FTC delays deal for After Hours/Men’s Warehouse at least temporarily.  A second request was made for information during the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act approval process.  According to DNR magazine, once the company complies with the second request the FTC has 30 days to make a decision regarding the transaction.

We invite industry salesmen to submit information they pick up while out traveling the country visiting specialists.

Tim Moore of After Six submits:   I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of Seth Godin.  He’s written some great thought-provoking books on business.  One in particular was titled Purple Cow.  I’m now reading one of his newest titled Small is the New Big.  Great stuff and I promise you’ll get some great ideas on how to make your business even more successful.  I just read a little blurb on Seth Godin’s Blog (http://sethgodin.typepad.com).  Here it is…

                 On becoming the

The article in the Times didn't set out to say something vitally important about marketing, but it did. In starting off a profile it says, "For the past couple of years Jun Kaneko, the ceramic artist..."

It didn't say "a ceramic artist." No. It said, "the ceramic artist".

The entire tone of the piece changes. It's so much better to be a 'the' not an 'a'.

Which are you?

I don't think it's a trivial distinction. In fact, I'd argue that it's worth an enormous amount of your time and your budget to focus on becoming the.

My point about his little blurb is this…are you a formalwear specialist, a tuxedo rental store in your community or are you the formalwear specialist, the tuxedo rental store in your community?  How do you become the?

Other tidbits…

Milroy’s Tuxedos of Waterloo, Iowa recently expanded and remodeled their showroom in Dubuque, Iowa.  The store looks exceptional!  This location also sells men’s suits and furnishings.  If you’re in the area, stop by and visit. 

Rusty Gallo and his family have sold their O.P. Gallo Formalwear business in Columbus, Ohio to some former employees.  Rusty will continue to actively sell and support his OGES point of sale formalwear software.  An avid Ohio State fan, Rusty is licking his wounds after the BCS Bowl loss to Florida!

Barry Borress of Formally Yours in Vernon Hills has finally hung up his bow tie and closed shop in this northern suburb of Chicago.  Barry can now call himself retired.  Knowing Barry, he has been involved in the formalwear business for so many years, dating back to the Palm Beach days, his wife Louise will only be able to tolerate him at home only so much!  Best wishes to you Barry.

Dominic Alessandrini of Diamond Formalwear in Mokena, IL, has opened a second store in partnership with Jeff Reubelt in West Bend, WI.  West Bend is about 30 miles north of downtown Milwaukee.  Both Dominic and Jeff have their roots with the original Gingiss International in Chicago. 

The Tux Shop in Kalamazoo, MI, has just opened a brand new showroom featuring bridal and tuxedos replacing their former tuxedos-only location.  The store is owned by Jeff and Claire Fetters of St. Joseph, MI, and managed by Tim Clair.  Jeff and Claire also own the Sanitary Cleaners operations in southwest Michigan along with The Tux Shop location in St. Joseph.

Louie’s Tux Shop opened a new store last fall in South Bend at the new Erskine Village.  This marks Louie’s ninth northern Indiana location.  Louie’s has also become part of the Savvi Formalwear family but is retaining the long-recognized Louie’s Tux Shop name.  Louie’s is the second largest chain of formalwear stores in Indiana and dates back to 1948.  After Hours Formalwear operates 12 Indiana stores. 

Please let us know what is happening in your world.  We know others would like to read about it!

Printing, how could the formalwear industry live without it? How do you possibly make decisions with it? Print material remains important in our industry even when many businesses have become paperless.  The Internet, websites, and email based marketing are all important, yet to reach our perspective clients, print materials are still a vital link. Manufacturers and specialists alike agonize over picture and brochure quality every year.  I have asked the same questions of 4 printers who make formalwear a major part of their livelihood.  They are EnForm, Eye For Design, Image Graphics and Multicolor Press. Read on to see what they have to tell us about their business and what they can do for your business…Any questions or comments contact Becky at rebeccamc522@aol.com

Give us a short background of your company.

EnForm Graphic Productions, Inc is the professional print buying, graphic design and mailing service for the formalwear industry.  Now in our 15th year, we have an extensive collection of formalwear images from all major tuxedo, bridal and accessory manufacturers in our image library and we’re waiting to design a beautiful brochure or catalog for your company that will showcase your line of formalwear and accessories.

