Milford
Hebron
Milford
Milldale
Norwich
New Milford
Milldale
Hebron
Monroe
Maine
Robert Burdwood
Paul Carey
Douglas Jones
David Miller
Charles Pennell
Timothy Pennell
William Rees
William Robinson
Gas Specialist
Woodburning Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
IBP - Builders Insulation
Northwinds Stove & Fireplace, Inc.
Maine Stove & Chimney, LLC
Mazzeo’s Chimney and Stoves
IBP - Builders Insulation
The Hearth Doctor, Inc.
Portland
Ellsworth
Sanford
West Rockport
Sanford
Sanford
Portland
Gray
Massachusetts
Eric Andlauer
Dave Bancroft
Joseph Briggs
Stephen Brisette
William Buchyn
Donald Clowes
James Davis
Nicholas Federico
Jose Nuno Figueiral
David Gendron
Joel Gunn
Christopher Haley
Kevin Haley
Meg Keltie
Stacy Lavertu
Joseph Monson
Bryan Shoum
Sean Thorpe
Randy Titsworth
Timothy West
Gas Specialist
Gas & Pellet Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Pellet Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Lunkers Outfitters
Sweepnman, Inc.
Fireplace Showcase
The Chelmsford Fireplace Center
IBP- All In One-Moore Building Systems
Higgins Energy Alternatives
Enchanted Fyreside, Inc.
Fireplace & Patio Concepts by August West Chimney Co.
Lunkers Outfitters
IBP- American Building Systems
Enchanted Fyreside, Inc.
Squier Lumber & Hardware
Commonwealth Fireplace & Grill Shop Inc.
Lennox Hearth Products
Fireplace Showcase
IBP- All In One-Moore Building Systems
Ashland
North Reading
Seekonk
Chelmsford
West Boylston
Barre
Worcester
Pembroke
Ashland
Sagamore Beach
Worcester
Monson
Monson
Norwood
East Hampton
Barre
Monson
Barre
Seekonk
West Boylston
New Hampshire
Glenn Buttermore
Elizabeth Eaton
Aaron Erisman
Sterling Freeman
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Energysavers, Inc.
Country Hearth & Home
Esersky’s Hardware Company, LLC
IBP - Builders Insulation of New Hampshire
Meredith
Conway
Claremont
Auburn
Richard Hoesly
Mark Jones
Dale Lavoie
David Long
Larry Miller
David Miller
James Panniello
Ronald Racicot
Jeffrey St. Cyr
Kevin Stiles
Ken Szymansky
Paul Tully
Warren Wolterbeek
Matthew James Wyman
Gas Specialist
Pellet Specialist
Pellet Specialist
Pellet Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Village Products, Inc.
Chestnut Hill Chimney Service
Energysavers, Inc.
Fireside Hearth & Leisure
Heart Line Stove Shop
The Stove Shoppe @ Fences Unlimited
Son’s Chimney Service & Stove Shop
Country Hearth & Home
Woodman’s Forge & Fireplace
Home & Hearth Inc.
Alternative Energy Hearth & Patio Shoppe
Goffstown
Farmington
Meredith
Libson
Jaffrey
Jaffrey
Windham
Milford
Conway
Windham
Windham
East Wakefield
Hampton Falls
Hampton Falls
New York
Joel Baker
Leonard Billings
Eric Buchalter
Michael Callahan
Carl Celella
Quentin Clark
Richard Clark
Jade Craven
Allen Cucksey
James Downing
William Ferneza
Jesse Fitzgerald
Charles Giannavola
Mark Haines
James Hartsen
Jef Hehn
Matthew Hill
Michael Jenison
Matthew Kilbury
Robert Kladke
Thomas Kucera
Daniel Lewis
Steven Losacco
John Lyday
Earle Mallory
John Meeker, Jr.
John Michalak
Gary Millis
William Murphy
John Pilger
Jeff Poremba
Lawrence Savino
Joe Shear
Scott Sisson
Kyle Stoltz
Christopher Strain
Michael Swanson
Peter Westbrook
John White
Ellery Willard
Pellet Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Pellet Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Pellet Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Pellet Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Gas Specialist
Pellet Specialist
The Fireplace Company, Inc.
The Stovery
Fireplaces by Design, Inc.
Black Hat Chimney & Fireplace, Inc.
All About Stoves Inc.
