Get Ready for the Closet Industry's Main Event!

Get Ready for the Closet Industry's Main Event!

The second annual CLOSETS & HOME ORGANIZATION CONFERENCE & EXPO takes center stage March 1-3 at the Santa Clara Convention Center.

A bigger and better event, as unique as the burgeoning closet and home storage industry itself, takes place March 1-3, 2006, at the state-of-the-art Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, CA.

The second annual CLOSET & HOME ORGANIZATION CONFERENCE & EXPO builds on the phenomenal success of the inaugural event held last March in Dallas. Nowhere else will manufacturing, design and building professionals find such a comprehensive mix of market intelligence, best business practices and product information geared toward helping companies better capitalize on the scorching-hot closet, garage and home organization market.

The conference and expo is sponsored by CLOSETS magazine, published by Vance Publishing Corp. of Lincolnshire, IL.

"The closet and home organization market is going gangbusters and is arguably the fastest-growing segment of the wood products industry," says Rich Christianson, director of the Closets Conference and sponsor of the three-day event. "The tremendous success of the Dallas closets event was added proof that the closet and storage industry has come of age. This show will be bigger and better than the first in terms of conference topics, exhibits and networking opportunities. It will be the biggest forum ever for North American closet and organization professionals."

Preliminary List of Exhibitors

The Closets Expo, March 2-3, will feature more products and services devoted to closet, garage and home organization than any other trade show - more than 15,000 square feet of exhibits in all. It will include organization system components, decorative and functional hardware, software, woodworking equipment, closet accessories and more.

For information on exhibiting or sponsorship opportunities, contact Rory Bolen of Hall-Erickson Inc. at (800) 752-6312 or (630) 434-7779 or via email at [email protected].

Following is a list of exhibitors as of Dec. 2.


20-20 Technologies Inc.
A & G Concepts International
Accurate Technology
Allen Field Co. Inc.
Alpine Cabinets Co.
Association of Closet & Storage Professionals
Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers
Better Lifestyle Products LLC
Beverly Coat Hanger Co. Inc.
Cabinet Outsource
California Door Corp.
CDM D�©cor Papers
Cedar America
Clear Systems
Closet & Cabinetry Design Services
Closet Boutique Inc.
Colonial Saw Co.
Cove Tops Ltd.
Decore-ative Specialties
Delmac Machinery Group
Drawer Connection Inc.
E.B. Bradley
EdgeCo Inc.
Element Storage Systems
Elfa North America
Enkeboll Designs
ESI
Eurosoft Inc.
GE Security
Grass America Inc.
H�¤fele America Inc.
HandyHanger LLC
Hangman Products Inc.
Hendrick Mfg./RWH Ind.
Holz-Her U.S. Inc.
Home Decor Innovations
Jowat Corp.
Knape & Vogt Mfg.
Lamination Technology
LIDO Designs
Mepla-Alfit Inc.
Murphy Beds Etc. Inc.
Murphy Wall-Beds Hardware
Nevamar/Pluswood
Norscan Inc.
Northern Contours
October Co. Inc.
ORG, a division of Windquest Cos.
Patrick Industries Inc.
Peter Meier Inc.
Premoule Inc.
Quail Leasing Corp.
RDM Designer Closets
REHAU Inc.
Rev-A-Shelf Inc.
Roseburg Forest Products
Safety Speed Cut Mfg. Co.
Salice America
Sidelines Inc.
Space-Metrics USA
Specialized Hardware Co.
States Industries Inc.
Stiles Machinery
StorAway Solutions
Stor-X Organizing Systems
Sugatsune America Inc.
The Sliding Door Co.
Titus Tool Co. Inc.
Tritec Associates
Valendrawers Inc.
Warp Bros.
Western Dovetail
Wine Cellar Innovations
Woodfold-Marco Mfg.


Note: No one under 16 years of age admitted on the expo floor.

The three-day Closets Conference will feature 17 topics, all presented by industry professionals. Twelve of the seminars will be repeated, providing each conference registrant the opportunity to attend the sessions of greatest interest to him or her. (See seminar schedule)

Keynote Speech by Neil Balter and Other Highlights

Neil Balter, who founded California Closets at the age of 17 and sold it to Williams-Sonoma by age 30, will deliver the keynote speech on Wednesday afternoon. The author of the book, The Closet Entrepreneur, and now a consultant for ClosetMaid, Balter is widely recognized as the founding father of the closet organization system industry. More than 1,000 newspapers, magazines, radio and TV shows have chronicled his entrepreneurial endeavors, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, People and the "Oprah Winfrey Show."

CLOSETS columnist Mike Carson, CEO of Closet Works, will present two special topics. In the first presentation on Wednesday afternoon, Carson will discuss and answer questions about the new Association of Closet and Storage Professionals. In his second presentation, scheduled for Friday morning, Carson will analyze current trends and how they are shaping the closet industry's future.

