An ALLPRO® Publication JULY / AUGUST 2015

By Joe Poliseo

Things have been anything butdull at ALLPRO since the lasthistorical summary was preparedin 2009. 2010 saw the addition ofnine new vendors added to theapproved roster of suppliers, aswell as seven new members. Asmany companies found theseeconomic times difficult, thegroup also lost seven members toresignation. In spite of theeconomic challenges,there was still a large netgain in storefronts.

The ALLPRO DistributionCenter in Massachusettswas growing at a verynice but controlled rate,and exceededexpectations inprofitability in just the 2ndfull year of its existence.This new and beneficialfeature of the groupprovided a great deal ofaid in growing the numberof ALLPRO brand lines atmany membercompanies. Support of allALLPRO suppliers continued tostrengthen during this period andwas a major push to the BusinessDevelopment Team, soon to befour strong. ALLPRO’s 2010 BDTsaw the retirement of SteveMeyer and the addition of TimJeffries and Mike Roesch.

With the continued benefitprovided to the membership bythe Northeast DC, plans werebeing formed and budgetsoutlined to open a second

location, housed in our homeoffice in Tampa, FL. The corporateoffice would be relocated to afacility that had adequatewarehouse space for thedistribution center to beginoperations. It was projected thatthe new location would serve theSoutheast from Florida northwardto the Carolinas, and west to

Texas, Oklahoma, and Missouri.Research on the new facilitybegan by 2010’s end.

2011 began with a similar patternin membership. We added somegreat new members, but also lostothers due to difficult economictimes and outside acquisition.Three new companies joined, andthree resigned in the first quarter.The tide began to turn in favor ofthe independents with three

additional Stockholder membersvoted in at the spring meeting; itwas the first net gain in number ofmembers during the last few years.

Member purchases through thegroup were growing steadilyand purchases from theMassachusetts DC wereincreasing. So much so in fact,

that the distribution centeroffered a “VIP” for the firsttime to those memberswho supported the facility.As stated earlier, the abilityto fulfill orders, especiallyfor ALLPRO brand goods, inbetween member directpurchases was great. Thissuccess culminated in theALLPRO headquartersrelocating to a new facilityin September of 2011 andserved as the beginning ofour second successfuldistribution center. The newDC was scheduled to startservicing a limitedgeographic area in theSoutheast before the end of

2011. Membership continued togrow and ALLPRO surpassed1,500 storefronts for the first timein our history.

Much of the work in the followingyear was dedicated to outliningand designing a new accountingsystem. The current system wasoutdated and it was becomingclear that with our steady growth,it would soon be unusable asinvoice transaction loads

Who Says History is Dull?

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ALLPRO’S Southeast Distribution Center shares a buildingwith our Corporate Headquarters.

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Many decorative and professionalpainters have received requestsfrom customers to paint outdatedkitchen fixtures, and many timesthe client's reason is that theyreceived a quote to remodel theircabinets and hyperventilated...

Kitchen upgrade bids begin atseveral thousands of dollars andcan exceed the cost of a niceMercedes or BMW. Not tomention the huge, dusty mess arenovation project creates.

Kitchen remodeling isn't cheap,but painting is a great alternativeif the overall condition of thekitchen is fair to good. Housesbuilt in the 1980's or 1990's forthe most part have solid woodkitchen cabinet doors. They’reusually golden oak and they canlook outdated, but removing andtrashing them in the local landfillisn't the only option availableanymore.

There are three sources that ahomeowner could turn to forhelp in completing a kitchencabinet overhaul. Traditionalinterior and exterior painters arethe first, and they certainlywould be able to take on astandard kitchen upgradeproject, but most of them won'twant to and one of the mainreasons is that it is very laborintensive. A second choice isspecialized faux-finishers, buttheir pricing is much higher thanthe painters. The third choice is

“Shabby Chic” artists - a growinggroup with the ability to createtrue pieces of art. Shabby Chic isa form of interior design wherefurnishings are distressed toachieve an antique appearance.

