Designing For Life

Focusing on the Talents of People is Just Good Business

2012-01-27T15:26:00.000-08:00

Moving sustainability forward in our business involves nurturing the talent that we have in our people. It is through people that innovation is propelled forward. Engagement, strength, and collaboration are key elements to driving innovation and three areas that are built into our culture. With high engagement levels of our people we know there is an emotional connection to the company. As a result of measuring engagement levels and having a forum for our associates to talk about results we have had a concentrated focus over the past 6 years. This process allows each associate to have a voice.

We use the common language of strengths to focus on what people do very well and not focus on weaknesses. People just feel better when they can use their strengths every day and that is good for a company. Through our measuring process we know that strengths conversations drive engagement levels.

Utilizing the unique talents and brilliance of each associate at Bentley Prince Street we come together for collective success; all having our eye on the end result of meeting our sustainability mission. It is not only what is good for our company but what is good for the planet and generations to come.

Collaboration is strengths-based at Bentley Prince Street. Understanding that each person has a unique lens to see the world can be beneficial to a team. This concept can help any team navigate frustrations and spend more time ideating.

Our strengths-based philosophy affects our company for sure, but it is a gift to our associates and something they are passing on to their families and the next generations.

Can you imagine a world where we focused on what was right with people rather than what is wrong?

Self-Awareness and Reflection to Improve your EQ

Bentley Prince Street Named Best Place to Work in L.A.

So Vintage Wins 2011 Ultron Doc Product Award

2012-01-19T12:50:00.000-08:00

SoVintage was one of three products featured in our Silver Screen(tm) Collection,which won the Best of NeoCon Gold Award at NeoCon this past June. We were veryexcited to learn that this award-winning product picked up another award, a2011 Ultron Doc Product Award!

TheUltron Doc Award is important to our company because it comes directly from ourend users. So Vintage's bright colorway and vintage-inspired product designcouldn't help but be noticed - and we're thrilled our end users voted for us towin! This award is a reflection of our design team's commitment to listening toour customers and working hard to exceed their expectations with products thatdeliver on aesthetics, quality and sustainability.

OurVP or Product Design, Valerie Ottaviano, is very enthusiastic about thisproduct and is thrilled that our end-users are too. " So Vintage is inspired by the fashions andfabrics of past eras and exudes vintage Hollywood charm because when we wereworking on its design we immersed ourselves in vintage magazines, old patternsand even current rockabilly sites to get into that retro mood," saidValerie. "Plus, our close proximity to Hollywood infuses our work with thecity's history. All of the colors are named after original Hollywood studios!"

The Ulton Doc Awardrecognizes new carpet products, like So Vintage, that are noteworthy in termsof their originality, color and texture combination, as well as usability.Thank you to all of you who voted and congratulations to our team!

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St. Jude's 50th Anniversary Gala

2012-01-17T11:02:00.000-08:00

Bentley Prince Street is a supporter of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which was founded in 1962 by the late entertainer, Danny Thomas, to help save the lives of children fighting cancer and other deadly diseases.

Recently, I attended St. Jude's 50th Anniversary Gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel along with my colleagues, Anthony Minite, Tom Mee and Jack Mishkin. Many celebrity supporters were also in attendance at the event, which featured performances by Tony Bennett and Ray Romano. I could feel the commitment, responsibility and love pouring out of the room during the event; especially when the guest speaker told his story about his daughter's cancer and how the staff at St. Jude was an unwavering part of her will to overcome the disease. There wasn't a dry eye in the audience. It was the most moving event I've ever been to and now, I'm a supporter for life.

All of us from Bentley Prince Street who had the pleasure of being there had the same reaction, including Anthony Minite, our president. He said, "It was truly an amazing evening where the entire room was touched by the magnitude of what St. Jude's does for sick children everyday and I couldn't be more proud to be involved with this great organization."

Research at St. Jude has changed how the world treats leukemia, brain tumors, and sickle cell, pushing survival rates for childhood cancer from less than 20% in 1962 to almost 80% today. Plus, sick children are never turned away because of their family's inability to pay for treatment.

For more info. on the gala and ways you can help, click here.

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Coach Cathy Discusses Replicating your Success

2012-01-12T16:50:00.000-08:00

Coach Cathy Frial is back to help you discover and maximize your talents and strengths. In this new installment, Coach Cathy explains how to Replicate Success.

If you have questions for Coach Cathy, post them here in the comments or Email Coach Cathy.

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Looking Back at 2011, and Forward to 2012

2012-01-04T11:30:00.000-08:00

2011 was another breakthrough year for Bentley Prince Street's progress in fulfilling our Mission Zero promise to eliminate any negative impact our company may have on the environment by the year 2020. I'd like to take this opportunity to recap some of the highlights and talk about where we are headed in 2012.

Genuine in our Sustainability Mission
We continued our commitment to credible, transparent environmental information by publishing Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) on 85% of our product line. An EPD is a standardized, 3rd party verified environmental label that provides information about a product's ingredients, material and energy use, and environmental impacts throughout the life of the product. I often use the analogy of a nutrition label, but instead of grams of fat or calories, an EPD displays the product's life cycle impact on global warming, smog, and acid rain among other impacts. Bentley Prince Street is committed to EPDs and will be publishing them for even more of our product line in 2012.

Associate Engagement
Bentley Prince Street has always believed that associate education and engagement is a key piece to reaching our 2020 goals. In 2011, we completed two projects that quantitatively and qualitatively measured the level of engagement our people have around sustainability.

To look at engagement quantitatively, we used the Sustainability Values Assessment (SVA) survey. The survey measured the values held by our associates, their take on our company values and which values they think are necessary to reach our 2020 goals. The results of this effort confirmed that sustainability is indeed ingrained within the culture - both environmental awareness and sustainability were identified in the top five values of the company. We also found a high degree of alignment between the values held currently by our company and the values our associates feel are necessary to reach our goals, as well as that associates are eager to take on more responsibility in the area of sustainability.

In addition to looking at associate engagement quantitatively, we undertook a project to shine a personal light on Mission Zero. The "I am Mission Zero" project qualitatively measured the level of engagement in our company by capturing our associate's personal accounts of Mission Zero. The "I am Mission Zero" project revealed that many of our associates have made changes to live more sustainably at home and gave us a road map that we can use to increase engagement in 2012.

Looking Forward
In 2012, we are looking forward to continuing our leadership within the industry in regards to transparency and environmental labels. We will also use the information we obtained through our associate engagement projects in 2011 to strengthen the already strong culture of sustainability amongst our associates. Finally, we are looking forward to being the first company in California to be certified to ISO 50001 Energy Management System. Stay tuned and Happy New Year!

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Bentley Prince Street Rolls Out the Carpet for Discovery Science Center’s Star Wars Exhibit

2011-11-28T16:30:00.001-08:00

Now through April 15 there is an out-of-this-world Star Wars exhibit being hosted at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana.

The exhibit features popular props and costumes, futuristic technologies from the films that we all know and love, as well as research that may someday make these technologies possible in real-life. Also on display is 2,500 sq. feet of product from our Saturnia Collection. It was selected as the exhibit’s premier carpet and perfectly reflects the iconic Star Wars theme.

As a proud supporter of the Discovery Science Center, we recently celebrated the grand opening of this exhibit at an exclusive, red carpet event. In addition to us, some of the other guests of honor included Chewbacca and Darth Vader!

Science meets imagination everyday in our California carpet mill, so we couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of an exhibit right in our own backyard where Hollywood, science and imagination collide!Be sure to check it out!

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Proud to Support Habitat for Humanity and the Wonderful Families they Serve in our Community

2011-11-22T14:22:00.001-08:00

Posted by Sean Higbee, Sustainability Coordinator:

Sean Higbee represents Bentley Prince Street at Mayor's Home Dedication

Last Friday, I was privileged to attend andrepresent Bentley Prince Street at the dedication of the Lopez Family Homebuilt in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles. This was just one of four homes in the Long Beach neighborhood recently builtor improved by Habitat for Humanity in partnership with the Long Beach Housing Development Company.

The Lopez Family Home was sponsored by LongBeach Mayor Bob Foster, a former carpet installer 30 years ago, who helpedinstall the donated Bentley Prince Street carpet alongside our Vice PresidentTom Mee. Bentley Prince Street has been donating carpet to Habitatfor Humanity affiliates in Southern California for several years, includingboth carpet for the homes and product to be sold in local ReStores.

Mayor Bob Foster & Tom Mee

As a life-long resident of Long Beach, andalumni of LB Poly High School just down the street from the Lopez Family Home,I was especially touched and honored to be a part of this event and witnessfirst hand the positive change organizations like Habitat for Humanity aremaking within the communities in which we live.

I can't imagine a more appropriate organizationthan Habitat for Humanity for Bentley Prince Street to partner with to help givea hand up to hardworking families and give back to the community.

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Giving Thanks to Anthony Minite

2011-11-21T10:43:00.000-08:00

It isn’t often one really thinks about the products they use and enjoy every day and how they are made, let alone, believe anything as luxurious, durable and sustainable such as commercial and residential carpet can be made right here in our Southern California back yard of City of Industry.

Welcome to Bentley Prince Street via KCAL News and the “Allie at Work” segment on KTLA Morning News!

As a young interior designer many years ago, my first mill tour made an indelible impression on me – since then, many technological advances have been made to the making of carpet to increase production, salvage post manufactured materials for closed loop recycling, save costs and natural resources, etc.

Visionaries like Anthony and his team at Bentley Prince Street strive for continued improvements while having a bit of fun and whimsy – their partnership with the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandise (FIDM) for instance, recently featured custom design haute couture fashioned and featured by students at one of their recent NeoCon parties – as carpet is an over exaggerated textile, the Bentley Prince Street team collaborated with FIDM to create stunning apparel now, touring the country...all this from a factory mill which employs 400 or so in the Los Angeles area – high design, quality, education, philanthropy, leadership and commitment is summed up in this short film clip – a great exchange between Anthony and his new “manager” Allie at Work!

Watch the video archive here.

Carpet Couture: Runway Fashions on the Road

Bentley Prince Street Featured during Fashon's Night Out

Anthony Minite Honored by Heroes & Cool Kids

KTLA Morning News Broadcasting Live at Bentley Prince Street

2011-11-18T12:27:00.001-08:00

We faced the early morning hours with excitement today to welcome our newest mill associate Allie Mac Kay from the KTLA Morning News!

KTLA Morning News is the #1 Local Morning Newscast and, like many Angelenos, we at Bentley Prince Street are big fans and watch every morning. When we saw Allie visiting interesting workplaces throughout Southern California with her "Allie at Work" segments, we knew she had to spend a day with us here at Bentley Prince Street.

Luckily, Allie took us up on our offer and she spent the morning learning how to operate our machines, specifically overseeing tufting, final inspection and cutting carpet tile. With Hollywood in our backyard, we made sure to show off our glamorous side with the carpet couture dresses, as they were due for another TV appearance.

We are so proud of what we do and love sharing our California heritage with our guests, including all the KTLA viewers. Many people, especially here in Los Angeles, have probably walked on our carpet at some point in time without knowing it. We hope that after today more people will take a second look at what's beneath their feet and support one of the few remaining and largest carpet mills in California.

See "Allie at Work" as one of our mill associates in the 5 o'clock hour, 6 o'clock hour and 7 o'clock hour.

Euro Modern Carpet Tile is Blueprint for Success at Bethel University Admissions Guest Center

2011-11-15T16:36:00.001-08:00

Posted by Catherine Hempfling-Prossen, LEED AP ID+C:

Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota is home for 6,400 students, where they continue the pursuit of education and Christian based living since 1871. The University is working to improve the campus experience for not only the students and faculty but also anyone who comes to visit the organization.

