More than $215,000 in Classroom Furniture/Equipment Donated to Local Schools After EDspaces

Key decision makers of the education sector involved in the design, build, management or renovation of an educational facility

attended EDspaces 2018, November 7-9 in Tampa, FL, in a city-wide event that drew multidisciplinary teams developing the lastest innovations for educational facilities.

It was a good week for Hillsborough County public schools this November, as county voters Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a 10-year sales surtax that will pump $131 million annually into much-needed upgrades at hundreds of aging campuses across the county. And as an added bonus this week, vendors at EDspaces in Tampa have arranged to donate their furniture to the schools instead of shipping it back home. For the 23rd year at its conference site, exhibitors at EDspaces are donated truckloads of furniture to the host city's schools. It is a great example of the good that can come when people have civic spirit and realize that every bit counts.

EDspaces brought together classroom visionaries and education experts to reimagine classroomand supplies. Some 2,500 people gathered at the Tampa Convention Center this week for a meeting of EDspaces. The conference attracts education leaders, architects, interior designers and other professionals and vendors whose goal is to foster innovative designs in school facilities that maximize the educational experience.

design. Dozens of exhibits were on display showcasing the latest innovations in classroom furniture, technology

One company, Paragon Furniture, took the lead, but as of early Thursday, multiple others had joined, and the Hillsboro Education Foundation, a local nonprofit, worked with the other 220 vendors to reach similar agreements. School and foundation officials tagged what they wanted during the week, and the donated items were sent to the district's high-needs schools. Check back to see a list of these companies deserving credit for building on that investment with this generous gift.

Vendors donated their EDspaces display furniture to 9 different Hillsborough County Achievement Schools. Donations ranged from desks to shelves, chairs, rugs, cabinets, and more. In total, the donations of classroom furniture and equipment were donated over the weekend to local schools at the conclusion of EDspaces, valued at more than $215,000.

Local elementary and middle schools that received the donations included: Foster Elementary School, Pizzo Elementary School, Woodson (PK-8), Sligh Middle Magnet, Potter Elementary, BT Washington Elementary, Dunbar Elementary Magnet, and Burney Elementary School.

The Tampa Convention Center was proud to work with EDspaces vendors to complete these donations as part of our Save the Resource initiative for sustainability in concert with the Hillsborough Education Foundation.


About EDspaces: 

It is the conference advancing the conversation about the future of learning environments. It is where innovations are unveiled and collaborations form, bringing together education’s creative change agents who plan, design and manage innovative learning environments. Leaders from school districts and colleges, architects, interior designers, dealers and exhibitors engage and participate in the ongoing transformation of the learning environment. Each year, EDspaces evolves progressively to encourage networking and give participants an opportunity to forge lifelong professional connections throughout the education sector and experience product innovations in educational facilities. This growing event was honored in Trade Show Executive’s Fastest 50 for three categories in 2017.

www.ed-spaces.com 

Daniel Day Lewis Drops By EDmarket

We recently sat down with Daniel (Mark Hubbard) to find out more about why he’s in the industry and his experience as an EDmarket member. His Hollywood character/actor persona was given to him by friends and acquaintances. “I’ve been told often that he and I look alike but, more importantly, he’s an extraordinary actor, so it’s a great compliment to be associated that way.” Friends at this year’s EDspaces Educational Distribution Symposium reception also shared that they refer to him as “rock star”, in reference to his longer hair and presentation capabilities.

This past year, EDmarket and Mark Hubbard have worked together on several initiatives, including the first-ever Education Market Furniture study currently underway, and EDspaces. Although Paragon was initiated in 1985, Mark and his business partner, Ricky Kassanoff, have owned and operated Paragon since October 2004.

As President and Co-Owner of Paragon, Inc., a furniture and design and manufacturing company for the educational space, his primary role focuses on building relationships. He frequently interacts with dealers, architects, designers, owner representatives and end-users in order to better understand how the instructional tools of education are transforming learning environments and the furnishings within – fitting, as Paragon was an exhibitor at EDspaces in Tampa, a few weeks ago. In his role as an EDmarket board member, he reflects on his experience, “One of the things EDmarket does best, is to provide access to people and data that contribute to my understanding of how Paragon is better able to serve our customers. The most valuable benefit of EDmarket membership is the opportunity to be personally engaged with an active and large network of suppliers, dealers, industry professionals and end-users. Paragon has been involved with EDmarket for 20-plus years.  Our best EDmarket experience is EDspaces; it’s the single most efficient method to meet with the majority of our primary distribution channel partners.”

