Hot News
SEPTEMBER 2019
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Registration and Housing Are Now Open!
HPBExpo 2020
Exhibition: March 12-14
Education: March 11-13
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
Register now and join thousands of hearth, patio, and barbecue professionals and experience new products in the spotlight of the industry's premiere event. Hotel rooms are available at a discounted rate on a first-come, first-served basis, so book now to reserve one of your top choice hotels in New Orleans!
Expo Activities
This year we are bringing New Orleans to you by offering activities like NOMGI Sip and Sew, Mask Making Madness, and a Hands-on Cocktail Demo! These activities will be held on Wednesday, March 11 th at the Convention Center. You can sign-up for these activities through the online Badge Registration process (see Meeting & Event Option section). Click here for details and see what else is happening at HPBExpo 2020.
Join the list of companies that are already signed up to exhibit at the HPBExpo 2020. To view the full list, check out below. Booth reservations can also be made by emailing Anita Derouin or by phone at 703.522.0086 ext. 117.
Check out all New Orleans has to offer!
Amazing cuisine. Alluring architecture. Vibrant culture. All kinds of music. Combine all of this with an industry that’s already passionate about food, community, and lifestyle, and it’s a home run! Start planning your trip to New Orleans and see all that there is for you to experience!  
Connect with HPBExpo
HPBExpo Named a Top Event by TSNN
The Trade Show News Network, the world’s leading resource for the trade show, exhibition, and events industry since 1996, has named HPBExpo 2018: Nashville one of the Top 25 Fastest-Growing Shows in Attendance. TSNN owns and operates the most widely consulted event database in the world, containing data for more than 19,600 trade events, which makes the designation all the more notable and humbling.
We’re gearing up for another great event in 2020 in New Orleans. Exhibitors: sales are heating up, so click here ASAP. Check out what Exhibitors and Attendees have to say about Expo, take a look at the floorplan for booth availability, and secure your spot! And, then check out the Exhibitor Overview for all the details to sign up!
The Keynote to Better Retail Environments
Presentation is everything. The way a product is showcased, the salesroom layout, and the customer experience can all be deciding factors in closing a deal. In an effort to help retailers elevate their store’s presence and increase sales, the HPBExpo 2020 Keynote Presentation will be delivered by Wayne Visbeen, the pivotal architect and interior designer behind an iconic list of ground-breaking and effective retail environments. As comfortable on a construction site as he is designing a retail store layout, Visbeen holds a deep understanding of custom residential design and the current trends shaping the indoor-outdoor living industry. Generously sponsored by Napoleon Products, the HPBExpo 2020 Keynote Presentation aims to provide unique retail insights and highlight the key concepts you will be able to use for better customer experience and sales conversion.
Government Affairs
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Receive HPBA Advocacy Alerts Via Text
 HPBA has a new advocacy software program that enables us to text you when there is an urgent need for you to contact your legislators or when there is a major legislative update. If you would like to break through your email clutter and start receiving advocacy alerts via text message, send a text “HPBA” to 313131. 
Save the Date for HPBA Section Meetings
HPBA is working to finalize dates and location for Gas Hearth Appliance Section and Solid Fuel Hearth Appliance Section meetings later this year. We will have more details within two weeks, but manufacturers should hold openings in their calendars for Wednesday, November 13 th (for Solid Fuel) and Thursday, November 14 th (for Gas) near the Denver airport. If you have questions about the meetings, please contact Ryan Carroll .  
Tariffs Set to Increase on Products Imported from China, Including Grills

On September 3, 2019, the U.S. Trade Representative acted on President Trump’s announcement of increased tariffs on products made in China by publishing a notice that tariffs on many products would increase from 25 percent to 30 percent starting on October 1, 2019. There are currently three different effective dates and tariff rates for three different lists or “buckets” of products. Keep in mind that any product en route to the U.S. from China before midnight leading into any of these effective dates would not be affected by the respective tariff.

