Sweeping Magazine- February 2018

Sweeping February 2018 VOLUME 42 #2

The Journal of Chimney and Venting Technology

The Latest On Online Reviews History Project: Boston 1998

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Departments President’s Letter 3 Editor’s Letter 5 Coach’s Corner 12 Technical Q&A 20 Date and Events 24 New Members 28 Progressive Perks 29 Around the Tech Center 35 Classifieds 35 Darwin Award 36

Table of Contents

Austrian chimney sweep from the collection of Steve Snyder of Big Steve's Chimney Service, San Luis Obispo, CA.

Sweeping February 2018 Volume 42 Issue 2

Features The Latest On Online Reviews

Boston 1998

6 16 February 2018

Smoke Chambers and Cast in Place Liner Installation (866) 283-8667 Ext. 706

Factory Built Fireplace Installation and Replacement (866) 283-8667 Ext. 701

Dryer Vents (866) 283-8667 Ext. 707

Gas Appliance Venting, Gas Logs and NFPA 54 (866) 283-8667 Ext. 702 Oil Appliance Venting and NFPA 31 (866) 283-8667 Ext. 703 Chimney Inspection, Documentation and NFPA 211 (Levels of Inspection) (866) 283-8667 Ext. 704

Installation and Venting of Pellet Stoves (866) 283-8667 Ext. 708 IRC and NFPA 211 (Code Questions) (866) 283-8667 Ext. 709 Customer Service and Customer Communication (866) 283-8667 Ext. 710 General Sweeping and Repair (866) 283-8667 Ext. 711

NATIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP GUILD BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2017-2018

TECHNICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

Masonry Fireplace Construction and Restoration (866) 283-8667 Ext. 700

Stainless Steel Liner Installation (866) 283-8667 Ext. 705

Be advised that advice given by NCSG’s Technical Advisory Council (TAC) reflects best practices of the chimney sweeping industry. However, we are unable to account for any particular type of situation since regional variations in construction practices and additional environmental, physical and geographical factors necessarily vary the level of service appropriate for a particular fireplace and/or chimney.

Additionally, local laws and ordinances may govern and/ or supersede the information and any recommendations provided. Final determinations are the responsibility of a local professional with firsthand knowledge of the situation, and the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). Neither NCSG nor any member of TAC will be held liable for any damages whatsoever resulting from the use of or reliance on information provided by anyone associated with TAC. By your use of this member benefit you acknowledge acceptance of these terms.

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STAFF

Resources 2155 Commercial Drive Plainfield, IN 46168 (317) 837-1500 Fax: (317) 837-5365

Megan McMahon Association Manager mmcmahon@ncsg.org

Donna Lee Kasmer CSIA Certification Coordinator dkasmer@csia.org

Darcy Marlett Director of Communications and Marketing dmarlett@ncsg.org

Penny Seals Program Coordinator pseals@ncsg.org

Zach Zagar CSIA Marketing Director zzagar@csia.org

Sara Sichting Systems and Records Coordinator ssichting@ncsg.org

Russell Dimmitt Education Director rdimmitt@ncsg.org

Annemarie Stockton Membership Coordinator astockton@ncsg.org

Charissa Benge Mahaffey Office Coordinator cmahaffey@ncsg.org

February 2018

Region 4 Jeff Keefer 513-248-9600 info@chimneycareco.com

Vice President, At-Large Director Dennis Dobbs (256) 996-9999 fireplaceservicecenter@gmail. com

Region 6 Bob Ferrari (530) 941-5818 bob@flueseason.com

Treasurer, Region 3 Ron Rust (803) 730-5858 tophatswp@aol.com Region 1 Matt Mair (603) 525-7905 matt@blackmoosechimney. com Region 2 Ed Ridgeway (856) 241-7999 masons@chimney-duct.com

COMMITTEE CHAIRS and TASK FORCES 2017 – 2018

To contact any member of the Technical Advisory Council, please call (866) 283-8667 and select the extension for the person who is best qualified to answer your question:

President, Region 5 Jasper Drengler (715) 304-8934 drengler01@gmail.com

Secretary, At-Large Director Tom Hunkele (641) 774-8056 topnotchchimney@gmail.com At-Large Director Gregg Boss (636) 391-2226 englishsweep@att.net At-Large Director Jeff Peterson (913) 236-7141 jeff@potomacservices.net Supplier Representative Stuart Karanovich (765) 966-5084 stuartk@saversystems.com

Bylaws Dennis Dobbs (256) 996-9999 fireplaceservicecenter@gmail.com

NFPA 211 Representative Jim Brewer (757) 523-2400 jbrewer@magic-sweep.com

Ethics Andy Raycroft (703) 836-7858 andy@rooftopchimneysweeps.con

NFPA 31 Representative John Pilger (631) 863-2460 chimneyman@aol.com

Governance Tom Hunkele (641) 774-8056 topnotchchimney@gmail.com

NFPA 54 Jim Brewer (757) 523-2400 jbrewer@magic-sweep.com

Government Affairs Jeff Keefer 513-248-9600 info@chimneycareco.com

Technical Advisory Council Michael Segerstrom (908) 253-9190 chimneysweeps@optonline.net

International Relations John Pilger (631) 863-2460 chimneyman@aol.com

Scholarship Committee Greg Boss (636) 391-2226 englishsweep@att.net

Membership Bob Ferrari (530) 221-3331 bob@flueseason.com

ADVERTISING RATES for Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney & Venting Technology may be obtained by contacting Malisa Minetree at (317) 815-4688 or sweepingads@me.com Layout and design by David Bruce, Red2 Design Bureau NCSG encourages industry partners to submit press releases and articles to editor Darcy Marlett at dmarlett@ncsg.org. Submissions should contain items of interest or importance to the chimney and venting industry. Submissions should not contain direct solicitations, prices, or a call to action on the part of our readers. Submissions may contain images or artwork attached in a .jpg format.