Eye For Design:We do graphic design, printing, custom catalogs, brochures, postcards, plastic gift cards, posters, image editing, color correction, lamination, web sites, etc..
Image:Image Graphics was founded by David & Sandra Long in 1961 as Long Memographic and has grown over the years. Sales topped out at $6,000,000 until 9/11 and also eBay had a huge effect on our publisher – 65% of our business.  We had over a $3,000,000 drop in business. We are currently in a growth stage approaching a profitable year after recovering from several rough years. As with most industries, the computer has made almost all business operations re-think and re-do their manufacturing process. We have progressed from an IBM computer to a MAC. We have moved from film assembly that would require 2,000 pieces of film, 4 strippers, and a plate burner now to a computer to plate or press and a 90% decrease of time with 2 people instead of 12. All these changes have taken place in a very short time, less than 3 years, its been very fast and costly.

Multicolor: We have been in business for over 18 years as a trade printer. Trade printers print for printers and for advertising agencies. Multicolor Press evolved 11 years ago as our only retail division, which handles only formalwear and uniform printing.

 Do off-shore companies affect you?

EnForm: At EnForm, we use primarily US print facilities to insure acceptable delivery schedules. We do, however, go off-shore for our wholesaler’s hardback books for significant price advantages. In our experience, the graphic design and printing industry is not negatively affected by off-shore competition. Instead we utilize off-shore production to our clients advantage when appropriate.

EFD: No

Image: Yes, in the book and publishing field.

Multicolor: Yes they do. We do NO off-shore printing! Off-shore companies definitely save money to the clients, but the trade-off is significant. There is a significant loss of quality and control.  Like many other industries this translates to loss of jobs here in the U.S.

How should this industry make decisions on digital verses printed materials?

EnForm:Digital printing is used primarily when the print quantity is too small to run on a traditional press. These are usually numbers below 1,000 for standard brochures, catalogs and postcards however this may change for products like banners and posters.  Posters and banners are almost always run digitally due to their large size as well as typically small quantities. Also, digital printing is excellent for data driven personalized direct mail where you can customize the message on each piece for maximum impact. Call EnForm to get additional details on data driven direct mail or digital verses traditional printing and how to utilize it best for you.

EFD: If you are printing very large amounts (30,000 or more) then web printing would be the way to go as it would be less expensive but it is not as color accurate as sheet fed printing.

Image: The biggest problem we see is that what is on the computer may or may not print as seen on the computer, because of the difference of the 2 methods.  We print in the 4 basic color by dots-creating an optical illusion.  The color you see on screen may not print as you see them or the digital photo you take may not reproduce as you saw. Color is objective and everyone sees it differently. A very experienced person has to correct color and they need a color swatch of all the material to do that. It is both expensive and time consuming.  Digital printing is still in the early stages.  The term digital printing covers a wide range from presses to laser (of varying degrees) and the amount of color use. Get 1 or 2 copies of any digital printing--if you like it use it, and if not have it printed.

Multicolor: We offer both digital and conventional printing. Rule of thumb is for small quantities up to 1,000 and if quality is not a major issue we would use digital, otherwise we would print anything else conventional.

What percentage of your business is the tuxedo industry?

EnForm: About 70% of our business is formalwear related. This results from all of our new and current marketing plans. At EnForm, we have decided to exclusively market ourselves to the formalwear industry. We believe this will better enable us to keep in front of the formal market, allowing us to offer better lead times and pricing for our clients.

EFD:95%

Image: For 2006 it was 0.478%.

Multicolor:100% of our business is formalwear. Multicolor Press was opened 11 years ago to handle only formalwear and uniform clients. Our sister company has the capability to produce any other type of printing.

Do you remember any particular formalwear job that stands out among others?

EnForm: Though we take pride in all of our brochures and catalogs, some of our Wholesalers books are very special to us. Because of the formalwear industry, EnForm now sells printing and graphic design services in 28 states. Thanks Formalwear!

EFD: Sam Meyers was a very thick 150 page catalog, 10 x 13, laminated cover, black plastic spiral bind with divider pages, the vest pages were swatched with material and all custom designed.
Image:  No, the show deadlines are always hard. We have had to ship UPS Overnight to the northwest and it was no one’s fault.  Now with CTP (computer to plate) we don’t have that problem and we are firm on our dates.  We need all the jobs in house to complete by a certain time.

Multicolor: The project that stands out was re-doing the catalog books for Geno's Formal Affair, of Kentucky. We handled it from start to finish with major color correcting, editing and design layout. We spent months on creating this book and it turned out exceptional.

