Education Program Sessions
The 2021 HPBExpo Education Program is developed by the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Education Foundation (HPBEF). More than 30 sessions designed to help industry professionals increase sales, improve business efficiency, and strengthen technical abilities. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) abound for those seeking to renew NFI or CSIA Certifications. Starting Wednesday, June 23rd, the day before exhibits open, and concluding Friday, June 25th, the Education Program consists of sessions in the CEU categories listed below, except for Manufacturer Specific Training. Learn more about the sessions below.
| Title | Date | Start Time | End Time | # of CEUs | Type of CEUs | Name | Business Name | Description | |
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| Building Custom Fireplaces in the Cloud with Dynamic Kits | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 8:00 am | 9:00 am | 1 | Elective | Dan McManus | Evosus | Have you ever felt like, if you don't watch over the details of every order and installation, that something will go wrong? In the hearth industry, every order is a custom order, so you need a process for tracking the details carefully. Dynamic Kits are one of the best kept secret weapons for hearth dealers. At this session, we'll build a custom fireplace, schedule it for installation, and show you how even part-time seasonal staff can do the same. | |
| NFI Core Review Class | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 8:00 am | 11:00 am | 3 | Technical | Bob Wise | CVC Success Group | This is the official review class for the new First Edition NFI Core Certification exam. The class is based on the official reference manual for the exam, the Core Knowledge Reference Manual, First Edition, published Fall 2018. The class will cover combustion, heat transfer, construction, safety principles, and installation knowledge. This includes regulations and instructions, venting, ventilation, and basic electricity. | |
| Chimney Science | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 8:00 am | 12:00 pm | 4 | Technical | Russ Dimmitt | Chimney Safety Institute of America | The goal of this session is to explain the relationship between the pressures inside a chimney which create “Draft and Flow” and how they are affected by the pressures inside the house and the outside atmosphere. A house functions as a system and in this session we will explore how and why air flows in and out of the building envelope. This session will include topics like:
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| NFI Hearth Design Specialist Review Class | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 8:00 am | 3:00 pm | 6 | Technical | Suzanne Turner | Retired | The Hearth Design Specialist certification is designed to show consumers that the sales personnel understand the technical information they need to properly plan their installation. Based on the Hearth Design Specialist Reference Manual, First Edition which was published in the fall of 2017, this certification covers the technical knowledge on combustion, heat transfer, safety and venting for woodburning, and gas and pellet hearth appliances. Other topics include an introduction to codes, standards and regulations, fuel characteristics, and appliance requirements. All major hearth appliances are covered including fireplaces, gas log sets, fireplace inserts, and free-standing stoves. | |
| IRC Updates That Pertain To Gas Hearth Appliances | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 8:30 am | 9:30 am | 1 | Technical | Bob Wise | CVC Success Group | This session will cover the latest IRC requirements and their impacts on the fireplace industry. We will discuss different construction requirements for the climate zones as defined in the codes and the requirements for adding mechanical make up air, room sizing, chase construction and other challenges confronting the industry. | |
| Turning the Chaos of Heart Attack Into a Reinvention of Your Lifestyle | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 8:30 am | 9:30 am | 1 | SHL | Jerry Isenhour | CVC Success Group | Join industry coach and educator Jerry Isenhour as he shares with you the story of having a heart attack while alone, and the reinvention he has undergone and continues to undergo in his lifestyle based on this event in his life. | |
| Installing and Servicing Products You Did Not Sell | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 9:45 am | 10:45 am | 1 | Elective | Mark Stoner | Ashbusters Chimney Service | Coming Soon | |
| Who Is Your Best Customer and How Do You Get More? | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 9:45 am | 10:45 am | 1 | Elective | Shannon Good | Good Marketing Group | Who is your best customer and how do you get more of them? This session will analyze who is your target audience and how to create marketing strategies around them, including:
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| Building a Service Department: The Right Way | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 11:00 am | 12:00 pm | 1 | Elective | Grant Falco | Falco's | Everyone wants to have a service department that’s effective and profitable, but building it is harder than it sounds. How do you find the right people? What happens in the offseason when things slow down? How do you know if you’re making the right investment? This session will teach you why it’s absolutely necessary (and wildly profitable) to invest in a top-notch service team. You’ll learn:
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| Marketing Panel | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 11:00 am | 12:00 pm | 1 | Elective | Shannon Good | Good Marketing Group | Participants will include Shannon and Brad Good from Good Marketing, Carter Harkins and Taylor Hill from Spark Marketer, Jerry Isenhour from CVC Success Group. Hear the panel's views regarding the next steps for retailers in the "new normal". | |
| NFI Gas Review Class | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 3 | Technical | Tom Parks | Coastroad Hearth and Patio | This is the official review class for the Sixth Edition NFI Gas Certification exam. The class is based on the official reference manual for the exam, the Gas Hearth Systems Reference Manual, Sixth Edition, published Fall 2018. The class will cover installation knowledge specific to gas appliances and venting. This includes regulations and instructions, fuel characteristics and delivery, appliance requirements, venting, ventilation, and troubleshooting. All major gas hearth appliances will be covered including fireplaces, gas log sets, inserts, and freestanding stoves. Venting methods such as conventional type B-vent, direct-vent, liner systems, and vent-free will also be covered. | |
| NFI Pellet Review Class | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 3 | Technical | Kurt Evers | Superior Fireplace and Hot Tubs | This is the official review class for the Sixth Edition NFI Pellet Certification exam. The class is based on the official reference manual for the exam, Pellet Hearth Systems Reference Manual, Sixth Edition, published Fall 2018. The class covers the different approaches to pellet appliance fuel delivery, and venting systems. Planning, installation, and troubleshooting knowledge will also be covered. More specifically, such subjects as appliance components, electrical requirements, vent configurations and assembly, and common causes and solutions for pellet system problems will be discussed. | |
| NFI Woodburning Review Class | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 3 | Technical | Ron Kessner | Fireplaces Plus, Inc. | This is the official review class for the NFI Woodburning Certification exam. The class is based on the official reference manual for the exam, Woodburning Hearth Systems Reference Manual, Sixth Edition, published Fall of 2018. This class covers both solid-fuel factory-built fireplaces and all types of wood stoves, including freestanding, inserts, and manufactured high-efficiency fireplaces. Installation knowledge specific to wood burning appliances, including installation and planning, solid-fuel appliance regulations and instructions, appliances, venting and ventilation, and troubleshooting are also included. | |
| Moving Forward 1: Business Strategy: The expectations and promise inherent in your brand | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 1:00 pm | 2:00 pm | 1 | Elective | Ted Topping | Creative Insights | Build your business for the “new normal” of the post-pandemic economy. These practical sessions are based on retail and service-industry best practices, which Ted is interpreting for small and medium-size businesses. The first session outlines a Moving Forward Business Strategy built on the knowledge that customers will not soon return to their pre-pandemic spending levels, which means that businesses will have to focus more on branding, experience, trust and standing out from their competitors. | |
| Testing Protocol For Hearth Appliances | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 1:00 pm | 2:00 pm | 1 | Technical | Wayne Terpstra | PFS Corporation | Clearances, which venting configurations and component parts are acceptable to use, safety testing, emissions testing, the difference between using “brands or cribs” (test wood) and cordwood. Have you ever wondered how the safety and emission tests are conducted? Wayne Terpstra and John Steinert will draw back the curtain to explain some of the procedures used to test hearth appliances for safety and emissions. Attendees will learn:
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| Turning the Page: Things to Consider Before You Start The Process | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 1:00 pm | 2:00 pm | 1 | Elective | Tom Shay | Profits Plus Solutions, Inc. | You may wake up one day and decide you are ready to transition out of the business. If you want to maximize what you get, and have the least tax liability, this will require some time and effort. There are multiple components of a successful and profitable transition. Information presented will come from an eight person team of experts collected specifically for HPBA. Even if you just got into the industry, plan ahead by planning to attend this session. | |