Last year Bethel University partnered with Performa Higher Education, a design firm located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, who not only provided great design ideas for the campus but also provided suggestions on how the University can strengthen recruitment and admission numbers for future growth. Performa created a Welcome Center that not only updated some of the existing public spaces together but also created new spaces that brings visitors into the hub of student life on campus. This area will be a highly visible area with in the campus for many years to come.

Bentley Prince Street is happy to be working with both the campus and design firm to provide quality carpet tile that not only creates a beautiful atmosphere but will also perform well for the facility.

Product used is Euro Modern tile in Blueprint.

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Bentley Prince Street Couture Fashions Stop Traffic at NeoCon East

2011-11-09T16:09:00.000-08:00

Our team is backfrom the NeoCon East trade show and we’re excited to say we officially wowedattendees with our award-winning broadloom and carpet tile products, glamorousbooth design and especially, our fashion-forward couture dresses made fromBentley Prince Street carpet!

As a directreflection of our Chicago showroom at NeoCon last June, the NeoCon East booth celebratedour L.A. Story embracing Art, Culture, and Fashion. Attendees were welcomed tostep inside our booth by our stunning couture fashions, standing tall anddraped on elegant garment stands. Many stopped to admire each work of art –some taking pictures beside each dress. Once in the booth, customersexperienced our products in a setting inspired by a private gallery spacewithin a spectacular Los Angeles 40’s era mansion. Many of our visitors, whohad been to NeoCon, remarked how great a job we did recreating the look andfeel of our Chicago showroom. The icing on the cake was winning a Booth DesignAward in the large booth category!

At the show, wefeatured our Silver Screen™ Collection, which won the Best of NeoCon Gold Award. Illuminaire™ was laid out using our new, patent-pending 45-degree cut technology with a multi-directional installation method. Our carpet tile sizes(18x36”, 24x24”, 36x36”), Brilliance in High Definition Carpet™ technology andcommitment to Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) were also key points ofinterest.

A record numberof existing and potential customers visited our booth at this year’s NeoConEast. We want to thank each and every one of them for stopping by!

Snapshot of NeoCon 2011

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October Dumpster Dive Results

2011-11-01T11:10:00.000-07:00

For the month of October, we had a very special dumpster dive for the "Waste Stream Audit" that is required for our LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) re-certification. Bentley Prince Street is the first mill in the country to receive LEED-EB Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Thirty associates volunteered to help sort through all of the dumpsters at the mill by different waste types and pull out any recyclables. In total, we sorted through 2,025 lbs - about one ton - of waste! Our dedicated dumpster divers worked for four hours and in all that time, they found less than 1% of recyclables in the dumpsters. Usually the average dumpster dive yields between three and four percent of recyclables. These tremendous results reflect the commitment and continuous effort of Bentley Prince Street associates to divert waste from our local landfills and move closer toward our Mission Zero promise to eliminate any negative impact that we may have on the environment by the year 2020.

Origin of Contents: Eight dumpsters from the mill

Total Weight of Dumpsters: 2,025 lbs

Percentage of Recyclables: .93%

Recyclables Found: 2.4 lbs of plastic, 4.6 lbs of cardboard, 3 lbs of office paper, 4.8 lbs of wood, 4 lbs of soft scrap

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Soaking Up Sustainability

Product Runway

2011-10-31T13:22:00.000-07:00

Posted by Ashley Boggs Bruggeman, LEED AP BD+C, IIDA, Sales Representative - Cincinnati, Dayton & Kentucky:

Supporting the troops is the focus of what Mason & Hanger does every day. They are the oldest architecture firm in Kentucky and are dedicated to architecture, engineering and construction services for military projects. Their important customers include the United States Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, as well as the Department of Homeland Security. They have teamed with Bentley Prince Street on numerous projects, specifying our carpet tile for several military bases because we exceed the strict standards the federal government requires of their flooring.

For this reason, I was happy to partner up with Mason & Hanger for IIIDA's Bi-Annual Product Runway in Louisville. We decided to pay tribute to their scope of work and the U.S. military with our Product Runway design. The sailor outfit that I modeled is constructed from our style of "Architecture", a Bentley Prince Street solid level loop construction before it has been dyed.

In addition to raising money for the local IIDA City Center, the event also raised money for Dress for Success, a local non-profit organization that provided professional clothing and training, including interview skills, to underprivileged women. The fashion show opened with women who have graduated from the Dress for Success program while the audience had the privilege of hearing a few of their stories and how their lives have been changed in such a positive way from the generosity of the organization. The show continued with the Product Runway designs and also included a silent auction. Bentley Prince Street donated a beautiful Domestic Alchemy area rug for the auction where all proceeds benefited Dress for Success.

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The Beginning of IFMA's World Workplace 2011

2011-10-26T15:15:00.000-07:00

Today is the official start of IFMA’s World Workplace, but we wanted to take full advantage of our time in Phoenix, so we spent yesterday with our wonderful customers at two great events!

First, we participated in the IFMA golf tournament where we had three teams of four players. Cheryl Peale, Mike Smith and I were thrilled to be able to play with some of our friends from Banner Healthcare and Mortenson Construction. It was a fun-filled day of reconnecting with clients and colleagues -and better yet, the tournament will fund three scholarships that will be awarded by the Utilities Council of IFMA.

After the golf outing, we geared up for the IFMA Foundation Gala at the Phoenix Art Museum. Bentley Prince Street was proud to be the gold sponsor of this event for the 8th year in a row. The IFMA Foundation makes scholarships, education and research available to facility management professionals, educators and students. I feel very strongly about supporting the continuing education of this very important work force, as well encouraging the next generation to enter the field.

The president of the IFMA Foundation acknowledged all the sponsors and I was pleased to be able to say a few words during the event. The crowd seemed to be having a great time bidding on the silent auctions and we all managed to walk away with a few of the items ourselves!

The IFMA exhibit hall opened this morning at 10:30 am and the booth serves as a beautiful backdrop for our products. We are showcasing the California Biennial(tm) Collection laid out using our 3 tile sizes, as well as our patent-pending 45-degree cut technology with a multidirectional installation method. It should be an excellent show and we are looking forward to our event on Thursday featuring our Carpet Couture fashions. More to come!

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Ultron Doc Awards 2011

2011-10-26T10:53:00.000-07:00

Vote here for So Vintage & Iconic!

Haunt Couture Fashion Show

2011-10-20T14:54:00.000-07:00

Being located just a stone's throw away from the glitz and glamour of Tinseltown, it is no surprise that many of our products are inspired by Art, Culture and Fashion. If you have been following us lately on Facebook, Twitter, or here on Designing for Life, you may have seen that some of our carpet products were even transformed into couture pieces themselves by Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) Advanced Fashion Students.

We are invigorated by innovation and seeing creative people in our industry step outside their everyday roles and apply their talents to fashion. Last night was the LACC: Haunt Couture Fashion Show, where we got to see plenty examples of this.

This year, I was honored to be chosen as one of the judges for the show, which was held at the Belasco Theatre in Downtown L.A. Each team impressed us with the amount of effort they put into costume construction that incorporated unexpected materials, music and performances. It was an absolutely wonderful evening. Again, the creative ideas that each team came up with was amazing. Bentley Prince Street is proud to be a chapter sponsor of the IIDA Los Angeles and it was a great experience to participate as one of the judges for the evening.

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Vote for the Global Vistas Collection and Vermont Square & Westlake Wool Products in the 3rd Annual Interiors & Sources Readers' Choice Awards

2011-10-13T15:46:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year; the Interiors & Sources Readers' Choice awards are here! Interiors & Sources features some of the most innovative products on the market. This year, we were very fortunate to have the magazine feature our Global Vistas Collection, as well as Vermont Square and Westlake, which makes the products eligible to win a Readers' Choice: Best Products of 2011 award.

Voting for either the Global Vistas Collection, or the Vermont Square and Westlake wool products is easy and now open through October 28. Simply visit the Readers' Choice awards website and select the flooring category from the list across the top of the page. Then scroll down and select your favorite Bentley Prince Street product, only one vote per category! Finally, click "submit my vote" to complete the process.

Interiors & Sources is a go-to magazine for our customers, which makes the Readers' Choice awards very important to us because it's your opinion that matters most! We can't wait to see who this year's winners are in the December issue.

Here's a little more information on our nominated products:

The Global Vistas Collection reflects the world's must-see destinations with a selection of vivid patterns that span traditional, transitional and contemporary styles. It's the perfect compliment for highly visible, heavy traffic areas including hospitality settings, banquet halls, apartments, ballrooms, assisted living and senior environments.

Vermont Square and Westlake are two offerings in the Bentley Prince Street family of wool carpet products. They are named for two historic sections of Los Angeles and provide the perfect balance of class, color and character. With a timeless aesthetic, versatile color line and earth-like texture, these two products will work well in corporate, hospitality and residential settings. In addition, wool's natural fire, soil and stain resistance contribute to these products' superior appearance retention.

Vote today and show some spirit and support for Bentley Prince Street!

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After Attending Greenbuild Expo 2011 it’s Very Clear that Transparency is King

2011-10-11T13:33:00.000-07:00

Greenbuild Expo 2011took place last week in Toronto and with it, the USGBC celebrated 10 years ofthe conference. Attendance was down slightly this year compared with Greenbuild2010 in Chicago, most likely due to the fact that many government workers areprecluded from attending foreign events. Despite the dip in attendance, theexpo floor was bustling and every educational session was well attended.

One of the keythemes that I took away from the show this year was a greater emphasis ontransparency. The importance of transparency was evident in UL Environment’sbooth, which was focused almost exclusively on Environmental ProductDeclarations (EPDs) as well as the increased number of 3rd party certifiers andverifiers exhibiting this year. I’ve often said that the green buildingmovement up until this point has been about education and building awareness.It seems we’ve reached a point where most people in the building industry haveat least a basic understanding of LEED, which has led to a greater demand formore sustainable building products. This has caused manufacturers of buildingproducts to scramble to meet that demand, both with truly greener products andunfortunately in some cases, unfounded green marketing campaigns. As a result,many specifiers and purchasers have become overwhelmed by the environmentalclaims being made and are tired of the greenwash.

So it’s onlylogical that the next phase in the green building movement will shift the focustowards transparency. Bentley Prince Street has always supported transparency.We are excited to see that the benchmark is moving forward and the USGBC andits members are starting to truly embrace EPDs.

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A Very Special Event in Chicago Tonight

2011-10-04T20:31:00.000-07:00

Tonight Bentley Prince Street hosted a reception in our Chicago showroom with the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA).

Hosting the event was a special occasion for Bentley Prince Street. We were able to network with many senior end users. It was a true pleasure and a total success.

In Honor of National Public Lands Day, our Associates Went to Work at Santa Fe Dam

2011-10-04T16:26:00.000-07:00

Posted by Sean Higbee, Sustainability Coordinator:

In honor of National Public Lands Day, several of our associates and their families volunteered on Saturday, September 24th, at the nearby Santa Fe Dam.

Together, we planted 100 native and drought tolerant plants and provided some much needed care to the garden we planted and landscaped last year for Earth Day. The new plants were donated by Bentley Prince Street and will help the park reduce water, fertilizer, and pesticide usage, while improving the exterior of the administrative building. After a morning of hard work, we all enjoyed a healthy picnic lunch together.

How do we measure our success?

We had 7 Associate Volunteers and 15 Guest Volunteers
100 California native plants were donated and planted

Thank you to all of the associates that volunteered!