In all cases, NCSG reserves the right to edit submissions to fit space limitations, keep the release and publish at a later date, or refuse to publish the release for any reason. Neither publishing, nor refusing to publish the submission should be considered a statement of NCSG’s opinion regarding the release.

NCSG further reserves the right to reject at any time any advertising determined not to be in keeping with the publication’s standards.

Acceptance of advertising by Sweeping magazine does not necessarily constitute endorsement of products or services advertised. NCSG does not make any effort to review or substantiate claims made by advertisers. © 2018 National Chimney Sweep Guild, 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168. (317) 837-1500

A

s I've watched my grandmothers age I've had the pleasure to have many great conversations.

As a kid I lived in fear of disappointing Grandma Vera, she was strict and demanded academic greatness. As an adult she finally softened on the idea that I never got a degree (I may go for it soon).

Grandma Penny lived in Florida and was always encouraging that I could do anything.

My grandmothers although very different, have always had great advice, wanted or not.

Grandma Vera passed away a few years ago but I still hear her words of wisdom. I had the pleasure of hanging out with Grandma Penny this last week.

We sat around solving all of the world’s problems, then she started in on me. She told me I’m selling myself short. Now at first I protested but in a way

only a grandmother can she picked and poked every part of my life. Wow, she was right. I have gone soft the last couple years. The unfiltered honesty of a little old lady can’t be argued with. Thanks Grandma!

This is a lot of the same feeling I get when I chat with my accountability partners.

We chat regularly and I soak up the motivation. It’s basically an informal mix group without the travel.

Every year heading home from the National Chimney Sweep Guild convention has the same jump start feeling. If you have never been there before I promise it will be worth it!

Jasper Drengler P.S. Be sure to register for the 2018 NCSG National Convention before February 15 for the best price!

President’s

Letter Jasper Drengler

President

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Top 5 Reasons to become CSIA Certified in 2018: 1. Join more than 2,000 of the most educated, qualified, and ethical chimney and dryer vent technicians in the country.

2. With more than two million pageviews on our website over the past two years, more homeowners are looking to hire CSIA Certified professionals than ever before.

3. Obtain national recognition of your accomplishment and dedication to being the best person for the job.

4. Earn quality referrals from professionals in affiliated industries, such as Realtors, home inspectors, fire fighters, etc.

5. Use CSIA’s (aggressively protected) trademarked logos on your advertisements, vehicles, and website.

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4 S W E E P I N G February 2018

G

reetings Sweeps!

I hope you all are surviving the winter weather and your 2018 is off to a great start.

Trying to get more (or just better) online review for your business this year? Don’t miss this month’s article from Taylor Hill’s article “The Latest on Online Reviews.”

This month’s we are excited to have new members from all six regions! Check out page 29 to see the list of new member companies we are welcoming to the Guild. You also won’t want to miss a sneak preview of this year’s NCSG National Convention

opening party in Around the Tech Center on page 34.

Don’t forget- get your convention registrations in before February 15 for early bird prices! There is tons of convention information at www. ncsgconvention.org including schedule, registration, hotel information, volunteer sign-up and much more! I look forward to seeing all of you in Portland!

Editor’s

Letter Darcy Marlett Editor

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5 S W E E P I N G

The Latest on Online Reviews Taylor Hill

Spark Marketer

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E

very year, online reviews play an increasingly important role in business, and the latest findings from the 2017 Local Consumer Review Survey by BrightLocal shows that we can expect reviews to continue to play a great role. Here are some of the stats we found most surprising or interesting and what they mean for you and your business: 97% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses in 2017.

The number of consumers reading online reviews continues to grow, which tells us that more and more people are putting stock in reviews. With 97% of your target customers reading online reviews before choosing a local business to work

February 2018

with, getting more reviews on a consistent basis is more important than ever. Are you asking your satisfied customers for reviews at the end of each service? 68% of consumers will leave a review when asked, but not many will leave a review if they aren’t asked. So make the ask part of your service and always make it easy for your customer to leave you a review. If they’re regular Facebook users, ask them to leave you a review there. If they’re Yelpers, ask them for a Yelp review. Let them know that you’d be ever so grateful if they shared their experience, no matter what platform they’re most comfortable with.

Yelp & Facebook are local consumers’ most trusted review sites, followed by Google & BBB.org.

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Some business owners knock it out of the park with reviews on a single review platform, but the latest stats tell us there are still some favorites among consumers: Yelp and Facebook.

So what does this mean for you?

It means that even if you hate Yelp because they call you 100x every day while you’re trying to get work done and their review algorithm sucks, you still need to make getting reviews on the platform a priority.

Two surprises here: Google came in third and the BBB came in fourth place. Honestly, we would have expected Google to come in higher, which might be one of the many reasons behind Google’s introduction of Google Local Services. Perhaps they’re hoping to gain more trust in the review realm. We also would have expected the BBB to come in lower, but with it coming in just below Google in terms of trusted review sites, no one can deny that many consumers still see the BBB as a symbol of trust.