A tariff of 15 percent went into effect on Sunday, September 1, 2019. This tariff impacts barbecue forks, certain cooking appliances, certain agricultural and dairy products, textiles (including clothing and shoes), and metals. The full list of products impacted by the September 1, 2019 tariff of 15 percent can be viewed here .

On October 1, 2019, a tariff of 30 percent (an increase of five percent from the current 25 percent tariff) will be applied to products imported from China, including portable and built-in non-electric grills and certain grill components. View the full list of affected products.


On December 15, 2019, a tariff of 15 percent will be applied to another list of products, including electrothermic cookers, cooking plates, boiling rings, and grillers and roasters in addition to a long list of electronic products. The full list of products impacted on December 15, 2019 by a 15 percent tariff can be found here .

Please contact Rachel Feinstein if you have any questions. 
Washington State Proposal on Gas Fireplace Efficiency Considered for Building Code

The Washington State Building Code Council is holding two public hearings this month to consider, among other items, minimum efficiencies on vented gas appliances in new homes. The Council will vote on a proposal that would limit the gas fireplaces that can be put into a new or remodeled home in Washington State to only those with a fuel efficiency rating of at least 65 percent (with an exemption for appliances with inputs less than 9,000 BTU/hr). This would severely impact most decorative appliances currently being sold into the Washington market.

While industry has seen minimum efficiencies considered in California and adopted in Canada, this proposal is different: it would impose minimum efficiencies for decorative appliances and is being imposed through the State Building Code rather than an appliance standards program. 

HPBA is seeking to ensure that any imposition of minimum efficiencies not be enacted in the code, but rather be dealt with as an appliance efficiency regulation (in line with other jurisdictions).

It is also crucial that all efficiency regulations be similar so that manufacturers can sell equivalent products in all states rather than having to build specific products for different jurisdictions. 

Hearings will be in Spokane on Friday, September 13 th and Olympia on Friday, September 26 th . If you have questions or would like information on the hearings, please contact Ryan Carroll . 

HPBA's Fall Legislative Priority Is Changeout Legislation
With Congress returning to session this month, our main legislative priority will be building support for legislation that would establish a national changeout fund. Legislation has already been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Carper (D-DE) and Murkowski (R-AK). We are now working to have the same legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation would authorize $75 million each year for changeout programs across the U.S. and would fund replacements of non-certified woodstoves, hydronic heaters, and forced-air furnaces. Changeouts put money in your pocket when consumers take advantage of the program and come to your store to buy a stove! Take action now and send an email to your Senators urging them to cosponsor the legislation. Please contact Rachel Feinstein if you have any questions. 
Disincentives for Gas in New Homes Under Consideration in Several California Cities
As many as 50 cities in California may be considering some type of disincentives for building “multi-fuel” homes, according to some news reports. HPBA and HPBA Pacific are focusing on San Luis Obispo and Santa Rosa as two communities that have taken the lead in these efforts. Disincentives include such items as: higher levels of insulation than the new, stringent California Energy Code, pre-wiring separate dedicated circuits to each major gas appliance for eventual electrical conversions, and carbon-offset fees. These two cities, along with several others, are holding public hearings in September as precursors to votes on whether to proceed with the proposals. For more information, please contact John Crouch or Eric Adair.

On a related note, did you see John Crouch’s recent blog on Berkeley? Read the story about how the Berkeley City Council has banned gas pipelines in multi-unit residential buildings. Sure, it’s Berkeley. But it could happen anywhere – read all about it.
Have You Seen HPBA's Retailer NSPS Toolkit?
Over the past few months, HPBA has received many questions from retailers and distributors about requirements under Step 2 of the EPA’s New Source Performance Standards for Residential Wood Heaters (NSPS), set to go into effect on May 15, 2020. HPBA created a toolkit with information that all retailers need to know. Resources include an enforcement visit checklist, rumors and facts on the new requirements, frequently asked questions, HPBA’s EPA-certified stoves labeling guide, and more. Many of your questions will likely be answered by our FAQ page. We urge all retailers to visit our Retailer NSPS Toolkit now, before the season starts to get busy.

