May 2006

Dear Members:

"ARA: Ahead of the Curve" is our association's theme for this year. It refers to business on the leading edge of the industry, a competitive strength that you should exploit to the fullest extent. Here's what some members are doing to get the most possible out of their ARA membership:

Dick Manard, CRS, ARA Secretary/Treasurer, and co-owner of B & B Awards and Recognition in Bloomington, IL, saw a competitive advantage in the ARA Sportsmanship Award. He sent out letters to all the high schools and colleges in his county with football programs, and three accepted his offer to provide a small replica. "We offered them the Sportsmanship Award, and we did the engraving," Manard says. Each school selected its award winner, using the same qualifications as the national award.

Lee McCubbin, CRS, co-owner of McCubbin Trophy and Engraving in Forest City, IA, initially joined ARA to meet new suppliers and learn more about the awards and recognition business. McCubbin and her husband, Jeff, joined ARA three years after opening their shop. "We've been able to meet other members to share secrets and shortcuts and interesting advice, and that all pays off," McCubbin says. She presently serves the association as an ARA education advocate.

For Steve Rapchick of All American Awards Inc., in Mt. Pleasant, SC, ARA helped build relationships that allowed him grow his business. He said his membership gave him leadership experience; Rapchick was recently elected to the ARA Board of Directors. Through his involvement in ARA trade shows, educational events, and volunteer activities, Rapchick and his business have benefited greatly. "When you're involved, you're more than a member," he says. You know the person to call who will be more than willing to help you."

Knowledge, leadership, relationships—all are more than words on a page. They are attributes of ARA membership that add up to making the fee you pay a small investment with incalculable returns. So next time you get your renewal statement from ARA, don't think of it as a business expense; think of it as a professional choice to grow your business.

Ahead of the Curve

Rich Zydonik

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ARA Awards Contest Winners
Click here to view the winning supplier and retailer entries from this year's ARA Awards Contest, which was held at the ARA 2006 International Awards Market in Las Vegas.

'CEU Credit Check' for Certification Enrollees
For those enrolled in the ARA Certification Program, there's a method for checking your transcript to find out your total CEU credits. Visit the ARA Web site at www.ara.org, and find "Education" on the menu list at left side of the home page. Select "Check Your CEU Transcripts" from the sub-menu, and enter your last name and personal enrollment number minus any leading zeros. (Your personal enrollment number is different from your company's membership number.) Click "Begin Search" and you will access your transcript.

Current transcripts are uploaded to the ARA Web site several times a year, usually following the annual Las Vegas show and regional shows. The transcripts currently posted on the ARA Web site include seminars from the 2006 International Awards Market (Las Vegas), the 2006 East Coast Awards Market (Secaucus), and the 2006 Dallas Branch Meeting.

For more information or to get your personal enrollment number, contact the Education Manager at dweinstock@connect2amc.com. Transcripts for the ARA certification program are also mailed out at least once per year.

ARA Member CorelDRAW Discount
ARA has arranged for you to upgrade to CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X3 for only $139!! Discounts are also available for a new license of CorelDRAW X3, Corel Painter 8, Knockout, and KPT. Simply log on to the ARA members only section and click on CorelDRAW Discount Program. Click here to reach the login page.

Health Coverage for ARA Members and Their Staffs
ARA strives to develop programs that meet the many needs of membership. As an ARA member, you'll also have access to a valuable medical service designed to find the best health insurance plan—at affordable rates—for you and your staff! In partnership with JLT Services, ARA's insurance broker, the Medical Benefits Center provides a licensed benefit consultant over the phone to evaluate your insurance needs and your present plan. Your consultant will analyze the many companies offering health insurance and look for an optimum match based on your particular needs. If the plan and rates of any insurance company are of interest to you, the JLT Services Consultant, at your request, will begin the application process, or you can simply use the information for future consideration. Be assured, at no time will there be any expectations to apply for coverage. For more information, contact Bob Jones at 800/544-2672, ext. 6224 or bjones@jltservices.com.

Education Update
See upcoming issues of ARA Connection and Recognition Review for ARA regional education events in the summer and fall of 2006. The ARA Education Committee is developing a schedule of four events allowing members to visit several supplier facilities—and to take seminars approved for ARA CEU credit.

ARA Educational Products
The ARA Education Committee is also working to add new educational products to its inventory of training aids. In the coming months, look forward to a laser engraving CD by Mike Fruciano of LaserBits and a rotary engraving CD by Fred Schwartz of Quality One Engravers.