People are becoming less likely to visit businesses’ websites after reading positive reviews.

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If your latest analytics show that a lot of people are finding your business in search results but not as many are visiting your website, don’t panic -it’s not just you! It seems that many consumers are getting the information they need to make the call without ever visiting your website. This could be explained by the level of trust people are now placing in reviews (85% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations) and the Google Knowledge Graph, which provides a

February 2018

lot of the information your customers would normally visit your website to find, like hours, phone number, FAQs, and location.

Does this mean your website is no longer important? No! There are, of course, several reasons why your website still matters, but here are the top four reasons you need to have a high quality, optimized website despite these stats: 1. Visiting the website is still the most common next step after reading reviews, it’s just that fewer people are visiting the website than were in 2016.

2. A good website is integral to organic rankings.

3. Many consumers feel that a good website makes a business more credible.

4. Your website allows you to share more information, educate your customers, and expand upon your services in a way that review platforms and listings don’t.

So don’t see this statistic as a reason to ditch the website; instead, see it as a reason to focus even more on generating great (and consistent) online reviews.

Consumers read an average of 7 reviews before trusting a business.

In 2016, most consumers only read a couple of reviews before making up their mind about a business, but now that number is up to 7. What does this mean for you? It means you need to focus on getting more reviews (I know, you’re tired of hearing it). Why are consumers reading more reviews? When you only have a couple of reviews, your

potential customers don’t have the confidence that their experience will be just like the reviewers’, but when they see several reviews, all consistently giving high ratings, there’s more trust that they, too, will have a great experience. Keep those reviews coming and remember that 77% of consumers think reviews older than 3 months aren’t relevant; so don’t just focus on getting reviews once, consistently work to get reviews!

Consumers are becoming increasingly apathetic towards negative reviews.

Positive reviews make 73% of consumers trust a local business more, but only 50% of consumers will question a business’s quality after reading negative reviews. In other words, negative reviews might shake your world, but they won’t necessarily deter potential customers.

This could be partially due to the fact that we all know “those people” who can never be satisfied and that we, as consumers, feel confident in our abilities to judge a business for ourselves. But whatever the reason, the statistic should bring you some relief! It means you can stop seeing negative reviews as the end of the world and start thinking of them solely as learning tools. Glean what you can from them and use your findings to improve your business and your customer experience, but don’t think that one online review means you’ll have to close your doors.

One thing that is important to remember though, is that you need to respond to both negative and positive reviews.

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Thirty percent of consumers now say they place importance on the business’s response to reviews. That means that at least 30% are reading your responses to negative and positive reviews, so make sure you take the high road, provide context, and come across the way you want to come across to potential customers.

So what’s our key takeaway? If you’ve been ignoring reviews, don’t, because your customers and potential customers sure aren’t ignoring them!

If you’re having trouble getting reviews for your business, send Taylor an email at taylor@sparkmarketer.com.

Taylor Hill is co-founder and Crew Chief for Spark Marketer, a local online marketing company specializing in marketing for service businesses across the US. He loves the chimney industry and is passionate about helping service business owners navigate the Internet oceans filled with sharks and unsavory pirates. He’s also co-host of the Blue Collar Proud (BCP) Show, the podcast that’s all about having and living the blue collar dream, and co-author of Blue Collar Proud: 10 Principles for Building A Kickass Business You Love. @sparkmarketer, facebook.com/sparkmarketer, @taylorkhill @bcpshow

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Coach’s

Corner Jerry Isenhour

The Three Pods Of Success—

Rise To The Top Of Each Pod

Does Success Depend Upon 3 Words

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Over the last few years of working with business owners and being able to see their challenges, their fears, their successes and their failures I have come to some conclusions. To gain insight if others in the world of coaching have similar or differing insights or if they have found other pitfalls that business owners fall into, I have also polled many of my colleagues in the world of coaching. I have arrived at a magic moment of realization with the conclusion that the requirements of success, and the issues that cause failure, can be divided into three significant pods that are entitled by 3 defining words.

Now before I go further, I want to define what I feel business success is. While some may say it is the return in the form of money, some would not hold this as what their definition of success is. Other would perhaps add that success means they can do what they want when they want to. Others may have a different vision of what success is, it could be the gross of the business and the desire to tell everyone what their gross

February 2018

receipts are or it may even be able to how the trappings that success has given them the ability to have what they wanted as a trophy perhaps.

My view of a successful business is the business that is bringing you the owner the return you wanted, and that this is truly your personal decision as to the return. Just as the size of the business des does not equate to success, rather that is a perfect size that fits YOU. And it gives you the ability to have the things you want and be able to do the things you want to do.

One should never view the success or failure of the business on what others think, these are yours and yours alone to decide upon.

So, what are the three words that define the categories:

Communication

Understanding

This one covers so much and is often one of the greatest downfalls. And communication further requires two extraordinary skills, speaking and listening. If one defines the true skills of a leader, he listens much more than he ever speaks. John Maxwell defines this clearly when he says a leader should listen passionately to what others are saying. Others will advise that one of the strengths of leadership is when the leader listens with the purpose of understanding, but most listen with the intent to reply.

Often the second roadblock falls under understanding or could be phrased as failure to understand. This is so often the case. Business leaders fail to understand in so many areas.

They fail to understand:

Now what the goal to be the best at communication you should: • Listen to those you lead.

