October 2006

Dear Members:

Did you know that networking with local organizations pays off in a variety of ways? Many organizations have a need for some type of recognition product at least once a year. Advertising in program booklets at local sporting events, sponsoring a softball team or youth group, and getting involved in charitable organizations and community events, all give you the opportunity to let the public know you're in the awards and recognition business. The people in your community will appreciate your involvement and support and will become loyal to you, thus purchasing their recognition products from you.

The Awards and Recognition Association also provides a member benefit called the ARA Student Medallion Program that is ideal for networking with schools in your area. Available on CD to ARA members only, the medallion program allows you to create handsome awards scrolls acknowledging students and their everyday acts of kindness or above-and-beyond efforts that sometimes go unnoticed. The CD provides a step-by-step process; an activity calendar; and customizable letters, programs, and acknowledgement scrolls. Learn how to get involved with schools in your area by ordering your copy today.

Ahead of the Curve

Rich Zydonik

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ARA Regional Education Event in November
Don't miss an opportunity to attend a Regional Education Event and strengthen your awards knowledge, meet fellow ARA members, and tour the facilities of the sponsoring company. ARA Regional Education Events, designed to help you expand your skills, are hosted by ARA supplier companies around the country.

The next one takes place at Quality One Engravers, in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, on Wednesday and Thursday, November 8–9. If you are enrolled in the ARA Certification Program you will earn CEU credits. All seminars will conform to ARA's standards for quality and adhere to its policy of non-product promotion and compliance with antitrust regulations.

Click on the following company names to read about the ARA Education Events that recently took place at Rowmark (July 13–14), Plastic Dress-Up (August 11–12), and Continental Trophies (September 9).

ARA Professional Certification Program
Are you enrolled in the Certification Program and planning to receive your Certified Recognition Specialist (CRS) or Certified Recognition Master (CRM) designation at the 2007 International Awards Market in Las Vegas? If so, you need to carefully check your education credits earned to date. Updated transcripts will be mailed in November and posted on the ARA Web site. Attend Las Vegas show seminars that will help you in your business and give you enough CEU credits. A minimum of 7 CEUs are needed to attain CRS, and 17 CEUs are needed for a CRM. ARA recommends that you enroll in extra seminars beyond what you think you need to meet your threshold level.

Members close to approaching their CRM designation must also submit a 1,200 word thesis. Please send your proposed thesis topic by no later than December 11 for approval by the ARA Education Committee. The final thesis is due no later than January 22, 2007. For more information, please contact ARA Education Manager Daniel Weinstock at e-mail dweinstock@connect2amc.com.

Make the ARA Sportsmanship Award Work for You
Although the annual ARA Sportsmanship Award is only open to college football players, it is an inspiration for all, especially younger athletes. As ARA members you have the ability to create significant awards that have the power to better young athletes and their sportsmanship.

1. Contact local media outlets to discuss the ARA Sportsmanship Award; you can offer your expertise, what your company is doing to promote sportsmanship, and work with the media to sponsor local sportsmanship awards.
2. Inform local high school and university athletic directors and park districts about the importance of the award. Help them establish a sportsmanship award for their teams.
3. Highlight sports achievements in your community by sponsoring your own sportsmanship award during respective seasons. This is a great way to bring greater exposure to your company and potentially increase your customer base.
4. Post press clippings, press releases, and photos of national media coverage on the award.

Click here for more information on the ARA Sportsmanship Award.

Customized Shipping Solutions for ARA Members
ARA members are eligible to receive exclusive shipping discounts and preferred pricing with the leading transportation providers in the industry. ARA has partnered with DHL, Roadway Express, Yellow Transportation, and UPS Supply Chain Solutions for savings on all types of shipping services. For more information, please call 800/Members, ext. 303 or click here.

2007 ARIEF Silent Auction
The Awards and Recognition Industry Education Foundation (ARIEF) is hosting its annual Silent Auction during the 2007 ARA International Awards Market. All proceeds from the auction benefit ARIEF. If you or your company is interested in donating an item, please contact Sara Nakon at ARA Headquarters, snakon@connect2amc.com, or call 847/375-3680. ARIEF exists solely to provide financial assistance to students, affiliated with ARA member companies, who wish to pursue an education in any field of their choice. This one-time merit award is applied directly toward tuition expenses.

2007–2008 ARA Board Member Nominations
Per association bylaws, any ARA member in good standing may petition to appear on the ballot for election to the 2007-2008 ARA Board of Directors. Petitions must be signed by at least 2% of the members within the same membership category. For more information, please contact Dave Bergeson at 800/344-2148, ext. 4866. Petitions can be mailed to ARA headquarters and must be postmarked by November 10 in order to be considered.

2007 ARIEF Scholarships Applications Available
The Awards and Recognition Industry Educational Foundation (ARIEF) will again be awarding five $1,000 scholarships for the 2007–2008 academic year. All employees and children of ARA member companies are eligible to apply for 2007 ARIEF Scholarships. Click here for an application form. The forms will also appear in the September issue of Recognition Review. The deadline for submitting applications is December 15, 2006. ARIEF is a nonprofit organization that exists solely to provide financial assistance to students affiliated with ARA member companies who wish to pursue an education in any field of their choice.

ARA Las Vegas: Make Your Hotel Reservations Now!
The biggest show in the awards industry will take place February 21–24, 2007, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. ARA has reserved a room block at the adjacent Las Vegas Hilton to accommodate the thousands of attendees who regularly visit the ARA International Awards Market in Las Vegas. To make your hotel reservation, call the Hilton at 800/732-7117 or 702/732-5111. Make sure to mention that you're with the Awards and Recognition Association. ARA's room block regularly sells out, so we recommend that you make your reservations as soon as possible.

