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Survival Kit
A Full Comprehensive Guide to the International Window Film Tint-Off and Conference™
by Katie Hodge

Preparations are final, registration is entering its final stage and the competitors are starting to have night sweats. You can almost smell the anticipation in the air. The International Window Film Tint-Off and Conference™ is upon us. Don’t go in blindly though. Use this guide to the event (or survival kit) to make sure you see and hear everything you want to, including the Memphis sights.

International Window Film Tint-Off and Conference™ Plans for Memphis
The International Window Film Tint-Off and Conference™ will bring hard-hitting seminars, an incredible competition, plus great networking opportunities all for the window film industry to Memphis for the very first time.

Taking place September 15-17, 2011 at the Memphis Cook Convention Center, the International Window Film Tint-Off and
Conference provides an opportunity for attendees to learn by day and play by night in the Home of the Blues. Join your colleagues and discuss what strengths and weaknesses the industry is facing and how they affect your business. In an effort to provide value-add opportunities, the International Window Film Tint-Off and Conference will be co-located with Auto Glass Week™ 2011.

The International Window Film Association’s accreditation testing will be available Wednesday in the Memphis Room and Saturday in the Natchez Room. Attendees who wish to participate need to be pre-registered by August 10 for the conference as well as registered with the IWFA for the testing so that materials can be sent out to all participants in time for adequate study before testing. There is no additional fee for this testing.

Wednesday, September 14
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. IWFA Basic Solar Control Accreditation Testing

2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. IWFA Safety/Security Accreditation Testing

5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. IWFA Automotive Accreditation Testing

6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. IWFA Advanced Solar Control Accreditation Testing

Thursday, September 15
7:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Registration Open (Memphis Marriott Downtown)

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Seminar: Understanding the Customer of the Future
Market trends are changing. The person who has the final buyer power no longer lives at a home with a white picket fence, 2.5 children and a dog. Who is your customer? Great question—and one that will determine the future success of your business. Learn how to build business with people not like you. Speaker Kelly McDonald, is a recognized expert on multicultural marketing and business trends (for more on this seminar see page 42).

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Seminar: Current Window Technologies
Both residential and commercial glass has evolved over the past several years and it is most important to know how best to sell film to compliment these new technologies. This session will cover the causes of seal failure and glass breakage, from the perspective of a window manufacturer. There will also be a discussion around the different glass types that are available, pitfalls to be cautious of and overall awareness of how to use these new technologies to your benefit.

1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Registration Open (Memphis Cook Convention Center)

2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Seminar: Using Online to Better Your Bottom Line
Come learn how to better market your company using your website and other related links. This expert speaker has developed a presentation geared specifically to meet your needs. This seminar will discuss the importance of lead generation, and increasing business at the dealership level.

4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Int’l Window Film and Auto Glass Week™ Exhibition/Extravaganza
Visit the exhibition area to chat with supporting manufacturers and exhibitors as well as view the Tint-Off action as it happens. Milling around the floor will offer opportunities for networking with manufacturers, competitors and other attendees.

4:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. International Window Film Tint-Off™ Welcome
Judges score tinters on various sections including: cleanliness of film, cleanliness of vehicle, light gaps and edge cuts, quality of application and warranty card. Judges will make deductions for different criteria that are not met to determine each contestant’s final score. There will be one preliminary round followed by the final round of competition and the announcement of the winner. First place will win $10,000.

4:15 p.m. - 4:25 p.m. Tint-Off Preliminaries Prep Time

4:25 p.m. - 4:55 p.m. Tint-Off Preliminaries

4:55 p.m. - 5:40 p.m. Judging of Tint-Off Preliminaries

5:45 p.m. Tint-Off Finalists Announced

5:50 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Tint-Off Finals Prep Time

6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Tint-Off Finals

6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Silent Charity Auction/Cocktail Party on Show Floor
The auction will be taking place on the show floor and everyone is invited to attend. Among the items up for bid you will find jewelry, a fishing trip and much more. Proceeds of the auction will go to the Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standards Council Inc.