Mark on Motivation & Leadership:
“I very much identify with the author, Daniel Pink’s, position on intrinsic motivation:  Autonomy, or the desire to be self-directed; Mastery, or the itch to keep improving at something that’s important to us; and Purpose, the sense that what we do produces something transcendent or serves something meaningful beyond than ourselves.”

Mark is thoughtful when responding to questions about business, ownership, and future success, with a nod to servant leadership, his advice encompasses his instinct about fostering good communication and building relationships.   “First, enthusiastically embrace humility.  Second, find a business mentor or two and listen to them…often.  Third, serve your employees and your customers more than you serve yourself.”

We asked a couple more questions to get to know Mark apart from his serious business side and found a sense of humor that offsets his business drive.

What’s an interesting fact about your business most people don’t know?
“The most interesting fact that most people don’t know about Paragon is either A.) Everyone inside our factory formerly worked in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, or B.)  Paragon’s original warehouse was a shared space with an entirely unrelated adult entertainment distributor.”

When you’re not working, where do you like to spend your time (place, location)? 
“For years, my wife and our three kids have loved spending vacation time together during the first week of summer on the beach in Seaside, Florida.  If given a choice, I’ll take the sun, sand and ocean!”

Asking about a member’s morning ritual reveals a lot about who they are, and how they visualize themselves, so Mark shared with us what’s in his “Headspace” as he starts each day.

• “My day starts around 5am regardless of when I go to sleep the night before; I have a stubborn circadian rhythm!  When I am not on the road for work, the morning ritual almost always goes like this:
• Feed our two dogs, Remy and Dexy (our cat, Tabitha, usually coaxes me into giving her some of their food)
• Prepare coffee for me and my wife, Allie  (we’re lately into the French press coffee making)
• Exercise for an hour
• Return home and spend 5 minutes writing in my journal.  I write 3 things that I’m grateful for and 3 things that would make the day satisfying (I end the day the same way). 
• Meditate 15 minutes using an app called Headspace.  Most challenging thing I do all day because quieting the mind is so hard. 
• Read NY Times daily news headlines
• Shower, dress and head to our office/factory

What was your childhood dream job?
“Growing up, I enjoyed playing and attending all types of sports (I still do).  I was mesmerized by the competition, drama and scale of professional sporting events.  So, I dreamed about working on the business side of professional sports, perhaps, as an agent, marketer or team general manager. “

What's your favorite moment of your career so far?
“It is impossible to distill all my career experiences down to a single most favorite, but the one that probably applied the most force to the journey I am still on happened in 2003.  A year or so before purchasing Paragon, I was dissatisfied working for a global investment bank.  I was successful by all traditional career metrics, however, I was personally, ethically hollowed out by the work.  On a flight from New York to Dallas (home), I had this overwhelming sense of fear and confusion over what I really should be doing for a living.  It occurred to me that I might be asking myself the wrong questions; I needed to try to think about the person I wanted to be rather than the job I wanted to have.  So, I started writing a description of myself…what I was good at and what I wasn’t.  I wrote down the things in my life that sparked my curiosity and the types of people I most enjoyed being around.  What became clear as I wrote and reread was that I wanted to take more risk, to lead and learn from a small team of committed people and I wanted my work product to improve the lives of customers in an authentic and measurable way.  By the time I landed at DFW Airport, I knew I was going to become a small business owner and that I was going to make it happen before January 2005.  I had no idea as to what, who or how I was going to become an entrepreneur, but I was 100% sure that was my future self.  In the span of a 3-hour flight, I went from feeling despondent and lost to confident and completely focused.  It was the most transformational cognitive experience I have ever had.”

What was your first "real" job?
“My first job was awesome!  At 14, I was a bag boy for a local country club in Midland, TX.  I received $4 an hour to carry and clean members’ golf clubs during rounds.  Most of the members were men that seemed so successful.  They wore expensive clothes, smoked cigars, drank, cussed and told outrageous stories.  I loved that for a few hours I was allowed into their fraternity.  Another great part of the job:  I was responsible for driving the tractor that picked up all the balls from the practice range. The members all liked me because I generously used words like “yes, sir” and “thank you, sir.”  To show their affection, they would try to hit me with their practice shots while I drove the tractor over the range.  It was hilarious!”