Alicia Gonzalez (Custom Development)

Austine Duggan (Marketing)

Helen Medrano (QA Lab)

Milton Poritllo (Dye Lab)

Nancy McLain (IT)

Sergio Avilla (Inventory)

Tom Mee (VP)

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Bentley Prince Street Carpet Selected to help Green TV’s Biggest Night

2011-09-16T16:37:00.000-07:00

This Sunday millions will tune in to the 63rd Primetime Emmy® Awards on FOX to see the arriving stars and who’s wearing whom. While the red carpet will certainly beglamorous, thanks to us, it will also be quite Green.

FOX announced this week that in partnership withthe Academy of Television Arts & Sciences they will be bringing cleanenergy to TV’s big night and naturally they selected a custom Bentley PrinceStreet broadloom carpet product to achieve this goal. In addition tosustainable carpeting, FOX has implemented many energy saving initiativesincluding; solar panels, low-energy LED and fluorescent lighting, reusableservice wear, as well as bicycles in place of golf carts. Additional highlights of FOX’s greeningefforts can be found here.

So how does 3,000 yards of Bentley Prince Street carpet help FOX achieve its clean energy goals?

· Contains 50% recycled content - including 40%pre-consumer and 10% derived from post-consumer carpet

· Produced locally, a mere 16 miles away, in the onlyLEED® for Existing Buildings Silver certified carpet facility in the world.Buying local also translates to less congestion and pollution

· 3rd partycertified to NSF-140 the Sustainability Assessment for Carpet at the Platinum(highest) level

· 3rd party verified as climate neutral through BentleyPrince Street’s Cool Carpet™ program

o 3,000 yards means 50 tons of carbon dioxide areoffset to make the product climate neutral

o Offsetting 50 tons of carbon dioxide is equivalentto removing 9 cars off the road for a year

· Repurposing the carpet after its use diverts almost7 tons of waste from landfills

Have I mentioned how much we enjoy being walkedall over by Hollywood's biggest stars? Tune in to the 63^rd Primetime Emmy Awards live Sunday,September 18 (8:00-11:00 PM ET Live/5:00-8:00 PM PT live) on FOX.

Greening the Emmy's in Hollywood

This Town is Walking All Over Us & We Love It

Bentley Prince Street’s Carpet Couture Dazzles Neiman Marcus During Fashion's Night Out

2011-09-14T16:10:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday, Bentley Prince Street unofficially added a tenant to its legacy of Beauty, Service, Quality and Partnership. I introduce to you, Glamour.

As our marketing team walked in the stunning doors of Neiman Marcus at Fashion Island in Newport Beach, I couldn’t help but feel proud to work for a commercial carpet manufacturer that develops carpet so rich and opulent, it is worth being displayed at a luxury department store.

We winded our way through high-end perfume and cosmetic counters to the Mecca of Neiman’s, where our 6 couture carpet fashions were beautifully presented on white mannequins. Just like the most delicious gourmet cupcakes you’ve ever seen, the dresses were perfectly displayed on alternating levels with layers of Bentley Prince Street carpet products in a variety of colors and textures. The Domestic Alchemy flatweave gown was stunningly silver and bedazzled with large rhinestones, finished with designer shoes, of course. From layers of carpet ruffles and fringe to high-fashion carpet collars and exquisite beadwork, these couture fashions demanded second glances from all who passed by.

The collection of Carpet Couture, as well call them, was produced via our collaboration with Fashion Institute of Design Merchandising (FIDM). Advanced Fashion Design Students were challenged with creating beautiful, couture gowns out of our carpet products. Not only did these students deliver, they far exceeded our expectations. In celebration of our 2011 NeoCon theme, L.A. Story, the fashions were first displayed on live models at our Los Angeles post-NeoCon event in June. The event created a media buzz and our partnership with FIDM increased. Thus, these couture fashions are in high demand and will soon be jet-setting to various events and our domestic showrooms.

It was a pleasure to see these fashions representing the Bentley Prince Street heritage of design and luxury carpet products made in California. With Los Angeles in our backyard, our L.A. story was able to shine through these innovative designs and our growing relationship with FIDM. Our team is excited to see what new marketing and media ventures are to be had in 2012!

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Art, Culture, Fashion in Mexico City!

2011-08-23T15:01:00.000-07:00

Last week, Bentley Prince Street traveled to Mexico City to share its L.A. story during a post NeoCon special event! Art, Culture, Fashion set the stage for NeoCon 2011 and we were excited to introduce the Los Angeles inspired theme to our customer base in Mexico. Since Mexico City is especially rich in art, fashion, history, architecture and natural beauty - it's one of the world's most beautiful cultural centers and the perfect place to showcase Bentley Prince Street's legacy of luxurious and sustainable carpet products!

Our event took place in the CED building, which like the Chicago Merchandise Mart, is an epicenter for high design. Specifically, we collaborated with IHO Estacious, a great company celebrating the remodeling of its showroom. The newly redesigned showroom features Bentley Prince Street carpet and area rugs. For this occasion, we utilized the event spaceupstairs to showcase framed pieces of carpet, as well as all of our new sampleboxes and color lines, against a backdrop of the Mexico City skyline.

Guests were warmly welcomed to the event by Tom Mee, VP of Customer Relations and International Business, and Maria Saenz, Mexico City Sales Representative. After a brief speech given by the both of them everyone enjoyed cocktails, appetizers and the hottest music spun by a live D.J. Throughout the night we had wonderfulconversations about our products. After all, building strong relationships withnew friends is an important part of creating new business opportunities.

We were so happy to deliver the excitement of NeoCon, including our company's legacy and new products to our customers in Mexico City. It was a wonderful experience that allowed us to meet a great group of people, connect with them on a personal level and leave with new friends and opportunities. We look forward to strengthening our relationships in Mexico and collaborating on future products in this very creative and dynamic market!

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Carpet Couture: Taking our Runway Fashions on the Road

Carpet Couture: Taking our Runway Fashions on the Road

2011-08-22T18:22:00.000-07:00

We were thrilled to be invited to show off our creative sidelive during a local news broadcast here in Los Angeles. Thanks to a great partnership with the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and our good friend and styleguru Dan Kough of Paradigm Shift, we have created beautiful couture dressesmade entirely of our carpet. These designs were featured during a live on-air fashion show on the 2pmbroadcast of KCBS/KCAL news last Friday to promote a very special upcomingevent at Fashion Island.

Anthony Minite surrounded by Fashion Designers and Models

Neiman Marcus will be showcasing all six dresses in theirstore windows from September 8th to 22nd at their Fashion Island location. We are positively ecstatic! Who would have thought a carpet manufacturerwould be featured in a setting fit for a fashion icon?

News anchor Dave Gonzales was so gracious in giving us about6 minutes to talk about the fashions, the student designers and our upcomingNeiman Marcus showcase. Ourmodels, Lisa, Brandise and Talesha, looked exquisite in the dresses, which theyeach helped us debut during out Post-NeoCon event on June 24^th inDowntown L.A. The event showcasedour L.A. Story, which celebrates Art, Culture and Fashion and we are happy toannounce we’re taking it on the road.

If you missed our segment live on KCBS/KCAL News, you canwatch it now here.

My thanks to Dan Kough of Paradigm Shift & Shirley Wilsonof the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising for collaborating with uson what has been a most glamorous year for Bentley Prince Street! And I want to acknowledge the sixtalented designers who took carpet and created couture masterpieces fit for arunway. Well done!

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New Carpet Does More than Brighten up an Orphanage in Mexico; it Fills up the Hearts of a Few Good Men

2011-08-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

At Bentley Prince Street, social sustainability is an important part of our culture. We provide a myriad of opportunities for associates to volunteer with good causes our company supports as a whole – and we’re more than willing to learn about new causes near and dear to our associates’ hearts. Recently, our San Francisco Sales Manager, Adrian Laekas, presented us with the opportunity to donate and install carpet at a children’s orphanage in Colonia Vicente Guerrero, Mexico.

I jumped at the opportunity to accompany Adrian on this mission, as did Tom Mee, VP of Customer Relations and International Business; Ronnie Avila, Facility Supervisor; as well as two of Adrian's fellow members from Foundation For His Ministry.

We traveled from our mill in City of Industry, CA. to the U.S. – Mexico border and then another 175 miles south to Colonia Vicente Guerrero with 300 yards of our beautiful and sustainable Really Late Night TV™ carpet tile. Once we arrived, the positive outlook of all the children, as well as the staff, immediately humbled us. The children ranged in age from newborns to teens and we learned that several of the dedicated staff members grew up in the orphanage themselves. After meeting everyone, we were eager to get to work making flooring improvements to a facility that is home to over 100 children.

For 3 ½ days we worked long, hot hours installing carpet tile in the prayer room/church and nursery. We also donated a rug for the learning center. We were lucky to have Ronnie along with us. He provided much of the muscle on our team and also served as our translator, which was especially helpful when we took a break from our work at the orphanage to distribute peanut butter and milk to hungry children in the village. This experience made everyone on our team extremely grateful for all we have been given in life and also allowed us to connect with the local children in a very tangible way.

Another highlight of the trip for me, a former fire chief, was learning that the orphanage is the site of the only fire and ambulance service in the area. The crew is comprised of all volunteers and I made sure to show our appreciation for their hard work by making a donation and purchasing many shirts, which I will proudly sport in the States!

The orphanage in Vicente Guerrero is definitely a special place that Bentley Prince Street will continue to support. In fact, I plan on making an annual trip down to Vicente Guerrero. Thank you, Adrian, for bringing this incredible opportunity to us and I encourage all associates to do the same!

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Bentley Prince Street Named Best Place to Work in Los Angeles for 5th Year in a Row!

2011-08-10T14:25:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled that we have been recognized as one of The Best Places to Work in Los Angeles for the 5^th year in a row! Make no mistake; we all share in thiswonderful honor together.

Yesterday I, along with 9 associates from the mill, attendedthe Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2011 Best Places to Work in Los Angelesluncheon and awards ceremony, which was held at the JW Marriott at LA Live downtown. For the last 4 years we have receivedthis honor in the medium sized business category, but this year we wererecognized in the large size business category amongst some very impressiveorganizations. It’sgreat to see so many companies putting people first in business.

Best Places to Work in L.A. is an annual celebration ofelite employers who have proven that they know what it takes to cultivateenvironments where people love to come to work.

I want to thank all of you who participated in the workplaceassessment and survey process, as well as every associate at Bentley Prince Street. It’s your dedication andpride that has helped us to create a unique culture in which we are committedto producing the most beautiful, award winning and environmentally responsibleproducts in our entire industry.

Since we all could not be there to share in the celebrationwhen our name was announced, I hope you’ll celebrate now wherever you are andshare this good news with friends, family and clients!

Thank you and congratulations!

Honoring the Best Associates in Los Angeles

Bentley Prince Street Receives 2010 EcoSense Award

The Passing of Ray Anderson

2011-08-09T11:15:00.000-07:00

I learned yesterday that so many along with me, lost our guide in this vast eco-wilderness. Yours, a deep loss of a visionary corporate trailblazer and friend set out to conquer Mount Sustainability, as he called it.

My heart broke today with the news of the loss of Ray Anderson – looking ahead, I could see Ray “there” in his 86th year of life, celebrating his accomplishment of meeting Mission Zero; the year is 2020......I’m sure many could too. We were touched by his authenticity, moved by his words and awe struck by his actions, as he inspired us through his results with such quiet strength.

I sincerely send the entire staff at Bentley Prince Street, and everyone at Interface, Inc. around the world, my deepest condolences.