7:00 p.m. - 7:45 p.m. Judging of Tint-Off Finals

7:45 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Tint-Off Awards Ceremony

Friday, September 16
7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Registration Open (Memphis Marriott Downtown)

9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Seminar: Be Social – It’s Worth It
Seminar: Be Social—It’s Worth It
By now, we all have some form of social networking in our lives, but is it strictly personal? This session will cover how to effectively use Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In, YouTube and other social network opportunities from a business stand point. Learn how being social can expand your business.

10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Keynote: “Teamwork for Success”
Mike Eruzione served as the captain that led the 1980 U.S. Olympic “Miracle” Hockey Team to its Gold Medal victory in Lake Placid, N.Y. The highlight of the games for Mike was scoring the game winning goal against the Soviet Union. That victory against the Soviets advanced the U.S Hockey Team to the Gold Medal Game where they beat Finland to win the gold medal. For the past several years Mike has traveled throughout the country representing major corporations as their spokesperson and/or motivational speaker. Join Mike for a lesson in how teamwork can lead to great success.

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Seminar: Successfully Working with Energy Service Companies
If we told you there was a prime collection of local customers available to you—would you doubt it? Well there is, come hear how to utilize relationships with local utilities and Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) to increase business. Energy savings and being green are very important themes and directions in the commercial market, and this trend is growing. Learn how to take advantage of this growing movement, and help increase business through the commercial markets.

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Lunch Break

1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Seminar: Dealer Open Forum
Join the dealers as they discuss and provide ideas on industry topics we all face. Provide input on items such as fading, the Federal tax credit and other vehicles to help you grow your business. Representatives from the manufacturers will be available to answer questions, talk about general trends in the industry, and so much more.

1:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Registration Open (Memphis Cook Convention Center)

3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Int’l Window Film and Auto Glass Week™ Exhibition/Extravaganza

Saturday, September 17
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Registration Open (Memphis Cook Convention Center)

9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Basic Solar Control Accreditation Testing

9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Int’l Window Film and Auto Glass Week™ Exhibition/Extravaganza

10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Safety/Security Accreditation Testing

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Automotive Accreditation Testing

2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Advanced Solar Control Accreditation Testing

*Please note the schedule is subject to change.

Event Anticipation
Among those already registered for the event the excitement and anticipation is already building. Lisa King, owner of All American Window Tint in Hermitage, Tenn., is excited to see what is on display.

“I am really interested in any new tools. I love finding out about new tools,” says King. “I’m also really excited to see any new advancement in ceramic film. If I got to see both of those I would be tickled pink.”

Others are looking forward to the educational seminars and seeing the manufacturers and distributors that will be attending.

“I’m going for the conference,” says Nick Baldi, vice president of sales for KC Window Film in Merriam, Kan. “I am always looking to see what is going on in the window film industry. I also want to see the six major window film manufacturers—anytime we can be around our manufacturers it is a good thing.”

Our Host Hotel
This year, the film industry will gather in comfort at the Memphis Marriott Downtown. Located on 250 North Main Street in Memphis, this hotel truly is in the heart of the city and provides its guests with all the latest comforts and amenities. Discounted rooms have been made available to International Window Film Tint-Off and Conference attendees for only $99 per night, plus tax. Rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Be sure to book your rooms early as the discount deadline is August 25, 2011. Visit windowfilmmag.com/tintoff click the hotel link and book your reservation online to receive the discounted rate.

Southern Hospitality
Memphis is known as the Home of the Blues and the Birthplace of Rock ‘n Roll. Just take a stroll down Beale Street and you will hear the music of artists such as B.B. King and W.C. Handy performed by some of the most talented blues bands around. Rich in culture, Memphis has a number of theatres, museums and other artistic attractions including the beloved Graceland Mansion. A few sites worth seeing off the beaten path are the old Lorraine Motel, now the National Civil Rights Museum, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated and the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, which is an offshoot of the Smithsonian Institution. For sports fans, Memphis is home to the Redbirds baseball team, River Kings hockey team and the Memphis NBA Grizzlies.