Countryside Stoves of Syracuse
Hudson View Fireplaces
Cracker Mill Hearth & Emporium
Buffalo Fireplace
The Stovery
T.G. Remodeling Services, Inc.
Buffalo Fireplace
Williamson Hardware Inc.
The Stovery
IBP- Building Systems East
The Stovery
Kilbury’s Feed Service Inc.
Hearth & Home Technologies
Fireplace Fashions
Fire-Glow, Inc.
Creekside Hearth, Patio & Home
Ashleigh’s Hearth & Home
Fire Glow Distributors, Inc.
The Stovery
Ashleigh’s Hearth & Home
Chief Chimney Services, Inc.
Green Heat Inc.
Fireplaces by Design, Inc.
All About Stoves Inc.
Sisson’s Chain Saws & Stoves, Inc.
Countryside Stoves of Syracuse
Guaranteed Chimney Services, Inc.
Dorwin Springs Building Supply, Inc.
Dunrite Chimney and Stove
Pine Lake Stoves, Inc.
Lake George
Argyle
Hilburn
West Seneca
Selkirk
Syracuse
Lake George
Germantown
Shokan
Buffalo
West Seneca
Argyle
East Rochester
Buffalo
Williamson
Argyle
Rochester
Argyle
Arkport
West Seneca
Freeville
Rochester
Staten Island
Freedom
Poughkeepsie
Jefferson Valley
Argyle
Lake George
Poughkeepsie
Smithtown
Stone Ridge
Hilburn
Selkirk
Bolivar
Syracuse
West Hampton Beach
Nedrow
Centereach
West Seneca
Caroga Lake
Rhode Island
Juan Restrepo
Sean Rosser
J. Francis Tetreault
Gas Specialist
Anchor Insulation Co., Inc.
Specialty Building Products, Inc.
Atlantic Sales Group, LLC
Pawtucket
West Warwick
Providence
Vermont
K. Eric Brown
Michael Decker
Carter DeFranceaux
Adam Harper
Philip Neff
R. Douglas Peeler
Jeremy Trombley
Brian Wade
Gas Specialist
Pellet Specialist
Gas Specialist
Pellet Specialist
Gas Specialist
Friends of the Sun
Home Comfort Warehouse
Smokestack Lightning, LLC
Friends of the Sun
The Stove Depot, Inc.
Friends of the Sun
Manchester Center
White River Junction
Vergennes
Manchester Center
North Clarendon
Manchester Center
11
AWARDS
President’s Award
“As I walked up to the front of the room to receive the award, I
remember saying to Tim, ‘I’m completely blind-sided by this!’ It
is a great honor. The plaque is on my office wall and has become
a daily encouragement for me to help hearth dealers build their
businesses to a higher level. To receive an award like this means
so much to me, especially when I think of how rewarding being
on the board of the NEHPBA has already been. My fellow
board members are a great group, and we have a lot of fun
working together. The ability to achieve this year’s membership
goal has been a team effort. I’d like to thank the board for supporting my aggressive ideas and a special thanks to Diane - she
makes it all happen!”
Mike Rupp
Mike began his career in the hearth business in the mid 70’s.
Like many of us, it began from an article in Mother Earth News
on how you could make $40/hour sweeping chimneys. With a
house, wife and two young sons, he needed to make extra
income. He sent to August West who was the supplier of chimney sweep supplies, and out he went—HE WAS NOW A CHIMNEY SWEEP or so he thought. His first time on a roof he realized he had no idea what the heck he was doing. Since he had
drained their modest bank account of $345.00, he couldn’t go
back to his loving, supportive wife, Lois, and tell her of the bad
news. OH! She had also just booked his first sweep for her
boss. NOT GOOD!
He then joined the NCSG, got certified, and was on his way.
At the end of the first year in a part time business, they were able
to put a nice sum of money back into their savings account. Lois
was very proud…..
Then it really started moving fast. He was in his driveway late
one August day when a sales rep for a stove company strutted
up the driveway with an attitude as big as a van. This rep
thought Mike had quite a reputation as someone who knew
about chimneys and wood stoves and he was going to make
Mike one of the best stove retailers in the country. That sales
rep was Jon Pennell and that was how Mike got started retailing
in the hearth industry.
They started with three stoves in the hallway of their raised ranch
home at the end of a dead end street. As they lay in bed that
night, Lois strongly encouraged Mike that they would be able to
sell the stoves (of which they knew nothing about) and promptly replace the money in their savings account. Mike replied,
“Yes, Dear”.