Who are your greatest competitors?

EnForm: Our most honorable competition in the formalwear industry are the good people at Image Graphics and Multicolor Press. I look forward to seeing them every year at the IFA show.

EFD: Image Graphics

Image:HomeTown printers, because of the digital age (we use to have every tuxedo on file -on film- now they are easy to obtain on a disk).  There is/was one other printer and 2 people brokering brochures.  We have been in the tuxedo industry for 20 years or more and don’t plan to get out of the tuxedo business.

Multicolor: Image Graphics has always been our #1 competitor Enform and Eye for Design have also become competitors for us over the past couple of years.

What do you do better than your competition?

EnForm: EnForm works hard to make every formalwear client feel important and well-cared for. We offer critically-acclaimed brochure and catalog designs for the lowest prices in the industry and see to it that high quality, printed brochures, catalogs, post cards, banners and posters ship or mail on time. We provide graphic design, printing, mailing and list buying services and we do it 5 days a week, 10 hours a day.  EnForm is a high quality, professional print production company. We take enormous pride in our work and it shows.

EFD: Custom design, customer service, competitive pricing, and fast turnaround time.
Image:  We care and we handle all printing in our plant.

Multicolor: Our strong point is that we own all of our equipment. Nothing is done out of our facility except for lamination and foil stamping so we remain in control from start to finish. We use only domestic paper to keep the quality and standards to what the formalwear industry expects. We can remain competitive because we buy our paper in bulk and pass the savings on to our clients.

Why do I get emails and postcards with offers for ridiculously low-priced post cards and business card offers? How do they do it?

EnForm: Generally they “gang run” their post cards along with many others at the same time. Also, they are usually the smallest size possible; they take 15 days to get printed and do not include any other services like design or mailing in the “special” price. When the bill comes in it’s usually not the great deal that was advertised.

EFD: Postcards are the main thing they do print. They more than likely gang run everything so there is usually about a 3 week turn around time, so they can fit your card on with lots of other companies cards all at the same time, so this would bring the printing price down. Usually you have to pay extra for any
custom design work, color correction, image editing, changes and all so go through the trouble of trying to get all the different formalwear images from each manufacturer yourself to send to them so they can set it up. Eye4Design does try and offer special promotions every month to try and be competitive with them.

Image: They gang print (20 plus post cards at 1 time).  There are special in store run, service is not the same. You get what’s on file (right or wrong).  There are limits on stock, proofing, and freight.  They are good at what they do – if you know what you are doing on a computer and their restrictions fit you, then you could save money.

Mulitcolor: There are hundreds of "gang run" printing companies in our country. They offer "down and dirty" printing. Most of the time the quality is acceptable for other types of businesses not usually yours.  It is hard to print quality and watch color when you are putting 31 other clients on one sheet. They also use foreign job lot paper stock. It is usually on the yellow side and for your type of quality this is not a good buy.

I was always taught you get what you pay for.  What does this mean in the printing industry?
EFD: Eye4Design offers fair pricing that also includes custom graphic design. Once we give a quote that is the price and we do not charge any extra for any changes made during the design process up until it goes to color digitals. This makes sure the customer gets exactly what they want and they can keep within their advertising budget. We know the formalwear industry and keep up to date on all the old and the new styles that come in from each manufacture every year so that when a customer calls us to discuss their new advertising piece we know exactly what they are talking about and this saves a lot of time for the customer.
Image: We have to make a profit to continue serving our customers.  We know that there are cheaper and higher printers because of equipment and location.  We try to keep our customers happy.  We do the best we can, sometimes that is not enough.  There is a quote by John Ruskin that says, “There is hardly anything in the world that someone can’t make a little worse and sell a little cheaper.  People who consider price alone are that man’s lawful prey.”  John Ruskin  1819-1900

Multicolor: You always get what you pay for and printing is NO different. We will only use a 98% bright white sheet that is made in the USA for Formalwear printing. You can't expect to get the true colors if you don't use the best raw material to start with. Our inks are soy based for better color saturation. Our labor force consists of hand picked skilled trade men and women. If we cut corners too much to get cheaper pricing, quality will always suffer. We remain competitive, but may not always be the cheapest price.

Help clear up some misconceptions some people have about what should be professionally printed and what is ok to run to Kinko’s and copy.

