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80 • JUNE 2015 • WORLD FENCE NEWS Visit Logical Decisions at www.ldi.com Your Gate Operator Specialist Find us on POST & RAIL FENCE EQUIPMENT • Tenoners • Dowelers • Pointers • Domers • Gang Drills • Sanders • Chopsaws • Peelers Dyna Products 6228 60th Ave. • Evart, MI 49631 888-820-3962 VC-04 Portable Dowell/Tenon Cutter Used first Have you ever been to Portland, Maine? Until recently, neither had I, but on Tuesday, April 28, I had the special privilege of attending and speaking at the spring 2015 dinner meeting of the Northeast Chapter of the American Fence Association. All I can say is that it was an amazing and beautiful event, in an amazing and beautiful town. I flew from Tampa, connecting in Philadelphia, and continuing into the Portland, Maine airport. I have flown all over the country, indeed all over the world, and one of the most beautiful views I have ever experienced was the ride along the New England coast from Philly into Maine. It reminded me how lucky we all are; our country is so beautiful, and few places are more beautiful than the New England coastline. Really, that breathtaking plane ride set the mood for the entire trip, albeit it was only an overnight jaunt. The city of Portland itself is in- deed pristine, quaint and impeccably kept. If you ever get a chance, it is re- ally worth the trip. Also, if you are a history buff, you won't be disappointed, as much of the downtown is meticulously re- furbished, turn of the 20th Century buildings converted into hotels, shops, restaurants and businesses. Everything is red brick, strong yet elegant, and the town looks like it can weather another 100 years of the rough Atlantic winters and keep on trucking. We even got a photo of a turn-of- the-century cemetery with what ap- peared to be the original wrought iron fence embedded in concrete, still in very good condition. It looks like it is a hundred years old and still has a beauty and elegance about it. The dinner meeting was hosted on a floating restaurant named DeMi- llo's on the Water, and it was really incredible. Nestled in the middle of the Port- land harbor, surrounded by fishing boats, yachts and plush condos and townhouses, it all made for one of the most amazing fence venues I have ever attended. My thanks to Kim Miller of Mill- er Fence, Ralph Allen of Allenfarm Fence and all the other directors of the Northeast Chapter: Jake Sullivan, Mike Saliba, Donnie Kennedy and Jen Branchini. Also, congratulations to the new incoming president of the chapter, Jim Gardner. During the event I had the priv- ilege to speak to roughly 40 fencers and fence suppliers from all over the Northeast. My topics were twofold. First, I spoke about bidding and estimating and the importance of knowing your true costs before giving that all-important bid. Next I addressed one of the most important topics in our industry – col- lecting money once the job is com- plete. Out of control accounts receiv- ables are so rampant in the fence in- dustry that tighter controls and rigid collections procedures are paramount, so this was an important discussion topic for all in attendance. By the way, if any of you have any interest in either of these topics (or any others I address), please do not hesitate to contact me and I will hap- pily send you operating procedures to address your issues. Just call me at 954-927-8009 or 866-6-PROFIT (677-6348), or fax 954-927-8060. At the conclusion of the event we were reminded by the chairman of the February 2016 Northeast Chapter re- gional fence convention, Kim Colapi- etro, president of EDI, that the chapter will host the winter event at the Hyatt Hotel on Goat Island, off the coast of Newport, R.I. You can bet that will be an incred- ible time, so if you are in fencing in the Northeast U.S., you should plan to attend. Presenting tips on bidding, estimating and receivables to Northeast Chapter was a pleasure BY TOM LUBY, PRESIDENT, PROFIT BUILDERS INTERNATIONAL Keep Up With The Adventures Of Pete, Jake & The Boss Each Month in World Fence News! And featuring Luckey The Fence Dog! World Fence News Always Welcomes Your Ideas For Pete & Jake Cartoons! editor@worldfencenews.com www.rhinotool.com info@rhinotool.com 866-707-1808 Pushing the Boundaries Multi-Pro ™ Gas Powered Driver Powerful Pro-Series Gas Powered Drivers and Air Operated Post Drivers from Rhino Tool Company Our latest technology with ease of transport and plenty of power to take on a wide range of fencing projects. Visit our website to locate a dealer near you! Fence Pro™ Gas Powered Driver PD 55 Air Operated Post Driver Manufacturing Quality Post Drivers and Post Pullers in the USA Since 1977