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Celebrating Under the Stars with Starnet

2011-08-05T17:21:00.000-07:00

The last time we connected with our Starnet family was in May during the Starnet Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona. Recently, as a follow-up to this successful event, we were proud to welcome twelve members of the Starnet Board of Directors to California to experience our company and discover our manufacturing, sustainability, organizational development and community initiatives first-hand. Bentley Prince Street Regional Vice Presidents and Vice Presidents joined the Board of Directors to be part of this special team-building day hosted at our Los Angeles mill.

Everyone involved with Starnet is at the top of the industry. We took advantage of all the extra creativity and expertise in the building and spent time collaborating in our Los Angeles showroom. This valuable brainstorming session was topped off with a tour of our LEED-EB Silver certified carpet mill (a proud moment for all our associates) and an al fresco dinner on our patio.

I want to thank The Wild Artichoke in Yorba Linda who catered our dinner for their delicious food and excellent service. We enjoyed wonderful cuisine, which was locally grown. I also want to thank Enzo Segalli who performed jazz standards for us. He did Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin proud and everyone really enjoyed it! The locally grown food, warm summer night and classic music gave our guests a taste of what it is we love about being based in Southern California.

Relationships are everything in business and our relationship with Starnet is one we hold dear. I was thrilled that the Board of Directors was able to fly in for this meeting and share in my belief that it's important to make time for customers, associates, partners and the many people who contribute to our success.

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Sustainability is Business as Usual at Bentley Prince Street

2011-08-05T14:44:00.000-07:00

Guest Blog Post by Benjamin Kander, Bentley Prince Street Sustainability Intern

After completing my internship with Bentley Prince Street, I have learned about the successes and difficulties with integrating sustainability into daily business practices, and witnessed how a company utilizes its employees to their fullest potential. Every associate I have met has shown tremendous dedication and love for Bentley Prince Street, and I believe that this is directly because of the interactive relationships throughout the entire company.

Through many different programs such as QUEST, Gallup, and The Green Team, every department is able to convey different issues and needs throughout the company. These opportunities to interrelate have directly enhanced the communication at Bentley Prince Street, helping departmental issues to be dissolved quickly. In addition, these open lines for conversation have also helped employees feel comfortable to communicate with their superiors and even top executives throughout the company.

As for sustainability, it is amazing to see how many initiatives the Sustainability Department undertakes on a daily basis. They are always seeking new ways to improve Bentley Prince Street with regard to energy efficiency and conservation, waste elimination, greenhouse gas emission reduction, efficient transportation, and our overall image. As Bentley Prince Street strives to attain LEED-EB Gold and an ISO certified Energy Management System for its headquarters, we commit to elevated standards for both product quality and environmental impact.

In short Bentley Prince Street aims to be a 100% restorative company by following the Brundtland definition of sustainability: "meeting the needs of the present without sacrificing the needs of future generations." They give back to the environment what they take, and then some. To do so, a common triple bottom line that includes People, Planet, and Profit, has been incorporated into every business and non-business decision that is made. While many believe that sustainability can only hurt the bottom line, Bentley Prince Street has proven the business case for sustainable practices, as it has added value to job satisfaction, product quality, and even the financial bottom line.

As the President, Anthony Minite, puts it, "Being first in style, quality and service is simply not enough. At Bentley Prince Street we understand that we must also be leaders in our commitment to the environment and to our humanitarian responsibilities. We have a responsibility to not only meet the state's strict environmental regulations, but to exceed them." From my time here with Bentley Prince Street, it is clear that this message has not only been heard, but followed throughout the entire company.

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My Summer of Sustainability

2011-08-02T10:42:00.000-07:00

Guest blog post by Phillip Palomar, Bentley Prince Street Sustainability Intern

My name is Phillip Palomar. I am currently a student at LaPuente High School. Bentley Prince Street offered the juniors at La Puente HighSchool an opportunity to intern for the summer. My teacher informed me of this internshipand I decided to attend the meeting a couple of months ago. Many great ideaswere brought forth during this meeting with students and parents, but the oneidea that stuck with me the most was the fact that this company is reallygreen. I was, and still am, very interested in the way that sustainabilityworks within the company to make it excel.

During my remaining time here at Bentley Prince Street Iwould like to attend the volunteer events that will be taking place locally. Ihave heard from many people that I am very talkative and that I am veryconfident in what I say, so another thing that I would like to do before mytime here at Bentley Prince Street is up, is to give a presentation. Communication is my number one strength so Ithink that I would be really good at giving instructions during a meeting.

My internship is almost over. I am in the middle of my thirdweek and I have learned so much about the work environment in an office. I alsolearned the very complex system a carpet has to go through to be manufactured andto be energy efficient. The employees here at Bentley Prince Street have beenso kind. All in all, the skills that I have acquired and the lessons that Ihave learned here shall be used as a building ground throughout my workingcareer.

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2011-07-19T10:39:00.000-07:00

Guest Blog Post by Benjamin Kander, Bentley Prince Street Sustainability Intern

My name is Ben Kander and I am a rising senior at Emory University where I study Sustainable Business and Energy Efficiency in the Goizueta Business School. I was originally drawn to the field of sustainability because of the opportunity to add value to the world. I do not see the business world as simply a place to make money; it also stands as a platform to make the world a better place. While looking for potential job opportunities, I found Bentley Prince Street, and recognized immediately that its beliefs, values, and core mission lined up perfectly with mine. From the moment you enter the premises, you witness just how much sustainability is integrated into the business, culture, and everyday mindset of the company. From bulletin boards, employee meetings, signs on the walls, community engagement, energy efficiency measures, dumpster dives, and every other daily sustainable practice, it is clear that people and the planet are top priorities.

For every business, the bottom line is the key ingredient for company success. At Bentley Prince Street, they have found a way to use sustainability as a driving force behind the bottom line, and have therefore established a triple bottom line: people, planet, profit. In just a few days here, I have seen decisions made because of the environmental importance, even though they may initially hurt the financial bottom line. Even so, these decisions are later transformed into marketing and sales tools as they demonstrate Bentley Prince Street's deep concern for the environment and community to potential customers. Because of this focused culture and identity, tough decisions that may help the environment, but also lose money in the short term are no longer difficult. Every decision made from the executive level down, has the idea of 'making the world a better place' at the focal point. The integration of sustainability has truly made Bentley Prince Street the successful company it is today, and I am not just referring to the finances or accounting books.

Throughout my internship with Bentley Prince Street, I look forward to learning about the successes and difficulties with implementing sustainability measures within a business. While Bentley Prince Street has thrived in so many ways with regard to its commitment to people and the environment, I am also curious to see the problems that remain and am excited to work to develop solutions. Because of the friendly, positive, and forward thinking corporate culture, I am confident that I will be able to learn from all Bentley Prince Street employees and add value to both the sustainability department and company as a whole.

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Modular Moves Online

2011-07-06T15:01:00.000-07:00

We have a commitment to innovation. Our associates work hard to develop and deliver innovative products, design solutions, as well as environmental and social sustainability programs.

We recently met an industry need for more functional modular flooring with our three new 18”x36”, 24”x24” and 36”x36” carpet tile sizes. Almost instantly, many more design options became available. In order to give our customers the opportunity to explore all that our legacy of stylish and sustainable carpet tile has to offer, we went to work developing a virtual design tool. So, we are very excited that our new, Tile Configurator is now online at www.bentleyprincestreet.com and ready to be put to work!

The Tile Configurator makes it easy for our customers to experiment with our colorful products, multiple textures, patterns and recommended installations – turning their design ideas into virtual, custom creations!

Visitors begin by choosing a product and colorway, followed by a tile size and installation method. Then the tile configuration can be viewed on a grid, or in a pre-selected room scene. Finally, for added convenience, the design can be printed, saved, or sent as a sample request.

We believe this tool will help to make the design process more convenient, fun and productive. We have the most creative customers and can’t wait to see what you come up with! As always, please feel free to share your feedback and ideas with us by leaving a comment here on our blog, or on facebook and twitter!

For an inside look at the new tool, check out the video below!

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Carpet Never Looked So Good

2011-06-27T16:05:00.000-07:00

Already taken aback by the sweeping, panoramic views of downtown Los Angeles, attendees at our post NeoCon event on Friday, June 24 were stunned as statuesque models entered the 30th floor penthouse of the AT&T center wearing couture dresses made of carpet! Designed by Fashion Design alumni from FIDM/ Fashion Instituteof Design & Merchandise, these stunning gowns and cocktail dresses were constructed with Bentley Prince Street new and innovative carpet products.

Ever since this year’s NeoCon, we have been telling our L.A. Story by spotlighting Art, Culture and Fashion. This has been reflected in everything from our NeoCon showroom's glamorous 1940’s era Hollywood design to the new products and collections that were launched, including the Silver ScreenCollection™, which is the Best of NeoCon Gold award winner for broadloom!

While it was wonderful celebrating our L.A. Story in Chicago, we knew we had to bring the celebration home to Los Angeles which is exactly what we did Friday night. The very talented Dan Kough of Paradigm Shift, has been helping us tell our L.A. Story all year beginning with our National Sales meeting, and then our NeoCon showroom and with this post NeoCon event where he had the idea to introduce Bentley Prince Street carpet products as wearable fashion – tying back beautifully to our Art, Culture, Fashion theme.

Headquartered right outside of downtown Los Angeles, we are fortunate to have access to talented up and coming fashion designers from FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising right in our backyard. On Friday night everyone was so impressed by their immense creativity, which resulted in highly dramatic fashions and represented the culmination of several months of a special project challenge for Fashion Design alumni.

Bentley Prince Street associates are proud to work for a California company - and are continually inspired by the Art, Culture and Fashion that surrounds them everyday.

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Annual Beach Clean-Up removes 387 pounds of Trash from Long Beach Coastline

2011-06-22T12:16:00.000-07:00

Posted by Sean Higbee, Sustainability Coordinator: Bentley Prince Street

Saturday, June 11^th was our annual beach clean-up in Long Beach to kick off the summer. The event was a huge success thanks to the 78 volunteers that dedicated their time and energy to a good cause resulting in over 387 pounds of trash picked up! Compared to last year, this year’s event had 32 more volunteers and picked up 137 more pounds of trash. Many of the associates brought their friends and family to help out making it a great event to get to know your co-workers and their families. After cleaning the beach everyone sat down together and enjoyed a healthy lunch while admiring the difference we had made together.

Everyone we encountered, from bike riders to parents of a recent college graduate, thanked and commended us over and over again for picking up trash. The parents were setting up for their daughter’s graduation party on the beach that afternoon and were very appreciative to have a clean beach for the celebration.

Although the event made the beach cleaner, safer and more beautiful for beachgoers, the marine life, that often mistakes plastic litter for food and become poisoned or entangled, benefited the most form this event.

Success Indicators:

78 Total volunteers
37 Associate volunteers & 41 guests
387 Pounds of litter removed from the beach

Special thanks to Ricardo for taking pictures, HR for coordinating lunch, Ronnie and Mike Lomelin for preparing the equipment beforehand and everyone who volunteered!

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Dumpster Diving exceeds expectations for 2nd Month in a Row

2011-06-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

Guest post by Sean Higbee

Our June Dumpster Dive was this morning. We had excellent results and a great turnout for the secondmonth in a row. 22 associates volunteered to sort 136 pounds of trash from the Tile Line dumpster ,which is used primarily by Tufting, Receiving, and the forklift drivers in addition to the Tile Line. We pulled out 1.5 pounds of recyclables, which was 1.1% of the total weight. The results of 1.1% are much lower than our average of 3.5%.

Please see the summary, and charts below for more information. Thank you to everyone that helped out today!