EnForm: If it’s okay for it to look like a photocopy it can be taken to Staples or Kinko’s. But if this season’s business is depending on a stylish, professional brochure being delivered into the hands of the prom kids, their parents, or your bride’s leads then I strongly advise you to have these important marketing efforts professionally printed.  You can bet that Men’s Warehouse and After Hours will.

EFD: Kinko’s is great for short runs on say flyers or posters that you only need about 100 or less. When it comes to catalogs, brochures, postcards and any piece of advertising material that you are going to print at least 1,000 pieces we can be more competitive.
Image: Again if it works for you use it.  It just depends upon product and person

Multicolor: Kinko's does a fine job of black & white copies and small digital pieces, short color copies. The quality is not as good as professional printing, and after 500 copies it is not as cost effective as being printed on a conventional press. They do a good job in banners and posters.

If I wanted to do a postcard for prom, which type of printing should I look for?

Enform: We offer three basic post card sizes: A small 4-1/4 x 6, a mid size 5-1/4 x 7 and an attention getting jumbo 6 x 9. All three come with a high gloss UV coating and mailing panel. In addition a nice 3 panel brochure or an 8 page mini catalog makes a good prom mailing. Remember, it’s a bright, attractive design with an accessible coupon that’s the real key to bringing them in.

EFD: A good size postcard is 4.25 x 6, 14pt, 4/1 with a gloss or UV on the front of the card. It is inexpensive to print and a good size for mailing.
Image:  Quantity – Quality – and Speed

Multicolor: It depends on the quantity. We offer small run digital printing along with conventional printing. We would judge the quantity and fit the job to the right press. We offer gang runs, but with only other formal wear clients where we know all the pieces will be consistent. We prefer the larger format post cards like 5 x 7 or 6 x 9 because they stand out as opposed to the smaller ones. The 4 x 6 size tends to get lost in the normal mail.

Our wedding brochures?

EnForm: Mini and full size catalogs usually work best for wedding but 4,5 or 6 panel brochures can be fine as well. The key is to mail something.  The most successful marketers mail a post card or small brochure

Monthly. This is NOT excessive. In this highly competitive atmosphere the golden ring goes to the company willing to do the most marketing. Printed and mailed brochures and post cards are an inexpensive and reasonable way to achieve this. Marketing works!

EFD: There are many different sizes and styles that we have designed and printed for wedding and prom brochures. It really depends on how many products you want to show and your budget. Brochures are usually printed on paper that is 80# or 100# gloss text, 4/4.
Image:  Quantity – Quality – and Speed

Multicolor: Wedding brochures can be designed in many different styles. We will work with the client to see what kind of look and style they would like and what will best suit their marketing needs. We also look at the geographical demographics, what looks good in New York may not be suitable in Arizona. Depending on how many tuxedos they want to show will help us to determine the size of the piece. Each client is an individual job and we work with each of them to determine what size and style piece best suits their needs. 

Do you see retailers or manufacturers making mistakes with their printing choices?

EnForm: Of course, all the time! Our job is to advise the most advantageous way to market your company through direct mail. It always amazes me when a poorly designed and poorly printed brochure arrives in the mail. It’s much too important to approach your marketing “half baked.” A comprehensive marketing plan, along with an easy to use and stylish web site are key to excellence in this highly competitive market place.

EFD: With our customers, sometimes I quote the job they want not only in different amounts like 1,000 vs. 2,500 vs. 5,000 but also different sizes so they can see what the cost difference will be. If there is a cheaper way to print their advertising material than I would let them know.

Image:  Yes, I believe color printing sells.

Multicolor: What I see is that they stay very conservative in their marketing. They need to get away from the "cookie cutter" look of the past and get into more mainstream marketing. Because we also print for major Ad Agencies we get a look at what works in other industries and modify it to fit the formalwear clients. We have had good results with the projects we implemented.

Do you attend EXPO or regional shows?

EnForm: You bet we do. We're at the IFA EXPO every year and appeared at the Northeast Formalwear Group Expo on February 11th and 12th.

EFD:Yes.

Image:  Yes, we are always at the EXPO. We have not gone to Regional Show because of time, travel, and lack of knowledge of them.

Multicolor: Yes we have always supported IFA, SIFA and GLITS shows.

Tell me something I would never know you could print for retailers in this industry they may not know is available.