Please contact Rachel Feinstein if you have any questions. Remember, there is no such thing as a dumb question!
Reminder!
HPBA has a new banking relationship with Bank of America, and our SunTrust accounts are now closed. For wiring information, please contact Michelle Worthington .

NEW PAYMENT ADDRESS:
Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association
P.O. Box 412397
Boston, MA 02241-2397
Expo Education Spotlight
Each month, we will highlight one of our education sessions scheduled for HPBExpo 2020 to give you a taste of what you can learn if you attend.
Sales Leadership:  Learn to build a sales process that motivates your team and wins more business than ever. Instructor: Tim Reed, Reed Marketing LLC
 
Most hearth companies are losing money every year  because of ineffective sales techniques—largely due to lack of training. The fact is that most businesses do not have a consistent sales process to guarantee a positive customer experience. Also, this lack of a formal process makes it nearly impossible to train and retain salespeople, leading to frustration and burnout on all fronts. 
 
This class will teach you the steps  needed to move the needle immediately to improve your team's effectiveness on the sales floor and give you a road map to continue their growth in the coming months. By the end of the class you will understand these three critical aspects of sales:
·        How to motivate and harness a customer’s momentum with a consistent sales process
·        Why thinking about the sales pipeline is critical to win more jobs
·        How to follow up with customers for higher close rates and repeat business

Most businesses in our industry  have no structure regarding a sales process, resulting in a team of “great information givers” and “mediocre salespeople.” In addition, those companies that are fortunate enough to have good salespeople have no way to constantly replicate their success so that their business can scale up. The answer is simpler than you think.
 
Your company can win the Sales Game  if you understand these principles. This class is not theory, but rather proven practices that have helped companies go from sub-million to multi-million-dollar operations in only a few years. Take control of your Sales Process and serve more customers than you ever thought possible—your team members  (and your wallet)  will thank you for it.

To attend Tim's class on Wednesday March 11th in New Orleans, be sure to get your Education Passport by clicking below. 
Affiliate Spotlight
This month our attention swings to the east coast as we acknowledge an extraordinary three-year journey in New Jersey. Back in 2016, some of our members in New Jersey noticed that the HVACR Licensing Law was being interpreted in a way that would ban anyone from doing HVACR work unless licensed by the HVACR board, including the installation of flue pipe. This would be disastrous for our professional hearth installers.

MAHPBA filed a petition for a rule change in 2016, but it was denied and were told they would have to change the law. With the jobs and livelihoods of NJ hearth professionals on the line, MAHPBA turned to HPBA’s Government Affairs Committee for funding assistance and sprang into action. With the help of Ryan Carroll, they found a top-notch lobbyist and got to work. After years of hard work and many meetings with lawmakers and staff, the Master Hearth Specialist bill, S1303/A3118, was signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy on August 23 rd . Read MAHPBA's press release to learn more about this bill.
 
HPBA wants to congratulate MAHPBA, and specifically the hard work by Ron Kessner, Kurt Evers, John Sunosky, and Brian Doroshuk to make this law a reality. 
New Affinity Partner
We are pleased to announce that Sunbelt Business Brokers has signed on as a new affinity partner for HPBA. Are you thinking about selling your business? Is it time to retire? Sunbelt is the largest business broker network in the world and has vast experience in selling retail businesses. It has offices in every state in the U.S. and throughout Canada. They can assist in positioning your company to sell, work with you to develop an exit strategy, and connect you with potential buyers.

HPBA wants to keep the retail side of our business healthy and strong and that means helping with transitions. Go to our Affinity Partner webpage to read more about Sunbelt and all of our partners.