Origin of Contents: 1 dumpster used by the Tile Line, Receiving, Tufting, fork lift drivers
Total Weight of Dumpster: 136 pounds
Total weight of recyclables: 1.5 pounds
Percentage of Recyclables: 1.1%
Recyclables found: 0.32 lb of plastic, 0.37 lb of cardboard, 0.03 lb of paper, 0.72 lb of wood, and 0.07 lb of softscrap.

This year, wood has made up more than half of the dumpster dive recyclables by weight (22 pounds of wood out of 42 pounds of total recyclables). Please remember to place wood scraps in the appropriate bin.

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NeoCon Highlights at the House of Blues Party

2011-06-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

It is the last day of NeoCon 2011 and it has been a very successful show! We won the Best of NeoCon Gold award for our Silver Screen Collection, debuted great products, had the opportunity to spend time with our customers and hosted a very fun party with a great band at the House of Blues.

Check out the video below, where Bentley Prince Street associates share highlights of the show at last night's annual House of Blues party.

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Snapshot of NeoCon 2011

2011-06-14T14:38:00.000-07:00

Day 2 of NeoCon is almost coming to a close and as they say a picture is worth a thousand words. Check out the mosaic below to experience the look and feel of our showroom, suite #1060!

Our Edgy, New Angle

2011-06-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

Day one of NeoCon has almost come to a close and there is buzz around our new products, showroom and especially Illuminaire laid out using our patent-pending 45 degree cut technology with a multi-directional installation method.

Valerie Ottaviano, VP of Product Design, insists that the more random it is laid out the better. This makes installation a breeze. Valerie installed the entry to our showroom, suite #1060, in under 45 minutes and we have the video to prove it!

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Reverse Inspiration – My TN Dogwood

2011-06-10T17:15:00.000-07:00

Guest Post by Bentley Prince Street Designer Lynda Koskela, LEED AP ID+C

As you Designing for Life blog fans know, Samantha and I went to Tennessee back in April to CMC to attend Tufting University. We flew into Nashville and drove two hours to Chattanooga. Lucky for us we landed at night in the middle of a lightning storm, so as you can imagine the drive was entertaining to say the least.

On our drive back to the airport (and on all subsequent trips in between) my eye was always drawn to this sparse, white-flowered tree. Of course it stands out like a wine stain on carpet against the lush, beautiful green landscape that populates the sides of the roadways. I didn’t know what it was, but it kept reminding me of something. What was that something??? The layered planes of the flowers and the negative, implied space was reminiscent of something familiar, but what? And then WHAM it came to me – all along I had been seeing So Vintage™!!

So Vintage™ is a new pattern from Bentley Prince Street's Silver Screen™ Collection, tufted on our new 1/12^th ga Infinity Machine. WOW! there it was – REVERSE INSPIRATION!! Does that count? I ask you, can it be called Inspiration if it comes after the fact?

Catch a preview of So Vintage™, Oscar Worthy™, and Flashing Lights™ – 3 products in our Silver Screen™ Collection to be debuted at Neocon 2011 (suite #1060)!! Can you identify So Vintage™ based on my Tennessee dogwood? Hope to see you there!

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Clodagh's Natural State

2011-06-09T14:39:00.000-07:00

Clodagh's Natural State is Bentley Prince Street's latest design collaboration with world-renowned designer and longtime partner, Clodagh.

This inventive, domestic flatweave made from wool, a naturally renewable fiber, will be on display in our redesigned Chicago showroom (suite #1060) at NeoCon.

In this video Clodagh discusses the inspiration behind the product.

You can click here for more info!

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Spring Bus Tour

2011-06-06T16:03:00.000-07:00

Riding off the popularity of last year's school bus design tour, Michael Albert (PA. Sales Rep.) hit the road again to introduce some of our new carpet collections.

Albert partnered with HON and Benjamin Roberts Office Interiors for the the Second Annual Spring Tour. The inside of the bus was completely transformed from ordinary into an extraordinary office space with fresh furniture from HON, fun carpet from Bentley Prince Street and flirty new fabrics from MAHARAM and MOMENTUM.

Similar to last year, the bus made several stops throughout the week of May, 16 - May, 25. Clients had the opportunity to board the bus, learn all about the new products and see them presented in a cohesive way, as well as receive a free gift.

Enjoy the pictures below and hopefully, if you live in Pennsylvania, we'll see you on the road next year!

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The Power of One More – Jewish World Watch

2011-06-03T16:30:00.001-07:00

We've all heard it. The power of one. It’s that voice or action, which births the wave of social change. I think about the power that statement holds each day in the context of our work at ANEW. The power of one suggests an individual, a moment, an experience, which stands out from the rest, leading by example. What if it could mean more? As in the power of one more? This addition suggests many - people, moments and experiences triggering an organic chain reaction that keeps going and growing; a whole much greater than the sum of its parts.

At ANEW we have the privilege of meeting amazing people dedicated to public service - our Recipients. Representing non-profit organizations nationwide, ANEW Recipients are schools, public health and children's programs, and public agencies like fire and police departments; they comprise the fragile infrastructure s

o relied upon in our communities. Thanks to the ever-growing roster of companies we work with in the ANEW Coalition, companies who choose to redirect their surplus furniture, building materials and other usable goods away from landfill and into the welcoming hands of our Recipients, the system works! While there are many heart-warming examples of the power of one, I've chosen the following to illustrate the power of one more:

Jewish World Watch (JWW), a local non-profit anti-genocide organization, recently received a complement of gently used furniture and brand new commercial carpeting selected at the ANEW warehouse space located within the distribution building of, and generously provided by, ANEW Sustaining Sponsor Bentley Prince Street (please hot link). ANEW was approached by Ron Burkhardt, Managing Director, Newmark Knight Frank, to support the upcoming office needs of his client JWW. JWW had recently negotiated a desirable lease with one sticky stipulation: it was responsible for upgrading the interior, which was in poor condition. We at ANEW rolled up our sleeves and went to work. Though the project could have been successfully completed by supplying much needed furniture, we knew JWW needed more. So we expanded the power of one to the power of one more. JWW not only received donated furniture and filing cabinets, but also new commercial grade carpet provided by Bentley Prince Street as a donation, saving them thousands of dollars. Perhaps more important, the new environment has improved efficiency and lifted morale at JWW headquarters, where they lead the fight against genocide in Darfur, the Congo, and other hot spots worldwide.

We asked Jan Snider, Office Manager/Project Coordinator at JWW how the project came together for Jewish World Watch - and here's what Jan had to say:

"One sentence? I can say it in one word: amazing; truly amazing. It [the donation of furniture and carpet] made the office what it is today; the old furniture was in bad shape, the office wouldn't have the feel we enjoy now without the donation. I feel like it was meant to be; the stars were all aligned."

The power of one highlighted here is Ron Burkhardt engaging ANEW to support his client's need. The power of one more is the matrix which brought us all together for a great cause, and that's what made all the difference.

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“Burn Even More Fat” (part 2)

2011-06-02T16:39:00.000-07:00

Guest Blogger: Catherine Rudat, Bentley Prince Street's Wellness Consultant

In Part 1 I explained how to pull yourself out of the exercise plateau. You now know what a drop-set is, and to focus on the “negatives”. So how can you crank your workout up to the next level and get those fast results you really want?

Modify your exercise – Certain exercises are considered ‘staples’ in the gym. The squat. The lunge. The Chest Press. The Shoulder Press. The bicep curl…do you feel like you are in high school gym class yet?

Try modifying these workouts.

Squat on a Bosu ball or Balance board.
Lunge with a weighted bar across your shoulders and walk while you complete your reps
Chest Press with an exercise ball instead of on the bench
Shoulder Press with a full squat in between each rep
Bicep Curl with a full shoulder press between each rep

Use active rest – Don’t waste precious time with long rest times between each exercise. Every minute of your workout is an opportunity to increase intensity and BURN MORE FAT! When you are winded it is certainly important to rest, but make it active, perform any of the following activities for 30 seconds between exercises and turn your regular workout into High Intensity Interval Training.

1)   High knees with Alternating Punches: Alternately bring each knee high to your chest in a quick jumping movement while alternating forward punches at shoulder level

2)   Burpees: Start in a standing position and bend at the waist. Once your hands hit the floor, push your entire body back, extending your legs until they are straight and you are in the push-up position. Go down for a push-up and when you push yourself up, jump slightly to bring your feet back near your hands. Finally, jump in the air with your arms fully extended over your head.

3)   Side-to-Side Jumps on Bench: Stand on one side of an exercise bench. Place the foot closest up onto the bench, jump up and switch feet, then land on the opposite side of the bench.

4)   Mountain Climbers: Place your hands wider than shoulder-width apart on the ground in a push up position. Bring one knee to your chest and then back to the starting position, alternate legs quickly.

5)   Side-to-Side Ab Twists: With feet close together, jump and twist your legs left to right – holding your abs tight. Keep a bend in your knees and swing your upper arms with each twist.

6)   Jump Lunges with Pop Squad: Start in a lunge position, lunge down then quickly jump up, switching your leg position in mid-air, land in an opposite leg lunge. Once you’ve done both legs, jump straight into a squat.

7)   Medicine Ball Squat Jumps: With feet wider than shoulder-width apart hold a medicine ball at chest level. Squat down until you knees are at a 90 degree angle. Explosively jump up, raising the medicine ball straight over your head.

And now you have it, 4 fool-proof ways to Burn Even more fat and increase the effectiveness of your workouts. Next time you hit the gym, remember: Use Active Rest, Modify the Exercise, Do a Drop Set, and Focus on the ‘Negative’. You’ll easily rev-up your routine and get your desired results.

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"Burn More Fat" (part 1)

2011-06-01T17:12:00.000-07:00

Guest Blogger: Catherine Rudat, Bentley Prince Street's Wellness Consultant

The definition of “insanity” is to do the same action over and over while expecting different results. This holds true for workouts, too. It’s safe to say that when you continue to put the same effort in day after day with little or no results, you have hit your fitness plateau. Don’t be alarmed, there are 2 tactics that are guaranteed to crank your workouts up to the next level and deliver the results you have been striving for.

1 Focus on negatives - This may sound negative in itself, but we are talking about the actual benefits of the negative in your reps. The negative portion of a repetition is just as important as the positive portion. Remember to lower your weight slowly, concentrate on the negative contraction, which helps make each repetition count!

2 Do a drop set – Drop sets have long been used to fight off exercise plateaus. This adds muscle, strength, raises your endurance and increases the cardio benefits of your workout. When you perform an exercise to exhaustion, don’t stop! Drop the weight by 80% and do another set! From there, continue dropping the weight as you become more advanced and do a double drop.

Making simple adjustments to your workout routine can deliver swift results, and keep your fitness routine on the straight and narrow! Stay tuned for Part 2 with more fat-burning tips that are sure to keep your fitness routine in check.

>>Read Part 2

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The Month of May Brings Excellent Dumpster Dive Results!

2011-05-31T16:25:00.000-07:00

We have yet to post the results from our May Dumpster Dive, which had excellent results and an outstanding turnout!

This month we were charged with sorting through 244 pounds of trash from one dumpster used by the Cutting Table, QA lab, Custom Samples and Tufting. So, it was great that 33 associates showed up to volunteer because we had our work cut out for us.

In total, we pulled out 1.9 lbs of recyclables. This calculated out to be .78% of the total weight, which is a dramatic improvement over our average of 3.5% and means that our associates are becoming seasoned recyclers. A key step in our journey toward Mission Zero.

Some of the recyclables that we did find: .5 lbs of plastic, .5 lbs of cardboard, .11 lbs of office paper, .1 lbs of metal, .5 lbs of wood, .15 lbs of hard scrap and .1 lbs of soft scrap.

Check out the charts below for more info.!