EnForm: Data Driven Direct Mail is an exciting technique that really gets the attention of the student or bride. Through Data Driven Direct Mail, you “marry” the mailing list with the actual graphic design to maximize the impact. The persons name can appear several times on the post card or brochure, right in the design! You can customize each mailer with custom offers, custom locations, even a personalized URL that takes the addressee to a customized page on your web site with their name on it welcoming them. Call EnForm to get more information about Data Driven Direct Mail.

EFD: Plastic gift cards, calendars, labels, stickers, business cards, letterhead,
envelopes, pocket folders, banners, posters...

Image:  This year we have printed some hard bound books and we do a lot of catalog sheets.

Multicolor: Point of purchase displays. We have the facility to manufacture any kind of hanging, standing or counter displays. We handle all the mounting and die cutting.  We also manufacture mouse pads, counter change mats, static clings etc. Along, with our own in-house mail facility we can print and direct mail any of your materials right from here.

What do you feel this industry should do to promote itself?
EFD: I think generic advertising material that any formal wear specialist, small or large could use would help promote the industry. If they could decide on what images they would want to show on say a postcard or catalog then have a listing on the back or a website address that the customer could go to that would list
all the different formalwear locations, so that the customer can visit the location nearest them. It would be less expensive to print because you would be designing and printing one piece for everyone in much larger quantities’ and everyone would pay just for the amount they would need.

Image:  Each proprietor will have to make that decision but advertising helps a great deal, but you need it all. Printing, TV, radio, and word of mouth…so on to make a mark.

Multicolor:  I would like to see more regional shows. This newsletter is positive and also a great idea to promote information to the industry.

What message would you like to send to the formalwear industry?

EnForm: Our message is to be smart and systematic about your marketing plan. Identify which months you want to be in the mail with a postcard or brochure, and stick with your plan. Contact EnForm three to four weeks before you want to be in the mail to give us time to design, print, and mail for you. There’s enough business out there to be successful but you need to take the initiative back from the industry giants. A systematic marketing plan will help you to do this.

EFD: Over the years we have had the pleasure of designing pieces for the formalwear industry. Strong bonds have been formed by listening to our client's needs thus producing promotional pieces geared toward their market. We offer fair pricing, excellent quality, fast turnaround times and most importantly exceptional customer service. Please don't hesitate to contact us at (850) 916-4951 / (850)432-8382 for a sample package and price list or visit us at www.eye4design.us. We look forward to working with you in the near future.

Image: Of course I would not be doing my job if I didn’t say print with Image Graphics.  After going though 4 rough years of rebuilding I feel the tuxedo industry is going through the same thing:  NEVER EVER GIVE UP.  Fight for your business, do you want to learn a new industry? Stand back and take a look outside the box – you might be surprised at what you can do.

Multicolor: We would like to thank the industry for letting us serve them. We have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy working with everyone and handling all their marketing projects. Out of my 36 years in the printing business, I have not met a better industry to print for.

Why should we choose your business for our business?

EnForm: After 15 years in business, and almost eight years satisfying our many formalwear clients, we would hope that our reputation is solid and that you feel comfortable that we will professionally handle this most important task for you. Call or email to get a list of satisfied formalwear clients or a sample pack for you to see our wide range of designs or go on our web site at http://www.enform1.com and click on the Formalwear division. We’re ready to help.

EFD: We believe word of mouth is a great form of advertising. We have great references from some of our formalwear customers listed on my website www.eye4design.us that you can review. We offer custom design, great customer service, competitive pricing and fast turn around time, and a final finished printed adverting piece that you will be proud to hand out to your customers.

Image:  That put me on the spot.  All I can say is that a lot of our customers have been with us for a long time.  We’ve been here for the tuxedo industry and we will continue to be here.  WE CARE and a person will always answer our phone during business hours.

Multicolor: We know all four of the printers for this industry can fulfill your needs. The other three offer quality products just as we do. What makes us different is all of our printing is done in our own facility which gives us the ability to follow the job form start to finish. We only use high end raw materials, USA made.  Our staff is dedicated to their trade and it shows in their work. We remain competitive in the industry and our customer service is still our main priority.

Contact Information:

Steve Kane, President

EnForm Graphic Productions Inc.

Phone: 215-598-1373

Fax: 215-598-1374

Web Address: www.enform1.com

Reply To: stevekane@enform1.com

Eye4Design Inc.
3128 Bay Street
Gulf Breeze, FL 32563
Ph/Fax: (850)916-4951

1515 East Belmont Street
Pensacola, Florida 32501
Ph/Fax:(850)432-8382
michelle@eye4design.us 

Joe Pacillo, President
Multicolor Press
Phone: 954-581-3317
Fax: 954-581-6647
email: jpacillo@mcpress.net

Eva Falcone
Multicolor Press
6561 N.W. 18th Ct.
Plantation, FL 33313

Image Graphics, Inc.