They were well into September by that time and sales were
going well. Lois liked the way their savings account was growing and decided this was not bad. The business grew rapidly.
Mike could not be both at the shop selling and installing, so it
came time to teach Lois how to sell. Prior to this, she would not
sell Girl Scout cookies to an old lady, so sales training was
going to be tough.
The first Saturday she was scheduled to be on the sales floor by
herself, they got swamped early. As Mike was heading out the
door to deliver a stove, he overheard her sales pitch: “We have
brass and we have glass and we can come WAY DOWN on the
12
Tim Webb, President, [r] presents Mike Rupp with the
"President's Award"
price.” Mike then knew he was in trouble and would have to get
back from his delivery FAST.
From that point on Mike knew they would be ok. In 1982 they
took all of their savings and bought land with an old burned down
house on the main road in Holland, NY, and opened a retail
shop, Country Stove and Chimney. With the help of their two
sons, Jeremy & Jason, Lois and Mike worked endlessly to build
the business into what it is today.
In 1989 they were asked to distribute the line with brass and glass.
This was a scary time for them. They knew they were good retailers, but didn’t have a clue about distribution. With several good
distributors out there already it was tough getting started. They
had to sell what they had, not what they didn’t. They didn’t have a
truck to do deliveries or a warehouse, for that matter. They sold
what they did have, a great line of stoves, and the fact that they
were successful in retail. If they could help others achieve that,
then eventually they would be successful at distributing.
In 1995 they saw a huge increase in gas fireplace sales. At that
time there were not a lot of good mantel companies around, so
Mike started Grand Mantle while at the same time running a full
retail store and distribution company.
In 2000, with the four of them working endless hours, it was
decided they needed a better way of life—they would sell the
retail and mantle company and focus on distribution. They
added another 12,000 sq. ft. to the already 23,000 sq. ft. they
had. Mike had a 10-year plan—RETIREMENT! (He’s already
WAY off on that…) Now with the “extra time”, he began working on an idea he had from years earlier in retail—”The TenMinute Chase,” for which he received the VESTA Award in 2005,
one of the highlights of his career to be recognized at that level.
In 2007 they moved from their original location to a newly constructed warehouse of 75,000 sq. ft. Mike feels the hearth industry has been extremely good to Empire Distributing. “We have
been fortunate all of these years, and I am grateful to be able to
give back to the industry by serving on the board of the NEHPBA.”
The “President's Award” is chosen annually by the current president and is “awarded to the individual who has excelled in their
contribution to the continuing growth and vitality of the Northeast
HPBA.” Past award winners are: Paul Birnstihl (2000); Gary
Goodemote (2001); Tim Webb (2002); Jim Tully (2003); Joe
Biber (2004); Kirk Meloney (2005) and Steve Dumais (2006).
AWARDS
Keeper of the Flame
“It truly was an honor to be selected for the Keeper of the Flame
award. It’s somewhat humbling to be placed along side the past
recipients. Ten years ago I never would have suspected I’d
receive such an honor. It was at that point that I was asked to
serve on the NEHPBA board. From service there, I went on to
the HEARTH Board where I now serve as president. During this
time NEHPBA asked me to also serve as your representative to
the HPBA national board, where I still serve. It has been a
rewarding time for me assisting in the launch of NFI, FITS and
Online Hearth Trainings. Many of you question that you may not
have enough to offer to serve on one of our boards or committees. You’d be surprised how much difference one dedicated
individual can make! Get involved! Help out the industry that
supports you! Who knows, in a few years YOU may be the
industry veteran receiving the award!”
Jim Tully
Jim sold Charmglow gas grills and Temco gas heaters from 1974
to 1977. From 1977 to the present, Jim and his wife, Diane, have
owned and managed the sales agency, Woodman Associates,
Inc. In 1988 they opened Woodman’s Parts Plus, a distributor of
parts and accessories. In1997 they then opened Woodman’s
Forge & Fireplace, a specialty retail store. Jim has represented
Efel, Heat-Fab, Jacuzzi, Jackes-Evans, Morso, Schaefer Brush,
Z-Flex, and many others over the years.