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The New Machine's Debut at HD Expo

2011-05-31T10:55:00.000-07:00

At this year's HD Expo we had fun previewing a few of our dynamic, new products made with our new machine and our sales rep, Reade Palmer, had some fun while I was shooting this short video. Check it out and if you're heading to NeoCon stop by suite #1060 to see more!

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Bentley Prince Street's H2O Conservation Efforts to be Honored

2011-05-27T11:42:00.000-07:00

On July 14th Bentley Prince Street will be honored by the LA and San Gabriel Watershed Council for the efforts we make everyday to conserve natural resources, as well as our ongoing commitment to sustainability.

Nancy Steele, from the Watershed Council informed us of how particularly impressed they were with our water conservation efforts. Since 1994, we have reduced our water use per unit by 52% and we have worked hard to utilize renewable sources to meet all of our electrical energy needs. They also noted efforts outlined in the company sustainability policy; Bentley Prince Street's demonstrated improvements in water usage, the efforts we make every day to engage both customers and employees in clean practices and the general efforts at energy reduction we have at BPS.

The event will mark the 15th anniversary of the Watershed Council and we are thrilled to celebrate with them. Awards are always exciting to receive, but we are most excited to celebrate the success of the LA and San Gabriel Watershed Council over the last 15 years as well as honor the successes of other organizations and their commitments to the environment.

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Tradeshow Travelogue

2011-05-24T11:33:00.000-07:00

GSA Expo

Tradeshow season has arrived and while it can be exhausting, it's also very exciting to be rolling out our new carpet products! Earlier this month, we were in sunny San Diego for the GSA Conference and Expo, last week we were in Las Vegas for HD Expo and in about three weeks we will be in Chicago for NeoCon!

The 2011 GSA show theme was Inspire-Innovate-Interact - and interact we did, as attendance was up from the last two years. Bentley Prince Street's sustainable products, manufacturing practices and Mission Zero commitment help procurement specialists meet the Green Purchasing Program requirements outlined in Executive Order 13423. In addition to the national and local GSA agency attendees we also had the opportunity to meet representatives from other significant federal agencies from around the U.S. and Globe such as the: Dept. of Defense, Military Bases of the Navy and Army, Dept. of Energy, Dept. of Commerce and the FBI. GSA was the perfect venue to display our U.S. GSA Evergreen Award. The award recognizes efforts in recycling, affirmative procurement and waste reduction in the Furniture, Furnishings and Technology/Electronics categories.

With our GSA award in tow, we packed up and headed to Las Vegas for HD Expo this past week. We loved displaying new, as well as popular, existing lines, to over 7,000 attendees. Our partnership with world-renowned designer Clodagh was celebrated. A light fixture that she designed was the centerpiece of our booth's design. Not to be outshined was the Clodagh's Natural State collection, which combines the quality and sustainability of wool with the uniformity of a flatweave. We also introduced Kids Art & Friends, which takes advantage of high-resolution printing that is 30 times better than the industry standard. Attendees also got sneak previews of California Biennial and Hollywood Sequel, while enjoying hospitality favorites like the Global Vistas Collection. The mood at HD Expo was encouraging. Many of the folks who visited our booth commented on a projected increase in hospitality property remodeling and an overall feeling of positivity for the market.

Our booth was not the only one sporting Bentley Prince Street carpet products. Humanscale had Global Vistas on the floor, which really made the orange accents in their booth pop. Solid Comfort's Modern Block installation - a design collaboration between Bentley Prince Street and Robert AM Stern - added to the booth's tranquil look and feel.

Humanscale & Solid Comfort booths

Although we were very busy, we managed to squeeze in some fun. It is Vegas after all. We hosted a great party with our partners from Crossville poolside at the Cosmopolitan Hotel. Thank you to everyone who attended, we hope you'll join us again next year!

If we missed you in San Diego or Las Vegas, be sure to come by our showroom in suite #1060 at NeoCon. Now, back to work...lots to do before Chicago!

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Celebrating with 10 New Habitat for Humanity Homeowners

2011-05-23T16:07:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, I had the privilege of spending the day with some special people during a dedication ceremony for 10 new, sustainable Habitat for Humanity homes here in Los Angeles. Bentley Prince Street is a longtime partner of Habitat for Humanity in Southern California, both as a gift in kind donor and as volunteers. Being able to provide our locally manufactured carpet to so many deserving local families is such a special opportunity and part of the reason we love being a California company.

The hand up that Habitat provides for these families is most definitely life changing for them, as well as to me personally and to all of our associates at Bentley Prince Street.

For this reason, I was honored and humbled to be invited by Habitat to speak at the home dedication. It was an honor being able to share this day alongside the new homeowners, the other sponsors and guest speakers with whom I shared the stage. It was especially gratifying to look out in the crowd and see several of our associates, who happen to be volunteering at another Habitat home site just a few blocks away. I pride myself on the fact that all of us at Bentley Prince Street walk the walk, as opposed to just talking the talk. I was happy that they were able to break for lunch, come over to share in the celebration and experience the end result of all their hard work. It was a proud day for everyone involved in the building of these new homes.

The Proud Homeowners

We are proud to be one of the last carpet manufacturers in California; we are proud to serve our community; and proud to be partners with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles.

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A Work in Progress: Making Beats

2011-05-13T12:03:00.000-07:00

Whenever anyone asks me what it is I love to do at work, this is what I think of.

Anyone can make a design look good on a 3 million dollar machine, but the real work is in getting the machines that don't have every attachment on earth to sing.

What your seeing a glimpse of in the pictures is a small blanket that we made over 4 years ago and my attempts to use our white pantry of yarns to randomize it. Currently, we are searching for a new fabulous texture idea and in order to do that you need pencils and a calculator!

Our products Scan and UPC created the Tailouts story...those products were created to use many of our first quality white waste yarns in keeping with our Mission Zero promise. Making carpet is very much like making an extremely large textile product. So, at the end of a run you have a lot of cones with some yarn on them, but not enough for another complete run. Before Scan, those cones would go in a bin where the yarn would be taken off and recycled for pennies of its actual worth.

Scan and UPC took that first quality by-product and used the white waste yarns to enhance the designs variability while keeping it beautiful and consistent every time.

Now I'm piggy backing on that idea, but as my textile professor always said, "It's really good to create a 'beat' for the people pulling the yarns in. If you can get any kind of pattern playing out, it always helps in accuracy!" Thank you Professor Swain! You were right!

My threadup here will always have the same solid yarn in A (that's every other one for 90 ends) and then the other 90 are really what I hope to be very very random!

Stay tuned! I'll post the next step when we get there!

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Where There is a Will There is a Way

2011-05-09T15:30:00.000-07:00

Posted by Catherine Hempfling-Prossen, LEED AP, Sales Representative - Wisconsin:

For anyone in the architecture and design industry it is a common fact that the only constant is change. Resources and raw materials continue to fluctuate and some products become very difficult to acquire and can become obsolete. Aurora Health Care is a loyal Bentley Prince Street customer whom we worked with to maintain the look and design they use to define their brand even though the some of the key yarn components were no longer available.

Many alternates and substitutions can be offered to an end user and no one would ever know that a change was made. Unfortunately, our standard carpet that had been used by Aurora Health Care was not an easy product to redesign. With the help of our design staff and skilled tufting mechanics we were able to get creative with the combination of newer, readily available yarns to recreate the standard product. The Interior Design firm along with the end user were very patient as we developed multiple paper simulations showing different yarn combinations that created a similar look to the original product. By using our simulation program we were able to show the designer multiple options on a paper substrate allowing the design to be changed and refined with out actually tufting multiple samples. The simulation program allows us minimize the number of tufted samples made and helps us to continue in our Mission Zero efforts. As the design moved into the final stages a tufted strike off was made to ensure that all of the colors were true to the customers expectation and could be moved into production.

Thanks to our relationship with the interior designer and end user, along with the creative minds of our mill team, we were able to find a solution that worked for this customer. We want to exceed your expectations so please let us know how we can collaborate with you on your next project.

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2011 Starnet Annual Meeting

2011-05-06T16:57:00.000-07:00

Every year we look forward to attending the Starnet Annual meeting. It is a great opportunity for us to network and reconnect with other Starnet members, who are all top vendors and dealers in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. This year the festivities were set amidst the beautiful, desert scenery in Scottsdale, AZ and included a Preferred Vendor tradeshow, a presentation from author and avid mountain climber Alison Levine (who also spoke at our sales meeting), workshops and one of the highlights of the meeting - the 2011 Starnet Design Awards presentation.

We were very excited to take top honors at the Design Awards event, which celebrates the immense talent and creativity of the Starnet members, their vendor partners and the design teams responsible for the projects. We received the Grand Prize & Hospitality/Public Space award for the Museum of Moving Image in Astoria New York. An added bonus was that we were also the proud recipients of the Small Corporate category award for HOK in New York, NY and an honorable mention for the Large Corporate category for Groupon in Chicago, IL.

Awards are always wonderful, but what we value most is our relationships with the Starnet dealers, as well as all the beautiful work that we are able to be a part of as a result of those relationships. We look forward to the Starnet Annual meeting every year because it reminds us of this.


Anthony Minite, president of Bentley Prince Street with Gayle Seker & Chuck Bode of CB Flooring, Maryland and Daryl Reinke of Commercial Carpets of America, Alexandria Virginia

The Blend Event

2011-05-04T16:30:00.000-07:00

Posted by Jessica Ferguson, marketing project coordinator:

The Blend Event at Kendall's Brasserie in Los Angeles was a luncheon and presentation hosted by the Bentley Prince Street Los Angeles Sales Team and Antron, with special guest Susan Curtis, Global Manager of Product Design for INVISTA, who presented color trends based upon years of travel, studying cultures and color research. Also, Debbie Bautista, fiber consultant from Antron helped host the event. Kathy Andujo and I gladly provided marketing support.

The guests who attended included local architects and designers. Debbie Bautista opened the event with an ice breaker, by using guests' birthdays to give their "colorscope" - this was the color assigned to their specific date that also described their personality. It was really fun and most people felt their colorscope really reflected who they were. She also had prepared jars of wrapped home-made "color chip" cookies with the Antron logo. It was a nice touch for the color-themed event. The L.A. Team had provided dozens of long-stemmed roses in multiple colors that acted as centerpieces for the tables. Guests were encouraged to take some roses home after the event.

The presentation was highly informative and interesting. It showed there is a rhyme and reason to color throughout the ages and different cultures - some of these trends are repeating and some trends are unlike any previous ones. It also gave an in depth approach to how different color schemes set different moods in environments. Very cool!

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Definition of Sustainability #18: To Endure

2011-04-29T10:13:00.000-07:00

There is much said about sustainability these days – but what does it really mean? When I’m in a group of people talking about sustainability, can all of us reach a consensus? Is there equal knowingness or agreement of one definition of the word? I’ve stopped to count more than 17 different ways the meaning is used; so, giving creative license to the author of conversation may decide its truest meaning, to endure.

At ANEW we practice Social Sustainability which unites social responsibility with environmental sustainability. Bridging services to meet the needs of companies committed to building their CSR forms a relay between vendor/consultant/educator and client. I see the word relay in a context with the word sustainability.

About two weeks ago, I and many others lost a very special friend and colleague, Jamie Roach of Jamie Roach Design. Jamie fought a personal battle to cancer she waged for over 14 years – yet her clients, friends, staff and others around her were mostly unaware of this due to her spirit, her courage, her love of life and family sustained. (Pictured above is Jamie and her husband Tom Capps.)

This emotional event made me think about sustainability in a new and different way, giving it meaning #18 – sustainability as much like a relay. I’m sure there were those days where the lap around the day’s track was daunting yet, for Jamie there was the love of design – that set of client meetings, the charrette, the team download, the new prospect and signing with a new client that kept her running, kept her vibrant, motivated to create and mentor like a real pro, kept her in the race.

