IRTA�s 28th Annual Awards Ceremony
The
International Reciprocal Trade Association held its 28th Annual
Convention in Savannah (GA) Sunday, September 9, through Tuesday,
September 11, 2007. Highlights from the Awards Banquet as follows
were provided by IRTA.
Barter
Ambassador Award is
given to those members who have made an extra effort to introduce
new members to IRTA. This year�s recipients are Harold Rice of
American Exchange Network in Kansas City (MO) and
Reiner Husemann of Euro Barter Business in Germany.
The
Certified Trade Broker Program, also known as the CTB, has been
a cornerstone of IRTA training and education. The candidate this
year is Elizabeth Haire of Citizens Match.org in Florence
(MA).
IRTA has an
extremely dedicated CTB Program teacher in Steve Acerra from Florida
Barter. We wish to thank him for his dedication to this program and
for instructing the CTB training and testing for IRTA �U.�
This year we
are starting two awards that UC (Universal Currency) will give each
year: one recognizes a broker within a member exchange and another
that recognizes an exchange owner.
This year,
there was one particular broker who gave special time and attention
to UC. The UC Broker Award went to Ben Quandt from
Bartercard United Kingdom.
He was
selected by UC as a broker who first and foremost exhibits
professionalism as well as provides outstanding follow up on
requests, protects the integrity of the currency by researching not
inflating offers and takes the initiative to enter the offers on the
UC system on their own, develops and shares creative ideas to close
or save a deal, and generally has a positive attitude at all times.
For example, when he was put in charge of the Bartercard UK UC
account, he initiated $30K in sales in 90 days � mostly in travel to
London and Ireland.
The UC
Exchange Owner Award, which recognizes trade exchange leaders
for their special attention and actions that support UC, was awarded
to Michael Touma of BBX in Australia.
IRTA�s
Platinum Sponsor, for the second year in a row, went to
Sirri Simsek from Turk Barter in Istanbul. This is the
highest sponsorship that IRTA makes available. In her presentation
Krista Vardabash disclosed, �I expect to see you in the IRTA Hall of
Fame very soon, and wish to again extend my heartfelt gratitude to
you and to Turk Barter.�
The IRTA
Silver Sponsor was awarded to Ian Jones of BarterXchange
Singapore. This is the first year that BarterXchange
participated in the IRTA sponsorship program, helping the IRTA brand
become recognized and respected in Asia.
For sponsoring
the IRTA �U� Library/Internet Caf� and making it a true hub
of activity, IRTA thanked Gary Field of NuBarter in Savannah
(GA) for his generosity and support.
Many of us
remember Paul St. Martin as a person who stood as shining example of
selfless contribution of his time and talents to benefit the
industry, he went above and beyond the call of duty in service to
IRTA.. It is this quality that embodies the following award
appropriately named The Paul St. Martin Distinguished Service
Award.
The following three special people exemplify this type of commitment
and service to IRTA:
Lois Dale of
Barter Advantage in New York City.
As president of IRTA, Lois has stepped-up to the plate in many ways.
One occasion was especially notable...she attended The 2006 Global
Entrepolis conference in Singapore where she conducted training
sessions, spoke to media, and educated business people on barter and
IRTA.
David Wallach of
Commercial Currency Consultants in San Rafael (CA).
Not long ago, David adamantly stated that what IRTA needed was a
program to be put into the hands of members to help them educate
their communities on the important role of commercial bartering. He
had in mind what that project would look like, and set out to obtain
testimonials from exchange owners around the world to use in the DVD
that he has produced.
Gary Field of
NuBarter in Savannah (GA).
There a long list of things that represent the above and beyond
efforts of Gary as it relates to the successful execution of this
conference, and the 5 year anniversary of his trade exchange this
week. This award recognizes both of those things. He has passed the
critical 5-year point for any business and cultivated a strong
membership base. Additionally, Gary hosted the IRTA conference this
year and sponsored the Internet Caf� � making NuBarter the newest
exchange to ever take on that challenge.
IRTA�s
Outstanding Achievement Award honors individuals who have
demonstrated outstanding achievement in the barter industry through
management techniques, education, client services and
marketing/sales. The two recipients have definitely made a positive
impact on the barter industry.
Don
Mardak from International Monetary Systems: in New Berlin (WI).
Many of
his peers recognize the value, from the favorable exposure his
company has created, for the commercial barter industry within the
public financial markets. In doing so, he has captured public and
private interest for our industry in the form of capital and
national recognition.
Napoleon
Ares from ITEX Montreal in Quebec, Canada.