• Listen to those who you sell your products and services to.

• Their team, often this is caused by generational differences, or it could be a difference in the values, or it could even be a failure to understand the culture they are steering or that the team they are leading does not have the same core culture.

• Their customers, many times they do not understand the needs and desires of the customer. After all, it is their money. Every time I do business with others, I wonder, why do they not understand the needs

and desires of their customers.

It is a rampant issue, how many people do you buy from that truly understand what your needs are, or is it that you are forced to buy the product from them. In a free market economy there are very few products or services where you are or can be the sole provider, a critical mistake the part of any business is ever to have the impression that no one can do what I do, and often this results in a situation of not only can they do it, they can do it in a way that better entices your customer to start buying from them.

• The prospective customer, we often don’t understand what they need, and our marketing and outreach does not ay what they need to hear, why you are going to provide them what they need in the way they want it.

• Listen to those who do not buy your products and goods.

• Listen to those who offer you counsel.

And keep in mind, be a passionate listener, and listen to understand the wants and needs of others. And when you speak, speak with authority and with an understanding of the needs of the person you are speaking to.

13

Follow this in all forms of communication, in all forms of marketing and with all contact with the rest of the world, do this, and you will have combatted the number one failing of so many businesses that have failed or are presently failing. Often you will find the answer lies simply in ineffective communication.

S W E E P I N G February 2018

Remember the old Burger King where the tagline was, “Have it your way” always remember the customer wants it their way, not always your way.

• The lost customer, do we truly understand why we lost them, what took them away, what they did not get, what value they did not realize. This is an area of understanding that is vastly important.

• Understanding why they buy, often we build our skills up with how to sell, but as my mentor, Jeffrey Gitomer is quoted as saying "understanding why people buy is millions of times more important than how to sell".

Action This could also be called execution and is often referred to as implementation. Just think for a moment, how many great ideas have you had or heard that are somewhere on a shelf gathering dust or fell into of the file of I will do them when I find the free time, of course, there is no such thing as free time.

14 S W E E P I N G

If you had implemented where would you be today? As I write this one of the big stories of the day is Bitcoin, I remember first hearing about this from Kevin Delucenay. For those who don't know him he is the guy who spearheaded and built the twisted chimneys at the Tech Center. He listened to a guy named Alan Young, sold his chimney and hearth business and went into day lilies. And now Smokey's Day Lilies is the king of the day lily market.

February 2018

The lack of action kills morale at so many companies. This often closely follows when he has attended a meeting or conference, comes back and tells his troops, we are going to do this, and then nothing happens.

As a coach this is one of my most difficult assignments, to go to a company where another coach was, and there was a failure.

The word action brings us to a leading failure, that which is referred to as FTI or Failure to Implement. Often this is a leading injury to the progress of many companies which could have been phenomenal and had delivered the owners dreams.

Your keywords? They are once again communication, understanding and action. No matter the organization you are leading, no matter who or what

you lead in this world in your lifetime, to get to your goals, the conquering of these three words are your success prescription.

About the Author: Jerry Isenhour is an industry consultant, educator and coach who authors a monthly article in Sweeping as a service to the industry. For more information about Jerry and how his team can assist you individually and your business in your quest for success and your ascent to the next level, take a look at his website www.cvccoaching.com He can be contacted at jerry@cvccoaching. com or by phone at (704) 425-0217.

You can also obtain great business tips from his Facebook page CVC Coaching and Youtube channel CVCCoaching.

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History

Project Boston 1998

What was the NCSG up to 20 years this month? Hosting our annual convention in Boston!

See if you can spot anyone you know in the photos below and if you have photos and memories to share about the history of the NCSG contact Darcy Marlett at dmarlett@ncsg.org about contributing to the history project.

16 S W E E P I N G February 2018

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Technical

Q&A

Michael Segerstrom

NCSG Technical Advisory Chair

Question

20

I plan to install two UL listed stainless steel chimney liners in the same chimney flue in a residential single-family home application that will serve two separate appliances. Is this permitted without installing a nominal 4" thick masonry wythe or dividing wall between them?

S W E E P I N G February 2018

Answer:

engineering department.

Yes, but there are limitations, restrictions and requirements that must be met. And these will be based on the masonry chimney exterior walls being a minimum nominal 4 in thick solid masonry.

We also have to consider insulation requirements, and if the chimney flue is large enough to accommodate any required insulation for one or both of the liners. If a second liner prevents the installation of any required insulation, this would not be acceptable.

First we'll look at adopted code requirements. When installing a stainless steel liner, we have to follow adopted local codes.

In most states now, for single family homes and residential applications, this will be some version of the International Residential Code, or IRC. In Chapter 10 of the 2015 IRC there are specifications for "listed materials" as flue liners. A ULlisted stainless steel liner falls in this category.

Section R1003.12.2 states that "the space surrounding a chimney lining system or vent installed within a masonry chimney shall not be used to vent any other appliance". It then provides an exception that states "this shall not prevent the installation of a separate flue lining in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions".

So this exception permits a second listed liner, however it refers us to the installation instructions of that liner. Most installation instructions for UL listed stainless steel liners do not describe, or specifically allow or prohibit this type of application. it then becomes our due diligence to contact the liner manufacturer, if it's the same brand, or both manufacturers if they are different. Liner manufacturers that do approve this type of installation, will typically provide us with documentation from their

If your state or jurisdiction follows the NFPA 211 for chimney work, there is also wording found in the 2016 edition that states "listed liner system shall be installed in accordance with their listing" (7.1.10.3). So this refers us back to the installation requirements of the liner manufacturer.

We also have to take into account the size of the top of the chimney and flue. We will need to have the necessary room to support both liners and install the required top termination hardware and termination caps.

And installing two liners also cannot prohibit making proper connections at the base of each liner.

For applications like this the best practice is to consult with both the liner manufacturer, and the local construction or building official, so that we have approvals from both.

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2018 NCSG National Convention Featuring: Opening Keynote: Bill Stainton

Bill Stainton is a multiple Emmy Award-winning TV producer, writer, and performer; an author; a business humorist; and an internationally-recognized Beatles expert. He blends the business smarts he learned from twenty years in corporate management with the show biz sparks he garnered from working with people like Jerry Seinfeld, Ellen DeGeneres, and Bill Nye the Science Guy to create entertaining and enlightening presentations enjoyed by audiences around the world!

Closing Keynote: Frank King An award winning, syndicated humor columnist and radio talk show personality Frank King has written jokes for Jay Leno, Joan Rivers, and Dennis Miller for the last two decades. As a CertiďŹ ed Laugh Coach, Stress Reduction Specialist, and Professional Comedian since 1985 he oers time-tested tools for using humor to turn pain into punchlines, losses into laughs, and messes and stresses into successes.

April 18-21, 2018 Double Tree Hotel | Portland, OR www.ncsgconvention.org

NCSG/ Oregon Guild Member Rates Primary

NCSG Convention 2018 • April 18-21 • Portland, OR Through 2/14/18

2/15/183/15/18

$499 (399)

$549 (449)

After 3/15/18 $599 (499)

Spouse $199 $249 $299 st 1 Additional $349 ($249) $399 ($299) $449($349) 2nd Additional $299 ($199) $349 ($249) $399($299) 3+ Additional $249 ($149) $299 ($199) $349($249) Single Day $199 $199 $199 Banquet Only $79 $79 $79 Child Banquet 5-12 $39 $39 $39 Tradeshow Only $69 $69 $69 NOTE: First Time Attendee prices for members are in parenthesis ( ).

Company_________________________________________ Address __________________________________________ City, State, Zip _____________________________________ Phone ___________________________________________ Email ____________________________________________ □ Check here to opt-out of emails from exhibitors

Standard Rates

Through 2/14/18

2/15/183/15/18

After 3/15/18

Primary

$599 $649 $699 (499) (549) (599) Spouse $299 $349 $399 st 1 Additional $449 $499 $549 2nd Additional $399 $449 $499 3+ Additional $349 $399 $449 Single Day $299 $299 $299 Banquet Only $99 $99 $99 Child Banquet 5-12 $39 $39 $39 Tradeshow Only $99 $99 $99 - Opening Night ReceptionAdditional Registration Required $30/per person. Join us for heavy appetizers, a cash bar, games, fun and catching up with old friends at Portland’s Punch Bowl Social Wednesday night.

Please write your name as you’d like it to appear on your badge.

Check if wanting an additional information packet mailed (primary packet emailed with registration confirmation).

Name _____________________________________________________________ Registrant Type ______________________________________________________ $ ___________________ Name _____________________________________________________________ Registrant Type ______________________________________________________ $ ___________________ Name _____________________________________________________________ Registrant Type ______________________________________________________ $ ___________________ Name _____________________________________________________________ Registrant Type ______________________________________________________ $ ___________________ Registration Total $ ___________________ Opening Night Tickets ($30/each) Qty: ________ Ticket Total $ ___________ 2018 Convention Patch ($3/each - Pickup on-site.) Qty: ________ Patch Total $ ___________ GRAND TOTAL $ ___________ MAIL TO: National Chimney Sweep Guild 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168 PAYMENT INFORMATION FAX TO: (317) 837-5365 CALL: (317) 837-1500 Payment Method: □ Check # ___________ REGISTER ONLINE at www.ncsgconvention.org □ Visa □ MC □ AmEx Account # ________________________________________ Card Security Code ______________ Exp. __________ Office Use Only O2CR C2F AUTH__________ Name on Card ____________________________________ Org ID___________ Profile ID____________ Signature ________________________________________ Rec’d By__________ Date ____________ Refund policy: Prior to 2/15/18, 90%; 2/15/18-3/15/18, 75%.

No refunds are available after 3/15/18.

Dates and

Events February 2018

24 S W E E P I N G

February 5-11, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon Feb. 2nd - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org February 12-18, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered

by Noon Feb. 9th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org February 12-13, 2018 Ropes Safety Class Houston, TX For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org February 12-13, 2018 CSIA Inspection & Report Writing CSIA Technology Center For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org February 14-15, 2018 CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician® Review & Exams CSIA Technology Center For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org February 16, 2018 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exams CSIA Technology Center For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org February 19-25, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered

by Noon Feb. 16th

February 2018

- Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org February 26, 2018 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exams Sponsored by Lindemann Chimney Waukegan, IL For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org February 26- March 4, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon Feb. 23th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org

March 2018 March 5-11, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon March 2nd - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org March 12-18, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon March 9th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org March 19-24, 2018

