Since 1998 CEOs from the housewares industry having been using CORE groups as a sounding board and a special resource to help meet professional challenges. In facilitated sessions, CORE groups address a variety of critical topics of their choice: current business trends, new channel developments, personal challenges, new product or business growth ideas.

CORE groups, composed of 8-15 members each, are in progress nationwide in Chicago, West Coast and the East Coast. If you are not currently participating, please consider joining us in any of the available locations. New CORE members will receive the first session on a complimentary basis.

Find out more about CORE:
Join CORE!
Meet the CORE Group Facilitators
Testimonials: Our CORE Members Say It Best
CORE Agenda Highlights
CORE Guest Presentations

For further information, contact:
Judy Colitz at jcolitz@housewares.org or
847-692-0126.

Upcoming CORE Meetings:
Group: Date: Details:
Chicago
Midwest
East Coast
San Francisco
West
Feb 21
Feb 22
Feb 29
Feb 23
Feb 28
Details
Details
Details
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Details

Testimonials: Our CORE Members Say It Best

Listen to these testimonials (.wav format)
Rick Martz, President, STYLETTE
Marilyn Beckham, Chairman, Cadillac Shoe Products, Inc.
John Roberts, President, Kitchen Supply Co.
Lynn Conway, President/CEO, Terra Coasters
Bob Sachs, President, Arden Companies
Don Switzer, Executive Director, Westgate Center, Inc.

Comments from the new CORE San Francisco group...

“It is great to have an organization and group that is local where we can share experiences, make contacts and see that others out there are going through some of the same problems and pitfalls that we are and, more importantly, may have solutions to help.”

“I cannot even think of an aspect of our business where it is not valuable to discuss with other chief executives how they are managing their businesses.  CORE provides the perfect venue for such discussions.” 

“Of all the networking groups we've previously attended, the CORE group was hands down the best return on our time invested.  The diversity of members—from start-ups to 100 year old companies—brings a wealth of experience and information to the table and people have a sincere interest in helping others succeed.  I'm looking forward to our next meeting.”

“Well I was certainly a reluctant participant, at least originally, as I didn’t like the idea of either sharing our business with other companies, nor did I think that I would get much out of these meetings. How wrong I was!  A great group of people, all very supportive, sharing ideas & solutions.  The format is at once very relaxed & yet very informative. CORE provides a rare opportunity in your business to stand back from the day-to-day things we all get caught up in & to re-evaluate. I can honestly say that every meeting that I have attended I have come away inspired & with new ideas of ways to improve what we do.  Linda's experience in business & the huge success she enjoyed is well evident in the way she organizes the meetings & the quality of the speakers that she brings to us.  Can't wait for the next one.”

“The group has been very valuable to my firm, especially being a new manufacturer to the housewares industry. Lots of great information and a terrific group of members.”

“The Bay Area CORE Group has been very beneficial for me. The guest speakers at each meeting have always been insightful. The input and help from other CORE members has been invaluable. I have enjoyed every meeting and my business has benefitted directly in many ways.”

Some additional comments from seasoned CORE members...

“The information and relationships I have gotten from my CORE group are of a higher quality, interest and value than any other forum I have participated in during my career.”

“CORE gives me the opportunity to take off the blinders…I walk away from each meeting energized and with ideas on how to improve my business.”

“It’s always hard to give up a day, but missing a meeting costs both me and my company a great deal more.”

“After a CORE meeting, I feel revitalized and ready to conquer the issues.”

“I’m able to acquire knowledge from a four-hour meeting that would take years of experience to learn by trial and error.”

“CORE gives me a reality check on my business as well as tips and inspiration for improving it.”

“The cross-fertilization of ideas has been invaluable.”

“CORE has fulfilled a long-standing professional and personal need to discuss industry conditions and company-level challenges within a forum of my peers.”

“It’s like having a private consulting service available to you.”


CORE Agenda Highlights
The agendas at each session are always relevant as they reflect the input of group members.

Agenda highlights—See what issues your colleagues are addressing:

  • Reverse Auctions, “Shoot-outs” and Sealed Bids
  • Developing Private Label Programs with Retailers: Pros and Cons
  • Warehouse Inventory Shrink Management
  • Supplier Sourcing in Asia
  • Targeting Small Independents for New Business Growth
  • How to Outsource
  • Review of the International Housewares Show
  • The Internet: What works and what doesn’t?
  • Cybermarketing: What are the opportunities and problems of marketing on the internet?
  • Web Share: Web site demonstrations and review by members with online capabilities
  • POS Data: What to do with it?
  • Rep Selection, Motivation, Management and Contracts
  • Incentives: What do we measure; what do we offer?
  • Staffing: Finding, attracting, compensating and keeping good people
  • Policy Manuals: How much and when?
  • Supplier Survival: Dealing with a market where there are fewer, larger, and more demanding customers
  • Five Imperative Steps for Successful Merger and Acquisition Management
  • Unauthorized Deductions and Claims Dilemmas
  • The Challenges of Chargebacks and Credits
  • “What have you done in the last 90 days to make your company/business better?”

