Agenda so far is as follows:
Wednesday: Sept 25, 2024
6:30 – 8:45 AM Breakfast (provided by hotel)
8:45 AM Board Transportation Coach
9:00 AM Coach Departs
9:45 – 11:00 AM Tour Stanley Steemer
11:00 AM Coach Departs
11:30 – 12:30 PM Lunch
12:30 – 1:30 PM Tour Royal Bezjian Rug (Boushelle)
1:30 – 4:00 PM Presentations
4:15 PM Coach Departs
4:45 PM Arrive at hotel
5:30 – 7:00 PM Happy Hour (light apps & 2 drink tickets provided by hotel)
* Dinner on your own
Thursday: Sept 26, 2024
6:30 – 8:45 AM Breakfast (provided by hotel)
8:45 AM Board Transportation Coach
9:00 AM Coach Departs
9:45 – 11:00 AM Tour Koshgerian Rug Cleaners
11:00 AM Coach Departs
11:30 – 12:30 PM Lunch
12:30 – 1:30 PM Tour K A Pridjian & Co
1:30 – 4:00 PM Presentations
4:15 PM Coach Departs
4:45 PM Arrive at hotel
Rug Summit 2024 Concludes For those staying Thurs evening, please join in for Happy Hour & network for dinner.
5:30 – 7:00 PM Happy Hour (light apps & 2 drink tickets provided by hotel)
* Dinner on your own
Chuck Violand - Chuck Violand is the founder of Violand Management Associates, a consulting company working internationally throughout the United States, Canada, and Australia. Established in 1987, the company’s focus has been on small businesses with a concentration in the trades and in the cleaning and disaster restoration industries.
Chuck is a respected authority on the unique challenges faced by entrepreneurial small businesses, having served as both a business consultant and an executive coach to hundreds of companies throughout his career. He is a sought-after speaker who has presented to tens of thousands of attendees at conventions and trade shows throughout the U.S., Canada, and Australia.
Since 1993, Chuck has been a featured writer for multiple trade publications. He also pens a weekly leadership series, Monday Morning Notes, that has run faithfully since 2003 and has authored two booklets on the inner workings of small businesses: Overcoming Stage 2 Stall, and The Inner Game of Business. His first book, The Entrepreneurial Conspiracy, was published in 2021 and his second book in 2023, Forging Dynasty Businesses: The Competitive Edge of Enduring Teams, that is the basis for his presentation.
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Timothy Miller - Tim is the founder and CEO of ConvertAble, based in St. Augustine, Florida. Tim feels there is nothing more rewarding than having the opportunity to listen to business owners, talk about their challenges, and use his knowledge and experience to help them become more successful. The rewards that come from that, and the support of his wonderful family & friends are what drives him every day.
Oscar Totasian - Oscar S. Tatosian was born on June 6, 1961 in Wilmette, Illinois. He graduated from New Trier High School in 1979 and continued his studies at Texas Christian University where he achieved a B.S. in Business, 1983. While there, he also served as President of Phi Kappa Sigma, his social fraternity.
Along with his brother, Sarkis, Tatosian has continued to develop the family business – Oscar Isberian Rugs –founded by their grandfather in 1920. He is President of the firm which imports, distributes, and retails fine oriental rugs and carpets to clients, interior designers, and architects throughout the United States. In 1996, Oscar Isberian Rugs was recognized as National Rug Retailer of the year.
Oscar Tatosian’s community service in Chicago has included President of the Auxiliary Guild Board of The Lyric Opera of Chicago (2013-present), member of the Auxiliary Board of The Art Institute of Chicago 1995-2005), and since 1993 as a member of the Chicago Committee of The Royal Oak Foundation, helping to promote and preserve important English architecture.
Additionally, he has actively promoted the interests of the Armenian-American community with service to a number of its support groups: Chairman of the Diocesan Counsel for the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America 1996-2012; Member of Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church Board of Trustees, 2012-Present; Board Member of St. Nersess Seminary serving the three Diocese of the Armenian Church in North America, 2012-Present; Elected delegate to the National Ecclesiastical Assembly for the election of the Catholicos, 1999; Board Member for the Fund for Armenian Relief, 2012-Present; and Board Member of the Armenian Assembly of America, 2012-Present.
Subsequently, he has received various honors: the AGBU Award / Yvonne Banks Award for community service, 1996; the St. Nersess Shnorhali Medal given by His Holiness Karekin II, 2007; the Ellis Island Medal of Honor given the Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation, 2009; and the Founders Award from Design for Dignity (an interior design industry organization), 2013.
Oscar Tatosian has consistently promoted Armenian culture, history, and heritage to a wide variety of local and national organizations – and has travelled to Armenia twelve times in the last twenty years. He was recently appointed the Honorary Consul for the Republic of Armenia in Chicago.
Karl Heinrich JR -In 1975 Karl Heinrich Jr. started in the business learning from his father how to clean in-plant and on location then the repairs of oriental rugs such as serging rugs fringing rugs binding of rugs. In 1985, Karl Heinrich Jr. bought the business from his father. Mr. Heinrich retired in Arizona after 50 years.
Things really took off from there, Karl Heinrich Jr. just like his father had a vision also so since he had the best equipment of all types he wanted grow so Karl started to buy other rug cleaning businesses and make it more economical to service our customers more efficient so after 77 years we are the biggest rug cleaning in Chicago land area thanks to all of our great customers.
Mary Giser, Business Development/Taycor Financial - Mary Griser has been involved in business financing in the Cleaning and Restoration Industries since 1993. She knows the equipment, business models, seasons, and financing inside and out. Plus, she knows her way around cargo vans and box trucks, has both financed and driven everything from mini cargo vans up to 20’ box trucks. Mary's primary focus with Taycor is on building relationships, franchise, and partner programs, and on expanding financial services into new industries. She leads the charge when it comes to making sure business owners can get equipment financing, working capital, business lines of credit, and both new and used vehicles.
Not only is Mary a finance guru, but she is also a loving sister, mother, and grandmother. Her family has remained close over the years, getting together for everything from birthdays to Family Poker Night. Outside of work and family, Mary is an avid outdoorswoman. She loves hiking and catch-and-release fly fishing.
Joshua Klopfenstein - Joshua Klopfenstein is President of The Rug Salon, a full-service rug washing facility, and Spot Out Inc., an on-location fabric and floor care service company. Located in Palm Desert California, sandwiched among some of the wealthiest zip codes in the country, his companies developed a reputation of providing an outstanding service experience to one of the most difficult service demographics in the country.
With over 25 years of experience in the cleaning industry, Joshua is an expert in building relationships and servicing this elite demographic. Josh and his wife Connie have been married for 27 years and have 4 grown children. Josh enjoys real estate, racing motorcycles, living an active lifestyle, and spending time with his family.
Scott Ring - Scott Ring is the General Manager at Centrum Force Fabrication. He started in the cleaning and restoration business in the late 1980s. After working in production doing cleaning and repairs for approximately 7 years learning the business, he pursued a career in hand-knotted rug sales. He worked in retail sales and importing for 13 years before returning to the cleaning industry where he served as Director of Cleaning Services overseeing a team of rug cleaners, residential in-home cleaners, & commercial cleaners.
As a servant leader who is passionate about helping people, Scott enjoys the challenge and privilege of serving others to improve their cleaning automation, processes, and workflows. Relationships in this industry and working together in the cleaning community to provide the best equipment, service, and solutions are what motivates him.
