February 2016
Eric Jacobson, CAE
ALA President and CEO 
Upcoming ALA Webinars

Thursday, Feb. 18
Advanced Techniques for Selling and Laying out LED Recessed and Track Lights
Time:  11 a.m. CST
Instructor: Joe Rey-Barreau
Cost: $39/participant
Register here
June RLTM Course

This course provides participants the opportunity to become an ALA Lighting Specialist in just four days.


June 6-9
Residential Lighting Training Manual Course 
Where: Juno Lighting
Des Plaines, IL
Instructor: Joe Rey-Barreau
Time: 9-5 M-W, 9-2 TH
ALA Annual Conference

It was great to see many ALA members at Lightovation last week. During the lighting market, it was very encouraging to see the number of volunteers participating in committee and board meetings, working on behalf of the industry. The cumulative efforts of our work together helps ALA achieve its mission of promoting the sale and application of quality lighting, ceiling fan and control products. 

I want to thank all members who have paid and are in the process of paying their 2016 ALA dues. Your dues payment allows ALA to remain strong and deliver meaningful programs to advance the lighting industry and enhance the power of the ALA community. I encourage you to review the ALA Action Agenda , which was recently mailed to you, so that you may help us achieve our goals and objectives.

DOE - Ceiling Fan Efficiency Standard Proposed Rule

ALA and our ceiling fan task force are currently working to develop an appropriate industry response to the Department of Energy (DOE) proposed rule on ceiling fan efficiency standards. ALA, with members from Casablanca-Hunter Ceiling Fan Company, Craftmade, Emerson, Fanimation, Matthews Fan Company, Minka Group, Lutron and Westinghouse Lighting, will participate in a DOE public meeting on the ceiling fan efficiency standards Feb. 3, in Washington D.C. ALA has worked diligently with the DOE over the past two years and has made significant positive impact on the prior Ceiling Fan Light Kit Test Procedures and Light Kit Efficiency Standards final rules. 

Online Sales Training Program

ALA has contracted with Mark Okun to develop a series of online sales training courses, designed to help members through the entire sales process, from the greeting of a customer to follow up after the sale. The series of 10 online courses will be launched in late spring/early summer and will be a great resource for members to better train their employees and increase sales opportunities. 

Lighting Magazine -
Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Media

2016 marks 10 years of
Lighting magazine. This exciting anniversary brings with it a fresh new logo and interior magazine design format, which capitalizes on current luxury publication design trends. This year's publication will showcase lighting inspiration and information that consumers need to select the most beautiful lighting and ceiling fans for their homes. Larry Lauck, ALA executive vice president, was in Des Moines last week working with the editors and publisher on developing the magazine's cover. When complete, 100,000 copies of the magazine will be distributed on the newsstands and 200,000 magazines through our lighting showroom members at no charge to customers. If you are interested in advertising in  Lighting magazine, please reach out to Larry at llauck@americanlightingassoc.com

IES - ALA Strategic Partnership

ALA is working with the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) on updating the outdated IES Recommended Practice on Residential Lighting (RP-11). Eric Borden, ALA education chair, and Terry McGowan, ALA director of engineering and technology, will lead ALA's efforts in the joint committee work and further ALA's efforts to be the authority on residential lighting. This effort is significant, as the final recommended practice will be a recognized ANSI standard.

In Memorium

As many of you are aware, at the beginning of the year we said goodbye to our friend and colleague, Stan Johnston, CLC, CLMR. Stan was past chairman of the ALA Board of Governors and inducted into the ALA Lighting Hall of Fame. He was an active and dedicated member of the association and highly respected throughout the industry, and he will be greatly missed.  A celebration in memory of Stan will be held Feb. 12, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Palos Verdes Golf Club in Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.

Thank you again for your membership and support. I appreciate your input to help lead the lighting industry and maximize the opportunities in front of us.

Sincerely,
Eric Jacobson, CAE
Eric Jacobson, CAE
President and CEO
American Lighting Association
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