CSIA National Chimney Sweep Training School CSIA Technology Center For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org March 19-25, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered

by Noon March 16th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org March 26- April 1, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon March 23rd - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org March 28, 2018 Last Day to Pre-Register for the NCSG Annual Convention March 30, 2018 DoubleTree-Portland, OR For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit http://www.ncsgconvention.org

April 2018 April 2-8, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon March 30th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org April 9-15, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon April 6th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel

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February 2018

25 S W E E P I N G

For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org April 13-25, 2018 NCSG & CSIA Office will be closed April 12-26, 2018 CSIA (Online Education) NO ONLINE EXAMS – DUE TO NCSG CONVENTION April 16-22, 2018 CSIA (Online Education) NO ONLINE CLASSES – DUE TO NCSG CONVENTION April 17, 2018 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exams DoubleTree-Portland, OR (NCSG Convention) For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org April 17, 2018 CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician® Review & Exams DoubleTree-Portland, OR (NCSG Convention) For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org April 17, 2018 NCSG Board of Directors Meeting DoubleTree-Portland, OR (NCSG Convention) For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit http://www.ncsgconvention.org April 17, 2018

26 S W E E P I N G February 2018

CSIA Board of Directors Meeting DoubleTree-Portland, OR (NCSG Convention) For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit http://www.ncsgconvention.org April 18-21, 2018 NCSG Annual Convention DoubleTree – Portland, OR For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit http://www.ncsgconvention.org April 23-29, 2018 CSIA (Online Education) NO ONLINE CLASSES – DUE TO NCSG CONVENTION April 30-May 6, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered

by Noon April 27th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org

May 2018 May 7-13, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon May 4th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org May 7-12, 2018 CSIA National Chimney Sweep Training School CSIA Technology Center For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org May 14-20, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon May 11th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org May 16-17, 2018 2 Day Masonry Richmond, IN For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org May 18, 2018 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exams Scranton, PA For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org May 21-22, 2018 Ropes Safety Class Houston, TX For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org May 21-27, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon May 18th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org

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February 2018

S W E E P I N II G

New

Members

CONNECTICUT

MARYLAND

FLORIDA

INDIANA

KANSAS

CALIFORNIA

D & J Chimney Services, LLC |Ralph Whyte | Danbury

JAMMS Dryer Vent Cleaning and Chimney Sweeping LLC | Joseph Howard | Severn

Chimney Champions | Michael Wood | Jacksonville

VacMan Air Duct Cleaning | Matt Steenbeke | Granger

De Olde Tyme Chimney Sweep | Rylan Smith | Ulysses

Absolute Chimney Service | Mike Lender | Big Bear Lake

Patrick Buell Chimney Services the Sootmaster | Patrick Buell | Milton

OHIO

TEXAS

WASHINGTON

Aqua Force Cleaning Services | Wayne Staszel | Montpelier

Black Velvet Chimney | Pete Pohlman | Mansfield

Burn Safe Chimney Fire Repair | Mike Colby | Spokane

MASSACHUSETTS Firehouse Chimney Sweeps | Michael Cusick | Westport

NEW JERSEY McPuff Chimney Services, LLC | Kelly Forbes | Branchburg

February 2018

REGION

S W E E P I N G

Top to Bottom Chimney Services | Andy Noble | WinstonSalem

REGION

28

Cashiers Chimney Professionals | Tom Albert | Glenville

REGION REGION

America’s Choice Maintenance Inc. | Lawrence Stuart | Farmingdale

REGION

REGION REGION

4 54 5 65 6 6 NEW YORK

NORTH CAROLINA

WISCONSIN

Ablaze Technologies LLC | Justin Higgins | Neenah

REGION

REGION REGION REGION REGION

REGION REGION REGION REGION REGION REGION REGION REGION REGION REGION

1 21424325435365

A

re you interested in strengthening your leadership skills, bolstering your network of professionals, and engaging in meaningful conversations and comradery?

If so, the NCSG can help with that. Volunteering at the 2018 Convention and Trade Show offers an opportunity to do a variety of tasks and work with a diverse group of individuals in a great atmosphere.

Volunteers are needed for: - Unloading/loading the truck - Registration - Scanners for sessions - The CSIA Annual Auction In case you haven’t registered already, NCSG 2018 Convention is in Portland, Oregon from April 18th to the 21st. There are a few ways in which you can sign up to volunteer: 1. An online sign up form. Visit http://bit.ly/NCSGvolunteers to see all available volunteer opportunities and pick your slot(s).

2. Send me an email. If you would like to ask me a specific question

about what is available or how you can pick the slot that is best for your schedule, send me an email at astockton@ncsg.org.

3. Give us a call. Don’t want to mess with a computer? No worries, anyone in the office can help you get signed up. Just call (317) 8371500.

Without the help from volunteers like you, NCSG Convention and Trade Show just simply wouldn’t be possible. Your generosity year after year is what makes this event so incredible and unparalleled. We at the NCSG thank you in advance and cannot wait to see you in April!

For more information about 2018 Convention, visit NCSGconvention. org.

Progressive

Perks

By Annemarie Stockton

29

WE MAKE BUSINESSES PROFITABLE & ORGANIZED Business Consulting chuck@roydhouseeffect.com

Social Media Management (410) 863-0157 www.roydhouseeffect.com February 2018

S W E E P I N G

CSIA UPDATE February 2018 Report

Exclusive

An Interview with Education Director, Russ Dimmitt

Russ Dimmitt begins his tenure as the CSIA and NCSG Education Director in early February. He is responsible for overseeing the certification and education programs offered

by CSIA and for the education programming at the annual NCSG Convention.

He maintains CSIA and NFI certifications. When the announcement of Russ’s hire was made public, CSIA President, Chuck Hall, called Dimmitt a, “perfect fit” for the role.

In order to introduce him to Sweeping readers, Russ accepted CSIA’s invite to answer a few questions about where he’s from and

www.CSIA.org

where the industry is going.

When did you first become involved in the chimney and venting industry?

RD: I started at Copperfield in 1989 and that was my first exposure to the industry. My initial job was in the credit department. After a couple years I was called to Sooty Bob’s office for an unknown reason, I was sure I’d messed up somehow and thought I was about to be fired. Turns out he wanted to ask me if I was interested in moving into a sales role.

A product from another industry icon was involved in the story. I’d be happy to tell it to any one who wants to hear it.

several others were actively seeking the knowledge that has made the industry what it is today and allowed the growth we’ve seen.

What are some of the challenges and opportunities that you see for the industry in the years ahead?

(Note: You can find Russ in Portland at the NCSG convention in April for this and other stories)

An elephant in the room for a while now has been the increased scrutiny that has come down not only on wood burning but also gas burning from a regulatory standpoint. Things like particulate matter and the effects on the environment of burning fossil fuels are things that are on many regulators minds. Another concern for our industry is the aging of the sweeps. As many start to reach retirement age we need bring a focus to bringing new blood into our industry to keep advancing our industry.

What are some of the changes to the industry you’ve witnessed since then?

How do you feel CSIA can help sweeps meet these challenges?

Overall we are approaching things from a more scientific and reasoned way than was done in the early days. Ashley Eldridge and

CSIA is well positioned to provide education for not only the new sweep but also the technicians who have been out there for a

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February 2018 Report while. As time goes on, the CSIA can also expand their offerings to better provide what business owners and sweeps need to expand and grow their businesses and expertise. The CSIA is well positioned to be on the cutting edge of trends and communicate those trends and the knowledge to capitalize on the opportunities those trends present. CSIA also has a role in reaching out to the tradesmen of our industry who aren’t Certified and bringing them into the fold as more knowledgeable and more professional tradespeople.

What are you most looking forward to in your new role?

I am looking forward to paying homage to those who have taught me so much over the years by passing that wisdom along to the next group of professionals. I am excited to developing new programs and Certifications to further the professionalism of those in our trade and working with a great bunch of folks in our industry.

Dimmitt was the 2012 Don Leavitt Education Award recipient

Update CSIA - SureFire Training Academy eLearning Set to Launch in Feb. The new educational partnership between SureFire Training Academy and CSIA that will relocate most of the CSIA eLearning courses to the SureFire platform is set to launch in early February .Stay tuned to your email and social media for the latest.

month. Additional pricing for more than three users is also available.

SureFire allows owner/operators to manage the courses their employees can access, ensuring effective education options for their entire team.

Upcoming CSIA Trade Show Exhibition Building relationships with related industries of interest is a very important aspect of CSIA’s work. In the coming months, CSIA will be a presence at the following conferences to raise awareness of the chimney and venting industry: American Society of Home Inspectors www.ashi.org January 21-24

SureFire Training Academy is a subscription based online learning platform that will allow CSIA greatly expand the amount of courses being offered to sweep and venting companies. Each subscription will make available a great selection of courses for owner/operator, sweep, and even company support staff.

With their monthly subscription, sweep companies get up to three logins, to access several new courses made available to them each ADVERTISEMENT

Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association www.hpba.org March 8-10 National Air Duct Cleaners Association www.nadca.org March 19-21 Community Associations Institute www.caionline.org May 9-12

www.CSIA.org

New Certifications

Online Certification is Coming Soon

Dalerice Lewis KMS Furnace & Fireplace Cleaning Minneapolis

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Daniel Richland Black Magic Sweeps of Southern Vermont Manchester Center

CERTIFIED

DRYER EXHAUST

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California Tyler Kezas Chim Chiminey Sweep Vista Nevada Kevin Dude Dude Dryer Vent Cleaning Las Vegas Minnesota Joseph Doby

The CSIA Master Chimney Sweep designation is awarded to those CSIA Certified professionals who have gone above and beyond in their efforts to stay at the very front of the chimney and venting industry.

In addtion to being an active CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® for a minimum of ten continuous years, candidates are also required to be actively certified as a CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician®, and must have completed several advanced courses. Specific requirements for application can be found at: www.csia.org/mastersweep.

KMS Furnace & Fireplace Cleaning

CSIA announces partnership with ProctorU For the first time ever, earning a Certified Chimney Sweep® or Certified Dryer Vent Technician certification will now be able to be completed entirely online.

CSIA is excited to announce the launch of a partnership with the “global go-to for secure online testing,” proctorU. Over 1,000 institutions worldwide use proctorU to administer online tests.

The process will work very similar to taking a proctored exam locally, after you’ve completed the online CSIA review, of course. They will book their proctor, contact CSIA to book the exam, and then take the exam. The only difference is, they can take the exam almost anywhere.

Don’t worry! The required equipment is likely something you already have - a computer, a webcam, government-issued photo ID, and a mirror.

ProctorU even offers tech support for the exam.

Stay tuned for the launch date!

