In 1999 the National Coffee Service Association joined NAMA, and since then we have been working to add new programs and services for coffee service providers. Our goal was to help the all coffee service members grow their business and continue to be profitable.
We are proud to announce several new coffee service initiatives starting in October of 2007. The first initiative will be a reference brochure outlining all of the programs and educational material available to coffee service providers. This material will reflect our commitment to “It's All About Coffee Service.”
Coffee Service Education Summit
Our first educational initiative is the Coffee Service Education Summit set for Feb. 12 and 13, 2008 in Cherry Hill, N.J. This event will give the coffee service provider the tools needed to take their business to the next level of growth and profitability.
The Summit is your opportunity to educate yourself, plan for the future of this industry and your own business. You will be treated to interactive sessions and a chance to learn about unfolding trends and consumer preferences to help you make more informative presentations and stay ahead of the competition.
Industry leaders will be on hand to share their coffee service knowledge and are helping us design this powerful event. NAMA's Allied member of the year, David Gellman, is serving as program chairperson.
Industry leaders direct the program
In addition, seven experienced leaders are serving on the steering committee and are taking the lead in planning this high profile event. Members of the steering committee include:
- NAMA board member and Industry Person of the Year, Randy Parks, NCE, and president of ProStar Services, Carrollton, Texas.
- Butch Winkler, NAMA board member, Allied Member of the Year, and president of Holiday House Distributing Inc., Land O' Lakes, Fla.
- Tom Steuber, president of Associated Services, San Leandro, Calif.
- Ed Holloran, NAMA board member and vice president of business development, Filter Fresh Coffee Service Inc., Westwood, Mass.
- Coffee Service Operator of The Year for 2007, Susan Hartley, NCE, NAMA board member and president of Coffee Perks, Jacksonville, Fla.
- Steve Hyde, vice president of Newco Enterprises Inc., St. Charles, Mo., and Allied Member of the Year.
- Ken Shea, NCE, vice president of field operations for Standard Coffee, New Orleans, La., and former NAMA board member.
Experts agree that coffee service providers need education and training to succeed in today's competitive environment, which is why attending the Coffee Service Summit is so critical.
This 2-day event will feature interactive educational sessions, business building educational sessions, and the opportunity to speak with manufacturers, other people involved in coffee service, and industry experts. One highlight will be a dynamic presentation by one of our guest speakers, Elliot Maras, editor of Automatic Merchandiser, on the state of the coffee service industry and what is on the horizon. After the presentation, Elliot will lead a question and answer discussion session with all panel attendees.
Another educational session will be led by Rick Leffke, president of R.C. Leffke & Associates, who will speak about customer support and retention. For a fun lunch, we have invited John Lord, professor of sports marketing at St. Joseph University. John is a sports historian and very entertaining.
Take home value guaranteed
This 2-day event will deliver real world insights and business solutions to all coffee service providers, and the event is open to members and non-members alike. Educational sessions will include programs for owners/executives, mid-level management, and sales and operations executives. The attendee registration packet will include promotional coupons worth hundreds of dollars that will more than cover the cost of registration.
For more information, contact NAMA at 312-346-0370 or www.vending.org.
Roger Stewart, NCE, is the director of coffee service at the National Automatic Merchandising Association.
