When: January 16-17, 2015
Where: Rivers Edge Convention Center – St. Cloud, MN
Who: Devoted Creations, Ed Hardy Tanning, JK-North America, Most Products, Nerium, New Sunshine LLC, Norvell Skin Solutions, Podz/Dr. Sun, Suntan Supply, Sun Evolutions, Sunwalls, TanShot, Usedbeds.org and Wolff System Technology Corp.
With 250 tanning salon professionals in attendance this year, the tradition of Suntan Supply’s Midwest Tanning Expo in Minnesota is still going strong!
Salon professionals from all over Minnesota and surrounding states attended Suntan’s Supply’s Midwest Expo. One of them was Christi Krantz, owner of Cocoa Cabana, who drove 170 miles from Chippewa Falls, WI for the latest in tanning education. “I’ve been attending this event for the past four years,” Christi said, “and it’s the education that keeps me coming back. I really enjoyed the seminars on training and employee management, and it’s always great to see the latest products!”
Amie Underberg was one of five Tan on 1st (Buffalo, MN) employees who obtained some valuable information at the Expo. She explained, “Since Minnesota recently passed an under-18 tanning ban, many of our employees no longer have the option of trying these lotions themselves. The (lotion sales) seminars were a great way to teach them all about the different products, which will definitely help them make the right recommendations to our tanners!”
Salon owner Jody Davis says the Expo was beneficial to her and three employees from Etcetera Tanning in Albert Lea, MN. “We keep coming back because the seminars offer things that I might not cover in my training,” she said. This year, she and her staff learned as much about Minnesota’s new under-18 tanning ban as they did about lotions, equipment and sunlamps. “It was very informational, as always,” Jody added.
The annual event began with 21 attendees taking Norvell University sunless tanning training. The following day featured vendor sales and product presentations, a variety of breakout sessions and two keynote addresses from Brynn Scarborough of JK-North America. A working tanning salon offered sessions in three Ergoline tanning units – a Sun Angel 1400, an Open Sun 1050 and a Prestige 1400 – and custom spray-tans were provided by California Tan and Norvell Skin Solutions. “Many of the attendees hadn’t been to a convention in more than a year so they were happy to have an event that offered so much education and networking,” explained Jamie Carlson, Suntan Supply Vice President.
Moderated by Brynn Scarborough, the Panel Discussion was an Expo highlight. Attendees directed questions to a panel of tanning industry veterans that included Bill and Marty Gallagher (Suntan Supply), Michael Stepp (Wolff System Technology Corp.) and Chris Wentz (The Tan Line). “They answered a lot of great questions about Minnesota’s tanning ban as well as a variety of sales, marketing and hiring issues,” said Jamie.
With 250 happy attendees, Jamie considers this year’s Midwest Expo a success. With its second Expo event of the year now in the books, Team Suntan Supply now turns its attention toward finalizing the details on its third annual event, an upcoming Expo scheduled for this summer in Las Vegas. “It’s definitely going to be big!” Jamie added. ■