Shabby Chic artists use all kindsof materials, but the majority ofthem are working with today'schalk painting products. Chalkpaints go back thousands ofyears and have been found allover the world, from Russia allthe way to Italy. Chalk paintingproducts can be used forpainting furniture of all kinds ofstyles, from Modern up to thevery popular Shabby Chic style.Some people associate this kindof paint with the kind used tomake chalkboards, but that is acompletely different product andcan't be used to finish furniture.

More and more homeowners aremaking the decision to let a localartist refinish their kitchencabinets. This trend is eatingaway the market share oftraditional painters. We estimatethat every month at least200,000 homeownersnationwide choose artists torefinish their kitchens. Theseartists could also paint thekitchen walls in matching colors,so the clients grant them theentire painting job. It's a one-

stop service they offer, and it iseffecting the independent paintstore owners’ bottom line.

So, what are contractors andindependent paint store ownersdoing to save these lucrativecontracts? In Colorado, ALLPROmember Guiry's, a paint, homedécor, and art supplies storefounded in 1899, lets contractorsenjoy free classes at their storesto get familiar with chalk paintingproducts and learn the uniquetechniques used to deliver a trulystunning end result. Attendeeslearn a new art form, and Guiry’shas the added benefit of higherfoot traffic in their stores.

The experience of using chalkpainting products amongprofessional contractors andindependent paint store ownersis varied; some have used it athome while others have neverheard of it. We have been doingour own market research for twoyears on how contractors thinkin regard to chalk paintingproducts. We don't want togeneralize, but be honest andthink about whether or not youshare one of these thoughts:

Thought #1:

"I've been doing this for 30 yearsand I don't need to have

Why Not Chalk Paint?by Gert Goossens & Natasha du Coco

Natasha du Coco leads a workshop at ALLPRO member Guiry’s Inc.

(Continued on page 6)

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Martin Byrne Jr. believes thathard work, flexibility, family, andsolid business relationships areresponsible for Byrne Paint’sfirst 64 years of success. Irecently had the pleasure ofspeaking with Marty Jr. of ByrnePaint Company in Toledo, OH.Marty gave me the history ofByrne Paint and some insightinto their success.

Byrne Paint was founded byMarty Jr.’s great-grandfather,Charles Byrne, in 1951. Charleswas a traveling paintbrushsalesman who traveled by trainwith large tote bags. Charles’sister-in-law was the BenjaminMoore office manager at thetime, and Benjamin Moore askedhim to open a store in Toledo,OH. Charles opened and ran thatstore successfully for about fouryears until his passing, when hiswife and son Charlie took overand continued his success.

Today, third-generation familymembers are now running ByrnePaint under Martin Byrne Sr.“We’re a family owned andoperated business. Our mainfocus and source of pride is ourdedicated service to ourcustomers,” says Marty Jr.“Naturally, we have familyemployees, but it’s interesting tonote that we have had only fournon-family employees over theyears.” Marty Jr. calls himselfthe “black sheep” of the Byrneclan because he doesn’t have ahuge family of his own yet. Hesays he loves every one of the70-odd hours he works eachweek, and that working for thefamily business is something healways wanted to do. “I wasalways at the store when I wasyounger – sometimes because Iwas suspended from school. Iwould help with deliveries andthe grunt work,” he recalls.“Getting suspended sometimeswas a virtue!”

Marty Jr. graduated from highschool in 2002 when Byrne Paintjoined ALLPRO. He beganworking on the engineering sideof bridge building, and workedmany rewarding hours there.“My Dad needed me at the store,so I came on board to help out,”Marty remembers. “When I firststarted at the store I knew aboutmixing colors and the drywallside of the business from mychildhood, so I picked thingsright up. I waited on the

customers who came in andtalked to them about colors.Sometimes I’d make deliveriesand I did the grunt work. Ihelped out where I was needed.Working for the family businessis nice because everyone isflexible; family comes first andothers will cover for you ifsomething comes up.”