Key Notes on the Keynote
Mike Eruzione served as the captain that led the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team to its Gold Medal victory in Lake Placid, N.Y. The highlight of the games for Mike was scoring the game-winning goal against the Soviet Union. That victory against the Soviets advanced the U.S Hockey Team to the Gold Medal Game where they beat Finland to win the gold medal.

The 1980 Olympic Team received many accolades after winning the gold medal, including being inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. On December 2, 1999, the 1980 Olympic Hockey team was given the ultimate compliment when Sports Illustrated magazine voted its moment as the number-one sports moment of the century. Mike and his teammates had the honor of lighting the Olympic Flame at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. In 2004 Mike and his teammates were featured in the Disney movie “Miracle.”

For the past several years Mike has traveled throughout the country representing major corporations as their spokesperson and/or motivational speaker.

Strength in Numbers
International Window Film Tint-Off and Conference™ attendees will have the opportunity to visit the Auto Glass Week™ Extravaganza for free! The combined location will offer the opportunity to visit current suppliers as well as automotive suppliers on ways to expand and diversify your business into other areas.

It Pays to be an IWFA Member
Being a member of the IWFA provides multiple membership benefits. IWFA members can register for the conference at a reduced rate. Pre-registration ends 9/2 with a discount rate of $159 and $179 afterwards. Non-members pay an early-bird fee of $159, a pre-registration fee of $179 and after 9/2 the cost is $199. As an IWFA member, you also receive a free subscription to Window Film magazine full of industry-related features, expert columnists, quality departments and so much more. To become a member of the IWFA, please call 276/666-4932 or visit www.iwfa.com

Questions or Comments:
Contact Window Film magazine at 540/720-5584, fax: 540/720-5687

Restaurant Reviews
Rendezvous Restaurant- Located in an alley, this Food Network/ Travel Channel veteran is known as “the place to eat BBQ in Memphis.”

Corky’s BBQ- This BBQ joint is most famous for its pulled pork and BBQ nachos.

Texas de Brazil- This restaurant features Brazilian Barbeque and a huge salad bar.

The Memphis Peabody- This famous hotel is known for its desserts. Also, check out the ducks as they walk by.

Gus’s World Famous Chicken- Gus’s is known for its famous “fried chicken and sides.”

Rum Boogie Cafe- This popular tourist restaurant is known for its southern food; tasty and reasonably priced.

Other restaurants to check out include Huey’s, Dyer’s, or Cooky Kanuck for a good burger, Courthouse Deli and Peanut Shop for a sandwich and a peek at one of the original Planter Peanut Stores, Spindini for Italian food, Flight Restaurant for seafood and wine, Bangkok Alley for thai food and sushi and Blue Fin for a flatbread pizza.

Nightlife (On and off Beale Street)
Silky O’Sullivan’s- Known for the goats outside and “The Diver” (a huge bucket of mixed drinks), Silky O’Sullivan’s is a fun bar to visit with a group of people.

Bardog- A bar that is popular with the 20-something crowd.

Bar None- Looking to eat and drink? Bar None serves delicious bar food along with drinks.

Local Gastropub- Known for its neat atmosphere, this bar is a bit pricey.

Raifords- For those looking to dance, this late night dance club hosts a rowdy crowd.

Flying Saucer- This bar has a worldwide selection of beers and great bar food to accompany your drink of choice.

Night On the Town
It’s always challenging to be in a new town for business and pick the right places to go. Allow Window Film magazine to share some insider tips with you.

Navigating
The Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) operates two trolley buses in the downtown area of Memphis that run from the morning to late into the evening. The antique Main Street Trolley lines run up and down Main Street from Auction Street in the North to J.O. Patterson in the South as well as making a riverfront loop. Take the trolley to downtown cafes, Beale Street and the National Civil Rights Museum. For schedules and information, call MATA at 901/274-6282.