Florida Onsite Wastewater Association (FOWA) Executive Director Roxanne Groover was beyond pleased with the turnout this year at the association’s annual convention and trade show. Held at the Volusia County Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida on August 4-6, FOWA’s Director of Financial & Business Management Sherrill Parr says, “There were approximately 370 industry related attendees, plus their families who visited the exhibit hall overall, which is approximately the same number we had in 2010.”

One huge standout at the show was the education portion, where attendance was up from last year. “We were delighted to see a six percent increase this year in the number of CEU students for a total of 275, plus five students auditing classes who attended the education program,” Parr says.

Throughout the year, FOWA members enjoy guest speakers, but they are typically local to the Florida area. This year saw speakers coming from all over the country, which was a first. FOWA put out a call looking for people interested in speaking to issues that would benefit Floridians, and to share their technology and know-how. “Our membership enjoyed having national speakers present,” Groover says. Especially to hear what people had to say relating to land application, since the Ban on Land application is a big issue in Florida right now. Groover thought it was great to hear how the speakers are dealing with similar issues in their area of the country.

Groover was pleased with the overall turnout of the 2011 FOWA Show, but she was especially pleased with the educational turnout, “We want to thank all those who came out to speak this year.”

Story by Megan McClure

Rain had been pounding the Midwest for days…until it came time for the Doheny Supplies 2011 Open House. The clouds parted and the sun shone just long enough for the packed house of attendees to enjoy some pleasant weather, as well as the best that Doheny had to offer.

Held in Northville, Michigan in early May, the Open House featured equipment from companies like Vactor, Guzzler and Cusco, as well as some of Doheny’s own rental fleet. They also showcased one of their certified remanufactured trucks, perfect for people who are just starting out with their business or have been subjected to budget cuts.

Experts were on hand to teach their techniques and share their expert knowledge at a wealth of continuing education courses that touched on every facet of the industry. The Pipeline Cleaning Techniques course had the biggest turnout, as attendees flocked to see Doheny’s own Ed Fitzgerald share his extensive knowledge gleaned from years on the job. He’s seen every problem possible, and by heading up the Pipeline Cleaning course, he had the goal of preventing others from making the same mistakes in mind.

A custom John Deere Gator is traveling with the Doheny Open House tour throughout the year and will be raffled off to one lucky winner at the Ohio Open House in October. For more details, and to register, go to www.dohenysupplies.com/gator-drawing.

Founder and president, Jack Doheny, said of this year’s event, “I am proud and honored to have so many friends, our customers, come out and see the equipment we represent and the tools we provide, which has helped them achieve success. It was a great day.”

Story by Megan McClure

Upon entering this year’s Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo it was hard to know which way to turn or what to look at next. Held in Louisville, Kentucky, all the major players were in attendance: Doheny, Flo Trend, Gap-Vax, among dozens and dozens of others showing off their latest and greatest.

People from all corners of the septic industry came from all corners of the country to see the show, including system installers and contractors, portable restroom pumpers and operators, municipal water and sewer system maintenance managers, and exhibitors catering to every one of those corners of the industry were there, as well. Associations on a national, regional and corporate industry level were there in support of their members. Marketing, promotions, consulting, insurance and engineering companies were on hand to greet current customers and gain new ones.

Educational seminars were held almost every hour on the hour that the show’s doors were open for business, led by speaking who knew their stuff and wanted others in the industry to glean as much as possible from their expertise.

Fleets of pumper, vacuum and combo trucks stood out, spruced up for the occasion, looking their very best. Booths featuring components, tracking software and associations promoting their organizations intermingled with luxury portable restroom companies like Comforts of Home.

There were portable restrooms in a rainbow of colors from canary yellow to vibrant turquoise to deep purple and pale pink. Even pumper trucks came in an assortment of colors. Hi-Vac featured their Aquatech combination machine in a lively lime green and advertised their willingness to customize a truck in cotton candy pink if the customer so saw fit.

American Liquid Waste had an unveiling of their own at the show. Armed with their ipads, ALW CEO and Publisher Gideon Smith, alongside ALW President Fletcher Moppert, were excited to show off their new ALW app and digital version of American Liquid Waste Magazine. Advertisers’ ads become more versatile with the ability to launch videos and websites with the touch of a finger. The online version of the publication is highly interactive as we ride the digital wave into the future.

What will next year’s Expo bring? Well, a new town and new venue, for starters. 2012’s Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo will be held at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. Looking forward to it!

