News
Raleigh America rewards 'Heron Council' IBDs with Hollywood bash
Carlton Reid Mar 13 2007, 4:45pm
The company's Heron Council event - for Raleigh USA's best US dealers – included Acadamy Awards style schmoozing.
Raleigh America, Inc., recently staged its annual Heron Council Meeting and Gala Fat the Palm Springs Westin Mission Hills Resort in California. Now in its 9th year, this year’s Heron Council event featured a Hollywood theme complementing fun in the California sun and two days of business meetings.
The Academy Awards Gala event on the final night included a red carpet greeting line complete with lookalikes representing Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, and Humphrey Bogart.
There's a list of Raleigh America Heron Council dealers on the US company's blogsite.
“This year’s Heron Council event was one of the best ever. It was a perfect balance of learning, social and business interaction with other fantastic dealers, and free time to unwind,” said Scott Cowan, owner of Century Cycles, a three-store bicycle retailer located in Ohio.
Cowan: “The Heron Council event sets Raleigh apart from the rest of the industry and is one more way they are showing their support of the IBD and it doesn't go unnoticed with our buying decisions all year long."
Each year as part of the annual Heron Council gala celebration dinner, Raleigh America presents each of its top dealers with a distinctive hand-blown glass award, as a lasting recognition of their performance and support for Raleigh America. This year the awards were presented by Bill Austin, Steve Meineke, and Rickey Strawn, Raleigh America’s CEO, President, and Director of Sales, respectively.
“It is an honour and a privilege to spend quality time with our Heron Council Dealers,” said Strawn.
“Each of these dealers has contributed to Raleigh America’s success over the last year not only with their purchases, but with their feedback and support. It is our ongoing commitment to work with our dealers around the country to grow the business and sport of bicycling by providing high quality, innovative products with industry leading value and dealer margins.”
The Heron Council is named after the famous Raleigh head badge, which is still placed on the front of Raleigh bicycles. The heron was part of the family heraldic coat of arms of the English firm's founder, Sir Frank Bowden.