Saturday April 30th, many will turn out for a relay in honor of Jamie – the American Cancer Society hosts its Relay event to raise awareness and raise funds to fight the fight against cancer. So many of us know cancer and we can see a day to celebrate its cure once and for all!

As I prepare to walk the track on Saturday, Jamie will walk with me. Jamie will walk with so many others who also remember her - that smile, that laugh, her generosity, her talent and passion for life.
Definition #18 – sustaining a relay that will endure.

Strengths Series; Coach Cathy on Managing Weakness

2011-04-28T14:59:00.000-07:00

At Bentley Prince Street we encourage our associates to focus on their top strengths. We do this because well-roundedness does not exist! But, sometimes we are called upon to manage our weaknesses. In this video I give tips on how to do this.

I love talking about strengths! If you have a question email me at cathy.frial@bentleyprincestreet.com.

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Strengths Series; Coach Cathy on Talent versus Strength!

2011-04-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

In our latest Strength Series video Coach Cathy discusses what talent is and how it can become a strength. At Bentley Prince Street we believe knowing how to implement your strengths is crucial to an individual’s success. This new video will expand on the importance of using talents and strengths as one. Watch the video to find out more!

In this video I will be discussing Talent versus Strength

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The Tufting Education Continues in Chattanooga (Day 2)

2011-04-20T15:08:00.000-07:00

Posted by Lynda M. Koskela, Designer/LEED AP ID+C:

It was another very prosperous day at Card-Monroe Corp (CMC!)

Today our friend Keith was out of the office due to a family emergency, so we had the privilege of working with Wilton Hall, CMCs Technology Application Specialist. Wilton is responsible for inventing many of the innovations at CMC and was a great brain to pick. Wilton introduced Samantha and I to Command Performance, the software that is used directly on the machines. This is a program that we can have installed on our computers at our desks and can allow us, the designers, to transfer design information (pile hts, cam movements, etc) to the machine directly. Wilton was able to show us the pros and cons of many of the functions on the new machines.

After a nice lunch with Jerry Hendricks, we worked with Craig Braswell, Technical Training Mgr, and was given an extensive tour of the manufacturing facility. We even got to see our next machine in progress! Boy, did I have a lot of machinist talk to talk, thanks Samantha for enduring that! Craig then took us to the classroom where he gave us a "designer" version of Tufting University. More than we need to know, but great background information to be exposed to.

We will return tomorrow to finish up with Tufting University and will also spend a little more time with Keith.

We look forward to returning to the mill and trying out all our new tricks! We will have files in hand that can be plugged right into our new machines!!!

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Greetings from our Crash Course in Tufting U at Chattanooga!

2011-04-20T15:04:00.001-07:00

We had a very productive first day during our visit to Card-Monroe Corp. (CMC.) We started off with Jerry Hendricks, who took us on a tour of the plant and showed us examples of what the machine can do, pattern and height-wise. We then began our design portion with Keith which was very helpful.

For the morning we learned specific new design functions especially helpful for the infinity machine and it's extra pile heights and repeat size. We also learned some of the more technical aspects of the tuft program: how to assign effects for the new pile heights, how to create a working template for the new design files that the machine can read, and what kinds of decisions we will need to make in the program before it gets to the machine. Some of these decisions and rules will need to be made when we return to the mill and are able to discuss in full what we learned.

We happened to be here on the 30th anniversary of their company and they were so kind to include us in their lunch and presentation - they even recognized us as their special guests!

We then met and spoke at length with Wilton Hall, the main creator of the machines and some of the technicians who gave us a closer look at the inner-workings of the machines.

Day 2 we had a crash course in tufting U with Craig and did some more design work with Keith. Click here to read all about Day 2.

All in all it has been a very educational and exciting trip and we look forward to learning more!

Strengths Series; Coach Cathy on Talent & How to Turn a Talent into Strength!

2011-04-18T10:14:00.000-07:00

The latest video in our Strengths Series touches on the important topic of talent. At Bentley Prince Street we believe talent is an individual's greatest opportunity for success. But, in order for talent to become a strength a couple key ingredients must be added. Watch the video to find out more!

In this video I will be answering the questions: What is talent? How does talent turn into a strength?

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Green Fair 2011

2011-04-15T12:02:00.000-07:00

We couldn't wait for Earth Day and held our 3rd annual Green Fair on Tuesday, April 12th. One of our 7 Fronts of Sustainability is Integrated Sustainability. Educating our suppliers, customers and associates about sustainability helps us make progress on this front and moves us closer to Mission Zero, our promise to completely eliminate any negative impact that we have on the environment by the year 2020. Our Green Fair is a way for our associates to discover new ways to go green and save green (money, that is).

This year a total of 213 associates participated and eight organizations exhibited. Our associates were excited to receive discounts on their energy bills, bus schedules and lots of reusable freebies and the exhibitors were impressed with the level of understanding that our associates have about environmental issues.

No fair would be complete without a raffle! The lucky winners received prizes that included organic vegetable seeds, LED night lights, smart strips and bike kits.

Stay tuned for more that Bentley Prince Street is doing across the country in celebration of Earth Day!

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Installing Dyson Airblade Dryers Saves us Energy and Money Big Time

2011-04-12T18:34:00.001-07:00

Lynda Koskela, one of our product designers, submitted a QUEST suggestion at the beginning of this year to install Dyson Airblade hand dryers at the mill. At first, we did not think that the idea would have any kind of payback. The dryers are over $1,000 each and we needed 33 of them. Also, we were unsure about the implementation because we had many manufacturing associates.

However, we started doing research on the Dysons and found that they could save us a lot of money. I was floored when I saw that we were paying $13,000 for bathroom paper towels! The electricity cost for the Dysons was going to cost us about $1,500 per year, so the payback was a little more than 3 years. Plus, the environmental benefits are huge. It takes a lot of energy and creates a lot of carbon emissions to cut down trees, manufacture paper towels and ship them to us. According to Dyson, one usage of their hand dryers has a 70% lower carbon footprint compared with paper towels. Plus, bathroom paper towels represent a big percentage of our remaining landfill waste (when you've reduced by 97%, you're getting down to the little things!) so this will help us reduce our waste to landfill by about 1 ton per year.

We also put some messaging above each of the dryers in English and Spanish to communicate the environmental and cost benefits. The educational work we've done has made the implementation process easier.

Implementation was easier than we expected. We announced the change at our January QUEST meeting and immediately removed the paper towels in all of the bathrooms. We felt like that was better than making the gradual switch to the dryers. The only bathroom where we've kept paper towels is in the Maintenance department as they need paper towels for dirty hands. We also made sure that a hand sanitizer dispenser was in each bathroom to help alleviate hygiene concerns. We also put some messaging above each of the dryers in English and Spanish to communicate the environmental and cost benefits. The educational work we've done has made the implementation process easier.

Several associates have told me that they like this new change because it's a really visible symbol of our commitment to sustainability. I think that's as important, if not more important than the cost savings or the environmental savings.

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Green Tie Gala in South Beach

2011-04-11T18:00:00.001-07:00

Last week, I had the distinct pleasure of attending a Green Tie Gala at the beautiful W Hotel in South Miami Beach, Florida. Reade Palmer, Bentley Prince Street sales representative alongside Sustainable Surfaces, our valued design partner, initiated this fantastic, formal event. Reade and his team did a great job creating and hosting a green celebration that recognized both companies’ shared mission for sustainable business practices.

Local designers and architects from the South Beach area were in attendance and you couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming enthusiasm about the future of design and how sustainability will be a major factor in all our success.

The party featured a “Specifier’s Lounge” which hosted a collection of existing products and a sneak peak of the products we’ll be introducing at NeoCon 2011 in June. The feedback we received on our new products was incredibly exciting.

I want to applaud Reade for thinking outside of the box with the Green Tie Gala event. His commitment to our products and to our sustainability mission is so important to our success and we couldn’t be more inspired by the work he is accomplishing in South Florida.

In picture from left to right: Reade Palmer, Tanya Jones, Noelle Novak, Valerie Ottaviano, Kelley Laekas, Adrian Laekas, Anthony Minite

Miami Vision Awards, So Much Inspiration!

16 years of Environmental Milestones

Tree Planting Event at McKibben Elementary School

2011-04-08T12:28:00.000-07:00

Posted by Sean Higbee, Sustainability Coordinator: Bentley Prince Street

Recently, Bentley Prince Street associates and their friends and family spent a Saturday at McKibben Elementary School planting trees. In total we planted 13 trees, donated by Bentley Prince Street, that included: Coastal Live Oaks, Pink Trumpet Trees, Gold Medallion Trees, Raywood Ash and Purple Leaf Plums. The event was organized in partnership with Tree People, a non profit organization dedicated to planting trees and educating Los Angeles on the important role trees play in society.

Everyone split up into groups to plant the trees in designated locations throughout the school's campus. After each tree was planted, staked and mulched, the groups named their tree. One of the trees was named "Ray Anderson" (affiliate link) after Interface's founder and chairman of the board. The name was very fitting since Ray Anderson is a man who continues to provide vision and inspiration for our sustainability programs at Bentley Prince Street. We also welcomed the trees to their new home with a traditional Tree People ceremony. In unison we all chanted, "Trees need people. People need trees. Welcome (name of tree)!"

This was the third event Bentley Prince Street had organized with Tree People and we are excited to now have a trained Community Forester, Tree Planting Supervisor and two Tree Care Supervisors on staff.

Not long after the Tree Planting event, we received stacks of wonderful "Thank You" cards from McKibben Elementary School students. They put a big smile on our faces and were a perfect example of the positive benefits of being a restorative company, dedicated to making a positive impact on the community.

Nancy Drew and National Library Month!

2011-04-05T10:32:00.000-07:00

In honor of National Library Month, I am excited to share my treasured library memories. My favorite Library was the Denver Public Library! It's a beautiful building and I used to go there weekly over the summer with my Mom. On the weeks we couldn't make it, their bookmobile, brought the library to us.

I loved the summer because it meant more time to read! Most of my childhood summers were spent reading Nancy Drew books I checked out from the library. My older sister gave me The Secret of the Old Clock (affiliate link) when I was eight and I was hooked! I would read every single book in the series in order and then re-read them.

I have a niece who is only two, but I can't wait to share my love of libraries and Nancy Drew with her!

Denver Public Library

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April is National Library Month

2011-04-04T13:05:00.000-07:00

April is National Library Month and to celebrate I've asked my fellow associates to share their favorite memories of books and libraries on the blog this month. I will kick things off today.

When I was a kid, my dad took me to the Fall River Public Library every Saturday afternoon. It was an amazing and imposing building, but the kids department had its own entrance on the side.

I remember it as just the most fantastic place in the world, and as an only child, reading became my constant companion.

As an adult I can't believe how scale changes! That same building still fills me with great memories, but it hardly seems as daunting or as large as my 5 year old eyes saw it!

It's kind of funny because my dad did that every Saturday religiously (while my mom went for those fabulous 60's updo's at Mr. Carlos's beauty salon also downtown!) but my dad was not and still isn't a huge reader.

Those experiences made me the reader I am today !

Here it is the Fall River public library!

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Times to Celebrate and a Day of Birthdays

2011-04-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

9:45am commenced the first meeting and introduction of Reuse Alliance to establish their Southern California Chapter held at the Bentley Prince Street Corporate Headquarters. It was much like a birthday with cause for celebration – with over 50 people each representing sustainable companies, organizations, city and county on a mission to inaugurate the non-profit locally which provides services and education to “reuse” before “recycle” of surplus materials and goods.