His efforts with
the Canadian government have yielded positive exposure for the
barter trade industry by working with the Industrial and Consumer
Department of the Quebec Provincial government to educate them on
the value of barter trade, especially for new business.
The IRTA
Hall of Fame is the highest honor IRTA bestows. It recognizes
individuals whom the Hall Of Fame Inductees feel are regarded as
�indisputable leaders in the barter industry.�
What makes an
indisputable leader? Someone who has been in the barter industry for
at least 10 continuous years and has made universally recognized and
specific contributions to the barter industry as a whole. Above all,
inductees must be regarded in the industry as highly professional
and ethical.
This
description is just not big enough to adequately describe the person
who we induct tonight to the IRTA Hall of Fame:
Art
Goehring, Hall-Of-Fame Inductee.
He is the
retired founder in 1976 of Tradecorp, a highly successful trade
exchange with 1,500 members in Columbus (OH), Dayton, and Cincinnati
markets. He sold his exchange to IMS several years ago.
There are over 500
articles posted on our blog.
Click here
www.barternewsblog.com.
Laws
Affecting Gift Certificates Tough On Small Businesses
More than 30
states have enacted laws banning gift cards and certificates with
short expiration periods, requiring issuers to turn over cash from
expired cards to the state. (Eight states have added such laws in
2007 alone.)
Caught in the
middle is the small business entrepreneur, especially those who
thrive on gift certificates such as restaurants, spas, and hair
salons.
New Mexico
law, for example, requires certificates to be valid for five years
and forces issuers to turn over 60% of the value of the expired
cards. (A percentage that far exceeds a company�s variable cost of
doing business, and one of the reasons for selling and bartering
gift certificates.)
While the
politicians view this as a wonderful generator, thinking they�re
getting at the titans of the industry�the big-box stores�they�re
really affecting the small business owner. These entrepreneurs are
the overlooked and under-appreciated power which makes up 50% of
America�s GNP and is responsible for 99% of the jobs in the private
sector.
Every state
has a different set of rules. In California, you�re not allowed to
put an expiration date on a gift certificate...except in very rare
instances. This is largely because gift certificates are typically
purchased with cash, and it�s not fair for a consumer to lose out on
a service just because one didn�t move quickly enough or because the
gift was received on a later date.
When it comes to rebates, coupons and other discounts, anything
goes. But once a consumer has purchased a gift certificate, it�s
good for life as far as California is concerned.
IMS To Host First Broker/Sales
Training Conference
International Monetary Systems (OTCBB:INLM) announced that it
will conduct the first international training conference for its
employees. The event will be held October 25 - 27, 2007, at the
Abbey Resort and Conference Center in Fontana (WI). Situated on
beautiful Lake Geneva, the resort has hosted U.S. presidents,
governors, senators, and other dignitaries.
The conference has been named �The IMS Academy of Cashless
Commerce� and more than 110 IMS managers, trade brokers, and
salespeople are expected to attend the event given the theme: One
from Many � Impacting the Future. The featured guest speaker for the
conference will be Skip Murray of Murray Associates Business
Performance Coaching.
�This will be a historic achievement for our company,� related
Don Mardak, CEO of IMS. �All of our marketing people will be coming
together for the first time to learn the special techniques that
have made IMS the unquestioned leader of our industry. They will
have an opportunity to share experiences with their peers, and to be
inspired by motivational trainers and marketing experts.�
For more information on IMS see �Site Sponsors� at top of page
for click through.
Hotel
General Managers
Here�s
The Easiest $100,000 You�ll Ever
Bring To The Bottomline!
Collect
cash, as usual, from the guest accounts staying at your
facility that require the use of professional AV services.
And rather than shouldering your ongoing employee costs, or
your current vendor�s cash agreement for AV services,
here�s a much better alternative:
Work
with a proven national vendor (a sterling 25-year track
record) who will provide all of the AV services for your
hotel on a 100% TRADE BASIS! (Payment to be in the form of
hotel rooms and/or trade dollars.)
Your hotel�s annual AV billings must be a minimum of $200,000, and this
offer is available only in the continental United States.
For a
confidential introduction contact Bob Meyer via e-mail:
bmeyer@barternews.com.
(Please type in AV Services On Trade in the subject
line of your e-mail.)
Attention Trade Exchange Owners:
If your
member hotel(s) have a minimum of 10,000 sq. feet of meeting
space and annual billings of at least $200,000 for AV
services this is a great opportunity to earn substantial
cash service fees on the hundreds of thousands of trade
dollars your hotel member will be paying the vendor. Contact
Bob Meyer at the above e-mail. |
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