January flew by like it was a dream. Mr. Jardine and myself have been on the phone non-stop since the beginning of the year. Now that I have a chance to come up for air, I wanted to remind the rest of you out there that we have a 1 week Systems Course and a 4 week Manager’s course being offered in March. THAT IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER! These courses are designed to expand on skill sets that are already established. So, if you have been in the Private Service Industry for 5 years or more and have been following Starkey International, wanting to know our systems….NOW is the time to register!

Please contact Donald Jardine or myself with any questions you may have.  

Mr. Donald Jardine

Chief Operating Officer

Admissions Director

303-832-5510 x120

cell 303-994-7407

djardine@starkeyintl.com

Ms. Kristin Parks

Private Service Event Manager

Admissions Services

303-832-5510 x106

kparks@starkeyintl.com

Admissions is buzzing with all the new students we have in our mansion this season. We couldn’t be more excited with all this new energy! We are already starting to process applications for our upcoming March 1 & 4 week classes, and our April 8 week class. Remember! The resources here at Starkey International have already proven to be invaluable to all career changing students J Including, but not limited to: our new Chief Operating Officer who just semi – retired from 30 years in the Private Service Industry, our detailed class materials that are included in the admission’s price, and also our friendly staff who would bend-over-backwards to help you out J We look forward to getting to know each and every one of our potential Starkey Graduates in 2010!

Don’t forget to register for Restoring The Art 2010! This year promises to be educational and fun! You can Click Here to find out more information.

Also, be sure to check out our StarkeyHQ Software Demo, or purchase your copy here.

Sincerely,

Mr. Donald Jardine and Ms. Kristin Parks

Our 1^st class of the year is starting today J We have a full house again, and life is pumping throughout the mansion after the holidays. It seems that with our ever-changing economy, our class schedule has taken under a face-lift of its own! We are offering more classes in more locations for 2010 than ever before! If you have been following the Starkey Blog and are wondering if we will be having classes in your area, please don’t hesitate to contact us as soon as possible! We would love to be of assistance. You can also check out our 2010 Schedule of Course Offerings on our website (http://www.starkeyintl.com/class_schedule.html)

Warmly,

Donald Jardine

Chief Operating Officer

Starkey International

&

Ms. Kristin Parks

Private Service Event Manager

Admissions Assistant

Starkey International

U.S. Commerce Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement

WASHINGTON D.C., June 8, 2009 — Starkey International Institute of Household Management has been selected for the 2009 Denver Award in the Vocational Schools category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).

The USCA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2009 USCA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

About U.S. Commerce Association (USCA)

U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: U.S. Commerce Association

CONTACT:
U.S. Commerce Association
Email: PublicRelations@us-ca.org
URL: http://www.us-ca.org

Halloween is just around the corner, the weather is cooling down, and Starkey International is getting prepared for the 2010 course schedule. We are pleased to announce that we will be offering an additional 4 week course starting January 4^th, 2010. Please sign up quickly as interest has been high by potential students! Seats are filling up fast.

Donald Jardine

Chief Operating Officer

2010 Schedule of Course Offerings

(All Courses offered in Denver, Colorado unless specified)

Certified Household Management Program

Eight -Week

January 11 – March 5, 2010 (Class 109)

April 26 – June 18, 2010 (Class 111)

August 9 – October 1,  2010 (Class 113)

Certified Manager’s Program

Four –Week

January 4 – January 29, 2010 (Class 108)

March 22 – April 16, 2010 (Class 110)

July 5 – July 30, 2010 (Class 112)

October 11 – November 5, 2010 (Class 114)

October 18 – November 12, 2010 (Washington, DC) (Class 115)

Restoring the Art

Continuing Education Conference

Denver, CO

March 18-20, 2010

Certified Service Management System

One-Week

January 4 – 8, 2010

January 11 – 15, 2010

March 8 – 12, 2010 (Las Vegas)

March 22 - 26, 2010

April 26 - 30, 2010

June 21 - 25, 2010 (New York City)

July 5 – 9, 2010

August 9 – 13, 2010 (Denver)

August 9 – 13, 2010 (Los Angeles)

October 11 – 15, 2010

October 18 - 22, 2010 (Washington, DC)

5 weeks to go! The countdown has begun and we are thrilled, energized, and optimistic about the future here at Starkey International Institute. Our classes our filling up quickly, both in Denver and Washington DC. If you have ever thought about starting a new career as a Certified Household Manager, there is no better time than right now to come on board! We have clients who are actively searching our Starkey Graduate database to choose the right graduate for their home! Our clients choose us because Starkey International Institute delivers ‘service as an expertise’.