Guilty Pleasure: What can you not live without?
“Guilty pleasure is a pedicure.  I had never had one until 10 years ago after my wife shamed me about the condition of my toenails.  I don’t get pedicures often because it still seems utterly wasteful to spend money having someone else cut my toenails and rub my wheels.  BUT, man they are nice!  I can live without pedicures, though.  What I cannot live without are books.  I absolutely love reading non-fiction books.  Ask anyone who knows me well, and they will say I start most conversations with “So, I was reading the other day, and I learned…” It can be annoying, I am sure!”

What are some of your favorite things to do when you’re not in the office?
“My favorite hobby/pastime is physical exercise.  I mix up my training methods frequently which keeps me from getting bored and my body from adapting to routine.  My family thinks I’m nuts to push myself so hard physically, but I very much like the challenge and discipline required.  I live in Dallas, TX with my wife and our 3 teenagers.”

One would think life with three teenagers is more than enough to manage, but EDmarket Board Member Mark Hubbard continues to challenge himself and others in his role at Paragon and work with EDmarket. Step up and say hello when you see him at EDmarket or other events.

Mark P. Hubbard, President
Paragon Furniture. Learning Made Different.
Arlington, TX

James Johnson, "International Man of Mystery"

Recently, we "virtually" sat down with James Johnson of Virco to get a better idea of who this highly-involved EDmarket leader, member, and contributor is as a person, not just his professional identity or through his EDmarket involvement. There's an unexpected comedic side to James's humor whose subtle insights are a part of his work, family, and career. Gain "nuggets" of wisdom, combined with a sense of practicality when delving into who he is, while enjoying some of the more interesting perspectives he offers in all those spaces.

How many years have you been in business?
Too many to count, and to those of you who know me, shouldn't betray that "secret".

What motivates you?
I like to tinker with new things.  For some people, the saying “Jack of all trades, Master of none” is an insult, but not for me. I have often told my teams that the number one trait I like in people is “intellectual curiosity.” Trying new things (and sometimes failing miserably) keeps us growing and evolving.  

As someone in the business of focusing on the education sector, how does EDmarket help you?
Prior to entering the education furniture industry, I spent more than 20 years in the office and school supplies market.  During that time, I saw the large associations and related industry shows, come apart and fail.  As that happened, it accelerated the consolidation of the industry.  It also made it harder for new products and new businesses to gain traction.  I’m extremely excited that EDmarket is capitalizing on these opportunities and is strong and evolving to meet the industry changes. It will keep our market robust in the long run.

What’s an interesting fact about your business most people don’t know?
You always think of Virco as being a "typical" business model, utilizing distribution channels that most in the industry do. The funny thing is Virco has a following on Pinterest, it starting out small, but seems to be growing, it went from two "pins" to over a dozen recently.

When you’re not working, where do you like to spend your time?
Hands down: traveling.  I love to spend time in new places with my family. Hence the picture; there's always some new adventure awaiting, you never know what you'll walk away with when you go with family.

What's your current job?
I’m currently Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Virco Manufacturing, Inc., it's a large hat to wear, but it's highly rewarding.


What EDmarket benefit/service(s) is most important to you and your business?
For me, EDspaces has always been a vital benefit and over the years, it's evolved into a sophisticated education vertical. It really has become the best place to showcase our new products. In the past, NeoCon often served that purpose, but our best was often lost in the contract furniture noise. Our product development cycle now centers around launching at EDspaces.

How long have you been a member of the EDmarket? What’s your best EDmarket experience?
You know, I’ve only been a member of EDmarket for 4 years, although Virco as a company, has been involved for a very long time.  My first real experience with EDmarket came when I sort of unexpectedly backed into a role on the Supplier’s Council.  It was really the first time I had met Jim McGarry, CEO.  He asked a pivotal question: What we, as suppliers could do to get more end-users and customers to come to EDspaces. I quickly responded “Why would I want to bring my customers to see my competitors? That’s not my job. It’s the job of EDmarket. The organization should attract so many of my customers to attend, that I have no choice but to come to EDspaces to augment my business.”  Shortly thereafter, I was elected to the EDmarket Board and Executive Committee, thus making it my job - so speaking up has its benefits. 

