Message from the President
April showers bring May flowers. If that old adage holds true, Sho-Link will be buried in flowers. Man has the weather been dreary this month.
Now how about some good news. Fours months ago I wrote the introduction for the Sho-Link newsletter. You may be asking yourself, what's so good about something that happened four months ago? Well, it's not what happened four months ago it's about what's happened during those four months. Once again because of all your efforts and dedication for success, I am pleased to inform you that we are on course for our best year ever. In fact we are running ahead of budget and well on our way to meeting our goals.
Great things are transpiring at the corporate office. We have added new staff (see story about Susan Hannes). April has taken on new responsibilities, Rob has been very busy assembling new furniture, and I have been very busy encouraging Rob in assembling furniture. City managers have been coming and going after completing their IT training and receiving new laptops. It has now been nine months since we moved the offices to this location and still not a single stain on the carpet to be found.
In three months we will once again come together for our annual Manager's Meeting. We are planning on something very different this year (details to follow). If you are not aware this year we will be the guests of Joey Brassell in Nashville, Tennessee. Sho-Link would like to extend a welcome to any Owner, General Manager, or Account Executive to participate this year as a guest speaker. We assure you that you will find it informative, rewarding, and most of all a good time. We are talking Nashville in the summer: Great music, and more great music. The dates set for the 2013 meeting will be August 1st and 2nd.
As we head into late spring and the beginning of summer I know your schedules are filling up fast. I encourage you to stay focused and diligent and to remember to communicate with each other about things that affect us all. Your thought process must remain that if we falter in one city, that account or client will see it as a Sho-Link issue and that could open the door for their looking for other options. (A bird that flies away is difficult to get back in the cage). Our objective is to be that other option when our competitors falter. Let us be on the receiving end of New Opportunities rather than giving opportunities away. Remember "GIVE THEM THE PICKLE".
I would like to again thank everyone that has had anything to do with Sho-Link this year. A special thank you to all the crews in the field, whether a Teamster, Stagehand, Carpenter, Decorator, or anyone who did their job to make Sho-Link look good. To all your families if not directly involved in the industry but guilty by association through you. To all Sho-Link staff and managers I remind you to take a moment to step back and acknowledge what you accomplish on a daily basis. You are SHO-LINK.
See you in Nashville,
Scott Rudel, President | |
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Congratulations to April Panosian as she transitions into her new role as Administrative Specialist!! Some of April tasks will include order and certificate of insurance processing, invoicing, and providing support to management. | |
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Sho-Link Putting Contest |
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Click the video link above to see Amy Bailey's Hole-in-One in the Sho-Link Putting Contest! | |
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Mid America Trucking Show 2013
Mike Glover, Sho-Link Louisville City Manager, and his crew, had their hands full with the Mid America Trucking 2013 show down in Louisville this year. Among all the attending exhibitors this year, Sho-Link set up over 20,000 square feet of the show for 14 exhibtors.
The booths Sho-Link set up this year varied in size from smaller 10 x 10 booths, to the 108 x 100 booth for Hamilton Exhibits' client Cummins, which was over 10,000 square feet by itself. Even with all of that to do, Sho-Link Louisville set up everything in a few days time, and did an excellent job.
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One exhibitor very pleased with their booth was Group Delphi's client, Eaton Truck, a 45 x 90 booth set up by a crew of nine men, over three days. Leading a crew of nine men, including himself, Mike Haren, Sho-Link Atlanta City Manager, was on-site to help support Sho-Link Louisville to keep everything running smoothly.
"It was a wonderful looking booth and your crew should be proud. They did a wonderful job led by Mike Haren," said Shannon Zoltek, Group Delphi Account Director.
After another successful year at the Mid America Trucking Show, Sho-Link Louisville is looking forward to putting together next year's exhibits at MATS 2014. We hope to see everyone back next year, and all of the new exciting exhibits and changes for the trucking industry next year. |
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2013 Annual Sho-Link Owner's Meeting, Las Vegas
There are certain things synonymous to March. Baseball spring training, College Basketball's Final Four, The Exhibitor Show and Sho-Link's annual Owners Meeting.
The annual meeting was held this year at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas. For the past several years the date and location have been held in conjunction with our industry's Exhibitor Show. Since many of Sho-Link's Members exhibit at the show, the opportunity to schedule the meeting is conducive to the environment for doing business.
This year's meeting was represented by 7 of the 10 Members and took up most of the Sunday before the Exhibitor Show. Scott Rudel, President of Sho-Link, opened the meeting by asking past President Alan Scaccia to hand out the patronage checks to the members for their utilization in 2012 of Sho-Link. Scott Rudel expounded, "It is a great way to start off a meeting when you get to hand out checks to your owners."
