AWCI – Industry Advisory Board meeting. The IAB meeting will take place on March 1, 2012 beginning at 8:30AM and continuing until 3:00PM.

We are only a little more than one month away from our next AWCI – Industry Advisory Board meeting. The IAB meeting will take place on March 1, 2012 beginning at 8:30AM and continuing until 3:00PM.

This year the Mid-year meeting again takes place at the Sirata Beach Resort & Conference Center located at 5300 Gulf Boulevard in St. Pete Beach, FL 33706. Room rate is $129/night with parking and internet included. Coffee will be available in the meeting room, and lunch will be provided.

If arriving by air you will fly into the Tampa, FL International Airport.

For room reservations and travel to and from the airport please contact Bonni Scepkowski by phone at 732-422-8888 or email at Bonni@stellarmeetings.com.

It is the purpose of AWCI in partnership with the IAB to support the needs of AWCI’s members through the educational and certification offerings made available through AWCI. 2012 continues to be a year of career uncertainty for those members doing watch and/or clock repair. Thanks to you, the following improvements have taken place this past year:

• Complementing 21^st Century Certifications, we have implemented Continuing Education Programs as January 1, 2012.
  
• With your help, AWCI developed and broadcast a survey to its membership and the  industry in which membership serves.
  Results are currently being analyzed.  We had 171 start the survey and111 completed the survey. We have hired Richard F.
  Tozer to analyze the data and we plan to have the results ready to  present at this meeting.
  
•  We would also like to thank all of the IAB members that assisted us with collecting this data by adding the survey link to
   their website.
  
•  AWCI has upgraded its accounting and membership software.
  
•  Micro-mechanical courses will soon be implemented.
  
•  Our first Webinar will be presented by our instructor Tom Schomaker. The title will be “The Lever Escapement”. The
   date to be announced.
  
•  A brand new more comprehensive website has been designed and implemented. The new website has three sections: 
   A consumer section, industry section, and watchmaker and clockmaker section, plus a member protected area for
   benefits specific to AWCI members.
  
•  AWCI will again exhibit at upcoming trade shows while orchestrating training seminars. Thus far, thanks in part to
   your kind assistance; we have allocated funding for the Las Vegas JCK  show and the Chicago Smart Jewelry Show.
  

The members of AWCI would benefit from your guidance and attention, as we build our strategic progress plan for the months and years ahead. 

• Some of our associates believe there are more than 6,000 practicing watchmakers in the US, and only about 1/3^rd belong to AWCI. 
  
• In addition, it is believed that there are countless thousands supporting American sales and service of watches and
  clocks that would greatly benefit from quality training.
  

The following topics are concerns for AWCI moving forward:

•  The AWCI clockmaking program needs support from industry experts willing to teach.
  
•  It would be prudent to obtain a second AWCI watchmaking instructor.
  

We will review any necessary reporting required by the IAB and follow through with some decisions based on our last discussions. Following our luncheon break, we would like to break into small groups, each with a topic for discussion and action addressing the strategic needs of the organization.  If there are additional points you would like to see placed upon the agenda, please do not hesitate in letting us know. We meet
face-to-face only twice per year. It is important, if at all possible, that you participate.

Please R.S.V.P. by e-mailing Jim Lubic at jlubic@awci.com, please cc: Terry Kurdzionak at terrykurdz@gmail.com ; Fax: 513.367.1414 or mail to AWCI Industry Advisory Board, 701 Enterprise Dr., Harrison, OH 45030.

If you would like more information, please do not hesitate to call Jim Lubic, Executive Director of the AWCI at (866) 367-2924, Ext. 310, or Terry Kurdzionak, 781-454-8751, AWCI IAB Director.

It’s the education you’ve been asking for! 

- Improve Your Expertise on High Grade Timepieces
- Increase Your Productivity and Profitability
- Update Your Reference Library (New 100-Page Service Manual Provided)

February 20th – 24th Rolex Series / caliber 3035
March 19th – 23rd Rolex Series / caliber 3035
April 16th – 20th Rolex Series / caliber 3035
May 21st – 25th Rolex Series / caliber 3035

Visit http://www.awci.comand Click on Education/Certification/Classes FOR MORE DATES.

Beginning in February 2012, AWCI will offer all CW21 and CMW21 holders a special series
of continuing education courses focusing on the service procedures of specific high-grade
timepieces. These courses will cover proficiencies such as:

• Maintaining Factory Standards (Timing / Escapement / Lubrication)
                       • Diagnostics and Repair (Barrel / Gear Train / Winding System / Calendar)
• Dialing and Casing Procedures
• Estimating and Quality Control
• Case and Bracelet Refinishing and Repair

 The Advanced 21 Series courses offered in 2012 will focus primarily on Rolex caliber 3035
with training materials on loan from Rolex Watch USA. Classes will be taught by AWCI’s
Watchmaking Instructor, Tom Schomaker, CMW21. Mr. Schomaker’s expert teaching
capabilities—and his substantial experience as a retail watchmaker specializing in Rolex watch
service—will make these sessions the flagship event in AWCI’s broad range of educational offerings.

To Register, Please Contact AWCI: Daniela Ott, Education Coordinator,
866-367-2924 ext. 303 or email: dott@awci.com.

Click here to learn more

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