This week, from We
dnesday, July 14th through Saturday, July 17th, reps and dealers will flock to Middleton for ETC’s annual Workshop. Nearly 150 people are signed up to partake in this year’s event, which offers hands-on training on all of ETC’s products. Classes include everything from Systems Design to Theory of Operation to Retrofitting Systems, as well as sales training, demo tips, and a full-day basic product overview for new reps and dealers – all taught by ETC employees and a few guest instructors.
Workshop also offers several special events. ETC CEO Fred Foster will make a keynote address Thursday morning, telling stories about the history of the company, and on Friday, distinguished Workshop guest and TV-lighting guru Bill Klages will deliver another keynote speech, detailing his 50+ years in the industry. On Thursday night, reps and dealers will attend a welcome event at the ETC factory, which this year will feature the sounds of The Sons of Sunset – a band made up of ETC employees who moonlight as musicians. Then on Friday night, Workshop attendees are invited to a banquet at Madison’s beautiful, Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Monona Terrace. Classes conclude Saturday morning and are followed up that night with a picnic, which wouldn’t be complete without Wisconsin’s ico
nic food staples: bratwurst, sauerkraut and beer. Saturday will also include the much-anticipated, annual East vs. West softball game, which pits reps and dealers – and some very competitive ETC employees – against one another dependi
ng on their geographic region. Attendees can also participate in other games like volleyball, croquet, go-carting and bowling to complete their Workshop experience.
Are you feeling left out? Want to get in on some of the Workshop action? We’ll be chronicling the week on www.etcconnect.com/workshop, with daily videos put together by ETC’s own comedic filmmakers. Their first, pre-Workshop video is currently available for viewing. You can also get the story behind the story by reading daily Workshop newsletters, compiled by ETC’s crafty paparazzi!