CORE Guest Presentations
Guest presentations, also selected by the group, enhance each agenda. Here are some of the critical topics addressed at recent meetings.

  • Minimum Advertised Pricing Agreements & the Robinson-Patman Act
    Vedder, Price
  • Insurance Negotiation, Timing & Coverage
    Insurance Consulting Associates
  • Housewares Packaging: The Power of Packaging
    Tulino Design
  • Expense Reduction
    Arlene Kahn
  • Intellectual Property: Copyright, Patent & Trade Dress Infringement
    Kirkland & Ellis Law Firm
  • Branding & Brand-building
    Adrienne Weiss Corporation
  • Design Dynamics: It’s Value & Importance in New Product Launch
    Cousins Design
  • Freight Program: How to Secure the Best Rates
    Transport Players Alliance
  • Growing Your Business
    Dick Albu
  • The Internet
    Impact Communications
  • Trade and Tariffs
    Economic Consulting Services, Inc.
  • The Maquiladora Program in Mexico
    American Industries International Corp.

Meet the CORE Group Facilitators

Linda Graebner
CORE San Francisco

LG Associates
4096 Piedmont Avenue
Suite 123
Oakland, CA 94611
phone: 510-759-7222
fax: 510-428-0482
email: linda@lindagraebner.com


Linda Graebner brings expertise in growing consumer products and particularly housewares companies.

In her position as President & CEO for Tilia, she transformed this relatively small, unprofitable company into a leading manufacturer of premier lines of small electric kitchen appliances and ultimately led the sale of Tilia to Jarden Corp. (NYSE Fortune 500). She brings extensive experience in fnancial re-structuring, selecting and scaling global manufacturing and distribution, leading new product innovation and building and re-structuring an organization. She played a key role in several acquisitions that led Jarden to grow ten-fold within three years.

Linda also brings extensive experience serving on the Board of Directors of a number of private and public companies including several housewares companies. Linda also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Housewares Association (IHA).

Since leaving Tilia, Linda founded LG Associates, a consulting firm which specializes in creating and implementing business growth plans for consumer, manufacturing and retail businesses to help "jump start" their top-line growth by identifying new markets, products and channels as well as assisting in plan execution.

Prior to Tilia, Ms. Graebner held various executive-level positions in consumer products companies such as the Dole Food Company, James River Corp. and Crown Zellerbach Corp.

"CORE members value being part of a professional group of executives with a wide range of talent and experience. Candid discussions and shared insights provide each member the tools and inspiration to grow their business to the next level."


Daniel Raftery

CORE Chicago, Midwest, West

Raftery Resource Network, Inc.
800 North Main Street
Antioch, IL 60002
phone: 847-838-1177
fax: 847-838-1188
email: Dan@RafteryNet.com
Web: www.RafteryNet.com



Dan has been a management and research consultant since 1986. He started his first consulting firm, Prime Consulting Group, in 1996 and turned it over to his partner in 2003 when he launched Raftery Resource Network.

R2N is a diverse team of independent professionals from consumer goods production and distribution industries, who solve business problems for clients in any segment of the supply chain. R2N functions as a change agent for innovative solutions tailored to the individual client.

Dan has authored over three-dozen reports on a variety of leading-edge subjects for food, drug and housewares industry associations. For individual companies, he and his network team deliver custom assignments for manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and service providers to the consumer goods industry. Dan is a regular columnist and featured writer for Advantage magazine.

Since 2002, Dan has developed the IHA State of the Industry Report and the annual Compensation Report. Dan also authored the Reverse Auctions White Paper for IHA. He is one of the facilitators for IHA's CORE groups.

"Each CORE group is a unique brain trust of entrepreneurs who bring diverse experiences and insights into the housewares businesss. All it takes is one key takeaway to make the time investment a no-braner. Meetings help the bottom line and offer a bit of business therapy."

Chuck Rosner
CORE East Coast

CIR Assoc LLC
5 Taylor Road
Huntington, NY 11743
phone: 631-271-8149
fax: 631-424-8440
email: cros117@optonline.net


Chuck Rosner has more than 20 years of experience in the housewares industry, serving as president and chief executive of several manufacturing companies, including Robinson Knife Manufacturing Company, EKCO Housewares and GemcoWare Inc. He currently is president of CIR Associates LLC in Huntington Bay, N.Y.

His jobs outside the industry included group vice president of Cole National Corporation and vice president of marketing for American Greeting Corporation.

Chuck is a charter member of CORE, and over the years has served on boards and committees for several industry associations, including GMDC’s General Merchandise Advisory Board, IHA’s Education Committee and the Board of Directors of the American Cutlery Manufacturer’s Association.

"The biggest benefit of belonging to a CORE group is the camaraderie that one feels with industry peers after the discussions, the socializing and networking that takes place at the quarterly meetings."