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May 4-6
The Awards & Custom Gift Show
Fort Worth Convention Center
Fort Worth, TX

May 11–13
CorelDRAW Boot Camp
Cave Creek, AZ
800/736-8973

May 23–25
ASI Show
Pennsylvania Convention Center
Philadelphia, PA
Education Day, May 23
Exhibits Open, May 24–25

June 1-3
The Awards & Custom Gift Show
Indiana Convention Center
Indianapolis, IN

July 11–13
ASI Show
McCormick Place Convention Center
Chicago, IL
Education Day, July 11
Exhibits Open, July 12–13

July 20–22
The Awards & Custom Gift Show
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center
Long Beach, CA

July 27–29
Texas Trophy and Awards Show
Moody Gardens Hotel
Galveston, TX
Set-up Day, July 27
Exhibits Open, July 28–29
800/433-0965

August 24–26
The Awards & Custom Gift Show
Baltimore Convention Center
Baltimore, MD

October 14–16
Euro Trophex
MECC Exhibition Centre
Maastricht, The Netherlands
+44 (0) 1442 230431
E-mail: colingallimore@aol.com

October 26–28
The Awards & Custom Gift Show
Charlotte Convention Center
Charlotte, NC

November 3–4
Western Awards & Gift Show
Embassy Suites Hotel
SF Airport/Burlingame, CA
800/276-8428

February 21–24, 2007
2007 ARA International Awards Market
Las Vegas Convention Center
Las Vegas, NV
800/344-2148

March 15-17, 2007
2007 ARA East Coast Awards Market
Atlantic City Convention Center
Atlantic City, NJ
800/344-2148

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In the May 2006 Issue:

The Best Show in Town
The 2006 ARA International Awards Market offered the best of everything the awards and recognition industry has to offer: new products, equipment, education, and networking.

ARA Award Winners
Read about the honored members, volunteers, and Supplier and Retailer contest winners for 2005–2006.

New Product Expo
Here is Recognition Review's showcase of new products available from ARA Supplier companies. Read more...

ARA Sales Representative of the Year
Roy Brewer, CRM, is known throughout the awards industry for his salesmanship, knowledge, speaking skills, and especially his willingness to share his expertise with others. Read more...

Playful Display and Novelty Fonts
Rather than show alphabets, "Dr. Type" prefers to do projects that are pointed toward commercial or occupational businesses that demand logos or trademarks for the sake of instant recognition. This month, he demonstrates how playful you can be with display and "novelty" fonts. Read more...

Maintain Your Competitive Edge
As the awards industry continues to grow and new competitors appear in your city, on the Internet, in mail-order catalogs, and as non-traditional retailers, it is important that you establish ways to set yourself apart—to go "Above and Beyond" for your present and future customers. Read more...

Exploring Corel PowerTRACE
When working with a complicated piece of artwork or a quality original, Corel PowerTRACE is a great option. With the changes made in the version included with CorelDRAW X3, even files of poor quality can sometimes be traced with a reasonable amount of accuracy.

Dancing with Opportunity
The month of May especially finds most of us in the awards and recognition industry facing a dance card full of suitors. One could view such a situation in two ways: either it's a challenge that puts you "over the edge" or the chance to waltz with opportunity.

Sublimation Education 2006
The importance of education in regard to dye sublimation is an understatement. Education is an absolute necessity in terms of producing quality sublimated products and making profits through their sale.

50 Ways to Use Your Laser
Manufacturers of laserable materials continue to make new and innovative products for lasers. This has opened up even more opportunities for engravers. Diane Bosworth provides 50 examples of some of the common (and not so common) applications.

Speaking with Confidence
Make your speaking energy work for you, not against you. Get those butterflies flying in a straight line, and your audience won't even know they're around.

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If you're an ARA member with computer access, simply visit www.ara.org, log in to the members-only section using your member number, and select ARA Ask an Expert. Find the topic and expert you're looking for, then ask your question(s). More often than not, the ARA expert will have the solution you need.

? A large portion of our business involves engraving marble, mostly for inscriptions on new buildings. We're currently using a laser machine to do these jobs. I realize that lasers aren't made for engraving deep in marble, so we end up masking the marble, vectoring out the letters with the laser, then sandblasting. Is there a better method or process you can suggest?

Fred Schwartz of Quality One Engravers responds: I have tried to engrave many hard materials, some with success (like stainless steel) and others without success (bricks and real marble). The problems I experienced with marble were the inconsistencies with its hardness, and the breaking away of the product as I engraved. I suspect that the successful engraving of marble is possible with a collet-type spindle turning 30,000 rpm minimum and being constantly lubricated or complete submerged. Unfortunately, this rules out nearly all of the engravers on the market.

Sandblasting works better with marble because the fine particles of abrasion chip away very small portions of the surface. A rotating cutter needs to be quite a bit larger to achieve any strength—hence the high speed to allow very small steps of the cutting process. Remember there are synthetic materials that look like marble that are engravable. I also recommend that you consider purchasing a water jet.

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