[PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE UNLESS YOU INTEND IT TO GO TO THE GROUP. If you want to reply to me personally, click here: dshaw@stoneandtilepros.com ]

Hi all,

I'm writing to update you on all the news and pending projects.

The CRUISE!
 IF YOU HAVE NOT REGISTERED YET.... Please do so! It's coming up fast.... and this cruise conference is going to be great on so many levels. I will be contacting anyone who is not yet registered some time this week.

Remember, it will be a lot of fun but more importantly there will be some great workshops and speakers and I'm convinced you will all walk away with a feeling that you are so very glad you didn't miss it. It will be a great opportunity to meet your fellow Partners, share ideas, and more.

The theme of the conference this year is GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

John Freitag... will give a workshop that will include some real meat and potatoes things you can do to grow your business.

Fred Hueston... will be discussing  the newest and best repair techniques

Jeff Handley from MIA will be addressing the Partners on all the very proactive things they want to do for our Partners... (good stuff!)

Jeff Farlow will be giving a workshop on the business side of growing your business

And in our Partner meeting we will be covering a lot of territory including hearing from some of our Partners.  Doug and I will be reviewing Partner benefits now and what is slated for the future....

We will have a roundtable discussion about creative marketing ideas... I promise you will walk away with some very creative  marketing ideas you can implement as soon as you get back home!

NOTE: For those of you on the IICRC Dimensional Stone Maintenance & Restoration Craftsman Certification task force, we will also be meeting for a few hours toward this end.

The new Partner Center
We have a new Partner Center that has been in the works for some time. The new Partner Center will have a front end side (that you and the world can see) and a 'Backstage' side just for Partners. The front end part should be ready any day now. I think you will love it. We are adding a lot to the backstage, so that isn't quite as close to being launched.

The Stone Advisory Magazine.
We're getting close... you can see a mockup of the cover here: www.stoneadvisorymagazine.com

• I would like to use a photo from our fabricators, restoration contractors, or installers for the actual cover photo each issue. Please submit any hi-res photos you want to be considered. You will get full credit and a link to your website.
• Each issue will have some care tips since that is the main focus of the magazine. However, in each issue we will tell consumers they can get a complete 24 page Stone and Tile Care Guide from the Certifiied Stone and Tile PRO Partner near them (and give them a link to find you by zip code)
• Each article will support and promote our Partners
• We can link the magazine into your sites so it's another reason users will come to your site.

REMEMBER... I'm always open to suggestions, contributions, etc.

Videos
Videos have been shot... we're just waiting for the final editing to be completed. (Any day now...)

www.TileandGroutCleaning.net
This one should definitely be ready for the public some time this week. And, even after it's published for the world, we will continue to make improvements. As with everything else, I'm always looking for contributions (giving full credit / links).

--