| Building A Business You Can Actually Sell | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 2:15 pm | 3:15 pm | 1 | Elective | Tim Reed | Reed Marketing, LLC | If you’re thinking about selling your business in the next 10 years, there’s a question that needs to be asked: “Are you selling a business or a job?” Anyone who is looking to buy a business expects a return on their investment, and the sad truth is that many retailers have businesses that are worth very little. Running a business that’s worth selling (even if you are years away) sets you up to rake in major profits, not to mention have a great quality of life. This session will teach you three steps to building a business that you can actually sell:
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| Designed to Sell: How to Increase Sales of BBQ Grills and Cooking Accessories | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 2:15 pm | 3:15 pm | 1 | Elective | Josh Tahan | Truecraft BBQ | One of the most compelling cases you, as a retailer, can make for the products you sell is through the power of the demo. In this session, you will learn:
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| Moving Forward 2: Products & Services: Everything that you offer to customers. | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 2:15 pm | 3:15 pm | 1 | Elective | Ted Topping | Creative Insights | In five integrated sessions, speaker, author and consultant Ted Topping will help you reset and rebuild your business for the “new normal” of the post-pandemic economy. These practical sessions are based on retail and service-industry best practices, which Ted is interpreting for small and medium-size businesses. The second session describes a Moving Forward strategy for your Products and Services. With more customers placing a premium on timelessness, usefulness and versatility, products and services that people recognize will hold their value will prove “worth the investment.” | |
| Maximizing the Value of Your Business | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 3:30 pm | 4:30 pm | 1 | Elective | Terry Kelm | Sunbelt Franchise Sales & Re-sales | With the Baby Boomers starting to exit their businesses, the market for selling a business is set to become very crowded over the next several years. Building your business to stand out in that crowded market is financially prudent. Join Terry Kelm, President of Sunbelt Re-sales for an informative, no nonsense session on building a sellable business, including the attributes buyers want when they evaluate potential business purchases. Whether you are thinking about selling today or down the road, the information will be valuable. | |
| Service Contracts | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 3:30 pm | 4:30 pm | 1 | Elective | Ron Segars | Ron's Fireside Shop | Service plans have been used in the HVAC business for years. Hearth appliance dealers that have service contracts with their customers can see a huge increase in off-season business. In this session, you will learn:
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| Transform Your Website in 60 Minutes | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 3:30 pm | 4:30 pm | 1 | Elective | Tim Reed | Reed Marketing, LLC | Most companies in our industry spend thousands of dollars in marketing every month—only to send customers to a website that confuses them. The result is that they hit the “back” button and buy elsewhere. The problem is that businesses lay their website out in a way that makes sense to them—and not their customers. This session will teach you how to turn your website into a sales funnel that makes you money and maximizes the marketing dollars you spend. After completing this session, you’ll know:
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| NFI Core Review Class | Thursday, June 24, 2021 | 8:00 am | 11:00 am | 3 | Technical | Bob Wise | CVC Success Group | This is the official review class for the new First Edition NFI Core Certification exam. The class is based on the official reference manual for the exam, the Core Knowledge Reference Manual, First Edition, published Fall 2018. The class will cover combustion, heat transfer, construction, safety principles, and installation knowledge. This includes regulations and instructions, venting, ventilation, and basic electricity. | |
| NFI Hearth Design Specialist Review Class | Thursday, June 24, 2021 | 8:00 am | 3:00 pm | 6 | Technical | Suzanne Turner | Retired | The Hearth Design Specialist certification is designed to show consumers that the sales personnel understand the technical information they need to properly plan their installation. Based on the Hearth Design Specialist Reference Manual, First Edition which was published in the fall of 2017, this certification covers the technical knowledge on combustion, heat transfer, safety and venting for woodburning, and gas and pellet hearth appliances. Other topics include an introduction to codes, standards and regulations, fuel characteristics, and appliance requirements. All major hearth appliances are covered including fireplaces, gas log sets, fireplace inserts, and free-standing stoves. | |
| Increasing Builder Sales | Thursday, June 24, 2021 | 11:00 am | 12:00 pm | 1 | Elective | Sean Rosser | Hearthside | Interested in growing your builder sales? In this session, we will discuss how to grow your builder sales efforts from a simple extension of your retail store, all the way to having a dedicated builder sales rep. We will cover:
