July/August 2011 • Volume 41, No. 4
www.americanlightingassoc.com
2011 Lighting
Magazine Debuts
ALA Anticipates Best Conference Yet
Rave reviews are pouring in for the 2011 issue of Lighting magazine,
produced by the American Lighting
Association and Better Homes and
Gardens Special Interest Media. For the
fifth year in a row, Lighting magazine
remains a key initiative of the ALA
BiNational Advertising and PR Program.
The magazine is a major sales tool
for ALA member showrooms, says ALA
Vice President of Communications Larry
Lauck who serves as a contributing editor
for the magazine.
“So many retailers say this magazine is
their main marketing piece,” Lauck says.
“It’s written for the consumer on the latest
trends in the marketplace, and it further
cements the showrooms as the place to go
for the latest styles and designs the indus-
try has to offer.”
Jim Paolotto and Bruce S. Bellwood
of showroom Tuthill Lighting, Inc. in
Rochester, N. Y., both believe the magazine
should be used as a sales tool.
“Lighting magazine is an extremely
high-quality publication featuring first-
class photography,” Bellwood says. “Most
importantly, customers feel like you have
given them a ‘present’ when they are
handed these magazines.”
The 124-page, full-color magazine
showcases products from manufactur-
ers in ALA and includes articles such as
Seven Showroom Surprises, reinforcing
the message that consumers should con-
Continued on Page 9
According to ALA Director
of Conferences
Beth Bentley, this
year’s Annual
Conference – to be
held Sept. 11-13 at
The Breakers resort
in Palm Beach,
Fla. – promises to
be the best event
yet. In fact, Bentley
says registrations
are up compared to
2010 and the hotel
room block is filling up faster compared
to last year – sure signs that lighting
professionals are looking forward to the
industry’s premier event.
“This is the one industry event that
brings all membership categories to-
gether in an ideal situation to build true
relationships and learn from knowl-
edgeable speak-
ers as well as one
another,” says
Bill O’Connor,
conference com-
mittee chair.
“Where else can
you meet with
manufacturers,
reps, show-
rooms, associate
members, ALA staff
Conference attend-
ees can take advantage
of multiple learning
opportunities – not
just in the general
sessions and seminars
that are planned, but also in the unplanned
moments that occur during the magic of
networking with peers. In fact, free time
is built into the schedule so attendees will
have plenty of time to network.
“I always look forward to attending
the ALA Conference because it’s an
excellent opportunity to talk to other
distributors and ask questions you
couldn’t ask a competitor in your local
The Breakers
The Breakers
The Breakers
market,” says Larry
King, president/
owner of Capital
Lighting Inc. in
Columbus, Ohio. “It
is also a great venue
to meet vendors and
reps in a lot more
relaxed setting than
at Market.”
This year’s venue
is The Breakers
resort, one of
America’s legendary
destinations. The
All audiences will gain valuable
Continued on Page 15
Light Watch
Mark your calendars now for
these upcoming lighting events.
July 21
ALA Live Webinar: ENERGY STAR Update 2011:
New Products That Are Part of the ENERGY
STAR Program and How They Can Be
Important to Your Business
Sponsored by Pacific Coast Lighting
August 18
ALA Live Webinar: How to Design With and Sell
Whole House Lighting Controls
September 29
ALA Live Webinar: From Classicism to
Modernism: Applications of Decorative
Sept. 11-13
2011 ALA Annual Conference
The Breakers, Palm Beach, Fla.
ALA/John Arnold Webinars
Sponsored by Lutron Electronics
Company and Juno Lighting Group
June 30 – Web Marketing Basics
July 14 – Web Marketing Strategy
July 28 – Creating an Effective Website
Aug. 11 – E-mail Marketing
Aug. 25 – Online Advertising and
Pay Per Click
Sept. 8 – Social Media Marketing
Sept. 22 – Search Engine Optimization
Oct. 6 – Blogs, Video and Other Media
Oct. 20 – Mobile Marketing
Nov. 3 – Marketing Tools & Technologies
IN THIS ISSUE
2 Government Affairs
6 2011 ALA Annual Conference
9 Technology/Energy Efficiency
10 Education/Training
12 Showroom Management
14 Association News
The American Lighting Association
is a trade association representing
the lighting industry, serving
members and their customers, and
working to protect and advance
the industry while promoting the
sale and application of quality
lighting products.