Jim served on the board of WEI from 1978 to 1980 where he
helped facilitate the merger between WEI and the Fireplace
Institute to form the WHA in1980. He served on the WHA
Membership Committee in 1980. He also served on the
Northeast HPBA Board of Directors from 1996 to 2003 in addi-
Tim Webb, President, [r] presents Jim Tully with the award
tion to charing the Education Committee. In 2002 Jim was
appointed to the HEARTH Board where he serves as president.
In 2004 Jim was appointed to the HPBA Board of Directors as
Northeast HPBA’s affiliate representative.
Jim received the Northeast HPBA’s “President’s Award” in 2003.
He holds wood, gas and pellet National Fireplace Institute (NFI)
certifications and is a certified MHP (Master Hearth
Professional).
The “Keeper of the Flame” Award is chosen annually by the
NEHPBA Board of Directors and is “awarded to the individual
who is distinguished in their commitment to the hearth, patio &
barbecue products industries and whose ideas, energy and
actions have enhanced opportunities for hearth, patio & barbecue products professionals throughout the Northeast.” Past
award winners are: Chuck Brewster (2000); Howie Seligman
(2001); Bruce Briggs (2002); Tim Webb (2003); Paul Birnstihl
(2004); Nate Hindemith (2005) and Richard Wright (2006).
Hearth Jam! 2007
Just a hearty “THANK YOU” to all who participated in this
year’s Hearth Jam! at the Annual Meeting: Ray Pourcell
- your songs, vocals and playing were
superb; Rich Hughes - you overcame
the “thumb issue” to be great; Mike
Cardillo - the drumming was right on;
Kenny Lemire - we couldn’t have done it without you, you’re priceless; and even Elvis (Alan), thanks
for providing the humor and tempo changes. If NEHPBA can
tolerate us, we may get a chance to do it again. And I’ll look forward to that!
Kirk Meloney, bass player and creative director (ha-ha!)
PS: Those of you who stayed for the unplugged set, great job with the vocals!
13
EASY EMPLOYEES
On a recent flight back from a short vacation, I happened to be seated next to a very kind gentleman who as
it turned out was a CEO of an HVAC firm. His firm wholesaled equipment to contractors, had fifteen locations and
150 employees. At the end of our conversation, he
offered the advice that a well-run company was all about
the employees. If a small organization needs to grow,
since there are usually more tasks to get done than the
time to do them, increased staffing is a necessity. If you
feel having employees is a lot like babysitting, then it
might be helpful to change your approach.
Employees need to know what is required of them and
the tasks that they must accomplish in order to have fulfilled their job description. It is your job to provide boundaries for the position in written form so they know what is
expected. In addition, you must think of the key criteria
that will be used to judge their performance.
Next, it is your job to provide the appropriate tools,
guidelines and learning aides so that the employee can
actually grow into the job easily. Offer as much training as
you can. Employees do not come from your same perspective or from a common point of reference. Both manufacturing and industry training will help to fill in areas
where the employee may need to hear or see information
out of the context that you have presented it. Continuous
development helps an employee to feel smart, connected
and that what they do for the company matters.
You will also need to provide consistency in your
approach and timing of evaluations so that the employee
knows what to expect from you and your
company. Constant communication is also
important so that employees feel comfortable approaching you with questions,
problems or new ideas. It is helpful to set
up a specific weekly appointment slot for
being available to your staff. That way they
know they can talk to you privately, and you won’t be running off to other appointments.
Finally, your job is to evaluate and assess the employee.
You must rank the job task requirements and assess
whether the employee has actually fulfilled those requirements. A staff member’s function is to take things off the
owner’s shoulders, not put more on. Therefore, you also
need to reward or punish for performance. This method
also helps to avoid randomly judging an employee when
it is time for a raise review.
Give a little extra time this spring and summer to developing a good employee program and you shall receive
stronger loyalty in return as employees feel appreciated and
involved. A well-run company is all about the employees.
But the benefits definitely fall in the lap of the owners when
there is more productivity at an easier pace.
Carrie Swan
Carrie is co-owner of a retail store for the past 26 years,
and has been past president for NEHPBA. She also consults for retailers, specializing in relationship retailing.
EPA Update
The Vermont Air Quality Division of the Agency of Natural
Resources has been awarded a $100,000 Woodstove
Changeout Grant from the EPA. This is the first step to
improve the air quality in Vermont by decreasing particulate matter.
What is particulate matter and how do fine particles affect human health?
