Unfinished Furniture Association Gears Up for Trade Show

Furniture World Magazine

The Unfinished Furniture Association (UFA) hosts its annual National Convention & Trade Show June 1-3 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. This year’s theme, “Gear Up for Indy” offers attendees an exciting look at the unfinished furniture industry and plenty of networking and educational opportunities Education day on May 31 features Samantha Kurtz, clinical psychologist, as the keynote speaker. Kurtz teaches how to increase profits and learn more about consumers’ needs. She is the president of Kurtz and Associates, a consulting firm that specializes in streamlining the relationship between management and personnel to increase profits. In addition, breakout sessions instruct attendees in maintaining store image to sell to customers, various options of finishing services, consumer psychology and expectations and inventory management. New to the Show for 2003 is the New Product Showcase. The best of the new products from exhibitors will be displayed in one area on the show floor for one-stop shopping. Over 100 exhibiting manufacturers display unfinished and finished furniture, home accessories, finishing products, software and more for almost three full days. The brand awareness campaign Real Wood Furniture—Finished Your WayTM concludes its first year with a celebration for certified members. For those not yet certified, a special session helps would-be members find out how the program works and how to maximize their success through it. “The 2003 National Convention & Trade Show provides a vital experience for industry professionals,” says Sylvia Thompson, UFA president. “Our education and networking opportunities are invaluable to wood furniture professionals.” Other highlights include a welcome reception to kickoff networking connections and luncheon round table discussions, which allow participants to voice their opinions about hot industry topics such as advertising and technology. UFA is a national trade association of more than 650 retailers, manufacturers and sales representatives in the United Sates and Canada whose mission is to support the growing unfinished furniture industry. For registration materials and more information about the 2003 Unfinished Furniture Association National Convention & Trade Show, contact the UFA office at 17000 Commerce Parkway, Suite C, MT. Laurel, NJ 08054; phone: 800-487-8321; fax: 856-439-0525; or visit www.unfinishedfurniture.org.