Michelle Tynes

Phone:  1-800-445-6163

Fax:  1-270-442-5810

Centrally Located

"Printed In House From Start to Finish"

2701 Wayne Sullivan Dr.

Paducah, KY 42003

email: mlopes@imagegraphicsinc.net

Continuing with our series to get to know the IFA board members, this edition we are again featuring a retailer and one manufacturer.   Mark Morrow from Minneapolis/St.Paul and Chuck Field of H. Field and Sons, Chicago, have answered the same questions and gave us a look into why they choose to work for you in this industry.

Name and family information
Mark W. Morrow, married 26 years to Kathy.  Two children; Heather (21), soon to graduate from University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, and Matthew (18) soon to graduate from Osseo Senior High in Minnesota.  Heather will begin her retail management as an Executive Team Leader in the Summer of '07.  Matt is planning to pursue a degree in International Business and has narrowed his college decision to two schools.

Background years in the industry company etc?
My father opened his first Gingiss franchise in 1972.  I immediately joined him in the family business as the "vice-president of shoe maintenance."  After attending the University of Minnesota, I opened my first independent location in 1977 in St. Cloud, MN.  I was soon to meet
the love of my life, Kathy, who joined me in the business.  We were married in 1980.  In 1982, I rejoined my father's business as a general manager of his two-store operation, while Kathy continued to manage our store in St. Cloud.  After commuting for two years between
Minneapolis/St. Paul and St. Cloud (65 miles), Kathy and I relocated to the Twin Cities and Kathy assumed the management responsibilities of one of three Gingiss locations.  Kathy and I purchased my father's four-store operation at the end of 1988.  Since that time, we have added
an additional five Twin Cities locations and expanded into the regional wholesale business.

What part of the business is your favorite?
I draw a great deal of satisfaction from witnessing our customers experience exceptional service from a member of our team . . . drawing attention to a member of our team that has gone above and beyond to make certain that our customer's expectations have clearly been exceeded.  In addition, I sense a great deal of pride when a former member of our team
feels compelled to return and let us know that we played a part in the success that they are now enjoying in life.  Providing an environment where people flourish pays dividends over and over.

What part is your least favorite?
The long, cold winters!  It's my understanding that the seasonality of our business grows more extreme the further north you go.  Well, your buddies in the northern tundra of Minnesota experience great extremes and every year is a "character-builder."

Where would you like to see yourself in five years?
A lil' greyer . . . and continuing to enjoy the formalwear industry.  I love what I do for a living and look forward to reaching my 50^th Anniversary in the industry at the age of 65.  I look forward to
continue developing our own team, helping young people discover the "Wonderful World of Retail," while continuing to serve in the "dream fulfillment" industry.  Many young men & women rely on us to make one of life's most special days their very best.

How long have you been on the IFA board?
I was nominated to the Board in 2002.

What are your main focuses or committees you serve on?
My first assignment was to chair the Education series, where we re-introduced the EXPO seminar series and developed the Certified Formalwear Specialist training program and assessment.  At present I am serving as Second Vice President on the Executive Committee, Chairing the Public Relations/Newsletter Committee and continuing to serve on the Education Committee.

What has been the biggest surprise in being a board member?
The commitment to our industry each of our Board members have.  It's rare today to find a group of individuals who are willing to give their time and resources to a cause that does not directly reward them for their efforts.  Every member of the formalwear industry benefits from
the efforts of these individuals and as a result this strengthens our industry overall.  A prime example would be a recent special board meeting in Chicago; the entire Board traveled at their own expense to meet with Pat Appelhans, in an effort to insure a smooth transition as our new executive director.

In a perfect world what would you like to see change with the IFA?

From time to time, over the past several years, I have heard it said that those that are not active in the IFA perceive it to be "the good old boys club," made up largely of large multiple store operators.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, today's Board of Directors consists of several 1, 2 and 3-store operators.  Our focus has consistently been making the formalwear industry thrive again and our members thrive within it.  It would be wonderful to see the industry's
only trade association garner the support of formalwear specialists, of all sizes, throughout the nation.