Very small particles are more likely to travel deep in
the respiratory system, and be deposited deep in the
lungs where they can be trapped on membranes. Exposure
to elevated levels of fine particles can increase the likelihood of
respiratory symptoms in sensitive individuals, aggravate heart or
lung disease and cause premature mortality in persons with cardiopulmonary disease and the elderly.
Particle pollution is produced by a wide variety of natural and
manmade sources. Major sources of particle pollution are factories, power plants, trash incinerators, motor vehicles, including
diesel engines, construction activity, fires, and natural windblown dust. Of particular concern in the wintertime are fine particles released by smoke from fireplaces, wood stoves and outdoor burning. This smoke can accumulate, especially in valley
areas, when a temperature inversion traps a layer of cold air
near the ground.
14
The first phase of this two-year grant will be focused in Rutland
County. The Air Quality Division’s Monitoring program gathers data from numerous monitoring stations around the
state, one of which is located in downtown Rutland.
On occasion, a noticeable wood smoke smell has
been observed from the air sampling filters taken
from the Rutland monitoring station.
To this end, working with the Bennington Rutland
Opportunity Council (BROC), income eligible participants are being identified for replacement of their pre1988, non-EPA certified wood burning appliances. Their units
will be replaced with newer, certified stoves decreasing emissions between 70% and as much as 95%.
The second phase of the Woodstove Changeout program will be
focused more broadly. Participating retailers and manufacturers
will equally contribute to rebates available to homeowners willing to replace their pre-1998 wood burning units with certified
alternatives. The second phase, while sweetened with financial
incentives, appeals to the sensibilities of people to “do the right
thing” and invest in the cleanest available technology.
For more information about Vermont’s Woodstove Changeout
Program, contact Marci Young, Air Pollution Control Division,
Waterbury, VT, (802) 241-4538, [email protected]
Calendar of Events
December 14 – Early Registration to win great
EXPO prizes!
February 1 – EXPO hotel registration deadline
February 4 – EXPO registration deadline to receive
badges via mail
February 27 – NEHPBA “Beer-In-The-Bathtub”
Reception in Atlanta – Location TBD –
look for mail invitation!
Feb 27-Mar 1 – HPBA EXPO - Atlanta, GA
March 19 – NFI Gas Certification – Hartford, CT
April 21,22,23 – NFI Wood, Gas & Pellet Certification –
Sturbridge, MA
May 6 & 7 – “Sales Training” by Dave Pomeroy
Diane’s Desk
Things used to quiet down here in the
office after Labor Day, but not anymore! NEHPBA has enjoyed tremendous growth in 2007.
Membership has increased from 285 to 325, Annual
Meeting not only increased in attendance from 125 to 185,
but we also added many more programs and educational
opportunities. And speaking of Education, over the last six
years NEHPBA is proud to have offered NFI reviews &
exams to close to 1,000 individuals!
We are now working on getting ready for our annual “BeerIn-The-Bathtub” Reception in Atlanta (look for your invitation postcard soon!) and our fall Membership Campaign
along with invoicing. When you receive your invoice, you’ll
notice our new “Member Flex Plans”, enabling you to
spread your annual dues equally over a 12-month period.
It also insures that you will be locked in to the current dues
schedule AND never have interrupted membership!
(sponsored by NEHPBA) – Location TBD
May 19 & 21 – NFI Wood & Gas Certification –
Portsmouth, NH
June 1 & 2 – NEHPBA Annual Meeting - Location TBD
June 2 – NFI Wood, Gas & Pellet Certification –
Location TBD
June 18,19,20 – NFI Wood, Gas & Pellet Certification –
Syracuse, NY
Who Should Get The
NEHPBA Newsletter???
If you are a member of NEHPBA, we’d like to help
“spread the word” with what’s happening in our little
corner of the world. Are there other people in your
organization you think should receive the newsletter? List their info below and return it to us by fax
or mail and we’ll add them to our mailing list!
Name:_______________________________
Company:_____________________________
Address:_____________________________
City: ____________State: _____ Zip:______
Email:________________________________
Stephanie Birnstihl, Diane Rossi, Holly Hamel
We also want to welcome a new member to the NEHPBA
staff. Holly Hamel joined us in early September. She is a
married mother of two teenagers, comes to us with a paralegal and clerical background, and has been a great addition!
Please don’t hesitate to give
me a call anytime with your questions, suggestions,
complaints or anything else, because remember“NEHPBA Works – For You!”