Tell us about your morning ritual.
I commute 39 miles each way in Los Angeles traffic.  So my morning ritual is mostly dodging cars on the 405.  I’ve gotten pretty good at timing conference calls for my morning and evening commutes.  It works pretty well, as long as I remember to mute my line.  Otherwise, the other participants may hear some of my prolific driving advice I freely give to my fellow commuters.

What's your favorite moment of your career so far?
Why serving on the EDmarket board and councils of course!

What was your first "real" job?
That’s such a funny question, since "real" can mean so many things; by “real” I assume you mean “professional.”  But my first “real” job was at age 12, cleaning out dog runs at the local boarding kennel.  If you don’t think that is a “real” job, just try it in the summer…you learn quickly to deal with lots of challenges. 

Honestly, my first professional job was selling men’s suits for Dillards and then moving on to work in sales with Neiman Marcus, while I returned to school and earn an MBA.  There's something about working in that environment, I really loved commission retail sales.  I, laughingly say, it took me several years after I finished graduate school to make as much money as I did selling suits; plus, I came out with a great wardrobe.

Guilty Pleasure: What can you not live without?
Comedy.  Plain and simple.  When I can’t take the news or traffic anymore, I flip my Sirius radio to the comedy stations and listen to stand-up. It's also a great way to come off any conference calls during the commute, I always end up at my destination with spirits lifted...or laughing. 

If Hollywood made a movie of your life; who would you like to see play the lead role as you?
I think Mike Meyers would be the best fit. I think he could do justice to the “bad dad” jokes I’m frequently known to unleash…also, his dry-martini style of comedy suits my personality and preferences well. I tried thinking of a humorous movie title, but nothing beats "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery", that whole international man thing describes me well...NOT! But really, I've always admired his being able to put things in perspective and remain humble. 

"I still believe that at any time the no-talent police will come and arrest me." --Mike Meyers

Leveraging Your POS Inventory Data

by Patric Caya, Director of Business Development, Springboard Retail

As cloud-based and single-sign on technologies continue upward growth, an immense toolset has become available to small to mid-size retailers through POS software. Optimizing POS data use and sharing allows business to become more nimble operationally and tap in to new markets. Point of sale data can be turned into profitable insights that help grow sales, improve margins and strengthen retail relationships.

Harnessing POS Data for Growth
Few industries are as fundamentally transformed by technology as retail. The emergence of e-commerce, omni-channel shopping (think Amazon and Walmart), to digital wallets (think Apple), to in-store location-based marketing (think McDonald’s kiosks), retailers and brands are witnessing the traditional ways of doing business undergo changes at a pace never seen in the industry.

A major improvement that technology has enabled is the ability of retailers and vendors to collaborate through the sharing of POS data. Just 25 years ago, only the largest global retailers had the resources to develop this kind of capability; technology has leveled playing field and data-sharing is the new standard in most retail channels. As Point of Sale analytics are now a required core competency of every brand hoping to create and sustain success at retail, this desire for continuous improvement will also help cope with market convergence and constriction. This presents a great opportunity to those who recognize the potential in harnessing this POS data to better manage their retail business. Retailers are reinventing business models and driving greater efficiency, becoming increasingly dependent on their vendor partners to help them optimize their business and win with the customer.

POS Data Powering Organizational Decisions 
Brands are increasingly incorporating retail POS data into their business operations and decision-making processes throughout the enterprise. The first to adopt this strategy are Sales and Marketing teams who are responsible for sourcing and managing this data. However, the market trends are showing that many brands are also feeding demand signal POS data to their supply chain and planning teams to close the feedback loop and improve accuracy. It is expected that this trend of enabling multiple teams with POS data will grow, especially as brands continue to invest in technology solutions that make collaboration and sharing easier.

The truth is, sales and marketing organizations are often flying blind and going on hunches and intuition. The old adage of “we know we’re wasting 50% of our marketing spend, but we don’t know which half” applies all too often in the world of consumer marketing. But this marketing truism is increasingly being viewed as a cop-out in the digital era where data on consumer purchasing behavior is plentiful. With retail and social media data combined with web analytics, there is no shortage of useful data. The difference will be seen as companies’ ability to make sense of all these disparate data streams and turn these insights into more effective promotions and merchandising.

Enhancing Data-driven Decision-Making 
Data sharing is the “new-er” normal between retailers and brands, with data-driven account management strategies facilitating easier analysis of trends and the ability to better understand results. Empowering the entire organization to make decisions using POS data will help companies remain one step ahead of competition. Collaborative team engagement with sales planning by retailers, demand planning and forecasting, analyzing store-level and regional trends, managing out of stocks and overstocks, tracking seasonal inventory and ROI on promotional expenditures are all data points that can be shared, tracked, and managed using POS data and systems.

