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In This Issue
In Memoriam
Summerset Professional Grills on INC 5000 List
Patios Plus Trains Entire Sales Staff with ICFA Program
Pride Family Brands Recognizes Independent Sales Reps

In Memoriam

ROY CUNNINGHAM, 1927-2012

  

Roy Cunningham, Cunningham Gas Products, was born on June 28, 1927 and died on Oct. 26, 2012.

Dad and Drew2
Roy Cunningham with his grandson Drew.
He is survived by his daughter, Jill Baker, and his son-in-law Joey, and by his son Jeff Cunningham and wife Robben.

Roy was a survivor of the Great Depression. He was a part of the "Greatest Generation" and helped to build this country. He served in the U.S. Navy and later became a Fire Fighter for the city of Houston. Roy was well respected in his field as well as personally by everyone who knew him. His generosity to those in need was one of his key traits.  

He and his wife Regenia built a successful company, Cunningham Gas Products, which is well-known in the fireplace, gas grill and outdoor kitchen industry and presently in its 54th year serving retail and wholesale customers.  

Jeff and Robben Cunningham, as well as many loyal, hard-working staff members, are carrying on the traditions and philosophies set forth by Roy and Regenia.
Summerset Professional Grills
on INC 5000 List
NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Summerset Professional Grills, based in Costa Mesa, California, has been named to the INC 5000 list of rapidly growing companies. It was ranked number 1,866 on the list after posting a three-year growth rate of 148 percent. Revenues went from $1.8 million to $4.5 million during that period.

Patios Plus Trains Entire Sales Staff

with ICFA Program

RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA

 

Patios Plus, a leading outdoor furnishings retailer in Rancho Mirage, California, for more than 30 years, is the first retail member of the International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA) to have its entire sales team complete the ICFA Sales Training Certificate Program. 

 

Established in 1976, the 10,000 sq. ft. Rancho Mirage Patios Plus and a 7,000 sq. ft. companion store in La Quinta have been under the direction of Jim Schultz and Kristine Schultz Hutchinson since 1992. The two were honored in September with the industry's prestigious Apollo Award in the multi-store category. It was their third Apollo win. 

 

"ICFA is very pleased to recognize Patios Plus as its first retail member to have all of its sales associates complete the ICFA Sales Training Certificate Program," says Joseph P. Logan, ICFA executive director. "It's an admirable achievement and speaks to their commitment to excellence in their store operations. We encourage all ICFA member stores to follow their example!"  

 

ICFA Lapel Pin ICFA's Sales Training Certificate Program was developed in cooperation with Greg Welsh, Welsh Sales Group. The California-based training company has developed retail sales and management training programs for retail chains, manufacturers and buying groups. Welsh has personally trained over 15,000 sales professionals over the past 19 years in 48 states and in more than 12 countries.   

 

"With the current state of our economy and our wide range of clients, it has become much more important for us to adapt our selling styles to meet their needs," explains Jim Schultz. "With the completion of the ICFA training videos, we learned much more about reading our clients' needs - and not being afraid to ask for the sale when we have met them.  

 

"Overall, it was a great way to refresh our sales team with new ideas and positive ways to look at every sale situation. In turn, we have seen a positive shift in our closing ratio, keeping us on the upswing for our new season." 

 

The three-tier ICFA sales training program is DVD-based and includes companion workbooks, tests at each level and a certificate upon completion. Each sales associate who successfully completes the program also receives a lapel pin.  

 

ICFA members can purchase the DVDs for $99 each or $297 for the basic, advanced and master level package. The cost is $795 for each level for non-member companies. The online tests are $15 each. 

 

"As a three-time Apollo Award winner, it's no mistake that Jim and Kristine recognize the value of training their entire team to a very high level," says ICFA chairman Eric Parsons of Gloster Furniture. 

 

The ICFA sales training program can be ordered at the website.

Pride Family Brands Recognizes

Independent Sales Reps

FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA

 

Pride Family Brands, designers and manufacturer of luxury handcrafted aluminum casual furniture, presented awards to individual members within the company's sales representation team during the 2012 International Casual Furniture and Accessories Market. Awards included the Sales Representative of the Year as well as ones recognizing the development of new customers and overall territory growth.  

 

In 2012, Pride Family Brands once again experienced sales increases and sought to acknowledge excellence within its team of independent sales representatives.      

 

The 2012 Pride Family Brands Sales Representative of the Year was awarded to Bill Heckman, of Heckman Marketing, a Pride patio specialty representative for Arizona and Southern Nevada. This award recognized overall excellence in customer service, territory and sales growth and superior product knowledge of the company's Castelle brand. Heckman, who began Heckman Marketing in 1990, has been a member of the Pride sales team since 2009. 

 

Steve Tunnicliffe, Pride Family Brands' patio specialty representative for the mid-America region of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Western Pennsylvania, was recognized with a Prospecting Award during the function held in the company's Merchandise Mart showroom. He has been a member of the Pride sales team since 2000, and posted the highest percentage increase in new customer development during the 2012 season.    

 

The Most Improved Territory award for 2012 was given to Phil Spring. As a 23-year veteran of the industry and owner of AllSpring Sales and Marketing, he represents the Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia (excluding Atlanta) region for Pride. He has been a member of the Pride Family Brands sales team since 2008. 

 

The awards were presented by Rory Rehmert, vice president of Sales and Marketing for Pride Family Brands. "Once again, Pride Family Brands is proud to recognize the superior work of individuals within our sales team," said Rehmert. "Although the awards recognize individuals, at the same time we acknowledge that it is the hard work and professionalism of our entire network of sales representatives that has created the position of leadership that Pride holds within the industry." 

 

For over 30 years, Pride Family Brands has been a family-owned manufacturer of quality outdoor furniture. Visit the website or contact 954-735-9800.