 Happy Holidays from the staff of HPBAC
In this month's issue HPBAC Manager Tony Gottschalk updates us on the new Government Affairs Committee and some of the issues they will be dealing with.
Find out more about the federal government's EcoEnergy Retrofit program and the upcoming Hearth, Patio & Barbecue EXPO in Atlanta starting February 27th when the Education Schedule begins. We've listed some of the great workshops on offer. Don't forget to register for an Education badge this year. And of course you'll want to attend the HPBAC Events on Thursday. |
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We're accepting entries in the following categories:
Before & After Fireplace
Before & After Freestanding
New Installation Fireplace
New Installation Freestanding
Contest Deadline - April 30, 2008
Watch your mail and fax for entry form and details. |
 From the Manager
Tony Gottschalk |
One of the most important areas of activity for our association is in the field of government affairs. Both at national and chapter levels, volunteers and staff are continuously engaged in federal, provincial and even municipal jurisdictions, representing the interests of our industry and acting as responsible and credible partners. I am pleased to announce, therefore, the formation of a new national Government Affairs Committee. The first meeting is scheduled for January. Committee members come from across Canada and from various parts of the industry so as to best reflect the industry as a whole. The GAC will work closely with the chapters and all members of the association are welcome to submit comments or concerns for its consideration.
The committee comprises: Roger Gripton (Chair) from Napoleon, Marc-Antoine Cantin from SBI, Alan Murphy from Enviro, Martin Miles from Valor, Eric Dufour from Security Chimneys, George Leblanc from Maritime Fireplaces, Malcolm Fisher from Compact Appliances, Lou Olsacher from The Foundry, Paul Hebert from CFM, and Joe Giannandrea from FPI. On behalf of the association I would like to thank them for volunteering their valuable time.
Some of the issues that our GAC will be tackling are Energuide, "green" housing, government regulations, the EcoEnergy retrofit programs both federal and provincial, industry standards, "wood is good" and public relations. We are fortunate to have such capable and experienced people working on our behalf. |
| Great Training and Professional Development Opportunities at EXPO for Canadian Members |
HPB EXPO Education 2008 sponsored by ICC-RSF
The Education Schedule at EXPO has a diverse and exciting array of courses for Canadian members in the Business Management, Sales & Marketing, Technical & Safety and Outdoor Living/Room streams. There's something for everyone. While you're in Atlanta take the time to learn something new and inspiring.
Business Management
- Kitchen Table to the Conference Table: Family Business Communications
- Professional Service is Profitable
- Fifty Sensational Ideas to Revolutionize Your Business
- The Mystery of the Budgeting Process
- How to Delegate Unto Others Before They Delegate Unto You
- Computers for Specialty Retailers: Taking Advantage of This
- Increase Productivity by Practicing Self-Management
- Identifying and Communicating Competitive Advantages
- Going Green: Who Defines Green & How Will Green Affect the Hearth Industry
- Lean Thinking: Continuous Improvement for Specialty Retailers
- Leaning Your Retail Business with Business Management Software
Sales & Marketing
- The Art of Making More Money From Your Business
- How to Market When the Target is Changing
- Fireplace Design: Making the Fireplace the Focal Point of a Room
- Store Design: Appealing to Customers
- Merchandising: Getting the Most Out of a Showroom Floor
- Marketing Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Products to Generation Y
- Website Secrets - Learn Everything You Need to Know to Make Your Website Sizzle
- Explode Your Sales - Marketing Ideas That Are So Simple and Effective They Will Blow Your Mind
- "Green" Doesn't Affect My Hearth Business, Does It?
- WhizBang! Customer Service: Give Your Staff the Skills They Need to Give Your Customers the Service They Deserve
- Building Buzz: Transforming Your Store Into a Customer Destination
Technical & Safety
- Carbon Monoxide and Fire Dangers
- The Use of Blower Door Testing in Understanding Negative Pressure
- What Did I Miss?