The meeting is a full review of the previous year, covering everything from financials to operational achievements and goals for 2013. With Sho-Link celebrating its 20th year of operations, one of the objectives set for this year is the prospect of new members joining the co-op.
"When you can get owners from 10 different companies who often compete for the same client to sit together with the same objective of focusing on a company they own jointly, it reminds us all how unique this company is," said Rob West, Sho-Link Regional Operations Manager.
The meeting schedule also included naming the new Board of Directors for 2013. Sho-Link is proud to announce the new Board that consists of Bill Haney (Derse), Simon Perutz (Nimlok), Brian Cree (Southwest Displays and Events), Doug Fixell (Dimensional Communications Inc.), and Scott Rudel (Sho-Link Inc.)
For information on Membership opportunities please contact Scott Rudel at www.Sho-Link.com. | |
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The Inside Track: A Closer Look
Sho-Link preferred vendors are great partners on and off the floor!
The Inside Track has been the flooring vendor of choice for many of our members over the years, and like Sho-Link, The Inside Track continues to grow. With offices in Atlanta and Chicago, they've opened new markets with their CPT(custom printed textured) flooring as well as their EZ Down wood and stone planks. In addition to The Exhibitor Show, they've had an exhibit at Cinema-Con and Global Shop in April, and will be at ICSC in Vegas and The Museum Show in Baltimore this May.
David Sterne, President of The Inside Track, states that "Our innovative flooring products and great customer service have attracted attention from several new markets, which has been very exciting for us. Our business model of only selling to builders hasn't changed, and exhibiting at these additional shows allows us to be an even better conduit between Sho-Link Members and companies that can use their services".
The Inside Track also has a very active show floor attractions division, which provides interactive games, talent, props and the most popular category: weird things that clients ask for.
You can always reach The Inside Track at 404.876.5900 or email Dave@theinsidetrackinc.com | |
2013 Review: Lancaster Management visits Corporate office
Here we are again, a quarter of the way through the year and it seems as though no one has even had a chance to blink! So without wasting any time, corporate management immediately began making plans to once again scour the country with Account Reviews. Every year we coordinate multiple meetings with our members to go over any service issues Sho-Link might be having and to also discuss the positive areas where we are beneficial to our members and their clients. However, this year we have decided to add a twist to the reviews. Instead of meeting with only members, Sho-Link has decided to take the reviews to our affiliates, turning the tables a bit and covering their service provided to Sho-Link and our members. The affiliate network is an integral part of Sho-Link's success. We feel it is necessary to share the triumphs as well as struggles our members are having with our affiliates, enabling them to provide better overall service.
In early April, Lancaster Management, led by Patrick Lancaster, visited the corporate offices and engaged in a vigorous conversation about service as well as possible reciprocal work in the near future. With plans pending to meet with Spectrum, Laser and Willwork already being discussed, this years reviews should prove to be not only beneficial to Sho-Link, its members and affiliates, but ultimately help pave a path of success for the future for all involved.
Rob West, West Coast Regional Manager | |
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Sho-Link Employee Announcements
Susan Hannes, Customer Service Representative -
 The Sho-Link family continues to grow, and welcomes our newest Corporate staff member, Susan Hannes. Susan is a native to the area, having grown up in Round Lake, IL, and the youngest of five girls. Susan, and her husband Eric have three children, Darien, Meagan, and Matthew to keep them busy, as well as a grandchild. Outside of the office, Susan enjoys time with her family, as well as her own family genealogy that she has been putting together over the years.
Susan may be new to the tradeshow industry, but she is no stranger to Customer Sevice with her past work experience, including working at Aon Hewitt. Susan has been a great addition to the Corporate team here, and she is both energetic, and excited about joining the Sho-Link team.
In addition to our Corporate staff updates, our Sho-Link family has welcomed two newborns into the world, who with any luck, will be picking up the toolbelt from Mommy and Daddy one day. | |
Our Nashville city manager, Joey Brassell, became a grandfather this year to Daniella Lincoln, on January 7, 2013. Born to Aaron & Holly Lincoln, both members of our Nashville crew. Congratulations to our new parents!
Leandra Gomes, one of Sho-Link Southern California's lead workers has returned to work after having her daughter, Angelica Spontak on November 18, 2012. Also in the picture is Leandra's older daughter, Livia.
Congratulations Leandra - and welcome back - you were very much missed by the rest of the Southern California team while gone!