Marty Jr. has no official job titleper se, but makes outside salescalls, does inside sales,completes warranty work, makesspray repairs, and even puts inproduct orders. Sometimes hehelps his father, Marty Sr., withthe accounting, but he prefersthe hands-on side of thebusiness where he can interactwith the customers. “Everyonehelps out and does what needsto be done; there are nodelineated jobs, we just do it all.I specialize on the equipmentside of the business; everyonehas something that they’re reallygood at, and we try to divide

things up that way to betterserve our clients.” Clearly thissystem is working well for Byrne Paint.

Byrne Paint’s customer base isprimarily comprised of generaland painting contractors locatedin northwest Ohio. “We still havethe one store, and it has grownand expanded to serve ourcustomer base, which is about95% contractor and 5% retail,”says Marty Jr. “At Byrne wedon’t advertise to the retailmarkets due to the box stores,since each one of them has fourlocations in this area. Instead,we make sales calls to thecontractors in our area. We feelthis is better because it’s moreof a personalized experience forour customers.”

Marty explained that they caterto everything that a servicecontractor would need. Fromdrywall mud to spray finishingand spray equipment repair, andanything else a contractor wouldneed in the paint industry, ByrnePaint provides it all. “We docontractor-type showings in thestore and at job sites to highlightnew products so contractors cansee at their site how newproducts will work for them. It’sone thing for me to tell you howa product will work,” Martyinstructs. “It’s another thingentirely for me to show you howto apply that new product toyour job site and let the productshow you why you should buy it.”

Marty says that Byrne Paint doesnot advertise in the conventionalsense. “We have a website andwe’re starting to use Facebookmore. We don’t do commercials.We make a lot of contributionsto local churches and highschools. We support and donateto football and other local teamsand put our name on their

Byrne Paint’s Formula for Success by Susie Fontana

“I was always at the store when I was

younger – sometimes because I was

suspended from school”

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sports flyers,” Marty explains.According to Marty, thiscommunity involvement is whatsets Byrne apart from the bigboxes. “People. That’s what weare about. We don’t try to sellyou, we form friendships withyou and teach you. Many of ourcontractor clients are our goodfriends. It’s more of a personalrelationship. We tailor ourservice to our contractors, butit’s not a “business” type ofrelationship, it is one of mutualtrust and respect.”

In fact, instead of spendingadvertising money on televisioncommercials, they celebratetheir appreciation for theircontractors throughout the year.They hand out free shirts andsweatshirts frequentlythroughout the year. All of theircontractor clients are invited toshare deep fried turkey and duckat a Christmas celebration intheir honor. Marty Jr., who livesabout a block away from thestore in the art district of Toledo,has been known to participate inthe Art Walk, where he exhibits“projects” such as drywall fauxfinishing. People anticipate hisart and stop by frequently to seewhat Marty will create next. Thisinnovative, inexpensive form ofadvertising appeals to consumerswho again, can see the productin use before buying it.

Marty explains that employeesat Byrne Paint further theirknowledge by taking onlineclasses and reading, and thenpassing what they learn on toother employees. They go to thewebsites of major industrysuppliers and get certificationsor take courses on such thingsas coatings inspection. Martysays he has a well-used libraryat home and also another one atthe store. “The websitewww.paintinfo.com has atremendous amount of up-to-date information, and it is tied inwith the Master Painters

Institute, so you know it’s aquality educational resource,”explains Marty.

When asked about the benefitsof ALLPRO membership, MartyJr. says, “We have the buyingpower of the big guys; at theshows we’re able to meetpersonally with all of oursuppliers. They learn who youare and vice versa. You have thepower to negotiate better dealswhen buying more than theshow deals offer. Plus, ALLPROhas great private label productsmade by our supplier partners.They’re the everyday sundriesthat the contractors need most,and they’re priced better, whichin turn helps our bottom line. Weregularly read the ALLPRObulletin board on the website forthe valuable information thatother members post. It’s a greatway to see what other storeowners are working on. Wecollaborate with fellow membersat the shows and during themeetings too.”

