Freeman Decorating Debuts Labor Training Sessions
By Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 2/9/2004
The first in a series of customer service training sessions for union workers presented by Freeman Decorating took place in Boston Jan. 12-13. The two-day session, entitled "Partners in Service – an Exhibition Workers Training Workshop," drew about 150 members of Boston Teamsters Local 82.
George Schwan, project manager for Freeman's Total Show University internal training center, spoke to the attendees on improving their skills and knowledge of the exhibition industry and on how to better serve today's exhibitors. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and Teamsters Regional Vice President John Murphy gave opening speeches
Bob Michael, Freeman vice president of installation and dismantle services, said, "When unions and cities, including facilities and CVBs, work together, they can make an important impact on customer service. Exhibitors are customers, and anything we can do to service them better is essential."
John Perry, director for tradeshows and convention centers for the Intl. Brotherhood of Teamsters, added that the changing needs of exhibitions and in exhibit design and construction, along with an influx of new, younger workers, made this a good time to start another program. Perry helped create Freeman's original training programs for exhibition workers in major cities in 1988.
Sessions are also planned for other cities, said Ellen Beckert, corporate director of marketing and communications for The Freeman Companies.
