Let's be sure that everyone is on the same page:
There are TWO venues in question; The National Conference at the WCAF Expo, and the PPFA Convention which is held concurrently and at the same venue. Next year, both events move to the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas. The show dates are January 20 - January 22, 2014 with the National Conference beginning on Sunday, January 19.
Each of the organizers has criteria for their classes. Instructors such as Jim and myself have NO CONTROL over the class schedules, who is invited to teach (I don't even know if I will be invited back next year), or WHAT they will be asked to teach.
For the National Conference, the Director of Education is Deborah Salmon. Her phone number is 800-969-7176 and her e-mail is
dsalmon@hobbypub.com
She is as far from the "good old boys network" as one can imagine and works hard to create a class schedule that is varied and VETTED with instructors who not only know their subjects, but can also teach up to
her standards. She reads EVERY evaluation and counts on the attendees to assist her in making the classes she offers worthy of your attendance. Those who teach year after year have demonstrated that they are worthy to be asked back to teach and there are some who have not been asked back as well.
At the Conference, there are TWO types of classes; those put on by PFM and those put on by the vendor sponsoring the class.
For the classes offered by PFM, there are specific criteria that the instructors must follow, including a policy of not selling or favoring a specific product. One can make a reference to a category of product (i.e. "Alpha-cellulose matboard) but cannot single out a specific
brand. So, if Pat wanted to teach a class on "Methods of Attachment of Objects in Shadow Boxes" - she could not mention the BRAND of product she was demonstrating and would be obligated to show and demonstrate (without favoritism) product made/distributed by companies other than her own.
The same for a class on "Touching Up or Altering the Finish of Frames". She would have to demonstrate (and list where one could buy) touch up materials and could not refer to EZ Fix and Fill specifically. And, she would have to "pitch" the class to Deborah who would make the determination on whether the class meets her criteria and would be a good "investment" - since PFM is financially responsible for the class.
SOME of the PFM classes have a "sponsored by" tag. The sponsorship is open to ANY vendor who shows on the trade show floor and the money received for the sponsorship helps PFM offset the cost of presenting the class. For the sponsorship, the sponsoring vendor HAS ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL over the class content and realizes that a "competitors" product may/will be demonstrated and discussed. They get their name associated with the class, an opportunity to distribute their literature/samples (though many vendors do not avail themselves of this benefit) and a Laurel and Hardy handshake.......plus there are other incentives offered to vendors related to their trade show participation to encourage them to help offset the cost of education.
There is an entirely different kind of class called; a
company sponsored class - where for a
significantly greater fee, the vendor gets all of the support from PFM (registration, class monitoring, ticketing, the ROOM, tables, chairs, AV support, catering access, etc.) - but PFM is NOT responsible or controlling of the content, or of the FEE charged. Some classes are "free" but it is up to the vendor. The VENDOR hires the instructor and provides the class content. The VENDOR controls the class content and the entire class can be specific/proprietary to the vendor's product. The VENDOR can even sell their product at the back of the class. So, Pat could have a class on the Sunday
before the trade show opens called, "Everything You Wanted to Know About Attach EZ" and could even have someone with a video camera (at HER EXPENSE) showing close-up what she is doing/demonstrating on a BIG SCREEN so the 100 people who I KNOW would take the class could see what she is doing. Pat could charge $75 per ticket or could offer a $25 coupon to attendees towards the purchase of her product. Or she could charge $100 and each attendee would get a "kit" as a part of taking the class.
The "Lunch and Learn" that I taught about business insurance was such a class. CAPAX sponsored the class, bought lunch for all attendees (and as an extra added attraction, Jello Shots
) and
completely controlled the class content. They hired me as the presenter and "creator" of the original PowerPoint, then completely monitored the contents, modifying it where they felt it needed to be "tweaked." They (CAPAX) was 100% financially responsible for the cost of the class. If I failed to present a class that they felt was worthy, they could/can ask someone else to teach it next year (and they own the rights to the PowerPoint I developed.)
In any event, the opportunity to present either type of class is completely controlled by The National Conference and PFM.
The PPFA also offers education, some of which is vetted to provide CEU (continuing education units) required of all MCPF's to maintain their credential. The contents also have to adhere to the PPFA Guidelines (if applicable) for the topic presented. The PPFA has even stricter criteria of NO COMMERCIALIZATION towards a specific product. So, while there are vendors who make the "same" product, the generic description must be used.
The PPFA Education offered is determined by the Education Committee. The last time I checked, there were a mix of women and men on the committee - again, not even remotely a "good old boys" network - and the committee, staffed by PPFA members/volunteers) changes. If ANYONE wants to be a member of the committee- please contact the PPFA at 800 762-9287 or the Executive Director, Elaine Truman at
etruman@pmai.org
The PPFA tries very hard not to commercialize their educational offerings, but as costs have escalated, they have started accepting class sponsorship. The sponsorship is completely philanthropic and the sponsors have absolutely NO CONTROL over the class content. Examples this year are Larson Juhl's stepping up to bring in Suzanne Smeaton for the Keynote Address and her fantastic class on the History of Frames. Others would be Tru-Vue sponsoring the UV Lighting Class (which had to be FACT and not opinion based) and also Jack Richeson sponsoring the Stretching Class - though MANY types of stretcher bars were shown.
PPFA DOES offer a commercial opportunity at the Vendor Showcase where vendors (for a fee) get a table top to present their products at a social event. This year's event was very well attended and Attach EZ, Tru Vue, and Jack Richeson (and many others) all were there.
OK cue the violins-
I don't get how there can be the misconception that anyone teaching at the venues is getting rich. I also do not believe that many of you have no idea how many hours go into the creation of a two hour class - with the majority of the "development" time completely uncompensated. So for the two hours of teaching, there may be 100 hours of prep. plus the requirement of running a business at the same time, plus the "recovery time" after returning from a week in Las Vegas as an educator.
I will tell you that being stopped on the trade show floor or receiving e-mails telling me that something I taught in a class helped someone be more successful does make seem worthwhile.