Marty Jr.’s advice for newercompanies is simple. “Get outand meet people. Advertisinghelps and it will bring people in,but you have to get out thereand work with contractors in thetrenches. When you show themyou are interested in helpingthem, and get yourself out there,you earn their trust and youlearn the ropes. Be a painter ordry-waller or work withcoatings. Know everythingabout your products and howto use them. Then you cantruly explain what you’reselling your customers byshowing them,” he advises.

As far as plans for the future,Marty Jr. hopes that ByrnePaint will maintain itssuccessful forwardmomentum. He says thatthey’ve thought about thepros and cons of expanding,and he realizes that there isn’ta huge market right now.

“We’re centrally located, andthat’s an advantage. We’realways trying to find new startupcontractors and this is a greatlocation for that.” Marty admitsthat more property and space inthe store would enable them tostock more products, such asboard, etc. He says they aregrowing and want to continuetaking care of their currentcustomers as well as futureones. “Eventually we’ll need tohire people for deliveries, in-store duties, and to make salescalls. That would will help us toget out to the job sites with ourcustomers more and mingle inthe community. I like being ableto be in the store conversingwith people as well as being inthe field,” says Marty. It’s astrategy that has worked well tocreate balance and keepeveryone fresh.

Creative advertising, communityinvolvement, client appreciationand mutually respectfulrelationships keep Byrne Paint inthe forefront of their customers’minds. Up-to-date productknowledge and hands-on workin the trenches at client job siteshas given them a competitiveedge over the competition. Addit all up, and it’s hard to arguewith Byrne Paint’s 64 yearformula for success.

The Byrne Paint family, pictured left toright: Steve Byrne, Charlie Byrne, Martin

Byrne Sr., Martin Byrne Jr. Pictured in the smaller photo is

Charles Byrne Sr.

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ALLPRO® Company ProfilesALLPRO has had the good fortune to continue to add the highestquality companies in the industry to the group. We are pleased toprofile some of our newest member partners.

A & E PAINTS

• Founded: 2008

• Location: Port Charlotte, FL

• Website: www.AandEPaints.com

• Current President: Darrell Young

• ALLPRO Contact: Darrell Young, Mary Young, and Austin Young

• # Full-Time Employees: 8

• A & E Paints is a family owned and operated paintstore located in Port Charlotte, FL. We carry a full line of Benjamin Moore, PPG, and Porter products.Additionally, we offer airless spray equipment repair and servicing. We strive to go above and beyond in all aspects of our business in order to satisfy all of our customer’s needs.

• A & E Paints opened for business in Port Charlotte,FL in June, 2008. We are a local, family owned and operated paint store that services both the DIY homeowner and the busy contractor. We havegrown exponentially since opening and have aspirations of opening several more locations.

KATALYST CORPORATION

• Founded: 2007

• Location: Beech Grove, IN

• Website: www.katalysticd.com

• Current President: Kevin O’Malley

• ALLPRO Contact: Kevin O’Malley, Kenny Westell, and Mark Wentzel

• # Full-Time Employees: 6

• # Part-Time Employees: 2

• Katalyst is an industrial coatings distributor located in Beech Grove, IN, a suburb of Indianapolis. Our primary focus is providing industrial and high performance coatings for both shop and field applications, along with related application tools and equipment. We serve architectural, commercial,OEM, industrial, and military customers. With a combined 135 years of experience, including our NACE certified coatings inspectors, we work as a team to develop solutions for our customers.