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| NFI Gas Review Class | Thursday, June 24, 2021 | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 3 | Technical | Tom Parks | Coastroad Hearth and Patio | This is the official review class for the Sixth Edition NFI Gas Certification exam. The class is based on the official reference manual for the exam, the Gas Hearth Systems Reference Manual, Sixth Edition, published Fall 2018. The class will cover installation knowledge specific to gas appliances and venting. This includes regulations and instructions, fuel characteristics and delivery, appliance requirements, venting, ventilation, and troubleshooting. All major gas hearth appliances will be covered including fireplaces, gas log sets, inserts, and freestanding stoves. Venting methods such as conventional type B-vent, direct-vent, liner systems, and vent-free will also be covered. | |
| NFI Pellet Review Class | Thursday, June 24, 2021 | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 3 | Technical | Kurt Evers | Superior Fireplace and Hot Tubs | This is the official review class for the Sixth Edition NFI Pellet Certification exam. The class is based on the official reference manual for the exam, Pellet Hearth Systems Reference Manual, Sixth Edition, published Fall 2018. The class covers the different approaches to pellet appliance fuel delivery, and venting systems. Planning, installation, and troubleshooting knowledge will also be covered. More specifically, such subjects as appliance components, electrical requirements, vent configurations and assembly, and common causes and solutions for pellet system problems will be discussed. | |
| NFI Woodburning Review Class | Thursday, June 24, 2021 | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 3 | Technical | Ron Kessner | Fireplaces Plus, Inc. | This is the official review class for the NFI Woodburning Certification exam. The class is based on the official reference manual for the exam, Woodburning Hearth Systems Reference Manual, Sixth Edition, published Fall of 2018. This class covers both solid-fuel factory-built fireplaces and all types of wood stoves, including freestanding, inserts, and manufactured high-efficiency fireplaces. Installation knowledge specific to wood burning appliances, including installation and planning, solid-fuel appliance regulations and instructions, appliances, venting and ventilation, and troubleshooting are also included. | |
| How To Deal With Difficult Customers | Thursday, June 24, 2021 | 1:00 pm | 2:00 pm | 1 | Elective | Tom Shay | Profits Plus Solutions, Inc. | Have you seen the info-graphic showing how many people an unhappy customer will tell about their experience? How about the info-graphic that shows how a customer complaint that is cordially resolved creates a customer that outspends the average customer? Who wants the difficult customer? Definitely the competition doesn’t want them and that is often why the customer is on our doorstep. While you don’t want a difficult customer either, the question is what will you do to take care of that customer? Surprisingly, it takes very little to resolve the situation and with a bit of practice, all of your staff can be equipped to turn a difficult customer into a strong advocate for your business. | |
| Outdoor Kitchen 101 | Thursday, June 24, 2021 | 2:15 pm | 3:15 pm | 1 | Elective | Casey Harvey | Ray Murray Inc. | In this session you will learn the tips and tricks needed to design a functional and memorable outdoor kitchen tailored to meet the needs of their specific clients. We will also cover the basics of outdoor kitchen sales and marketing. | |
| Moving Forward 3: People: The team directly and indirectly serving your customers | Thursday, June 24, 2021 | 3:30 pm | 4:30 pm | 1 | Elective | Ted Topping | Creative Insights | In five integrated sessions, speaker, author and consultant Ted Topping will help you reset and rebuild your business for the “new normal” of the post-pandemic economy. These practical sessions are based on retail and service-industry best practices, which Ted is interpreting for small and medium-size businesses. The third session offers a Moving Forward strategy regarding your People. At a time when careful shoppers and leaner store shelves will be the norm, your sales and service team(s) will be the most-effective way you have of offering your customers greater value. And it all rests on the people you hire and train. | |
| How To Thrive In A Smart Home Era | Friday, June 25, 2021 | 8:30 am | 9:30 am | 1 | Technical | George Suzuki | Dexen Industries | Help your customers choose the right smart home set up for their fireplaces, outdoor kitchens, and firepits. We'll go over the platforms in the market, various ways to connect hardware and key considerations to achieve the desired outcome. Join our lively session and get all your questions answered. | |
| Let Them See You Sweat: Lessons I’ve Learned On My Personal Journey With Stress | Friday, June 25, 2021 | 9:45 am | 10:45 am | 1 | Elective | Michael Levin | Custom Solutions Inc | The speaker will share openly about their personal journey with stress and how they dealt with both the typical and unusual physical impacts experienced. They will share with you why they believe stress often goes undiagnosed and dismissed as the possible cause of significant physical damage and how you can be your own best advocate. Hear the 15 Key Learnings and what you can do to help effectively manage not only the stress in your life but your teams and those you love. Hear inspiring stories of those who came to realize how stress impacted their lives and the miracles that occurred from recognizing and dealing with that impact. | |
