Live in Las Vegas

Get ready to learn, laugh, work, and enjoy the atmosphere at ISRI’s annual convention and exposition. Here’s your guide to it all.

Las Vegas is a city that has always attracted big names, and don’t expect anything different when the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) (Washington, D.C.) meets for its convention there March 16-19 at the Mirage. In fact, the 1994 featured speaker roster includes VIPs from the medical, business, sports, and entertainment industries, as well as scrap industry and other business experts.

On Thursday morning, Connie Glazer, author of More Power to You, will present a program that should be of interest to wives of convention delegates and women in the scrap industry alike--how to communicate without losing femininity. According to Glazer, it’s possible to effectively command attention with everyone from your boss to your mechanic to your spouse, and her presentation will offer ideas on just how to do so. Later that day, Herb Cohen--who scheduled to speak at last year’s convention but was unable to attend because of illness--will discuss how You Can Negotiate Anything, the title of his best-selling book.

The joy of stress? What sounds like a contradiction in terms is actually the topic of a presentation set for Friday morning by family practitioner Peter Hanson, M.D., who, after seeing the effects of stress on his patients, has come to believe that it’s not all bad. In fact, Hanson contends that stress, correctly managed, can be a key factor in both personal and professional excellence. That afternoon, David Pearce Snyder, a social forecaster and an editor of The Futurist, will address the managerial, organizational, and operational changes that, he says, will enable companies and entire industries to survive and prosper into the 21st century.

On Saturday afternoon, Terry Bradshaw will take a look at what makes us great. The Emmy-award winning sports commentator is perhaps best known for his tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers--during which the team had eight consecutive playoff seasons and won four Super Bowl championships--and will include in his presentation his tips on success and courage.

Finally, the convention’s closing-night entertainment is about as big a name as they come--Jay Leno, host of NBC’s “Tonight Show,” a stand-up comic and contender in the highly publicized talk show wars.

ISRI’s Own Headliners

Lively and informative sessions are definitely in the cards, thanks to the bounty of industry expertise represented in the many committee meetings and workshops throughout the length of the convention, including ISRI’s first-ever “first timer’s orientation” on Thursday night, which aims to help novice attendees in getting the most out of the convention. Sponsored by the young leadership council, the event is a good opportunity for those who aren’t well-acquainted with other scrap processors and recyclers at the convention to meet up with other newcomers and gain from the experience of veteran conventioneers.

Several committee meetings dominate Wednesday’s agenda. Thursday will also be filled with committee sessions, but will also feature a special UBC workshop as well as the president’s report on the scrap recycling industry, presented by outgoing ReMA President Arnold Gachman of Gachman Metals & Recycling Co. (Fort Worth, Texas). Other national officers and ReMA Executive Director Herschel Cutler will also be on hand for the latter presentation to answer questions.

On Friday, ISRI’s national board of directors will hold its first of two meetings scheduled in conjunction with the convention. Other events set for that day include a program on women in recycling, sponsored by the young leadership council, and a public relations workshop focusing on the necessity for good public relations in the industry and ways that it can increase profitability for individual companies. The future of plastics recycling will be addressed in a workshop later in the afternoon, followed by "Saving $$ and Making ¢¢," featuring a panel of experts who will discuss how firms can control the cost of insurance, with emphasis placed on the handling of workers' compensation claims. After a commodity spotlight on copper that day, it's time to meet the consumers in a special area set up to facilitate networking among participants interested in doing business in certain commodities.

On Saturday, the commodity spotlights are on nickel/stainless steel and aluminum. The day's other workshops run the gamut from a look at ISO 9000 certification to a storm water program update. In addition, Saturday's schedule will include a second board of directors meeting, featuring election of the association's officers.

It’s All in the Game

Don't worry--despite the jam-packed program of speakers and events, ReMA hasn't forgotten that Las Vegas is a city designed for enjoyment.

When you aren't busy with convention activities, all of the city's most famous casinos are right at your doorstep, and the sports facilities and other attractions of the Mirage are even closer. And for registered spouses and guests, there's a full roster of special speakers and entertainment, including a "Concert in the Park"-themed luncheon at nearby Caesars Palace on Thursday and a presentation on Saturday by cookbook author Holly Clegg (A Trim and Terrific Louisiana Kitchen), who'll show how it's possible to eat healthy as well as eat well. She'll demonstrate several of the recipes in her cookbook, which participants attending the program will be given.

Elegant cocktail receptions cap off the day's activities on both Friday and Saturday nights. And whether you win or lose at the casinos, you're sure to leave the convention smiling after the Saturday grand finale dinner dance and show starring Jay Leno.

--Nancy L. Gast

Let the Games Begin

For those first-time Vegas conventioneers, there’s still time to brush up on your gaming skills before hitting the casinos. Here are some basic rules and tips to keep in mind once the chips are down.

The object of baccarat is to come as close to--without going over--9, with only two or three cards.

Blackjack is similar in nature to baccarat--only in this case, the number you want is 21 and there’s no limit on the number of cards. If you chance to beat the odds, you can “double down” if your first two cards total 9, 10, or 11 and gamble on getting an ace or 10 as your third card.

In craps, players place bets on marked areas of the craps table, while the “shooter” rolls two dice against the table’s far wall. If the shooter rolls 7 or 11 on the first roll and your bet is on the “pass line,” you win; if he rolls 2, 3, or 12, you lose. And if he rolls any other number twice before rolling a 7, you win. Betting on the “don’t pass line” means you’re betting against the dice and shooter, with the wins and losses described above reversed.

Playing keno is almost like playing the lottery: You mark numbers on a blank ticket, give a duplicate to the casino’s keno writer, and listen for your numbers to be selected at random. Your winnings depend on the type of ticket and how many of your numbers are selected.

The options are endless when you play roulette--bet on any number, numbers, colors, or on a column or corner of numbers. Odds range from 35 to 1 to even money.

Is the strategy getting to be too much? Then it’s time to play the slot machines, which require only coins of the correct denomination for your particular machine and a good arm or finger.  •

Source: Official Las Vegas Visitors Guide.