The Portable Sanitation Association International (PSAI) concluded its 40th Convention & Trade Show. Attendees came from Washington State, from Texas, from Wisconsin and West Virginia. They came from Barbados, from India and South America. They came from all parts of the world. They came to learn, to share, to network and to view products, supplies and services.

They passed the Presidential gavel from Larry Cashwell, Readilight & Barricade, Inc, Raleigh, North Carolina to the Association’s 1st international President, James Elliot, Ellco Rentals, Inc., Barbados.

They announced the winner of the 2010 Service Technician of the Year to Jim Torkelson with Biffs, Inc., Shakopee, Minnesota. They also recognized extraordinary employees from operating companies with presentations of the Sani Award.

They honored Lee Sola with S&B Porta-Bowl Restrooms, Aurora, Colorado with the M.Z. “Andy” Gump Distinguished Award.

For those who attended, the 2010 PSAI Convention & Trade Show the workshops were informative and the panel discussions were industry-specific. The round table discussions allowed attendees to gather operational procedures, tips and to discuss issues as they pertain to the day-to-day requirements of a portable sanitation operator.

There was laughter, golf, music, dancing, the space shuttle and a $1,000 cash prize winner.

Daytona Beach, Florida is sometimes called “The World Center
of Speed” and those that attended the PSAI Convention & Trade Show hit the ground running.

The site of the upcoming Nuts & Bolts Workshop will be March 30 – April 2, 2011, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Go to the PSAI web site at: http://pasi.org/events.html and view the educational program, the site visit and the fun. Check out our Facebook page for additional photos. 

Florida is known as a place for family fun; so it was no surprise that the Florida Onsite Wastewater Association managed to combine entertainment with education at its convention last month.  The event included not only those activities that are the staples of a typical convention but also activities geared to engage participants’ families.
About 370 people attended the 2010 F.O.W.A. Convention & Trade Show at the Ocean Center in beautiful Daytona Beach, where sixty companies and others in the industry provided exhibits. The numbers were similar to last year’s attendance, despite the down economy, a fact that pleased convention organizers, according to Sherrill Parr, Director of Financial and Business Management for the association.
“We attribute much of this success to the great value we offer our members for the CEU (continuing education unit) hours each year at the convention, plus their ability to earn CEU’s for interacting with our exhibitors,” Parr said.
As with all conventions, the gathering allowed folks to share ideas, reconnect with long-time business friends and establish new connections. “The members networked with their peers from all over the state and learned from the experts in onsite technology.” Parr continued, “There was a question-and-answer period at the end of each education presentation in addition to the time they spend with the vendors, who demonstrated firsthand the latest industry innovations.” The education program on the Saturday of the convention spotlighted new technologies.
In addition, Parr noted, many who attended said they especially liked the hands-on experience of the soils texturing and the field, trip which were part of the Florida Soils Forum held at the beginning of the convention. During this part of the convention, participants worked with soil samples in a classroom to determine soil types using soil-texturing techniques. More than 100 people then traveled to Cypress Park near the Ocean Center to get their hands dirty in the field – using various techniques to determine types of soils in the park. By correctly identifying the soils, the students were able to determine which onsite technology would best fit the application for the site, Parr explained.
As for the more conventional “fun” part of the weekend, F.O.W.A. provided numerous activities that appealed to families. “It is important to F.O.W.A., amid these challenging times, to provide an opportunity for families to participate in convention activities together. Our message this year to the attendees was about bringing the entire family. We provided an inflatable obstacle course and basketball game in the exhibit hall and affordable activities for the evenings,” Parr said.
“Thursday morning started bright and early with our annual golf tournament at the beautiful LPGA facility. Friday night included kickball games at the Dayton Cubs ballpark, door prizes for both kids and adults and an all-you-can-eat-and-drink barbeque.”
Emily Anderson, the daughter of member Winston Anderson, was awarded the group’s annual education scholarship for college. Another special guest who was also honored was Senior Sen. Lee Constantine, who was given an award for helping F.O.W.A. accomplish its legislative goals.
Rainy weather moved Saturday night’s “Band at the Beach” into the ballroom, but the event was well attended by families, who had a meal together and enjoyed the music after the exhibit hall closed and classes adjourned.
Parr said F.O.W.A. will return to the Ocean Center for two more years. Next year’s convention is set for August 4 through 6.