| Pitmaster Recipe Made Easy: Pizza 2-Ways | Friday, June 25, 2021 | 9:45 am | 10:45 am | 1 | Elective | Max Lavoie | House of BBQ Experts | Max Lavoie shows you how to create the best pizza in town from your backyard each and every time. Learn how to master a restaurant style pizza cooked either on charcoal or on your gas BBQ! | |
| Embracing And Driving Powerful Positive Change In Your Organization | Friday, June 25, 2021 | 11:00 am | 12:00 pm | 1 | Elective | Michael Levin | Custom Solutions Inc | Embracing Change is about how to not only get your people to embrace change but actually lead and drive that change. In this session, learn why change is so difficult for companies to create and why change that does occur so frequently becomes “Flavor of the Month”. You will learn the number #1 key that companies fail to do that is absolutely essential for your team. You will also learn the three stages that must occur to embrace change and to sustain it. You will learn:
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| Pitmaster Recipe Made Easy: The Steak Pitmaster | Friday, June 25, 2021 | 11:00 am | 12:00 pm | 1 | Elective | Max Lavoie | House of BBQ Experts | Explore with Max Lavoie the different sources of beef, its various cuts and steak types, different methods of searing and cooking... all the way to cooking your favorite steak directly on the coals! | |
| Moving Forward 4 Process: The procedures and systems that affect your customers | Friday, June 25, 2021 | 1:00 pm | 2:00 pm | 1 | Elective | Ted Topping | Creative Insights | In five integrated sessions, speaker, author and consultant Ted Topping will help you reset and rebuild your business for the “new normal” of the post-pandemic economy. These practical sessions are based on retail and service-industry best practices, which Ted is interpreting for small and medium-size businesses. The fourth session provides a Moving Forward strategy for Process, the many ways in which you do or don’t deliver service. It recognizes that many customers have adopted a more thoughtful approach to spending and are seeking guarantees instead of promises. Presents ways you can create a distinct competitive advantage that these customers will prefer and willingly to pay a bit more for. | |
| Pitmaster Recipe Made Easy: 1001 Burgers | Friday, June 25, 2021 | 1:00 pm | 2:00 pm | 1 | Elective | Max Lavoie | House of BBQ Experts | What if you could hold your favorite toppings all inside your burger? Max Lavoie shares his World Food Competition "winning burger recipes" and shows you just how fun and creative making burgers can be... even a vegetarian one! | |
| Moving Forward 5: Place: Your physical and virtual "on stage" settings | Friday, June 25, 2021 | 2:15 pm | 3:15 pm | 1 | Elective | Ted Topping | Creative Insights | In five integrated sessions, speaker, author and consultant Ted Topping will help you reset and rebuild your business for the “new normal” of the post-pandemic economy. These practical sessions are based on retail and service-industry best practices, which Ted is interpreting for small and medium-size businesses. The fifth session presents a Moving Forward strategy for your physical and virtual place. If your hearth business sells only to the trade, you just need a warehouse and a website. But if your business sells even partly to today’s knowledgeable end consumers, you have to offer a competitive retail interaction that can transform a mere sale into a long-lasting relationship. | |
| Pitmaster Recipe Made Easy: Surf & Turf BBQ Style | Friday, June 25, 2021 | 2:15 pm | 3:15 pm | 1 | Elective | Max Lavoie | House of BBQ Experts | June is lobster and oyster season. Join Max Lavoie as he preps his favorite meal to kick off the weekend: Caribbean style grilled seafood & juicy beef ribs! | |
| Introduction to Electric Service | Friday, June 25, 2021 | 3:30 pm | 4:30 pm | 1 | Technical | Tim Cummings | Empire Comfort | This session will cover the fundamental relationship between voltage, current and resistance in an electrical or electronic circuit called Ohm’s Law. Each type of DC circuit contains certain characteristics that determine the way its voltage and current behave. To begin analysis of the voltages and currents at each part of a circuit, an understanding of these characteristics is necessary: tools and equipment, current, voltage, resistance, series circuits, parallel circuits, series parallel circuits, basic DC circuit calculations, basic AC power, application with respect to troubleshooting heating products. At the end of the session students will be able to:
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| Pitmaster Recipe Made Easy: King of Smoked Brisket | Friday, June 25, 2021 | 3:30 pm | 4:30 pm | 1 | Elective | Max Lavoie | House of BBQ Experts | Competition style briskets never taste as good as your own, if it’s made with love, patience … and the right techniques. Max Lavoie tells you how to make it perfect each time and the common error to look for and to avoid. |