In addition, CLOSETS' Publisher Laurel Didier and Editor-in-Chief Helen Kuhl will present new research on the closet and home organization market.

Live Closet Manufacturing Demos and Networking

Holz-Her U.S. will sponsor live manufacturing demonstrations during the Closet Expo, March 2-3. Using a work cell concept, Holz-Her's closet system demos will take show goers from design and raw materials through production, assembly and installation.

Networking is another powerful ingredient of the Closets Conference & Expo. In addition to an opening-night networking reception, the conference includes a pair of continental breakfasts and an optional roundtable luncheon.

Online Registration Now Open

The full, up-to-date schedule of the 2006 CLOSETS & HOME ORGANIZATION CONFERENCE & EXPO and online registration is available at www.closets-expo.com. Registration information is also available by phoning the Closets Expo Conference Center at (800) 752-6312.

The Hyatt Hotel, attached to the Santa Clara Convention Center, is the host lodge of the 2006 Closets Conference & Expo. For discounted room rates, reserve by Jan. 28 and mention Closets Expo; phone (408) 200-1234.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1

1:00 - 1:30 p.m.
State of the Closets Industry
Laurel Didier, publisher, and Helen Kuhl, editor-in-chief, CLOSETS, Lincolnshire, IL

1:30 - 2:15 p.m.
Keynote: The Closet Then and Now
Neil Balter, consultant, author and founder of California Closets

2:15 - 3:00 p.m.
Birth of the Association of Closets and Storage Professionals
Mike Carson, CEO, Closet Works, Elmhurst, IL

3:15 - 4:15 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

Tuning Up Garage Organization
Tom Brandt, owner, The Garage Project, Middleton, WI

The Softer Side of Selling
Diana Augspurger, owner, Creative Storage Systems, Buffalo, NY

Starting Your Own Business: So You Want to Be a Closet Organizer
Joe Galow, owner, Closet Creator, Wheeling, IL

Serving the High-End Market
David Loeb, owner, Innerspace, Miami, FL

4:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

Managing for Growth
David Linda, president, SpaceMan Home & Office, Houston, TX

Breaking Down the Sales Process to Maximize Sales
Steven Mann, partner, Crowne Closets & Cabinetry, Las Vegas, NV

Tips for Smoother Installations
Jeff Klein, owner, The Closet Specialist, Bluffton, SC

Moving from Amateur to Expert
Wayne Clark, owner, Closet Master, Orlando, FL

5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Networking Reception

THURSDAY, MARCH 2

7:00 - 8:00 a.m.
Continental Breakfast

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Concurrent Sessions

Tuning Up Garage Organization
Tom Brandt, owner, The Garage Project, Middleton, WI

The Softer Side of Selling
Diana Augspurger, owner, Creative Storage Systems, Buffalo, NY

Starting Your Own Business: So You Want to Be a Closet Organizer
Joe Galow, owner, Closet Creator, Wheeling, IL

Serving the High-End Market
David Loeb, owner, Innerspace, Miami, FL

9:15 - 10:15 a.m.
Concurrent Sessions

Home Office: The Next Frontier of Profitability
Neal Zimmerman, AIA, owner, Neal Zimmerman and Associates, West Hartford, CT

Creating Win-Win Partnerships with Professional Organizers
Barry Izsak, president, Arranging It All, Austin, TX

Designing a Winning Showroom
Larry Fox, president, Valet Organizers, Campbell, CA

Expanding Beyond the Closet
Tom Barber, owner, Closet Crafters & More Inc., Albany, NY

10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closets Expo Open

12:00 - 1:15 p.m.
Roundtable Luncheon

3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

Managing for Growth
David Linda, president, SpaceMan Home & Office, Houston, TX

Breaking Down the Sales Process to Maximize Sales
Steven Mann, partner, Crowne Closets & Cabinetry, Las Vegas, NV

Tips for Smoother Installations
Jeff Klein, owner, The Closet Specialist, Bluffton, SC

Moving from Amateur to Expert
Wayne Clark, owner, Closet Master, Orlando, FL

4:15 - 5:15 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

Home Office: The Next Frontier of Profitability
Neal Zimmerman, AIA, owner, Neal Zimmerman and Associates, West Hartford, CT

Creating Win-Win Partnerships with Professional Organizers
Barry Izsak, president, Arranging It All, Austin, TX

Designing a Winning Showroom
Larry Fox, president, Valet Organizers, Campbell, CA

Expanding Beyond the Closet
Tom Barber, owner, Closet Crafters & More Inc., Albany, NY

FRIDAY, MARCH 3

7:00 - 8:00 a.m.
Continental Breakfast

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Perceptions of the Closets Industry
Speaker Panel TBA

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Looking into the Future
Mike Carson, CEO, Closet Works, Elmhurst, IL

10:00 - 10:15 a.m.
Closets Conference Sign-Off
Laurel Didier, publisher, and Helen Kuhl, editor-in-chief, CLOSETS, Lincolnshire, IL

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Closets Expo Open

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