- FITS Works: The New Way to Train Installers
- Troubleshooting Pellet/Biomass Appliances
- Working with Hearth Product Installation Subcontractors
- Understanding Fuel Gas Code Requirements for Appliance Installation
- Diagnosing Gas Hearth Products
- Installing and Troubleshooting Wood Stoves
- Electronic Ignition Systems Made Simple
Outdoor / Living Room
- How to Start an Outdoor Living Space Business
- Outdoor Kitchens: Planning, Designing, Constructing and Installing
- Working with Contractors to Offer Complete Outdoor Living Packages
- Starting and Managing a Grill Service Business
- Installing Outdoor Fireplaces
- Outdoor Room and Kitchen Design: Identifying the Experts
For more information, visit www.hpbexpo.com. |
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Get to Know the Ontario Chapter Board |
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Andy Cotnam
Employer Advanced Prefabs/The Fireplace Center & Patio Shop, a family business started by my father in 1952. We operate 2 retail stores - the main showroom, at 11,000 sq ft, is promoted as Canada's largest patio and fireplace showroom. We are heavily involved in RNC (residential new construction) servicing at least 50% of the new construction market in the Ottawa area and operate our wholesale and distribution division servicing specialty hearth retailers and heating contractors throughout Eastern Ontario. Our strength lies in the many (45 employees) experienced and long-term, hardworking, dedicated and talented staff. Jack Tombak has been with us for 32 years.
Title Vice President and General Manager. I always say my job is to keep all my co-workers happy. We have an amazing team where everyone is important and is treated with respect. I've worked my way up through the ranks in warehousing, service, installations, retail sales, wholesale sales on the road to my present position.
Home Ottawa, ON
Why are you involved in the association? I truy believe that the hearth business gets in your blood and I certainly learn something everyday. I'm excited and a great believer in positive change. |
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Joy Harbers
Employer Harbers Flame Centre & Masonry
Title Co-owner
Years in this industry 13 years
Home Williamsburg, Ontario - small rural town in Eastern Ontario. It's a farming community
Why are you involved in the association? I feel it's important to be involved with the HPBAC because I can stay informed on changing and current issues. It is also beneficial to share information with colleagues and you have the opportunity to meet with people of the industry.
Vanessa Percival
Employer Urban Hearth
Title President
Years in the industry Since 1976 - I started in '76 sweeping chimneys, and have never looked back.
Home Perth, Ontario
Previous jobs My favourite past job was at a dairy farm... the sense of peace in the barn at 5 am was magical
Why do you feel it's important to be involved in the association? I have always felt that it is important to support the organizations that help to support us in our business. HPBAC has been the collective voice of our industry to government and media as well as internally, all jobs that most individuals have not the time to take on, yet need to be given attention to.
Paul Johnson
Employer Tradex Supply Ltd (Barbecues Galore)
Title General Manager/Owner
Years in this Industry 9
Home Burlington, ON
Previous Jobs Tradex was first full time employment since graduating university Why are you involved in the association? To help out where I can with the barbecue category
Employer Coleman & Associates
Title Vice President
Years in the industry 14
Previous Jobs I have always worked for C&A
Robert McAuley
Employer FPI
Title Account Executive
Years in the industry 5 years
Previous Jobs Always been in sales. I've sold everything from furniture and appliances to trailer axles.
Home London, Ontario
Why are you involved in the association? It's important to be involved because of the information that is available first hand. It's nice to also have a say or suggestion in industry issues!
Dominique Page
Employer SBI
Title Sales Manager
Years in the industry 6 years
Home Stratford, Ontario
Why are you involved in the association? It brings people together, provides a better understanding of the industry and its challenges. Being involved makes us part of the solution, part of the improvements and part of the discussion process. It allows us to voice our opinions and have more impact. I do enjoy it!
Leah Stiles
Employer Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. Title Channel Consultant
Years in the industry 5 years
Home Ottawa, Ontario
Why are you involved in the association? Offers an opportunity to educate, be educated and provides valuable networking opportunities with other industry members. Provide support as a representative from the utility and help assist the association as needed.
Joe Meriano
Employer Union Gas Ltd. - A Spectra Energy Company
Title Account Manager, Residential Markets
Years in the industry 1 year
Previous Jobs I worked for 9 years in sales for the IT industry.
Home Toronto
Why are you involved in the association? It is important to be involved in the association in order to stay current on issues and developments in the industry. It is also important because members pool their knowledge and resources to help each other become more successful every day.
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For more information on any of the above please contact our office at 1-800-792-5284 (Canada) or 705-788-2221.
Sincerely,
Laura Litchfield
HPBAC |
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| HPB EXPO News |
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HPBAC Events |
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Focus Canada & HPBAC AGM
Thursday, February 27
7:30 to 8:30 am
Location to be announced, GWCC
HPBAC Reception and  Floor Hockey Tournament
5 to 7 pm
C302-304, GWCC
Co-hosted by HPBAC Atlantic Chapter
Sponsored by:
Manufacturers
FPI Regency
Robert H. Peterson Co.
