Education is King !!  Dryvit has always put a high emphasis on educating its audiences about Outsulation® --- On November 9 and 10, Dryvit held a 2-day Advanced Dryvit-University for the 'seasoned' Dryvit sales representatives.  Close to 40 people participated in this event in Dallas.  Topics ranged from the new Energy Code to how Dryvit contributes to LEED Points to how to sell Dryvit's Specialty Finishes.

John Mandigo from NexGen Building Supply attended this Advanced Dryvit-U and said "Not only were the topics excellently presented and very informative, but it also gave me, and I am sure all of those who attended, great tools and a new incentive going forward from this point on."  John was so inspired by the content of the meeting that he has already submitted a plan to his company that will address the resources needed to become thoroughly familiar with the material presented and to become certified in LEED GA.

Dryvit will be hosting more of these regional training sessions for the "seasoned" Dryvit sales rep around the country.  Look for your invitation to arrive by email.

Al Zabbo, CEP, Dryvit's Field Service Manager for the Northeast Region, has recently passed his recertification test for AWCI's EIFS Inspector and Industry Professional courses. Al, who has been with Dryvit for 30 years and has been certified for many of those years, said, "There were a few changes between this test and previous years test - - most notably was the increased focus on drainage systems and air and moisture barriers. This certainly reflects the way the industry is headed."

AWCI has a number of courses designed for industry professionals. When passed, this particular course gives the professional specialized education in the application and inspection of EIFS and notes that the person has demonstrated acquired knowledge by passing an objective, written exam. If you would like further information on AWCI's Academy and their upcoming schedule, click here.

SPECIAL PROMOTION ON

Think LEED certification doesn't make a difference?  Cory Stimpson, Technical Sales Rep and LEED GA for Dryvit distributor, Building Specialties in Idaho, has a different opinion. 

Cory recently made a call on a local architectural firm.  Although she knew he was coming, the receptionist only allowed him into the library to update the manual.  She told Cory that everyone was busy.  Before entering the library, Cory stopped a gentleman in the hallway, introduced himself and gave him his card.  The gentleman walked away, but quickly turned around and said "You're LEED Certified?"  He happened to be the owner of the firm and wanted someone from his office to become certified also.  He had a lot of questions regarding the classes they could take, registration procedure, how long it took to study, etc.  After talking about that, he was very interested in what Corey was promoting.  They spoke about the benefits of Custom Brick™, Reflectit® and TerraNeo®, and then he took Cory to meet a couple of other architects. 

The visit lasted an hour and a half longer than Corey was expecting, and should provide Building Specialties some revenue in the future.

Bottom Line - LEED Certification Does Make a Difference.  If you are interested in learning more about taking the LEED GA exam, we recommend that you visit the US Green Building Council's website.  Two additional resources are www.gbci.org and www.gbes.org.  You can also contact Dryvit's two LEED GA accredited professionals, Bob Dazel and JW Mollohan for any specific questions.

Did you know that each time Dryvit makes a change to a piece of literature on www.Dryvit.com, it is recorded and posted for you to see?  You can find this running list of updated literature in the "Literature" section, which is in the left-hand navigation drop down. The updates stay in that section for six months.  Therefore, if you are wondering if a document has changed recently or when it was changed or what changed in the document, look in this section first !

As we and our families look forward to celebrating the upcoming holidays, we need to remember there are many American men and women who will not be able to spend the holidays with their families.  They are the friends and neighbors that volunteered to serve our country in the armed services.

One such person is Major Lydia Oswald, a Mine Detection Engineer in the Army Reserves. Lydia's full-time jobs include wife, mother of three, and IT/Purchasing
/Inventory Manager for Dryvit Distributor, Ceiling Supply, in St. Louis, MO.  Last May Lydia was called up for a second tour of duty, this time in Afghanistan. She will be there through May or June of next year.  Four years ago she spent a full tour in Iraq.

Dryvit would like to extend our deepest appreciation to Lydia and all of the other brave men and women and their families for the sacrifices they have made in defense of our great nation.  To all who are serving and have served - Thank You and God Bless." 

Peter Balint

USMC 69-71

Team Dryvit rose to the occasion once again in the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk that was held October 24^th in Providence, RI.  Team Dryvit raised $4,543.50!!!  Great job everyone.  Your efforts to help reduce and someday eliminate this dreadful disease are commendable.