About the Author
Patric Caya is a Boston native who traded in his skates to help thousands of small businesses over the past ten years streamline their retail process and grow profitably. Over the years, he has heard first-hand the inventory issues countless retailers struggle with daily.

He hosted the EDmarket webinar, How Retailers Grow Profits by Using POS Data this past January. It's available for viewing at: http://edmarket.org/webinarseries/pos-growth/.

Springboard Retail is a cloud POS and retail management platform designed by retailers, for retailers. Visit www.springboardretail.com and contact Patric at patric@springboardretail.com for questions.

Karen Volner: More than Melissa McCarthy

EDmarket looks inward to membership for insights and connections beyond typical professional exteriors. Long-time member Karen Volner of Staples Business Advantage (formerly Business Interiors by Staples) took the time to share some of her thoughts about EDmarket, life, and work, during a virtual interview. Funny, entertaining, and highly informative, her thoughts provide a unique perspective and some unexpected ideas. We started off by asking a few questions about work and quickly moved into what's really important: life.    

"Although I am not immediately involved in school construction projects given my scope of responsibilities for the country – back in the day when I was the Field Sales Director specific for the Minnesota Market – this was my baby.  I was engaged in every aspect of the project – best education I ever received. We still utilize the site for tours," Karen Volner, National Business Development Director, Furniture (SLED) State/Local Government & Education

Click here to view the case study.


How did you start out, and what's your current job? 

My first "real" job was serving as a Customer Relations coordinator for Land O’Lakes. I handled and resolved customer inquiries and customer complaints (not exactly fun, but it was a good start to my working career). I'm currently the National Business Development Director, Furniture specific to State/Local Government and Education market segments.

How many years have you been in business?
30+ (Longer than I should be willing to admit publicly). I've enjoyed my career, even with its ups and downs, and I'm still a work in progress, trying to balance work and recreation.  When I can, I like to spend my time in Palm Springs, Northern Minnesota and Tampa Bay, by the water, on the golf course, and at shopping malls (in a past life, I'm sure I was a professional shopper).

What was your childhood dream job?
I’ve been told I have a good option in a section career as a Stand-up comedian or Speech/Drama Teacher.

What's your favorite moment of your career so far?
Completion of a major new school construction project that remains a point of reference in the Minnesota market as a successful and progressive education facility. (see sidebar and photo above, click to view additional details)

What motivates you?
New challenges – constant changing landscape of education and learning.  Mentoring new talent to carry on the legacy and focus for education in our industry.

As someone in the business of focusing on the education sector, how does EDmarket help you?
Networking is number one!  Conversing with others in the sector regardless of role, expertise or distribution level/channel, input, stories and experience that I gather from other EDmarket members is invaluable.

What’s an interesting fact about your business most people don’t know?
While mergers and acquisitions in many cases deplete the focus on vertical markets with most companies, they have only served to strengthen the level of commitment from a corporate perspective on this unique vertical over numerous transitions through the years.  It has been an extreme benefit to see how new executive leaders, players and staff have delivered their business expertise to enhance our approach and strategy from their past experience.

Do you have any advice for new business owners? 
1. Don’t try to be all things to all customers.
2. Identify your strengths and apply to laser focused strategies.
3. Offer your best to a smaller segment audience than attempt to provide a wide array of service/products to a large audience.
4. Leverage what you do best.

What EDmarket benefit/service(s) is most important to you and your business?
Education, more than just being informed about current events, but always learning something new and applying it; but most importantly networking!

How long have you been a member of the EDmarket? What’s your best EDmarket experience?
27 Years is a guess (it went by in a blink).  I have been a member the entire time I have been engaged in this vertical market.  I don’t have a specific BEST experience – there are too many to name or recall, but the sum of it is that it's been an integral part of my professional career.

Tell us about your morning ritual.
I work remotely so when I get up I check my Outlook emails to see if anything new has popped up since I reviewed the night prior.  My ritual is always to look at my schedule and check my email communications prior to shutting down for a night of blissful sleep.  Then I dress and prepare for a busy day.  I need to be in casual business attire to get my mindset ready for “business”.  It is a mental and physical routine that keeps me focused.