Story by Marie Elium

Running a business can be a lonely and frustrating experience — a feeling that those in the sanitation service industry know quite well. They operate on a razor-thin profit margin in an industry with a patchwork of certifications and regulations from all sorts of local, state and federal regulators.
The Portable Sanitation Association International looks out for the interests of those who own and work in the sanitation service industry. Their weekend-long Nuts & Bolts Workshop at the Beau Rivage Resort in Biloxi, Mississippi in March offered a wide and attention-grabbing array of topics. Customer service, the use of so-called “social media” and profitability were among some of the topics covered. Tossed into the mix was a speaker who motivated members by discussing a high-profile corporate whistle blower.
The main session began Friday, March 26 with a presentation by guest speaker Paul Chaney who explained the reasons business owners like themselves have become frustrated with the effectiveness of traditional advertising and marketing.
As consumers are becoming more “elusive” owners of companies both large and small need to use non-traditional methods such as social media via the Internet to corral consumers. Chaney used real-life examples to illustrate his message. Among the questions from attendees were how to use computer blogs to promote their companies, how much time those blogs require and what sort of business information should be included on a blog.
The morning session was followed by an interactive workshop moderated by speaker Rob Little. His focus was geared for attendees who have long-term working relationships with those in their companies. The goal is to help them discover new ways of working together.
Friday’s round table discussions gave attendees an opportunity to brainstorm on issues that affect them daily. The cost – the real cost – of doing business, how to save money and increase profits, customer service and ways to manage repair expenses for restrooms and trucks were all on the agenda.
Other roundtable discussions Friday were tips that companies can use to differentiate themselves from their competition in ways other than pricing, route management and monitoring, social media networking as a sales tool and web marketing and company branding.
The day wrapped up with attendees meeting in a final session to discuss common problems based on company size, from under 500 units, from 501 to 1,500 units, 1,501 to 3,000 units, and companies over 3,000 units.
On Saturday, Stevin Hoover, an author who wrote a book on FBI informant Mark Whitacre, the highest profile corporate whistle blower of all time, spoke.
Hoover speaks and writes about white-collar crime and is the leader expert on Whitacre and how he overcame adversity (Whitacre, you may recall, served time in prison). Hoover discussed how Whitacre overcame adversity and how his experience can be applied to personal and professional relationships.
Also on Saturday was the topic of the cost of doing business. A panel discussion, led by Flay Anthony, included Tim Peterson, Mike Rice, Jeff Wolfarth and Millicent Carroll.
The group reexamined the direct expense portion of the cost per service analysis that was presented at last spring’s workshop. The goal was to assure that all expenses are factored in when determining a price structure that will assure profitability.
Other sessions covered on Saturday included cell phones in the workplace, marketing for specific segments such as special events or construction, deodorizers, route management and monitoring and team building. The afternoon session provided health and safety certification opportunities.
In addition, to the speakers and certification, attendees had an opportunity to meet with exhibitors.
.          

By Jim VonMeier

I remember the first time I went to the Pumper Show.  People kept telling me about it and I thought another trade show…big deal.  But eventually I figured I may as well give it a shot and to say I was blown away would be an understatement. 

When I drove up to the Opryland I thought I was on the set of Gone with the Wind half expecting to see Clark Gable and Maureen O’Hara walking out the Grand Entrance.  Then I began exploring the exhibits going from one booth to the next.  Of course being a man I was like a kid in a candy store looking at and drooling over the tools, toys and equipment. 

That night I strolled the walkways through the atriums marveling at the waterfalls, streams and restaurants.  I had a hard time correlating a liquid waste convention in such a magnificent setting.  On the second day I was talking to another attendee about how much stuff there was to see and he asked what I thought of the big displays downstairs. 

What, you mean there is more!!!  When I found my way to the lower level and walked into the hall I went weak in the knees, started shaking and nearly lost control.  At that point I began to understand what happened to my wife when she went to the mall and lost her ability to control her spending. 
I was lucky I had flown in on a round-trip ticket because if I had driven I would have been driving back home in a big-rig towing my vehicle (packed full of stuff) behind it.    

Of course I attended a few of the educational programs, the first one being my friend Roger Machmeier.  I was amazed at the number of people in his seminar and how the crowd responded to him.  It was obvious he was well respected in the industry. 

I hit other sessions as well and I was amazed at the knowledge being offered.  Between the location and atmosphere, the toys, the education opportunities and the professional way the entire program was put together and run, this “show” was a truly phenomenal experience.  I went back several times and even had the privilege to be a speaker at several sessions on customer service.       