Diane Rossi, Executive Director
Blueprint for Success
Profit Strategies for Specialty Hearth Retailers
We purchased extra copies of
this popular hearth industry publication for an Annual Meeting and
are offering them to our members for $15.95
(includes S&H!).
Fax the enclosed form to
the NEHPBA office to
order yours today!!!
15
NEHPBA
904 Hanover St., Suite #3
Manchester, NH 03104
Phone: (603) 669-2740
Fax: (603) 669-2741
‘NEHPBA Works – For You!’
NEHPBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Executive Board
Tim Webb, President
Saratoga Masonry Supply Inc.
518/587-6300
Larry Miller, Vice President
603/532-4513
Steve Dumais, Treasurer
Energysavers, Inc.
603/279-7961
Bob Borella, Secretary
Friends of the Sun
802/362-4070
Mike Rupp, At Large
Empire Distributing
585/492-2780
Kirk Meloney, Ex-Officio
Jotul North America
207/797-5912
The Directors
Mark Berns
Palace Aids Fireplace, Pool &
Spa Center
860/489-0300
Barbara Christensen
EN-R-GY SAVER, INC.
508/429-2008
Dan DeMagistris
203/254-2256
oks
Handbo
HEARTH for
als
fic
Of
g
Buildin fessionals)
h Pro
(and Heart
ides
sible Gu
Indispen d Solid Fuel
to Gas an Systems
Hearth
16
Woody Keeney
New England Wood Pellet, LLC
603/532-9400
Seth Lapine
David S. Lapine Inc.
203/327-9099
Ray Mayer
HearthStone Quality Home
Heating Products
802/888-5232
Charlene Mazzeo
Mazzeo’s Chimney & Stove
207/596-6496
Dean Michanczyk
860/621-4038
HPBA Representative
To The Board
Jim Tully
Woodman’s Parts Plus
603/522-8216
Executive Director
Diane Rossi
NEHPBA
904 Hanover Street, Suite #3
Manchester, NH 03104
Phone: 603/669-2740
Fax: 603/669-2741
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.nehpba.com
We’ve included an order form inside for these
“must have” Handbooks. Every hearth
industry retailer should have a set in their
shop; reps should have them too! What better
way to “bridge the communication gap” than to
order a set to give to your local building
official? Fax the form to the NEHPBA office
and we’ll mail your copies out TODAY!!!
Committees
Annual Meeting
Barbara Christensen & Charlene Mazzeo, Co-Chairs; Mark
Berns & Dean Michanczyk, Committee Members
Budget
Steve Dumais, Chair; Dan DeMagistris, Vice Chair
Education
Larry Miller, Chair; Dan DeMagistris, Vice Chair; Barbara
Christensen & Kirk Meloney, Committee Members
EXPO Reception
Steve Dumais, Chair; Ray Mayer, Vice Chair
Legislative/Regulatory
Tim Webb, Chair; Ray Mayer, Committee Member
Marketing
Dean Michanczyk, Chair; Mark Berns, Vice Chair
Membership
Mike Rupp, Chair; Seth Lapine, Vice Chair; Charlene
Mazzeo & Dean Michanczyk, Committee Members
Nominating
Steve Dumais, Chair; Mark Berns, Vice Chair
Public Relations (Newsletter & Website)
Bob Borella, Chair; Woody Keeney, Vice Chair
You don’t have to be a Board Member to work on these committees;
if you would like to lend a hand or have a special interest in any of
these committees, please call Diane or any of the committee chairs;
we’d love your help!!
Legislative/Regulatory Code Coordinators
CT– Joe Biber (860/886-1484)
Dan DeMagistris (203/254-2256)
Gabe Stein (860/886-1484)
Tom Swan (203/426-1230)
ME – Mike Korcyl (207/797-5912)
MA – Chuck Brewster (508/866-4343)
Bob Feen (978/829-0099)
Nate Hindemith (508/947-8835)
Jeff Tufts (508/238-3139)
NH – Steve Dumais (603/279-7961)
NY – John Meeker, Jr. (518/869-9600)
Wayne Stritsman (518/869-9600)
Peter Scarson (315/434-9839)
RI – Mark Tanzi (401/421-5815)
VT – Gary Goodemote (802/254-4208)
Ray Mayer (802/888-5232)
We are looking for additional Code Coordinators to help our
existing CC’s in all states. If you would consider becoming a CC,
give Diane or your state CC a call for more details.

The Great I - Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association

Transcription

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