CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 1, 2016 – Accessories Resource Team (ART), the association for the home accent and accent furniture industry will hold their 23rd annual conference May 18-22, 2016 at the Sheraton New Orleans.  This year the program has been enhanced to incorporate more concurrent sessions and attendees will “Bling the Block” in a community project with Jericho Road.

The program features:

  • Carson Kressley, Emmy-winning television star, celebrity stylist, author, fashion and home designer.  Carson’s keynote address will detail his experiences in design from his television appearances and his private practice.
  • Kevin Daum, Author and Columnist “ROAR! Get Heard In The Sales and Marketing Jungle”. Companies can’t get their people to communicate the same message, let alone the right message. In this noisy marketplace, how can you attract customers predisposed to buy at a premium price? And how can you be sure you’re getting heard at all? Kevin will also lead a workshop “Perfect Your Pitch” following his session.  Preview Kevin Daum
  • Shelia Butler, Consultant “Streamline Your Business For More Profits”.  This session will offer strategies and practices that solve the toughest and most critical business challenges.  Shelia will also lead a concurrent session, “Top 5 Reasons Your Small Business is Failing”  Preview Shelia Butler
  • Lloyd Princeton, Design Management Company “Selling Clients What They Need, Not What They Ask For?”.  Buyers frequently ask for products and services that they think they need, based on a lack of information. This program will explore the psychology of the sale and teach design professionals how to ask the right questions in order to steer clients towards what they need and will ultimately buy.  Lloyd will also lead a concurrent session, “Super Staff:  Finding and Retaining The Best Talent”.  Preview Lloyd Princeton
  • Andrea Sinkin and Jaye Anna Mize, Fashionsnoops “Fashion in Home Forecast” concurrent session.   Fashionsnoops covers both the fashion and home industries and pulls together trend reports for both.  Andrea and Jaye will present the current trends in the home fashion industry.
  • G. Kent Mangelson, CFP, American Society For Asset Protection (ASAP) “How Manufacturers Become Invincible to Lawsuits and Save Thousands of Dollars”.  Learn the strategies and tools the nation’s top law firms use to save their clients millions of dollars each year. This lecture provides solutions to three major problems: lawsuits, taxes, and probate.   Preview G. Kent Mangelson.
  • Lyndy Phillips, Inspirational Humorist and Speaker “Wrap Up – You Are A V.I.P. Team”.  Lyndy will wrap the education portion of conference and entertain attendees at the final dinner.  Lyndy weaves funny stories into his motivational message to the delight for his audience.

ART Conference will be “Giving Back to New Orleans” by partnering with the Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative of New Orleans and doing a community improvement project, “Bling the Block” in one of JR’s neighborhoods in central New Orleans.  This organization continues to work to place and provide for families displaced by Hurricane Katrina.    Jericho Road (JR) focuses on serving the families through education for first time, but long time, home ownership and community development.   Most placed families stay on their rolls around five (5) years and utilize the support the organization offers to help them be successful homeowners and community citizens.  JR is strategic in their decisions as it relates to neighborhood revitalization and improvement.  We believe that ART Conference is in a unique position to offer assistance and can make a real difference to this new community.

Conference registration for ART member attendees is $599 and includes all education sessions and social functions on the conference schedule.  Retail and Interior Designer attendees may register for  $299.  The non-member attendee price is reduced.    The Sheraton New Orleans nightly rate is $199 for a single/double room.

For further information about ART Conference or to register to attend, click here.   To guarantee hotel reservations, conference registration ends April 25.