What's the one guilty pleasure you have?
Guilty pleasures, we all have 'em, and mine's coffee; I just can't live without it.

If Hollywood made a movie of your life; who would you like to see play the lead role as you?
Not Francis McDermott – my mid-western accent already connects me to her and the movie FARGO.  I would prefer Kathy Bates, Roseanne Barr or Melissa McCarthy.  Someone sassy with high energy and no filter.

Focus on Future

By Tom Brennan, EDmarket Chair

I am excited about our development as an industry and want to take this opportunity to update you on EDmarket’s strategic plans. Recently, sixteen of your industry colleagues graciously volunteered their time and expertise to meet in Memphis, Tennessee for a two-day strategic planning session to help determine best pathways to a successful future. I’m also sharing this in more detail in the winter edition of Essentials Magazine, in emailboxes last week.

You may recall that last year we revised the mission of EDmarket to “represent, connect, and serve people who want to succeed in the education market by providing events, opportunities, resources and leadership to those serving education.” Within this new mission and the early successes afforded by change, we have discovered the seeds of future growth.

With two very successful tradeshows for years, change in the marketplace has presented numerous challenges, with one venue decreasing in participation, and relevance while the other — EDspaces — experienced a resurgence because of the strategic decision to align the event with industry partners who could help broaden the scope of attendees to professionals representing all facets of educational facility planning. This elevated the conversation and the expertise, to the benefit of all.

In the face of these challenges and change, the question for the Board was how to continue to develop our value and relevance, and in these initiatives, we have a great “proof of concept” that shows the path we should be taking. In our meeting we committed to the development of a 5-year plan that would specifically address six fundamental areas that we feel need development for us to continue our transition:
• Strengthening our value proposition
• Developing strategic information
• Broadening our membership composition
• Restoring financial viability
• Creating strong networking opportunities 
• Creating pathways to membership engagement

All of these are important within the 5-year plan. But following the “Rule of 1 or 2”, it was broadly agreed that membership composition and strategic information are the most imminent and critical areas to address.

Our opportunity is two-fold: the shifting needs of our education customer and the disruptive changes in distribution. In the past, we were a simple, show-driven organization for manufacturers and distributors. 

Two new initiatives are currently gaining steam and follow an updated model. In September we launched the first EDchannels conference, and just recently we launched EDmarketplace, an online 365-day virtual platform for buyers and sellers. Both provide unique opportunities to meet changing needs in the marketplace.

If we work together to develop better strategic information and involve all people in the market, we can focus more on working to increase member engagement and find new ways to improve value. In the course of this, we can define and rebuild the foundation of the association.

Your Board team has been working to build a 5-year plan to guide us in a successful direction and is anticipating sharing that with you within the next six months. Like all 5-year plans, the important thing is not that it is 100% right, but to provide future Boards and chairs update and make adjustments annually based on interaction and feedback from members and analysis of the results of our initiatives.

As I stated in my piece featured in Essentials Magazine, EDmarket has a bright future because of you. Reinvesting your time, experience, and expertise has developed an industry community to be proud of. If you can, please consider getting on the bus with us and adding your time and talents to the conversation. The old proverb, “two heads are better than one” is never more true, as, for our industry, many heads can lead to success in ways we haven’t dreamed of, because there is strength in numbers.

Membership Has Its Privileges

By Kevin Casey 

For many years, American Express used the slogan and byline: "membership has its privileges". Being a Platinum Card holder for decades, you might be surprised I still think about my "privileges" every time my statement reminds me with the annual “membership” fee. It’s not cheap and has increased over the years. So, I add it up. They pay my fee for TSA Pre, allow me $200 in airline fees, $200 in Uber Rides, membership in most airline clubs plus the AMEX Centurion clubs, not to mention points on dollars charged that can be used for many things. For a guy that travels a lot, it’s a no-brainer. Yet, I still pause each year to consider, is it worth it? 

I’ve been a member and participant in EDmarket (formerly NSSEA) even longer than I’ve had that Platinum American Express card. When I get that invoice for renewal each year do I think about what am I getting for the dues? I don’t. 

What I do think about is what my company wants and needs, and then, through participation, I work to make those things happen, improving my business/channels/knowledge. And those things only happen when they align with a consensus of others that also find value in those developments. I can only do that if I am involved and a member. More membership involvement equals better the experience - for everyone.