I will admit it has been a few years since I’ve been back.  For one thing I haven’t “worked in the dirt” in years and I don’t need the temptation to buy things I don’t need (I was so enthralled with those inspection cameras I came close to getting one to play with in my own pipes).  Also today I do educational programs primarily for citizen groups helping them deal with their wastewater issues, like why they need proper onsite systems, how to fight the pipe, etc.  I also have a good friend that lives in Nashville and visiting his family was a great excuse for hitting the show, but I don’t know anyone in Louisville so I can’t sell that one to my wife anymore.        

The economy has had a factor as well; I no longer schedule trips unless I can justify the expense, but money has affected many of us.   
With the exception of a few areas of the country, the economy has hit most of us in this trade hard, particularly for designers and installers because building has dropped off to nothing.  I have seen long-term contractors operating on fumes with some of them pulling the plug completely, but that doesn’t mean things are over as we know it.  The housing/building market will rebound eventually, however this lag can give you an opportunity to expand your business into other areas.  

While You Are at the Show start looking for new methods, products and equipment that you can add to your list of services and offer your customers. 
I know a fair number of guys that install two types of systems; gravity systems or mounds, from one extreme to the other.  There are a lot of other solutions that can fit in-between, like aerobic systems. 

Now I know a lot of contractors and regulators have reservations on these types because of problems when they first came out, but most of those issues were communication errors per installation and usage.  Those problems have been addressed and with additional mechanical improvements and the added treatment these units provide, will become common use in the future.  Don’t wait until you are forced to start using them, get up to speed now so you are ready.  Take a few minutes to talk to the people at Delta and Norweco (to name a few) to get the lowdown on them.

Gravel is not the only route to go; look at chambers and the other trench/bed media systems available.  And when you start comparing costs make sure to factor in the time/cost of hauling that gravel, spreading it and the cleanup.  Often you will find they are the same, even cheaper.  Look at other dispersal methods like shallow drip irrigation and how it can fit on some of your sites.     

           
Some think a piece of equipment needs to run $100,000 to be effective, however there are far cheaper tools that won’t break the bank but can generate revenue, like inspection cameras and line jetters.  I can’t tell you how many times I could have used a camera or a jetter and today I know a lot of guys that pass that small job off to someone else that has the equipment.    

These are not high-ticket items anymore, you can get them for fairly cheap, and although you may not use them everyday they can turn a small plugged drain into a higher paying gig if you find bigger problems down the line. 

And look at the theme of some of the educational programs; it is more than just how to do it, it is also about the future.  Kevin Sherman is doing a session entitled, Decentralized Systems – The Next Wave in Our Industry.  Scott hunter is doing one on The Art of Customer Service. 

This industry and the roles that we play are changing.  Your customers are no longer Ma and Pa Kettle on the Farm looking for the cheapest, they are more inclined to do things right if presented to them properly, but that means using good customer service and providing education. 

And the need to educate your customers as to why expanding the use of proper onsites rather than building more treatment plants is proving itself on two very critical fronts:

• Our water quality is suffering.  The damages to our shore and coast lines has gone up dramatically in the areas where treatment plants have been built over the last 20 years because contrary to popular opinion these plants are not perfect, they reduce, not eliminate contaminates in wastewater.  Factor in the numerous breakdowns (that we seldom hear about) and we are all looking at widespread and serious damage.  
• Our water supplies are dwindling to critical levels.  America pulls water out of local aquifers and flushes it down river to the oceans to the tune of two trillion gallons every week and now those aquifers are starting to run dry (35 states are looking at major water shortages in the next five years).  By expanding the use of onsite systems we can help protect and replenish those supplies.     

You can be a part of the solution (and get paid for it) but that means you are going to have to put your shoulder into it; learn what is available and how to sell it to your customers…and the Pumper Show is a great place to start.   

Jim vonMeier performs educational programs directed at homeowners teaching them the health and environmental need for proper septic systems and how to find a certified septic professional to inspect/design/install/maintain their systems.  He has also represented homeowners in their fight against public sewer projects and speaks at contractor programs around the country on the subject of customer service. 
1-763-856-3800  jvonmeier@septicprotector.com          

Show Info

February 24, 2010 – Education Day – Exhibit Hall Closed
February 25-27, 2010 – Exhibit Hall Open
Exhibit Hall Hours:
Thursday – February 25th – 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Friday – February 26th – 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday – February 27th – 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

All times are Eastern Standard Time

Please visit Pumpershow.com for more information.