Leasing is now underway for the July 17-19, 2012 ICFA Preview Show. The show is open to all ICFA manufacturers and suppliers who are exhibiting at the September 2012 International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market.

Merchandise Mart Properties has set the price per square foot at $16.50 (includes drayage and storage of products until the September Market). MMPI requires 50 percent of the lease payment within two weeks of signing the lease contract and the remaining 50 percent by Monday, June 25.

For the Preview Show, companies can lease up to 100 percent of the total square footage they have leased for the September market. Companies interested in participating in the Preview Show should contact MMPI’s Madeleine Tullier at mtullier@mmart.com or 312/527-7583.

Greg Welsh

A series of sales training webinars has been scheduled targeting industry sales representatives and sales management at ICFA member retail stores.

Greg Welsh, host and trainer for ICFA’s sales training DVD series, will present the webinars. His company, Welsh Sales Group, is a California-based training company that has developed retail sales and management training programs for retail chains, manufacturers and buying groups.

The ICFA webinar topics include conducting sales meetings and contests, providing sales motivation and coaching, handling sensitive personnel situations, and tips for recruiting, interviewing and training. All webinar sessions are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (ET).

Dates include:

Thursday, May 3 – Sales Meetings; Sales Contests; Sales Motivation
Wednesday, May 30 – Day to Day Management Tips; Sales Coaching
Wednesday, June 13 – Keeping the Team Focused; Management Communication Tips
Thursday, September 6 – Handling Personal Disputes and Disciplinary Situations
Thursday, November 15 – Recruiting, Interviewing, Training Tips

ICFA has set the dates for two important membership gatherings.

The ICFA Annual Meeting will be Friday morning, September 21, in the Merchandise Mart Conference Center, Chicago. All members are encouraged to attend this event during the International Casual Furniture and Accessories Market.

An ICFA Board of Directors Meeting and Membership Meeting will be Wednesday and Thursday, November 7-8, at the Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The 2012 ICFA Board of Directors also will meet on Wednesday, June 6, but this is an online meeting for Board Members only.

The ICFA Board of Directors has confirmed dates through 2017 for the ICFA Preview Show in July and the International Casual Furniture and Accessories Market in September.

The dates below reflect a change in the 2014 Casual Market, which was shifted up by one day for a Tuesday to Friday market, rather than Wednesday to Saturday. The 2015 dates revert to the Wednesday to Saturday pattern to accommodate religious holidays.

ICFA Preview Show
Tuesday, July 17 – Thursday, July 19, 2012
Tuesday, July 16 – Thursday, July 18, 2013
Tuesday, July 15 – Thursday, July 17, 2014
Tuesday, July 14 – Thursday, July 16, 2015
Tuesday, July 12 – Thursday, July 14, 2016
Tuesday, July 11 – Thursday, July 13, 2017

International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market
Thursday, September 20 – Sunday, September 23, 2012
Tuesday, September 17 – Friday, September 20, 2013
Tuesday, September 16 – Friday, September 19, 2014
Wednesday, September 16 – Saturday, September 19, 2015
Tuesday, September 20 – Friday, September 23, 2016
Tuesday, September 12 – Friday, September 15, 2017