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Sho-Link Customer Testimonials
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"Just returned from Vegas where your crew installed both our Vitec and Hitachi Data Systems' booths. Eloy led the Vitec booth I+D and, as usual, did an excellent job - we and the client were very pleased. Jessie Reyna led the Hitachi booth I+D and did a nice job as well."
--Debbie Parrott, Group Delphi
"You probably already know that I was extremely pleased with my experience working with Sho-Link down in Dallas last month for the install of my new build for Trimble at the AHR Expo. I had extremely nervous clients and an exhibit that was fresh off the shop floor. I scheduled my freight for arrival Friday and my labor for Saturday knowing that contractors sometimes take an entire day to get my freight to my booth space. Well, luckily it got there early Friday and lucky for me, Josh is the city manager for Dallas. He made a great decision by installing my exhibit a day earlier which saved me a TON of extra dollars in overtime. Granted, for this to happen it had to work with his schedule, but it just goes to show that Josh does not just go through the motions doing his job. He's actively pursuing best case scenarios for all players involved and it really, really shows. When I did show up Saturday morning to an almost completely installed booth, I couldn't believe my eyes. I even got to leave a day early because of him. Can't wait to do another job in Dallas."
--Scott Augustine, Derse Waukegan
"Just wanted to say a special thank you to you and your team [for Baxter at AORN 2013, in San Diego]. First for being so flexible with your schedules and secondly for excellent craftsmanship. Not only was your crew great to work with they were: quick, responsive, attentive to detail, polite and overall good people. We truly appreciate the work these guys did today."
--Kyle Miguel, Hamilton Exhibits
"John and I had two clients at HDAW in January, Dorman & Frasle. Frasle was a new account utilizing a custom rental. Kevin & Ron were great at Dorman. It's not a big booth, but it isn't the easiest to set up. I was able to give them direction/instruction in the morning and spend the majority of the day in the Frasle exhibit. Our new contact at Frasle had shared some of her onsite nightmares when we first met. Ken & Roberta did a great job of putting the exhibit up and then working with her to merchandise her product. Their customer service was outstanding. Our client was very specific about the repacking of her product at the close of the show and provided detailed instructions before she left. Ken took a photo and sent it me before he closed up the crate. I shared it with my client and she replied back with, "perfect".
--Alex Laama, Derse Waukegan
"I'm back in the office after a very successful Amelia Island Concours event for Mercedes. Just wanted to let you know that your guys were GREAT! Adam, in particular, was outstanding...and we really couldn't have done it without him. This was the first time for me and Steve Gorman (our on-site supervisor) and Adam knew all the ins and outs of the venue and made it happen without breaking a sweat. Please let them know that we (and our client!) were very happy with their work. THANKS!"
--Judy Barnhart, Dimensional Communications, Inc.
"I wanted to send you a note regarding the set-up last week for my client MPI Research in San Antonio, TX.
Victor assigned us Rene as our lead supervisor with two other laborers for this set and I want to let you know they did an outstanding job. It was a new booth and we had some tweaks that needed to be made onsite and Rene and Victor took care of everything. The workmanship and detail in having to make adjustments onsite at the show was as good as the shop work we would have done at Derse.
The crew was respectful, courteous, & thoughtful during the set-up process to ensure the new properties were handled properly. I was truly impressed & had no concerns during the set-up since they did such a great job.
I wanted to make sure you were aware of this, and that Rene and the team received my appreciation and thanks for such a great job done..... Thank you again everyone for all of your hard work!"
--Debbie Eury, Derse Minnesota
"We appreciate very much your invaluable assistance at the Gaylord with our clients [at TMC 2013, in Nashville], as we worked through the various changes caused by the relocation of the event. It was also good to get better acquainted with one of Kim Raby's favorite people! Thank you. I look forward to working together again soon."
--Dan Cantor, Hamilton Exhibits |
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Sho-Link Grin Page
Now that spring is on the horizon, Rob West has taken on the role of "Grill Master" at the Corporate office, so if you can't reach him, follow the smoky smell wafting down the hall to his new office.
On April 24th, Administrative Professionals' Day, Rob West along with the rest of the Upper Management team, prepared a wonderful spread of grilled kabobs, salads, and more as a thank you to the Corporate Staff for all of their hard work - and what a delicious treat it was! | |
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 In Sho-Link's continued commitment to remain current with today's technology we are happy to provide you a digital newsletter. If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter please contact Jean Keefe at jkeefe@sho-link.com or call the corporate office at (847) 735-0640 x 1518. We will be sure to add you to our electronic distribution list. Sho-Link In the Spot Light Editor Tony Scaccia thanks you for your continued trust in Sho-Link as your #1 I&D provider. |
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Copyright © 2013 SHO-LINK. All Rights Reserved.
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