• Frustrated by the inability to give customers the type of products and service that they deserved while in the corporate setting, Kenny and Kevin struck out on their own in the summer of 2007 to create a supply source specifically for the commercial and industrial customer. Kevin had been a Regional Manager and Kenny had been the Industrial Sales Representative for a large paint manufacturer. Like many ALLPRO members, theyrecognized that customers were looking for effort,service, and specialty problem solving products rather than just the lowest price. Although the economy wasn’t the best for a fledgling business, the formula for success was right and the sales came. Growth has been steady from the beginning and plans include the launch of an e-commercestore this summer.

• Company Slogan “We’re Your Last Layer of Defense!”

J. C. LICHT, LLC• Founded: 1907

• Location: Carol Stream, IL

• Website: www.jclicht.com

• Current President: Elliot Greenberg

• ALLPRO Contact: Pete Kramer

• # Full-Time Employees: 200

• J. C. Licht, LLC operates 31 locations in Chicago and its nearby suburbs. We are focused on providing superior service to contractors, designers, and homeowners. We have a large outside sales force and commercial center that delivers product throughout Chicagoland.

• Purchased by Elliot Greenberg and David Cohen inJanuary 2015, J. C. Licht is the combination of two separate paint and sundry powerhouses, J. C.Licht and EPCO. We have deep roots throughout Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. J. C. Licht was started in 1907 by Jacob Christopher Licht, and it remained family owned and operated until

1999 when Benjamin Moore purchased it. J. C.Licht then grew to 38 stores at its peak. EPCO was started in 1936 by Elmer Puls in Evanston, IL and grew to 17 locations. EPCO joined forces with J. C. Licht in 2009.

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(Continued from page 2)

‘layering paint’ explained tome."

You’ll be surprised how manyprofessional painters we’ve metthat think that way, and weunderstand their concerns. Thething is, modern chalk paintingproducts react differently thantraditional flat paints. Standardpaints are developed to beapplied with a minimum ofstrokes, need to last for severalyears, and won't be touchedagain, while chalk paintingproducts are meant to belayered onto surfaces that willbe used frequently.

Chalk painting products providedifferent artistic capabilities. Fora Shabby Chic project we applythe chalk-finish paint and keepworking it for several minutes;it's almost like molding clay untilyou're satisfied with the shape.Once it dries, which happensrather quickly, a second layer ofa different color is applied. Thiscan be done with many differentcolors to provide a truly uniqueend-result. After the colors areapplied the surface is distressedby rubbing it with a wet cloth orscrub sponge. Using this wetdistress technique, we are ableto avoid excess dust flyingthrough the air and the end-results are gorgeous. Finally, wewax the surface with a clear orcolored wax, and apply a specialfinish that penetrates the woodto protect it like a varnish.

Thought #2:

"Wow! The price of chalkpainting products is way abovewhat my clients may be willingto pay!"

Yes, the initial cost of chalkpainting products in general ishigher than a standard flat paint,but in most cases not sandingor priming will save you timeand labor costs. You can chargea slightly higher price for these

products because you can"mold" the paint in several waysto create a unique finish, whichwill please even the mostdiscerning customer.

Thought #3:

"Why would I take on thesespecialty project workshops? Ihave enough work!"

Yes, you might be busy rightnow but the market is growingand changing. Specialty projectswill help set you apart from thecompetition. When you look onPinterest, Facebook and othersocial networks, you will noticean enormous amount of interestfrom consumers towards handpainted furniture and cabinets.From Hollywood to the FloridaKeys, Martha's Vineyard toOregon, people love the look ofchalk painted pieces.

One of the reasons chalkpainting products are so popularis that almost everyone can workwith them and be happy with theend result. We see a lot of do-it-yourselfers who’ve never hadany intention of painting theirfurniture or cabinets take up abrush and try it with greatsuccess. Free or reasonablypriced workshops where

students learn application tipsand techniques are bookedmonths in advanced toaccommodate the growingdemand. Professionals arerequesting trainings toaccommodate the requests fromtheir customers and are happy tobe able to tap into this growingmarket. Who doesn’t want higherprofits?

