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

We here at Starkey are grateful for wonderful friendships we have with our students and clients. We are truly lucky to be a part of your lives! Starkey is excited to dive into the new year to continue to nurture new and existing relationships. Our next round of classes start on January 4^th, 2010 and January 11^th, 2010. We have a large variety of classes being offered…a little something for every experience level. If you are a Starkey Graduate, Client, or potential student, please check out our 2010 schedule. It promises to be a fruitful year!

Donald Jardine

Chief Operating Officer

Starkey International

This new economy has created many new challenges for all people – businesses, working people, and students alike.  Many of the traditional lending sources have limited access to funding once easily obtained.  Sallie Mae Financial, a traditional education lending source, cut 3,000 Private Career Schools from their programs in the  Spring 2009.  The majority of which were in good standing but had a smaller population than the larger state or community colleges.

Starkey International Institute has taken the lead and has been seeking alternate sources of financing  for students desiring to attend one of our premier courses in Certified Household Management.   Keep in mind that home equity loans, personal lines of credit and your stock portfolio are still excellent cash resources already at your disposal.   

In addition, Starkey has setup a relationship with American General Financial Services in Denver, Colorado for those who would qualify for a personal loan.    A down payment will be required and the interest rate starts at 17%.   You would apply directly with the lender and they can send your tuition funds directly to Starkey International.

Additionally, it used to be that only persons who have an employer sponsor, a family member or an association with a Credit Union could seek membership with a credit union.  This is no longer the case.  Many credit unions across the country are now allowing membership with a small contribution (many times $5) to a sponsored organization which is deposited into a savings account you own.  You may apply online for loans at very reasonable interest rates – some as low as 10%.  If approved you will need to visit the credit union to sign signature cards and receive your loan funds to deliver to Starkey International.

These are just a few of the additional resources that Starkey has been able to identify for potential students to access.  As we discover other resources we will be sure to notify you.  If you find a resource we would love hearing from you too. 

As our world and economy changes, your education is more important than ever.  We at Starkey International look forward to speaking with you soon.

 We are enjoying the beautiful crisp air, the changing aspens, and a full class to start on September 28^th! It’s now time to start focusing on our last class of the year. We are offering one more 1 week systems course starting October 26^th – October 30^th, 2009. This course is for experienced household managers and personal assistants who want to bring the Starkey software into their Principal’s estates. If you are interested in more information, please contact me at your earliest convenience as these seats are filling up quickly!

Sincerely,

Donald Jardine

Chief Operating Officer

Starkey Internationa

303-832-5510 Work

303-994-7407 Cell

djardine@starkeyintl.com

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

By former Presidential Chef Bill Althoff

Did you know that as a baseline it takes 2 hours to prep, prepare, serve, and clean up one average meal for 4 persons?

Excerpt Original Guide to Private Service Management, Starkey International

 The Super Grain

Perhaps many in the world have never heard of the grain—Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah).  Farmed for thousands of years it is the grain of the pitseed plant grown in the Andes Mountains since the Inca civilization.  It is known as the super grain of today.  You can find it at your local grocers in the rice and cous cous section of the store.  It cooks similar to the way rice does,  it is recommended you do not rinse it.  I like to cook it with chicken broth instead of water. You can season it with a wide variety of spices, I like to add saffron or my favorite is to cook it until it is almost ready and add my favorite sautéed vegetable in the pot. 

So if you haven’t heard of Quinoa, try it.  It pleases all palettes, it is gluten free, meat free and tastes great.

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!

Thank you to all of our Veterans! Many of you shared the Military Stars Event at the Embassy Suites Hotel on July 30^th, 2009 with Starkey International Institute. Ms. Stimson, Mr. Althoff, and myself hope you enjoyed the Employer Panel and stopping by the Starkey booth. Good luck on your civilian workforce transition! If I can be of any assistance, please contact me at your convenience on my cell phone 303-994-7407. I look forward to the opportunity to be of service.

Mr. Donald Jardine
Chief Operating Officer
Starkey International Institute
djardine@starkeyintl.com