CCA board member Mike Benmosche was one of the 2019 NRCC Co-Chairs.
The 30th Northeast Regional Carwash Convention (NRCC), September 23-25, at the Atlantic City Convention Center, was certainly one for the record books, according to Co-Chairman, Mike Benmosche. “We had the largest show floor in our history with 348 exhibits, and 1847 attendees. It was a great way to celebrate 30 years of this event, and 30 years of hard work.
”The feedback was exceptional with attendees expressed much praise for a job well done. And thanks to significant upgrades, registration was seemless with virtually no waiting,” said Benmosche. “It continues to support that this regional show remains one of the best in the country.”
The three-day event kicked off on Monday, September 23, with the 3rd Virtual Tour hosted by Hoffman Car Wash’s Tom Hoffman, Jr. The “virtual” tour of some stellar washes is always a fan favorite, according to Co-Chairman, Walt Hartl and this year included a new environmentally-friendly Shammy Shine wash in Pennsylvania and a few Hoffman Car Washes in upstate New York. “Tom does a great job putting this program together and spotlighting some exceptional washes. It’s a treat to be able to sit back and watch a video of what other operators are doing from the comfort of the Atlantic City Convention Center. You learn a lot and you don’t have to ride a bus to do it!”
Tuesday, September 24, began with the show’s traditional Early Bird Breakfast moderated by the New England Carwash Association’s Patrick Mosesso. The lively, organic discussion focused on a variety of industry issues and concerns. Panelists included GoDaddy’s® Geoffrey Brown on social media, as well as Mid-Atlantic’s Mike Ashley, New Jersey’s Mike Conte, New England’s Dominic Previte and New York’s Glen Sheeley.
Using Your Carwash Branding to Build a Safety Culture was next in the lineup featuring Carwash Insurance Program by McNeil’s Mike Benmosche and Dave Snyder. The team outlined how best to create a sustainable safety culture at the wash. This seminar is available at nrccshow.com
Next up was GoDaddy’s® Geoffrey Brown who explained the “5 Ways to Upgrade Your Business’ Content Strategy.” Geoffrey, who hails from Texas, canvasses the country educating small business owners on content strategy. This seminar is available at nrccshow.com
Keynoting the 30th NRCC was Moo Moo Car Wash’s John Roush who spoke on “The Culture of Care.” Roush, who operates multiple locations in Ohio shared his knowledge of customer service and care with attendees in a lively and informative presentation. This seminar is available at nrccshow.com
The annual Award’s Luncheon honored two Emerging Leaders, Carlos Robledo of AquaTech Car Wash Solutions in Germantown, MD, and Shane Alden of Hoffman Car Wash in Albany, NY, for their industry dedication and leadership.
The next award, a first for the NRCC, was presented to Sandy Murphy of Professional Carwashing & Detailing magazine for her tireless assistance in the promotion of the 30-year-young show. She was honored with the NRCC’s first Guiding Light award.
The NRCC’s Most Distinguished Person award was bestowed on three individuals, Tom Hoffman, Jr., of Hoffman Car Wash in Albany, NY, Jeff Gold of Buckman’s Car Wash in Rochester, NY, and Brett Benderson of Delta Sonic Car Washes in Buffalo, NY, for their relentless legislative efforts over the last several years on behalf of New York state operators opposing the elimination of the tip credit and the enactment of call-in pay legislation.
The final award of the program, the NRCC’s highest honor, was bestowed upon Innovative Control Systems/Sparkle Car Wash’s Kevin Detrick for his support and involvement in the show from its inception.
Detrick, a leader in innovative equipment models and processes, as well as a hands-on operator, has been the recipient of the NRCC’s Innovation Award and has participated in several seminars including the Virtual Tour and has sponsored the annual Welcome Reception for more than a decade. Co-Chairman Walt Hartl presented him with the honor.
Show Floor Breaks Records
This year’s show floor featured a record 347 exhibits, an 8% increase that didn’t surprise Hartl. “Every year we strive to improve our product and to make the show floor outstanding for our attendees. This year was record-breaking and we can thank our vendors and their continued support of our show. They continue to bring more equipment and provide our attendees with cutting-edge technology to make running a wash easier and more lucrative.”
Show hours ran from 1:00-6:30 pm on Tuesday and from 9:30am-2:30pm on Wednesday at the Atlantic City Convention Center.
Tuesday night was capped off by the annual Welcome Reception at the Water Club sponsored by ICS. The event featured an abundance of food and drink as well as networking. Co-Chairs Benmosche and Hartl thanked the ICS team for their annual sponsorship and noted the show’s 30th anniversary with cupcakes and fanfare.
The final education program on Wednesday, September 25, “Avoiding Employee Lawsuits & Surviving Audits: A Practical Approach to Navigating Employment Legal Issues Common in the Carwash Industry” was presented by Fisher Phillips’ Alvaro Hasani, Esq. This seminar drove home the importance of preparation and knowing the law when employing today’s workforce. This seminar is available at nrccshow.com
The 2020 NRCC, October 5-7, is hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Carwash Association. To learn more visit nrccshow.com