In the early stages of my career, I was very engaged, as were many others in my age group. We became life-long friends, comrades in the community and eventually leaders of companies in the school supply industry. That wouldn’t have happened without the community of EDmarket committees, counsels, and work groups within the association, that lending us the opportunity to serve and commune. 

I guess where my participation waned was in the 90’s, as the focus changed. Consolidation was happening on the full-service distributor side, and taking a second spin on the supplier side. The furniture and equipment folks wanted things at a different time than the rest of us. Retailers were strong and growing. The focus became more and more about a trade show, when should it be, who will it serve and how many orders will we write. The vision was never an education industry viewpoint, but a school supply outlook that became fragmented and myopic. 

Also, at the time, I was VP Business Development of Educational Insights and our viewpoint was educational products at all levels and channels. The association was now working inside a box that was becoming several smaller boxes. Don’t get me wrong, I was managing one of the largest footprints at EDExpo, however, membership was a formality and was not really valued because we were not involved. It worked for us and membership was not a question, just a toll. Oddly enough, many consider that time to be the golden age of EDexpo with large exhibit spaces and thousands of attendees. To me, the trade association was hibernating, sleep-walking as a trade show, and so my involvement, other than as an exhibitor, made little sense. 

I jumped back into participation in the association in the past 8 years or so.  Changes were taking place, the kinds of changes some of us pushed for 15-20 years earlier, starting with the re-branding of the association to better communicate the total education industry mission. The furniture & equipment sector had reinvented itself into EDspaces and awakened a trade association that now had an industry-wide perspective, evolving into an industry event involving all stakeholders, not just buyers and sellers. Architects, facility planners, superintendents, school business officials, etc. 

The EDspaces dialog and cross-pollination reached critical mass. Why else would Google send their Education Evangelist to keynote? As a result, the EDmarket Association is now expanding membership to these stakeholders.  EDspaces communities are thriving and new communities are seeking inclusion. The dialog is year-round within committees and conversations that begin at EDspaces. That’s the kind of trade association I want to be involved in and hopefully bring the instructional materials segment into that industry focus. Good things happen when all stakeholders come together.

I just came from an EDmarket board meeting in Memphis. Without a doubt, it was a meeting about going forward and not looking back. EDspaces participants are conveying to leadership how important curriculum directors are becoming as influencers of learning environments. They also realize the value supplemental materials and EdTech sectors can bring to the EDspaces conversation. Visions of a newly re-focused association over the next few years were dancing in my head by the end of the meeting. Exciting.

That’s why membership in EDmarket remains meaningful to me. It's truly an exchange: I learn a lot from many of the members of the board/councils and hopefully they get a few kernels from me. Having the opportunity to collaborate with others in our industry, related and unrelated, opens my thinking outside the box. Involvement that can lead to being a change agent. That is why I’m in. That is why I don’t question the value when the annual dues statement shows up. Every association or community with total industry viewpoint, the members that are involved see value.

My “membership” in American Express should not to be compared to membership in a trade or professional association. My annual AMEX membership is a fee, that is potentially offset by tangible benefits, to use their transactional device. That fee provides the motivation to use the card as my preference and the “privileges” are there to incentify me to keep paying my annual fee. I have little say in the policy or privileges they offer me. I am not really a member of anything. Not too dissimilar from being a member of a trade show. 

Current State of the School Bond Market

An Overview by SchoolBondFinder.com

On November 7, 2017, there were 309 school bond initiatives on ballots in 24 states. The results for 303 school bonds had been entered into the SchoolBondFinder.com database by noon the next day, with results for the remaining 6 coming in over the following week. After all the dust had settled, 208 school bonds (67.31%) had been approved by voters and 101 (32.69%) had failed.

Every school district with a bond proposal on the November 7th ballot was hoping they'd found the magic formula for producing a positive vote, but almost one third had not. Is it possible to look at the data to ascertain what worked and what didn't?  

Let's consider one example of data comparison. At SchoolBondFinder.com, our researchers place a bond proposal in one or more of 5 major categories based on how the bond monies will be spent. Within the major categories, a bond might also be placed in one or more sub-categories. Analysis of the November pass/fail data show the following for each major category:

Category	Pass	Fail
Construction/Renovation	65.90%	34.10%
Capital Improvements	71.43%	28.57%
Safety/Security	72.26%	27.74%
Technology	74.62%	25.38%
Transportation	81.48%	18.52%

Transportation, which was called out on 54 of the 309 bond proposal initiatives, was clearly the most successful category, but does that mean that a district should add a transportation piece to their bond proposal in order for the initiative to pass? No, probably not.

