BE at the BEACH! - OHPBA Spring Meeting, 2009

June 14-15, 2009
Chinook Winds Casino, Lincoln City, Ore.
Click these links: Casino Website; Host Hotel
Book your room for Sunday night for just $89

Registration Info (27 registrations to date):

$35 members, government and non-profit
$50 non members
Click HERE to download the Registration Brochure (pdf)
Click HERE to download the Registration Form (pdf)

Table top Displays and sponsorships are $100. Manufacturers are welcome to support our meeting. Benefits include free registration, signage, and a display table. Contact Harvey Gail, OHPBA Exec. Director at 503-371-7457.

Thank You Sponsors!
Lightning Nuggets (cool prizes for the slot tournament!)
Tri-State Distributors (table)
Lucky Distributing (table)
Western Outdoor Wholesale (table)
Cobra Chimney Caps (table)
Dansons, Inc (table)
Valor Gas Fireplaces / Miles Industries (table)
Canby Sales & Associates (table)
Associated Energy Systems (table)

Agenda:

June 14 (Board members)
3:00 – 7:00  Board meeting, Dinner
7:30 - 8:30  (members, guests) Slot Tournament with PRIZES!!

June 15 (All members, non-members, guests)
8:00 – 8:30     Annual Meeting, Elections, Awards, State of the Association, HPBA Report
8:30 – 9:20     Update on Renewable Energy Tax Credits - Federal and State (1 CEU)
9:20 – 9:30     Break, Display Tables
9:30 – 10:20   Marketing on a Shoestring: How to Use Free Media & Social Networking to Get Noticed (1 CEU)
10:20 - 10:30   Break
10:30 - 11:10   What's Hot in the U.S. and Europe, Consumer Trends
11:10 - 12:00   The Heat Smart Bill, Oregon Legislative Session 2009 (1 CEU)
Noon                Adjourn

CEU's: 3 hours of NFI/CSIA CEUS have been awarded.

Event Description, Seminars

OHPBA members, it’s that time of year. Every spring, OHPBA holds its annual meeting. The purpose is to elect board members, and to share information about the association and the industry. But it’s also fun and a chance to catch up with your colleagues. We have had a joint meeting with NWHPBA for several years, but this year the board decided to stick closer to home and keep the costs down with a shorter meeting… but that doesn’t mean less fun! So what better place to have the meeting than the beach? What’s more, the meeting is at Chinook Winds Casino.

Bring your family. If you’re not sure what to do with the kids while at the slot tournament or at the meeting, the Chinook Winds has a great fully monitored kid’s area with climbing tubes, bubble pits, video games, and arcade games. You can even talk to your kids over a live video feed to check in.

Sunday, June 14 (7 pm - 8 pm)

Sunday night we have a private slot tournament (only for OHPBA attendees) in the evening. The way it works is you work the slot machines which are set on “points” instead of real money. You won’t lose anything and you can bet as much as you want. Just pull that handle (or hit the button) as fast as you can during the time of the tournament. The points are added up and everyone wins something. The top winners do a “final” and they win even better prizes. After that, you are free to roam the casino, assuming your trigger finger hasn’t cramped up from the slot tournament!

Monday, June 15 (8 am - Noon)

Start off your day with a Jack Pot Breakfast with all the fixing’s. At the annual meeting we will welcome new board members and hand out awards. After that we have a few sessions designed to fill you in on the latest developments.

Here are the topics:

Update on Renewable Energy Tax Credits - Federal and State

The Obama renewable energy “stimulus” tax credits are great for business. Credits are up to $1500 on qualifying appliances - that a lot folks. But, you need to understand how they work in order to give the right advice to your customers. The IRS is drafting the rules now and we expect them to be available in time for the meeting. These renewable energy tax credits can kick start your selling season, so become an expert otherwise customers may go find an expert leaving you out of the deal. Also, get an update on the Oregon Residential Energy Tax Credit. Yes it is still in effect for 2009 and it is up to $300 on qualifying wood and pellet stoves. Fred Kirkpatrick, HPBA Treasurer and Dave Brook, Oregon Dept. of Energy.

Marketing on a Shoestring: How to Use Free Media and Social Networking to Get Noticed

With the economy down and less money available for advertising, many retailers are looking for ways to reach out to customers on a “shoestring” budget. If you’re spending less money on the traditional advertising budget, you need other ways to reach customers. Learn how to use public relations and social networking (Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, LinkedIn, websites) to leverage your advertising and sales efforts. Also, learn the basics of “web optimization” to get your site bumped up on search engines. Harvey Gail, President VanNatta Public Relations.

What’s Hot in the U.S. and Europe, Consumer Trends

Learn the latest trends in hearth design in the US and Europe. Also, what’s coming up the fall in the future for consumer trends and preferences for fuels next year and beyond. View a slide show of the European Hearth Show. Also, we will discuss trends in consumer tastes and preferences for fuels types. Andee Mowrey, Lucky Distributing.

The Heat Smart Bill Oregon Legislative Session 2009

Senate Bill 102, currently passing at the 2009 Oregon Legislature, will have a major impact on users of wood stoves in Oregon. As a retailer, you need to know about this bill because you are on the front lines. The bill will require uncertified stoves to be removed when a home is sold. Every one of those homes sales is a potential sale for you for a wood, pellet or gas stove and related chimney work. Also the law creates a fund for changeout campaigns, and may create new emissions requirements for certain types of “exempt” stoves. Learn what this bill does and help us anticipate customers’ reaction to it. Harvey Gail, OHPBA Executive Director and Steve West, OHPBA Lobbyist.