Selkirk Canada
Distributors
Concord Distributing Inc.
The Foundry
To sponsor please contact Laura Litchfield
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| EXPO 2008 |
February 27- March 1, 2008
Atlanta, Georgia |
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New fireplace ranks ninth on The Appraisal Institute of Canada's list of The Best Returns on Renovations with a 50 to 75% return on investment |
| Tax Rebates in Nova Scotia |
| Residents of Nova Scotia who heat their homes with oil, firewood, wood pellets, propane, kerosene or coal are eligible for a rebate of eight per cent - equivalent to the provincial portion of the harmonized sales tax (HST). The sales tax rebate for electricity and natural gas applies to bills dated on or after January 1, 2007. Bulk vendors who are HST registered are required to provide the at source provincial rebate for home energy and must register with Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations to be set up on the reimbursement program. Bulk vendors are advised that the eligibility status of several condominium complexes was updated July 1, 2007. |
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| Eight out of 10 |
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EcoENERGY Retrofit |
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The federal EcoENERGY program was launched in April of this year. It is slated to run for five years. It allows homeowners to claim rebates from the federal government for improving the energy efficiency of their property. Among other things, it provides a rebate of $300 for replacing an old non-conforming wood burning stove/fireplace with a new EPA/B415 certified model.
The homeowner has to pay for an energy efficiency home survey both before and after the work has been completed. In most provinces and territories there are provincial grants available to help pay for these inspections.
Ontario and Saskatchewan will now match the federal rebates in most cases. This means $300 becomes $600 in these provinces. Other provinces may follow.
HPBAC is working with government to promote the interests of our industry.
Important Links www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/retrofit-summary.cfm www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/incentives.cfm?attr=4 http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/retrofit-homes/provincial-municipal.cfm?attr=0 http://ecaction.gc.ca/ecoenergy-ecoenergie/index-eng.cfm
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| Barbecue Education in Ontario |
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Barbecue Education Day
Brought to you by the HPBAC Ontario Chapter
Monday, January 21st, 2008
12 noon to 5 pm
Mississauga Grand Banquet & Conference Centre
35 Brunel Road, Mississauga |
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| HearthMasters |
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HEARTHMASTERS
Keeps the Fire Crackling!
Don't let your friendship burnout. Join HearthMasters and keep the spark alive with the insiders you've known for so long!
HearthMasters is a social organization formed in 2000 to recognize the long and productive careers of those involved in the hearth, patio, and barbecue industries. Friends and associates that have been in the industry for at least 20 years can stay in touch with one another. To help members keep track of each other, HearthMasters publishes a newsletter twice a year, an annual HearthMasters Membership Directory, and our recent survey indicated that everyone would like to enjoy a breakfast this year at the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo (HPBExpo) in Atlanta. In addition to the breakfast, HearthMasters has a lounge at HPBExpo to give members the opportunity to put their feet up, catch up on the news, and have a refreshment.
Please join us for breakfast on Saturday, March 1, 2008 from 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. there is a $25.00 charge, in the HearthMasters lounge, Room 308, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. We look forward to seeing you there!
Anyone interested in joining HearthMasters should call Debbie Scerbo at
(703) 522-0086 or email scerbo@hpba.org. A membership application is also available on the HPBA website www.hpba.org (click members). |
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HPBAC Board of Directors |
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Executive Committee |
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President - Marc-Antoine Cantin, SBI
Vice President - Alan Murphy, Enviro
Treasurer - Open
Past President - Kim Rodgers, Miles Industries
Manufacturers
Bill Harris, Dimplex
Paul Hebert, CFM
Regional / Chapter Reps Atlantic - Kim Stone, The Furnace Man
Quebec/APC - Rejean Coutu, Les Agences R. Coutu
Ontario - Joy Harbers, Harbers Flame Centre
Prairie - Bev Wood, Diamond Fireplaces
Western - Lisa Martin, Fireplaces To Go
At Large
Ross Mikkelsen, Barbecues Galore
Sarah Smith - Terasen Gas
Bertrand Poirier - Distribution 2000 |
| HPBAC Mission Statement |
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The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association of Canada is a trade association dedicated to serving the needs of our members, established for the purposes of:
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providing a voice for the industry
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promoting and protecting the interests of those engaged in the hearth, patio and barbecue industries
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coordinating and integrating the needs of dealers, distributors, manufacturers and suppliers
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providing educational and networking opportunities for all our members on both national and regional levels
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promoting consumer awareness of the benefits associated with our products | |
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