Identifying the major categories for bond expenditures is just one of the many pieces of data that SchoolBondFinder gathers about each bond in the SBF database. Data analysis can help in making some comparisons, but without knowing more about the local environment (political, social, and financial), the data only provides a starting point. This is why it is so important to form a relationship, early in the process, with district personnel who are working on a bond initiative.

At SchoolBondFinder.com, we recognize that there are opportunities for involvement at every stage of the process: (Watch List) Very early when a bond proposal has made a first appearance, but doesn't have a vote date set yet; (Proposed) the bond initiative is moving toward a scheduled vote date, and may be consulting with industry experts; (Passed) when a bond initiative was successful and the district will begin scheduling work; and (Failed) when the initiative was not successful.

Why is there opportunity in following failed bonds?

One third of the bond initiatives that were on the ballot in November failed, but most likely the reason for the bond did not just go away with the failed vote. Buildings still need to be built or remodeled, security systems still need to be installed, technology infrastructure still needs to be updated ... and the list goes on.

A district that has not been able to pass their bond initiative this year will most likely try again after a "political cooling down period." They may need help setting new goals or rewriting the proposal to ensure passage the next time the bond proposal is put forward for a vote.

When a bond proposal goes back to the drawing board, industry experts can provide invaluable information about products and services, as well as help connect districts who are in the process of writing proposals with other districts that have successfully passed a similar initiative. Identifying key contacts within the district and forming relationships with key contacts early in this process is beneficial for all parties involved and contributes to a successful outcome.

Focused View at the District Level

The bond process is often discussed from a high-level perspective, often leaving the education marketplace wondering what impacts funding and upgrades can have on individual districts and schools. New construction, renovations, school safety improvements, technology upgrades, and transportation equipment needs all often require bond elections. Local school districts hope to piggyback on the possible approval of a state school bond for construction projects by passing their own bonds for school construction money. 

The idea would be to use the state and local bond money together to increase the amount of construction possible. A statewide bond measure would pay for up to $9 billion worth of school facility improvement projects if approved. It is called the Kindergarten Through Community College Public Education Facilities Bond Act of 2016. Here’s a snapshot of how this could impact several school districts in California, one of the most active states for school bonds.

Reef-Sunset Unified School District Superintendent David East said most schools in the district are more than 80 years old and are in definite need of improvements. “We will definitely benefit from a state bond,” he said. “We have huge needs out here.” East said the district already has a previous bond – Measure A – in place that has funded facility modernization in the district such as completely renovating the stadium at Avenal High School along with a few other projects. “You are investing in the infrastructure of the community,” East said. “High quality school facilities lead to better achievement.”

The bond process is not only an important part of a state’s public infrastructure, it’s an investment in future generations and has a lasting impact on the community. Hanford Joint Union High School District Assistant Superintendent Cheryl Silva said the district has approved a $28 million school construction bond on the November ballot. The money will be used to pay for projects at Sierra Pacific High School including adding a library and administration building, an agriculture learning farm and additional technology for the school, addressing a diversity of potential career paths for students.

“We have been working on an extensive list [for construction] over the last few years,” Silva said. Silva also said all three school sites would receive some sort of improvements including swimming pool upgrades for Hanford West and Hanford High School. “We are looking at the highest need and the highest priority,” she stated. Lemoore Union High School District is updating its facilities master plan to make the decision on whether to ask voters to approve a local school bond along with deciding what needs to be upgraded.

In another school district, Superintendent Debbie Muro said Lemoore High School is in major need of upgrades since some of the buildings are 100 years old. Some upgrades include improving science labs, painting buildings, upgrading the parking lots, adding new classrooms and re-plastering the campus pool. Muro said painting the main building alone is a $100,000 project. She said LHS teachers are sharing classrooms and more classroom space is needed. “We’ve done student surveys over the last few years,” she said. “If you go to a school and it looks really nice, it has a lot to do with your morale and how you feel about school.”

Funding for public school capital projects continues to be an ongoing challenge. New construction, renovations, school safety improvements, technology upgrades, and transportation equipment needs all often require bond elections, and as reviewed in the cases from the state of California, they can be a multi-step process involving multiple school districts. Look for future articles about where the school bond market is headed, as well as individual case studies about how individual schools can be impacted by this process.