The police department in my hometown of Stamford, Connecticut is made up of 13-units. The City that Works requiring a bomb squad and tactical response team, K-9 and more, just to keep the peace.
Missing from Stamford's roster of divisions though is vice. The Vice Squad generally responsible for policing the “immoral” crimes of drugs, and gambling.
But in recent years Connecticut has chosen immorality over virtue. The state, first organized as a Puritan colony in 1636, recently legalizing the sale and use of marijuana, as well as sports and online gambling.
Since making wagering legal less than one-year ago the state has brought in tens of millions of dollars in new tax dollars.
The weed is so we don't mind paying!
Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho!
It should have been more difficult for me to get back to work last week. The bear needs more than a moment to shake off hibernation! But the month of vay-and-staycations left me looking forward to getting back my paint geek.
In March I blogged that I had been hired by PaintCare to help dealers get to know the paint stewardship group as they began operations in the state on May 1st.
As part of that engagement, PaintCare asked me to deliver a live webinar for New York dealers; to present them with the details of the PaintCare program and answer any questions on dealers minds.
Dealers in New York may have seen THE email announcing the event.
The webinar is scheduled for September 14th at 7:30 pm eastern time and it will be available on video in the days after that.
New York dealers, and those of you who just can’t get enough of me, can register here.
And while I generally don’t like to promote my paid work here (I see this blog more as my diary than a commercial endeavor), in this case I’m going to allow an exception.
Because PaintCare is a not-for-profit. And, they're offering a balanced and sustainable solution to the problem of post-consumer paint waste. Which dealers in New York will learn on Wednesday, is a big expensive problem.
As it is in all states. Our national misting pile is becoming an environmental crisis.
THE Podcasts
I’ve been remiss making podcasts recently. The gambling and drugs likely causing lapses in judgment. But with responsibility returning, I’m beginning to schedule more time in front of the microphone.
This week, I’m recording an episode with a paint recycler in Colorado, a state where PaintCare has been operating since 2015.
Because I wanted to know where all paint that PaintCare is collecting, gets sold.
Which I'll know on Wednesday and you'll know about two-weeks later.
I’m also scheduled to record an episode with a paint distributor bringing a new brand for dealers on the east coast. The first of what I expect will be many similar endeavors, as manufacturers adjust their distribution models. In reaction to and to take advantage of the recent tumult in coatings markets and economy at-large.
The distributor employing a business model born in an era of shortages and supply chain anxiety.
And of-course, I'm looking to record more episodes with dealers, which remain amongst the most popular I publish. If you’re a paint dealer and would like to share your story on an episode of my podcast, digitally hit my digits here.
Spanning THE Decades
Home from six-weeks of fluttering across Mexico, Spain and Greece, my daughter Miranda, Buck Wheat, is home.
And hungry!
THE kid cutting to the front of the line on the Cuban sandwich Guy asked me to bring her when she heard I was going to the Bronx.
While in the Bronx I connected with an old friend known to many Benjamin Moore dealers, Jimmy Gorman.
Jimmy’s recent retirement after a 42-year career with THE Montvale paint maker, leaving the company with one less historian!
Spanning parts of six-decades, Jimmy’s career at Benjamin Moore has enough highlights that he’ll need his own blog if he wants you to know them all.
But here’s my #1 pick.
It was Jimmy who managed Benjamin Moore's commercial strategy in the 1990’s.
In an era when Benjamin Moore meant Regal, Jimmy’s team developed the Super Hide, Super Spec and Eco Spec lines. The products allowing Benjamin Moore to muscle other brands off their dealer's shelves, while expanding the brands appeal to professional painters.
The commercial products born from that effort now represent more than 50% of Benjamin Moore's yearly volume.
Jimmy’s efforts likely leaving a more indelible mark on the company than at-least two, of the five CEO’s he served.
Meeting at my old store for reference, Jimmy and I ran into New York Area Sales manager Vinny Carle, who I first met when he became my Ben Moore rep, in 1990!
Territory rep Tony Wu, along for the ride, tells Benjamin Moore CEO #DanCalkins which way his sales are going now that THE masters have shared all their secrets.