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February 2018 Report

Upcoming Classes & Events

2018 Education Calendar

CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exam CSIA Technology Center (Plainfield, IN) | Feb 16, June 1, Aug 24, Oct 12 Springfield, VA | Feb 12 (Sponsored by New England Chimney Supply) Waukegan, IL | Feb 26 (Sponsored by Lindemann Chimney) Portland, OR | Apr 17 (NCSG Convention) Scranton, PA | May 18 Richmond, VA | Aug 10 Atlantic City, NJ | Sep 14 Albany, NY | Oct 19

Inspection & Report Writing CSIA Technology Center | Feb 12-13

Roof System Specific Rope Access Training Montgomery, TX | May 21-22

National Chimney Sweep Training School CSIA Technology Center | Mar 19–24, May 7–12, Jul 9–14, Aug 6–11 & Sept 17–22

Sweeps Week 2018 CSIA Technology Center | June 11–15

Chimney Physics CSIA Technology Center | Aug 22-23

Installing and Troubleshooting Gas Hearth Appliances CSIA Technology Center | June 4–8

Masonry Repair for Chimney Professionals Richmond, IN | May 16–17 & Aug 13–14 (SaverSystems)

Advanced Masonry Repair Richmond, IN | August 15–17 (SaverSystems)

Contact Us:

CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician®

Mailing Address

CSIA Technology Center | Feb 14-15, Oct 10-11* (incl. hands-on instruction) Portland, OR | April 17 (NCSG Convention)

2155 Commercial Drive

NFI Review/Exams at the CSIA Tech Center

Plainfield, IN 46168

NFI Gas Review/Exam | July 23–24 NFI Wood Review/Exam | July 25-26 NFI Pellet Review/Exam | July 27-28

Telephone (317) 837-5362

MASTER

Email: Office@CSIA.org Twitter: @Chimney_Safety Facebook: /ChimneySafety

CERTIFIED

DRYER EXHAUST

TECHNICIAN

For additional course details, please visit www.csia.org/education.

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Around the

Tech Center.

Megan McMahon Association Manager

34 S W E E P I N G February 2018

The NCSG/CSIA office team is in full convention mode for Portland!

Early bird pricing ends on February 14th so make certain you submit your registration forms before then!

Also be sure to grab your opening night tickets for an evening at the Punch Bowl Social enjoying great conversation, bowling, karaoke, arcade games and more with fellow sweeps! We are looking forward to seeing everyone in Portland and introducing you to the new team members.

Speaking of new team member, as many of you know we welcomed Russ Dimmitt to the NCSG/CSIA team. He will be working remotely and will travel to the Tech Center for various classes, board meetings and to collaborate with the office team.

Welcome again, Russ!

Classifieds GasVent Software for Sizing Chimneys only $195 Call 1-800-648-9523 for more info and visit www.elitesoft.com to download a free trial version.

Work for a Growing Company!

Chimney Solutions, based in Atlanta, GA, is looking for Salespeople and Installers with the desire to move up within our company. A $1000$2000 signing bonus is available, depending on certifications. Pay will be commensurate with experience. Relocation is available for the individual that meets our needs and qualifications. Send resumes to dpace@ chimneysolutions.com or visit our website at www.chimneysolucations.com.

CLASSIFIED ADS FREE FOR NCSG MEMBERS Members can run one 35-word classified free each year! Regular classified ads are $2/word or $1/word for NCSG members. Classified ads are noncommissionable and must be pre-paid. To place a classified as, please contact Sara Sichting at ssichting@ncsg.org or 317-837-1500.

February 2018

35 S W E E P I N G

Darwin

Award “This one takes the cake.”

-Chris Guy of Blue Ridge Chimney Services, Harrisonburg, Va.

Have you snapped a photo of a peculiar chimney in your area that made you shake your head in disbelief?

Send it to editor Darcy Marlett at dmarlett@ ncsg.org for publication in Sweeping. Include a few words about the scene and location.

Ad Index Ahrens Chimney Technique

800-843-4417

ahrenschimney@qwestoffice.net 14

Chim Cap Corp

800-262-9622

www.chimcapcorp.com 13

Copperfield 800-247-3305 www.copperfield.com

7, 19

36

Firesafe Industries, Inc.

S W E E P I N G

ICP 508-695-7000 www.chimneycaps.com 17

800-545-6607

www.firesafeinc.com 5

Gelco www.gllchimneyproducts.com Lindemann Chimney Company

866-629-8006

27

www.lindemannsupply.com 9

Lyemance www.gllchimneyproducts.com

25

National Chimney

800-897-8481

www.nationalchimney.com

Inside front cover

New England Chimney Supply

888-900-8106

www.newenglandchimneysupply.com 21

Olympia Chimney Supply

800-569-1425

www.olympiachimney.com 15

Roydhouse Effect Inc

410-863-0157

www.roydhouseeffect.com 29

Sand Hill Wholesale & Mfg., Inc

800-258-5496

www.sandhillwholesale.com 10

SaverSystems, Inc

800-860-6327

www.saversystems.com 26

Ventech Industries

866-439-0069

www.chimneyspray.com 11

Z-Flex 800-654-5600 sales@z-flex.com 3

February 2018

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EXHIBITION: MARCH 8-10, 2018

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EDUCATION: MARCH 7-9, 2018

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Bright Ideas in Music City.

MUSIC CITY CENTER

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NASHVILLE, TN

JOIN US HERE Register now to join the NCSG in beautiful Portland, Oregon April 18-21, 2018!

Find out more and register at www.ncsgconvention.org