Donald Jardine

Starkey International Institute

Chief Operating Officer

Julie and Julia

I recently went to the newly released movie featuring the life of Julia Child, Julie & Julia!  For those of us who have ever had a dream, and struggled many years to achieve it, it was downright inspirational!  I loved it.  It’s important not to take one’s self too seriously, but after 30 years in Private Service and now achieving age 60, it’s hard not to take some time on the subject.  What I saw in the movie was an ambitious young woman, seeking to find her gift in life.  Ultimately she found her calling writing about cooking with the great and very humorous Julia Child as her muse.   I decided right then and there that while I have written many texts and manuals in the field of my passion, Household Management and Service, I have not often written from my heart.  To that end, I am beginning today to do so.  I hope you like what you read, and will respond if you feel inspired to do so!

Recently, our educator, Mr. Althoff and I provided a private training for a very special and well-respected, old guard hotel.  The subject at hand was ”The giving and receiving of service”.  I have traveled the world watching for and in search of “true service.”  It is a subject upon which I have created a successful career.  In the end, Household Management is all about service.  One’s technical skills, while important, become very low on the scale of priorities without real and genuine service at the helm. 

This training included several members of the hotel staff, both front line associates and management.  The discussion centered on serving their new, mostly younger, guests.   I made the statement that most of us in the U.S. under the age of 65 do not really understand how to receive service, most particularly those of us who are in the service industry.  We all have been raised with a very intense “hard work ethic,” and when it is uncomfortable or unfamiliar, we prefer to just do it ourselves! 

My statement about receiving service, while interesting to some, went right over the heads of most in the room until the Operations Manager of the property stopped the conversation and shared the following story:  I recently was at an upscale golf club.  My caddy kept wiping off my clubs, deciding which one I needed, and fetching and washing my golf ball.  Annoyed, I finally stopped him and said, “Please, I can really do this myself!”  My caddy, equally frustrated, said, “It’s my job to help you, let me take care of you!”  This very smart manager, at that moment, really got it!  “This is what you are talking about,” he said with total amazement emanating brightly from his face.   “How can we expect our new guests to appropriately receive when we as providers do not know how it is done?”  There was total silence in the room.  I could have kissed him with appreciation.  He gets my gold Starkey Star for the year! 

My intimate understanding of service is that those who come to give service in their life, need to also learn how to receive it, as much as those who receive service, typically have yet to also learn how to give.  And finally, when genuine service does really happen, giving and receiving at the same time, in the same moment, an alchemical flash throughout time occurs.  It is a moment in our life that few forget.  It is why we have something that it is so ill understood, SERVICE!

It has been very busy in admissions since the CostCo Connection article was published.  Our phones are very busy with new students requesting admissions to our four and eight week Household Management Certification Programs both in Denver and at our Washington, DC location.  We are very excited to receive our new students, here and abroad.  I hope you have a great summer!

Call or email me directly, anytime you have questions about our spectacular programs at 1-800-888-4904 at Starkey or 303-994-7407 on my cell.

I look forward to the opportunity to be of service.

Donald Jardine

Director of Operations

Starkey International

We are excited about our new program that we are offering at Starkey International.  We have just been approved for our Private Service Wine Sommelier Certification (level 1).  This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the essential and fundamental aspects of wine knowledge, based on the five major wine regions of France.  The students will examine traditional wine practices and distinguish between those that are more contemporary.  Through thoughtful exploration and awareness  of basic practices, terminology and evaluation, this introductory course will provide a sound basis for the wine novice as well as a review for those with prior wine knowledge.  This 35 hour course will include the following:

·         Introduction to fermentation and distillation

·         Mixology and Bar basics

·         Introduction to wine in history and various cultures

·         Wines today

·         Old World wines and New World wines

·         Wine cellaring and Storage

·         Food and Wine Pairing

·         Glass ware and various wine tools

·         Exploration of the five major wine regions of France and comparison of the New World counterparts

·         Will participate in serving a formal dinner (12) including the planning, prep, and mirrored service.

Each class will include lecture, PowerPoint and visual learning as well as hands on tasting.  You can take this course as part of your eight-week curriculum or you can take this course as a stand alone course.

Please call our Admissions department about more details.

Starkey International is in the process of setting up the mansion for its new guests! Soon, the mansion will be accessible to small, local non-profit and corporate events. We are excited as we begin to create new menus, produce marketing materials, and develop our new web page! Please stay tuned….there will be plenty more excitement to come!