Independent retailers love thefact that by selling theseproducts and offering workshopsnew clients are visiting theirstores. A growing number oftraditional paint stores are evenadding hand-painted furniture totheir product offerings. One ofthe trends we've noticed is thatindependent paint stores aregoing in more of a “boutique”direction, realizing that theyneed to make it fun for theconsumer to visit them. Paintstore owners are starting to seethat this isn't just a hobbyanymore.

Natasha du Coco is the artistbehind the success of Art duCoco. Visit their websitewww.artducoco.com to learnmore about their innovativeproducts.

Member HappeningsCongratulations to CanPro who added Monarch Paints, Abbotsford Commercial Paints, Partners Paint & Paper,and Alliston Paint and Decorating to its roster of member retailers. ALLPRO continues to steadily grow as thefollowing members have also recently expanded: C.R. Wallauer opened its 11th location in Pelham, NY;Guiry’s, Inc. opened its 9th store in Denver, Co; Harrison Paint Co. opened its 2nd location in Bossier City, LA;Johnson Paint Company added a 7th location in Seco, ME; Miller Paint Company opened its 55th location inSpokane, WA; and Peninsula Paint Company added its 5th location in Bremerton, WA.

Kudos to Huffman Paint Co.’s Kevin Jones who was chosen as PDRA’s 2015 Scholarship Award winner. Youcan enjoy his essay, What a Paint Store Means to Me, in the May issue. PDRA members can nominate up totwo candidates each for this $5,000 scholarship, which the PDRA hopes will ease the financial burdens of therising costs of higher education. Kevin attends Appalachian State University, and is studying business andmarketing with a focus on entrepreneurship.

Miller Paint Co. was profiled in the May issue of PDRA. Miller’s Marketing Manager, Dan Saunders, recountedthe company’s history and touched on their employee share ownership trust (ESOT) program. “Rememberingthat what you do as an employee has a direct effect on the company is a great motivator,” says Saunders.Since first opening its doors over 125 years ago, Saunders says Miller Paint’s goal has been to, “…create paintspecifically formulated for people living in a handful of wet, windy states,” and that Miller doesn’t value-engineer any of its products.

Be sure to check out Mark My Words, the monthly column featured in The Paint Dealer magazine written byTremont Paint’s Mark Lipton. In May’s issue, Mark writes about how economic trends have not always workedin favor of independent retailers. His article, Be a Keystone Cop, discusses the benefits of a manufacturer whorealizes that retailers need higher profit margins on paint in order to support their overhead.

Supplier HappeningsALLPRO supplier partners Dripless, Red Devil, and Tower Sealants were interviewed for PDRA’s article AGood Bead, which ran in the May issue. The article discussed how surface preparation, product quality andapplication can either make or break a project. The article goes on to differentiate between caulks andsealants, and offers salespeople insight into the mind of the consumer as they prepare to purchase the properproduct to ensure that they lay a good bead.

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2015 Stockholder MeetingGrand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead

Atlanta, GA, Nov 4th –7th

2016 Spring Show & Sales MeetingJW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa

Palm Desert, CA, Mar 16th – 20th

2016 Stockholder MeetingThe Westin Michigan Ave.Chicago, IL, Nov 3rd – 6th

2017 Spring Show & Sales MeetingThe Diplomat

Miami, FL, Mar 8th - 12th

2017 Stockholder MeetingHyatt Regency Atlanta

Atlanta, GA, Nov 2nd - 4th, 2017

2018 Spring Show & Sales MeetingWalt Disney World Dolphin

Orlando, FL, Mar 8th - 11th, 2018

hIn Memoriam gWe would like to express our condolences to the family of Al Mordy, who recently passed away after abrief illness. Al served as President of Cloverdale Paint, ALLPRO members since 1993 and prominentmanufacturers and distributors of industrial, architectural, and retail coating products in Western

Canada. Al was a revered and extremely well-liked figure in the Canadian paint and coatings industry,and was active in many of the industry’s associations in both Canada and the U.S. Al was a dear friend

and colleague to many and his presence will be sorely missed.

continued to increase steadily.Switching to and implementingthe use of new accountingsoftware is a significantundertaking for any company andALLPRO has certainly felt the upsand downs of this process.