Who have you met through the board that you did not know before being a member?
Rod Benbrook, Chris Brown & Tom Deitte.  In addition, while serving on the Board and attending IFA EXPOs, I have met hundreds of operators from all over the world, including Australia, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Great Britain and Ireland.

How can members of the board become more accessible to people in the industry?
I am not certain how to make us more accessible, unless we are perceived as inaccessible.  I would find that hard to believe.  From a personal perspective, I devote a significant amount of time every day corresponding via email or visiting on the telephone with members of our industry.  With respect to my fellow Board members, I have never had a problem reaching them.  If someone has a question, comment or concern, I would encourage them to contact any member of the Board--I am confident that they will be greeted with a warm response.

?? Can you tie a bowtie??
I can tie one around my knee that I would be proud to wear.  The bow tie I tie under my chin still has room for improvement, but I am working on it.

What are your thoughts on what we can do to remain competitive as small operators?
Be nimble.  It's the typical "David & Goliath" story.  There will always be room for multiple vendors in the marketplace.  As the small operator, we maintain closer contact with our team members, allowing us far greater opportunity to impact the customer's experience.  In addition, we can react far more quickly to the demands of our particular market.  Finally, I believe there is value in being tied to a national network, allowing us to level the playing field with respect to national chains.

What does your company do better than your competition?
We focus on the customer experience.  Oftentimes it is perceived that it is a "hassle" to rent a tuxedo.  Our goal is to consistently offer a high-quality product that is ready on time and fits properly.  Our staff is trained and dedicated to assisting our customers select the
appropriate attire for any formal function.

Give me a favorite quote or motto you live by
"A job worth doing is worth doing right."  I don't know the original author, but my father ingrained this in me from an early age.  It has encouraged me to do my very best, no matter what the endeavor.  If some ideas or pursuits fail, set them aside and continue down life's path.

Favorite things to do outside of formalwear?
Travel and spend time with family.  Kathy and I have reached an age where one child is graduating from college and planning a wedding, while the other is preparing to head off to college.  As a result, any time spent with the kids is very much valued.


Mentor or source of greatest support?
My father, Wayne Morrow, was my greatest mentor.  He worked in the corporate world most of his adult life until, at the age of 51, he opened his first Gingiss Formalwear franchise.  I had the pleasure of working side-by-side with him for seventeen years, where he instilled in me the importance of ethics and integrity in business.  I lost my dad 15 years ago to Lou Gehrig's disease, but a part him continues to guide me through each day.

Thoughts or ending remarks to get to know and remember you by?
Formalwear Specialists are in the "Dream Fulfillment" business; whether it's a young couple preparing for their first prom, a gentleman making plans to attend a Gala, or a bride fulfilling that fantasy that she has been dreaming of since she was 12, our job is to do our part in making
that dream come true.   I love what I do for a living and I love this industry.  As a result, I think it makes my job just a little easier to make those dreams become a reality.

 
       Hi From Chicago!

Name and family information
Chuck Field.  Linda, my wife of 27 years, is a teacher.  Daughters: Becca, 25, an account executive for the Arizona Republic in Scottsdale.  Jen, 21, a Communications Major at University of Kansas in Lawrence.  Father Joe, 89, and Mom Eilene, 87.

Background years in the industry company etc?
H. Field & Sons is 75 years old this year.  My father Joe and his father started this business with less than $100.00.  I joined 24 years ago after a career in broadcasting.

What part of the business is your favorite?
Finding new business and cultivating relationships.  Also, solving a company's packaging problems and creating solutions that apply to many of my customers’ needs. I love being innovative and creative in an industry perceived as a commodity. My father developed the "Tux Box" over 40 years ago and I am still working on finding new markets to promote it.  Also, I shared a bedroom with my older brother Lew, our President. Now the two of us work in tandem daily trying to grow our business.

What part is your least favorite?
My least favorite aspect is that it can be price driven.  Like many industries, if you let yourself, you can live and die by focusing exclusively on price.

Where would you like to see yourself in five years?
I would love to see things get "easier"!  It would be nice, but realistically everyday brings new obstacles and challenges. I would like to see our company more niche-oriented, where the customers seek us out more for our expertise.

How long have you been on the IFA board?
I am in my second year on the board.

What are your main focuses or committees you serve on?
IFA EXPO and membership.

What has been the biggest surprise in being a board member?
I hadn't realized how much a trade organization is so much like a family business.  I also hadn't realized how many years of business experience from so many backgrounds could work so well together in problem solving.