Recognition Review Online Library
ARA now offers its members a growing library of the most popular and useful Recognition Review articles from the past several years. Stories covering CorelDRAW, showroom design, customer service, engraving tips, and business issues are available for your review. Click here or log onto the ARA Web site's "Members Only" section and click on the "Online Library" link. Please note: These articles are copyrighted by ARA and may not be republished, reproduced, or distributed without the written consent of the association.

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October 8–10
Galveston Gift & Resort Merchandise Show
Galveston Island Convention Center
Galveston, TX

October 14–15
Louisiana Branch Educational Weekend
Acadiana Trophies
Lafayette, LA
337/235-7408
acadtrop@bellsouth.net

October 14–16
Euro Trophex
MECC Exhibition Centre
Maastricht, The Netherlands
+44 (0) 1442 230431
colingallimore@aol.com

October 15–18
Panama City Gift & Resort Merchandise Show at Destin/Ft. Walton Beach
Emerald Coast Convention Center
Ft. Walton Beach, FL

October 26–28
The Awards & Custom Gift Show
Charlotte Convention Center
Charlotte, NC

November 3–4
Western Awards & Gift Show
Embassy Suites Hotel
San Francisco Airport/Burlingame
800/276-8428

November 8–9
ARA Educational Event
Quality One Engravers
Rancho Cucamongo, CA
Click Here for More Information

November 12–15
East Coast Resort Gift Expo
Ocean City Convention Center
Ocean City, MD

December 3–6
Grand Strand Gift & Resort Merchandise
Myrtle Beach Convention Center
Myrtle Beach, SC

February 21–24, 2007
2007 ARA International Awards Market
Las Vegas Convention Center
Las Vegas, NV
800/344-2148

March 15-17, 2007
2007 ARA East Coast Awards Market
Atlantic City Convention Center
Atlantic City, NJ
800/344-2148

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In the October 2006 Issue:

The Art of Equipment Leasing
Has a desire for updated technology got you thinking about buying a new laser or rotary engraver or sandblasting machine? Even if your equipment is on its last legs and your wallet is a bit thin, you can still get what you need, thanks to equipment leasing.

Laser Engraver Specifications
This month, Recognition Review provides ARA members with tables comparing the features and specifications of laser engraving machines, provided by the industry's premier manufacturers. Read more...

Laser Photo Engraving
Powerful technology now allows digital or scanned photos to be laser engraved onto materials such as marble, wood, leather, coated metals and acrylic. Laser engraving photos is easier than you think and can offer more new business opportunities that you ever imagined. Read more...

Buying a Laser Engraver
Buying laser engraving equipment can be challenging, intimidating, and confusing. But if you follow a few simple guidelines, the process can be manageable and get you the right machine for your needs.

Editing Script and More in Corel PHOTO-Paint
For most jobs, all you'll need to do is record script in Corel PHOTO-PAINT and then reuse it on other projects. But there will be times when you need to edit the script and even apply it to a number of files. Foster Coburn explains.

ARA Sportsmanship Award: No Better Time Than Now
ARA's Sportsmanship Award recognizes the highest qualities of sportsmanship for one college football player. Now in its second year, the award is open to all senior football players at NCAA Division I schools who are starting players or significant contributors on their teams. Read more...

The Customer Is Not Always Right
If you started out in the awards and recognition industry because you thought the equipment was fascinating and saw a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, chances are that dealing with tough customers was not part of that vision.

Getting Fancy with Text
For the great majority of your engraving and sublimation work, you'll use Artistic Text as-is, right out of the toolbox. But there will be times when you might want to do something more extraordinary.

Power Fonts
Seventy years of font history can create a mental archive of thousands of typefaces, popping up from your subconscious like a movie. The introduction of a type family and the story behind it becomes a lasting impression, as in the case of Helvetica.

Recognizing Our Best!: 2006–2007 ARA Awards Program
It's time to enter yourself in and nominate others for ARA's 2006–2007 Awards Program. The nomination and entry forms are found on pages 64–68. Read more...

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If you're an ARA member with computer access, simply visit www.ara.org, log in to the members-only section using your member number, and select ARA Ask an Expert. Find the topic and expert you're looking for, then ask your question(s). More often than not, the ARA expert will have the solution you need.

? Could you give me a few tips regarding laser engraving on glass?

Diane Bosworth of Access Business Solutions responds: Laser engraving on glass might be the most unique application for a laser engraving system. For most laser engraving applications, the laser actually vaporizes the material to form the engraving. With glass, the laser does not penetrate the material. Rather it shatters the material to produce the engraving. This means that engravers must use a little different approach when laser engraving on glass.

When planning jobs that involve laser engraving on glass, the most important thing to remember is that glass will absorb the laser's heat more than other materials. This is especially true for high-end pieces that contain lead: Absorbing the laser's heat can potentially result in flaking, chipping, cracking or breaking. Therefore, it is critical to dissipate the heat as much a possible when exposing glass to the heat of a laser. When engraving glass, remember that you are trying to reduce the amount of laser energy that is put into the glass. If possible, avoid large blocky areas of artwork. Fine detailed lines tend to work best as it allows the laser to move frequently. Although laser manufacturers tend to recommend high power and moderate speeds for glass, you might have to experiment for optimal results. Sometimes, extra passes may be required to get the desired effect. Reducing the pulses per inch (PPI) and the resolution (DPI) will also help to dissipate heat. Another method commonly used when engraving on glass is to mask the piece prior to engraving and to dampen the masking. This will also help to dissipate the heat.

You might also notice some roughness or recasting on the glass when you are through with your engraving process. This can be smoothed out by using a Scotchbrite-type pad. I hope this information helps you. Good luck.

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