2:30pm commenced the first meeting and introduction 50 (and a few) years ago with my Mother – yes, today is my birthday too!

What I was thinking about while participating throughout the workshop was how these two "births", the launch of Reuse Alliance in Southern California and my own, were brought together through labors of love.....

I applaud Reuse Alliance for their courage, passion and commitment to join the field of sustainable practice. I also applaud my Mom for her courage, passion and commitment to stand by my decision when I joined this movement 6 years ago – a time when it was misunderstood as a “nice-to-have”.

Together, we are all environmental stewards and like minded doers – people who make a difference everyday; people who know now is the time for diverting landfill, connecting resources, building communities and well being around the world; all with the environment in mind – today marks another year older and wiser, what’s not to celebrate?

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Bentley Prince Street Awarded with Interface, Inc.'s 2010 EcoSense Award

2011-03-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

After reading The Ecology of Commerce (affiliate link) in 1994 Ray Anderson, Interface CEO, was inspired to establish a mission: to take the company beyond being sustainable to becoming restorative, that is, to put back more than it takes and do good to the earth rather than harm.

The EcoSense Program was created in 1995 in support of that mission. It provides a roadmap to guide all Interface Business Units, which includes Bentley Prince Street, towards sustainability. It allows us to benchmark, establish goals, as well as track and report the sustainability activities. Each Interface Business Unit sets goals in categories such as: sustainability awareness, education, sensitizing stakeholders, employee education, resource efficient transportation and eco-efficiency.

Every year Interface awards one of the business units with the EcoSense award and recently Bentley Prince Street was named the 2010 recipient!

In 2010, Bentley Prince Street demonstrated its diverse and well rounded sustainability program by earning 102 points in 27 different categories and achieving 120% of the 2010 EcoSense Target. One of the biggest contributors to the strength of this program was the number of "Restorative Projects" and "Community Outreach Projects" that Bentley Prince Street associates participated in. These projects included everything from cleanups and Habitat for Humanity projects to our company-wide Green Fair.

Our associates played an important role in Bentley Prince Street being honored with the 2010 EcoSense award. The 80 associates who participated in at least one of our restorative or community events and the 24 associates who attended multiple events throughout the year played an especially large role in us receiving this award. We are very fortunate to have associates dedicated to driving sustainability forward at Bentley Prince Street!

We would also love to know what other companies are doing to be restorative by educating others about sustainability and implementing programs that affect change! Please leave a comment!

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Strengths Series; Coach Cathy Discusses How to Use Strengths for Team Building

2011-03-28T10:33:00.000-07:00

I am excited to present the second video in our new series about strengths! At Bentley Prince Street we know that a team is only as strong as each individual member and we use the common language of strengths to build up each and every associate.

In this video I will be answering the question: How do you use strengths for team building?

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Our 2011 Bentley Prince Street Citadel Award Winners

2011-03-22T16:32:00.001-07:00

The Bentley Prince Street Citadel award honors the outstanding performance by an individual, whose contribution and hard work has surpassed all others in their class and has supported our company’s mission for excellence in sustainability.

This award focuses on those associates who have a passion for our Mission Zero promise. This award takes into consideration outstanding QUEST participation, community service and an overall spirit of caring for our environment both internally and externally.

The awards is open to all Bentley Prince Street associates and may be given to one or more depending on the number of candidates submitted. This year we awarded two associates!

Our first Citadel award winner is Liz Chaidez from our Human Resources department. Liz truly embodies the spirit of this award and has shown her passion for Mission Zero. She has participated in almost all of our community and restorative events and demonstrates a true passion for community service. She is also a member of our 2011 Green Team and her participation and help with translation has been invaluable and is a big reason for the team’s success. Most importantly, she has a positive attitude and a willingness to help support the sustainability team and has been an integral part of the company’s Mission Zero success in 2010.

“Receiving an award for contributing to great causes is wonderful, however each experience has been rewarding in itself and I must thank Kim and Sean for providing great opportunities that allow us to give back to our communities.” – Liz Chaidez.

Our next Citadel award winner is Catherine Prossen from our sales force. In addition to being a LEED AP, Catherine was one of just five people in the entire sales force to have posted numbers in all four sustainability categories: Cool Carpet certificates, ReEntry projects, CEU presentations and sustainability presentations. Between CEU and sustainability presentations, she reached over 300 people with our sustainability message in 2010. Most importantly, her understanding of and passion for sustainability is evident in her interactions with customers and fellow associates. She makes my job easy!

“Sustainability goals are not a new phenomenon at Bentley Prince Street. Environmental impacts have been measured by the company for over 15 years, which is long before many were even aware of the importance of sustainability. As a sales person it is imperative for me to lead by example in order for our customers to understand that sustainability is a way of life here. To be selected for the Citadel Award is a great honor that means that I strive to live the mission and vision of Bentley Prince Street's sustainability goals and initiatives. Mission Zero is the ultimate goal and it will take the effort and support of every individual to make this a reality. I look forward to being part of this process.” – Catherine Prossen.

Congratulations to Liz and Catherine, you are true sustainability leaders!

Mission Zero Participatory Action Research Team a.k.a "The Green Team"

2011-03-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

Posted by Sean Higbee, Sustainability Coordinator: Bentley Prince Street

Since the beginning of 2010, Bentley Prince Street's Mission Zero Participatory Action Research Team, or the Green Team, has been meeting monthly to help communicate and improve our sustainability programs and progress. The team members, or Sustainability Liaisons, represent every department at the mill. They have been nominated by their department manager as a result of their demonstrated engagement and responsibility. The meetings are conducted in Spanish and English with the help of the bilingual members.

The agenda of each meeting varies every month but always includes several key elements. These include Quest goals and suggestions, past and upcoming volunteer events, dumpster drive results, and sustainability updates. Every member is encouraged to provide feedback from their co-workers during the meetings. An educational component, such as 7 fronts to Sustainability, is also included in most of the meetings.

The team is organized and facilitated in a format know as Participatory Action Research. This means that every member has a participatory role to give feedback, create dialogue in their departments, and conduct quick action and research tasks. The action and research tasks can range from polling co-workers on energy conservation practices to announcing upcoming volunteer events at their department meetings. In January, the task given to the team was to poll their department for any issues or questions with the recycling program. The feedback from this task will be used to develop an effective educational activity for the upcoming Quest meetings to improve our recycling program and Dumpster Drive results.

Definition: Participatory Action Research
A reflective process of progressive problem solving led by individuals working with others in teams to improve the way they address issues and solve problems. Action research can also be undertaken by larger organizations or institutions with the aim of improving their strategies, practices, and knowledge of the environments within which they practice. (Center for Collaborative Action Research)

Meet our Team:

Name	Department Representing
Alfred Arellano	Custom Samples
Angelina Partida	Tufting
Anthony Delgado	Dyehouse
Carlos Quintero	Maintenance
Denise Martinez	QA & ISO
Marc Jimenez	Wellness & Warehouse
Maria Montes	Housekeeping
Mark Galaviz	Customer Care
Nancy McLain	IT
Nayeli & Liz	Human Resources
Olga Rodriguez	Finishing
Paul Quintero	Planning & Receiving
Rene Ramos	Yarn Prep
Sean Higbee(facilitator)	Administrative-accounting, purchasing & product development
Sergio Avila	Dyehouse
Timothy Santamaria	Marketing

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It's in the Books; Measure L Passes!

2011-03-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has ever met me knows how passionate I am about the library, it was with great pleasure last week while I was traveling that I started to get the text messages that Measure L had passed!

So on Saturday I went right over to the Atwater Public Library (my library of choice) and brought cake!

We need to remember to keep up our support for this very American Institution and the fabulous caring staffs in them!

I was thinking of all the books that have inspired Bentley Prince Street products and I couldn't believe how many there were. So if you are starting to compile your Spring Break list consider some of these!

Blue Highways (affiliate link) by William Least Heat-Moon (went with product Blue Highway, Scenic Drive and Overlook). I read an excerpt of it in the New Yorker over 25 years ago and have read everyone of his books to date. No road trip should be considered without it.

Urban Tribes: Are friends the new family? (affiliate link) by Ethan Watters ( went with Urban Tribe Collection).

Road Food: Good Food by Jane and Michael Stern. No Urban Collection could have been written without local flavor!

Edge City: Life on the new frontier (affiliate link) by Joel Garreau. This book was the inspiration not only for Edge City, but also for Satellite City and Suburban Fringe.

Taxi Driver Wisdom (affiliate link) by Risa Mickenberg (inspired New Gotham). Be sure to also check out Beauty Parlor Wisdom! (affiliate link)

In 2009, our NeoCon display was inspired by Clockwork Orange (affiliate link) by Anthony Burgess. Last year, NeoCon was all about Hollywood Noir and all the wonderful detective fiction that came from Los Angeles. Start your list with anything by Dashiell Hammet and of course by Jim Thompson, who wrote The Grifters! (affiliate link)

What's the Design Department reading this year?
Top of our lists are all the works by Steve Martin, especially his newest, An Object of Beauty. (affiliate link)

Stay tuned to see what our L.A. story will inspire for NeoCon 2011!

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Strengths Series; Coach Cathy Encourages You to Focus on Strengths!

2011-03-11T15:52:00.000-08:00

I wear many hats in my role as Vice President of Organizational Development, Marketing and Customer Care, for Bentley Prince Street. We are a strengths based organization and one aspect of my job that I am extremely passionate about is strengths. I have the incredible opportunity to help our associates recognize strengths in themselves and in each other.

In this video I will be answering the question: Why is it important for an organization to focus on strengths rather than weaknesses?

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Principal for a Day

2011-03-09T15:18:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Fraumeni and I

Each year Hacienda La Puente school district hosts an opportunity for business leaders to be a principal for the day. This year the theme was "Preparing our students today for the challenges of tomorrow." I had the honor and privilege of visiting Fairgrove Academy, an elementary school very close to our mill. I was welcomed with open arms and right away was out greeting children, parents and teachers with Principal Fraumeni. I was immersed in the every day responsibilities immediately and was amazed at the energy and spirit of Mrs. Fraumeni as she quickly introduced me to everyone. Penny Fraumeni is not new to her role as principal and in fact opened Fairgrove Academy 14 years ago. Fairgrove itself is a school of choice in the district focused on the arts - music, art and drama.

My tour guides for the morning were two students, one sixth grader and one seventh grader, who showed me around the entire school. I was moved by the art murals that were painted all over the school by students. As I walked through the school I could hear the band, choir and dance class all in full swing. The band played a new score for me that they were working on and I was able to warm up with the advanced girls choir. This was very exciting for me as I was a choir girl myself during my scholastic career. I even was able to attend two citizenship assemblies and handed out over 100 awards to students celebrating many accomplishments with the children.

What struck me was the positive spirit that surrounded this school. Each person, students and teachers alike, on a mission together. A learning environment rich in community and respect for each other. With each teacher that I spoke with, I realized that a personal commitment to the community through education was a common theme and that reminded me of Bentley Prince Street.

A manufacturing organization and a school are very different, but also alike in so many ways. Both entities on a mission to preserve the world of tomorrow. Fairgrove committed to providing the best education possible for children today through use of the arts and Bentley Prince Street manufacturing sustainably to preserve the earth. Each mission so powerful in its contribution to the immediate community that surrounds it.

I would encourage you to take a few minutes to focus on your own mission and get involved in your own community. There are so many opportunities and clearly we have great examples of how to give back in Fairgrove Academy and Bentley Prince Street.

I am interested to know what you are doing out there in your own communities and look forward to hearing your story.

Student Murals

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