In a perfect world what would you like to see change with the IFA?
I would like to get to a point where people in the Formalwear Industry feel it is a necessity to join the IFA, not something they could live without.  I would like potential members to realize how great the contacts and ideas that they could get from the IFA would pay for the membership
dues 100 fold.

Who have you met through the board that you did not know before being a member?
I have gotten to know the new leadership a little better.  While attending mid-year meetings prior to being on the board I got to know Wayne Griner a lot better.  I no longer was just a voice on the phone.  He has been instrumental in helping H. Field & Sons grow our business in the industry.

?? Can you tie a bowtie??

I'm sorry, I cannot tie a bow time, I can clip one on!

What are your thoughts on what we can do to remain competitive as small operators?
Small operators need better buying power.  I think collective purchasing can really help.
I think continuing industry education and awareness is important.  Small operators wear a lot of hats and can have tunnel vision.  Learning as an industry and communicating with competitors in other geographical areas and sharing idea's and purchasing and operating procedures will build
strength.

What does your company do better than your competition?
We have a product line. Most box companies are job shops.  Each customer is completely unique.  They are only reactive.  We are innovative. We create solutions before some companies know they have a problem.

Give me a favorite quote or motto you live by:

Put yourself in a position to succeed.  Find what you are good at and do it as much as you can. (Personal and business)

Favorite things to do outside of formalwear?

Golf, Piano, Concerts, Movies, FAMILY!
I am also a comedy ventriloquist.  I perform at many family and corporate events. Thinking funny really helps me get through some trying times.

Mentor or source of greatest support?
My family, without a doubt.  I learn a lot from my kids.

Thoughts or ending remarks to get to know and remember you by?
Nothing lasts forever. Keep reinventing yourself!

Have you had a problem with new or existing employees’ choices on what they wear to work?  Hiring for the upcoming busy season is upon us now.  Do you have a written dress code?  A new tattoo or piercing is all important to the recipient, yet are their rights to personal expression infringing on your etiquette guidelines?

According to the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employers cannot discriminate against an employee’s race, color, religion, gender or national origin.  Under Title VII, companies cannot prohibit attire that is worn for religious reasons.  But the law is not as clear when it comes to ethnic apparel or hairstyles.  The employer does not have a duty to accommodate expression of racial identity. 

The law is more protective regarding religious expression. In terms of wearing religious garb, employers are required to accommodate employee’s religious beliefs to the extent they can do so without undue hardship, which in most cases would be difficult to show.

We deal with what for many is the most formal day of their lives.  In projecting a professional image you instill confidence concerning your attention to detail.  Presenting a professional attitude and look come together to create an all important good first impression.

For many in the industry with a strong dress code this article is a moot point.  Yet many of us find ourselves wondering how to approach this touchy subject when we are faced with inappropriate attire.  The subject of tattoos, piercings, low rise pants, leggings, micro mini skirts and midriff bearing shirts are creating the need for a written dress code for the rest of us.  How can we go about being thorough without too specific as to leave a loophole for them to jump through? 

Many employers find a more specified list hard to keep current with the styles changing as quickly as the hem lines.  A more general description as a professional image must be maintained with skirts no shorter than 2 inches above the knee, professional footwear, and no visible tattoos or multiple piercings for females covers the general guidelines.  For guys, business casual including collared shirts, dress pants, professional footwear and no visible tattoos or piercings.   A disclaimer line that you have the right to determine if the employees choices do not meet your guidelines always need to be the final statement.  You have the right to determine certain busier days as “more formal” and require a tie and jacket.

This subject is the perfect “do unto others as you would have done to you” scenario.  Provide an image for your employees to follow and emulate.  A quick discussion of this subject on a new employee’s first day will hopefully be the beginning of expectations being met for both of you.  We all have horror stories concerning this subject so hopefully a little thought will save you and them aggravation. Let us know what you think!  Contact Becky at rebeccamc522@aol.com.

This is the beginning of a resource for specialists and suppliers alike. We want to have a quick reference destination for you to refer to when trying to remember who supplies what products. We are fully aware we have probably unintentionally left companies off this list. We want to hear about it! Call or email us and tell us who you want added. Manufacturers: let us know if we have left you out. Categories we have not thought of will be added, just let us know. The goal is to give everyone a one-click source to find you! Contact Becky at rebeccamc522@aol.com.