With an entirely new accountingsystem in place, overall businesscontinuing to grow, andimproved economic situations formany members, ALLPRO’s Boardof Directors evaluated the staffcomposition, focusing on bothimmediate and future needs. As aresult, in February of 2013ALLPRO created the position ofChief Financial Officer and hiredJonathan Garrett. We werefortunate that Jonathan had agreat deal of experience inworking with and understandingALLPRO’s business model. Hewas previously a staff accountantand later a lead auditor on theALLPRO account working forPender Newkirk & Co. (laterWarren Averett) ALLPRO’s CPA.Having good working knowledgeof ALLPRO’s internal structure,including financial workings andneeds, he was able to hit theground running.

Despite some growing pains, wewere successful in getting ourarms around the rising demandsof the business transactedthrough the ALLPRO office. Asthis stabilized challenge surfaced.The two ALLPRO DC’s weresteadily increasing intransactions, volume, and valueto the group. The sales throughthese fulfillment centers hadreached a point where it waspractical and necessary to bringin expertise in managing bothlocations. ALLPRO hired MartyApplebee as our DistributionManager later in 2013. Martybrought with him 30 years ofdistribution logistical experience;he works full time at the Tampafacility and remotely with thefacility in Massachusetts.

Editor/ProductionScott Morath

ProofersJulia Thomas

Susan Nichols

Susanne Fontana

Olivia Davis

Danielle Hernandez

Contributing WritersJoe Poliseo,

Susie Fontana - ALLPRO

Gert Goossens & Natasha du Coco -

Art du Coco

ALLPRO® PresidentMichael Gleason

Exec. Vice PresidentJoe Poliseo

SUGGESTIONS WELCOMEYour suggestions, ideas, articles and

comments are encouraged.

The Scouting Report is an important

communications media for ALLPRO®.

Mail all correspondence to:The Scouting Reportc /o ALLPRO® Corporation

4946 Joanne Kearney Blvd.

Tampa, FL 33619 • (813) 628-4800

Website: www.allprocorp.com

The Scouting Report is a bimonthly

publication

of the ALLPRO® Corporation.

Printed on recycled paper

The group has always sought tosupport its members and vendorsalike. The two distribution centersprovided a new benefit to themembers of ALLPRO. Anotherbenefit was the creation of a pilotprogram on personnel training forALLPRO members’ outside salesforce. In January of 2014 ALLPRO,along with key suppliers,sponsored the rebirth of “ALLPROU.” Years ago the group ran acouple of sessions for ourmember’s employees to promoteeducation on the ALLPRO brandand also some basic sellingtechniques. These sessionsproved beneficial but were verybroad in nature. The new approachfocused more tightly on theoutside sales of coatings, alongwith specifics on the right sundriesto accompany the sale. With thesupport and expertise of keysuppliers, ALLPRO U will continueon an annual basis to helpsharpen the skills of the members’sales teams. We were fortunate tocontinue adding quality membersto the ALLPRO roster and thenumber of storefronts representedsurpassed 1,600 for the first timeby the end of 2014.

As of this writing, ALLPRO is just a short while away fromintroducing a brand new corporatebusiness website. A more user-friendly, easy to navigate, and up-to-date look and feel willaccompany the quicker turn-around of information. The year2015 has seen the addition ofeight new members and five newvendors. A slight restructuring ofthe Business Development Teamhas occurred with the retirementof ALLPRO’s long-time VicePresident of BusinessDevelopment, Vic Meier. Ourrecently completed ALLPROspring meeting surpassed 1,000attendees and we expect thenumbers to continue to rise atfuture meetings.

Stay tuned as we continue togrow and make ALLPRO history…

(Continued from front cover)