Hosted this year by the Connecticut Carwash Association (CCA),
the Northeast Regional Carwash Convention (NRCC) 2023 prepares once again to take the stage in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Professional Carwashing & Detailing (PC&D) caught up with NRCC 2023 Chairman and CCA President Bob Rossini to discuss some of the planning behind this year’s convention.
PC&D: There was a record-breaking number of booths at the 2022 NRCC event. Why was the 2022 event so successful, and are you projecting another record-breaking year for 2023?
BR: The success of the 2022 show, with 358 booths, demonstrated that everyone was ready to leave COVID behind and re-energize themselves and their business. This year’s show, our 33rd, is also record-breaking. We have sold out at 385 booths (and have a waiting list) and plan to expand our show floor footprint in 2024.
PC&D: Can you share some early planning highlights for this year’s show? Is there anything new planned this year that attendees should be aware of?
BR: There is a lot to share with attendees. First, our long-time supporter, Simoniz USA, has expanded its Monday night cocktail party, moved it to the Hard Rock’s Hollywood Ballroom and opened it up to all attendees. You do have to pre-register for this event, and you can do that on our website at nrccshow.com.
The Simoniz Celebration, which begins at 6:30 p.m., will take place right after our Virtual Carwash Tour, facilitated by Tom Hoffman Jr., that features four exceptional sites, two of which are out-of -market. You can read about each site’s unique characteristics on our website at nrccshow.com under “Schedule.” It should be noted that many of the sites feature self-serves and in-bays in addition to tunnels, so there’s something for every operator during this three-hour tour that starts on Monday, Oct. 2 at 3:30 p.m. at the Atlantic City Convention Center, where all of our seminars are held. This seminar is sponsored by Sergeant Sudz.
On Tuesday, right at the close of the show floor, our long-time sponsor, Innovative Control Systems (ICS), has expanded its Welcome Reception and added more food/drink as well as two amazing giveaways: a $500 cash prize and a Yeti cooler for two lucky attendees. The prizes are open to vendors as well as attendees who attend the event, but you must be present to win. ICS has been the host of the Welcome Reception since its inception and is always ready to think out of the box to make it bigger and better. It’s the perfect opportunity to catch up and unwind before heading out to dinner. This event is open to all attendees and includes light Jersey snacks and drinks.
PC&D: How can attendees best plan and organize their trip to Atlantic City this year in order to maximize their return on investment in attending?
BR: The best way to prepare for the NRCC is to take a look at our extensive exhibitor map on our website, nrccshow.com, and to download our app, NRCC2023. Make a list of what exhibitors you want to see and then add another list of those you hope to meet. As for the education, attend it all. Nothing overlaps, so you can participate in all the education and every minute of the show floor hours. But download the app. It’s all right there.
PC&D: What can attendees look forward to regarding the keynote speaker, Mark Denton, and the planned educational sessions?
BR: Our Keynote Speaker, Mark Denton, is an award-winning leadership expert and celebrated speaker. He has navigated turbulent waters in life and business, and he will share his experiences with us. He hails from England, so the accent will be fun to listen to, but his message will resonate with operators and suppliers big and small. This seminar could not happen without the sponsorship support of Micrologic and innovateIT.
We have added in on Tuesday professional speaker and owner and founder of Myrrh Consulting Chris Brown as one of our break-out speakers. Chris has worked with more than 60 of the carwash industry’s best operations to make them even better. He will provide tips for mastering the unlimited sales process while minimizing financial fallout from it. His seminar is titled, “Your Unlimited Program — Is it Return or Rechurn?” He’ll set the record straight and help us all run better and more profitable unlimited programs at our washes.
For those with full passes, make sure to attend the Award’s Luncheon, sponsored by CarWash Superstore, where we will honor award winners including our Hall of Fame inductees.
On Wednesday, we have also reformatted our last seminar — that includes an exceptional breakfast — with an elevated speaker. We plan to do this annually, and DRB has graciously stepped up to be the sponsor of the program. This year we were able to secure Arthur Greeno, a former multi-store owner/operator with Chick-fil-A. Arthur is the bestselling author of “Breaking Conformity.” He will share the brands’ secret sauce on just how they accomplish “Remarkable Customer Service” day in and day out.
And, of course, we have our traditional Early Bird informal panel discussion on everything carwash-related on Tuesday, moderated by John Shalbey Jr. (panelists Amanda Kubarek, Mike Ashley, Steve Sause and Dan Saidel), as well as a marketing panel discussion featuring some colorful and talented carwash operators who know their marketing in and out, led by Nick Lopez of Bubble Bath Car Wash. His panelists include Kacy Erdelyi of Spark Car Wash; Wade Keith of Breeze Thru Car Wash; and Victoria Perez, also of Bubble Bath Car Wash. Attendees should come ready to ask questions and leave with knowledge they can bring back to their sites. You can email your questions prior to the event to [email protected].
PC&D: What is your favorite aspect(s) of planning and/or attending the NRCC show each year?
BR: We have a team of board members who participate in the planning of the show. It’s truly a team effort. I really enjoy being a part of that team. But, catching up with friends and associates and making new ones is always a highlight for me. The wealth of knowledge in the seminars and on the show floor is limitless.
For more from Bob Rossini regarding this year’s NRCC, watch these videos:
