On May 27th, we were honored for our fourth time to take FIDM students on an extensive tour at Barco. The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising has been visiting with us for the past year. Martin Podway, a teacher at this college, has arranged this tour during each and every semester as part of the schools curriculum. Martin previously worked for Barco before making a career change as a teacher, sharing his knowledge and experience of the apparel industry. It is a great moment for our company and some of our key management team members to bring life at work inside an apparel company to these students.  We also learn from the younger generation by their questions and their inspiration.

First on the tour was our presentation from Eileen Felix, our design director, of our Medical uniform business. Here Eileen was able to show highlights of our newest season along with showing and explaining to them the process we use. The process is collaborative and can be very challenging. The students showed a great deal of excitement as they learned from Eileen.

Secondly, we visited with Ida Scurto, our design director for our corporate uniform division. Ida was able to show examples and talk about the process we use when we develop uniforms for customers like McDonalds and Taco Bell. We work closely with the management team of each customer. It is our job to align the uniform with the image of the company while providing a uniform the employees will like to wear. It usually is quite exciting and challenging.

The third leg of the tour visit was with Iris Amano, our marketing director. Iris was able to show them the process we used as we did a corporate rebranding initiative. On March 31^st, we launched our new logo and corporate tag line/story. And on May 12^th, we launched the Barco Nightingales website. I was so proud to show the new website to the students sharing with them, the importance of giving and let them see the difference compassion makes. During the presentation of our new logo and new websites, you could see much excitement from the students.

Our Exec VP and COO Kyle Weiner walked them through our new arc technology initiative. Arc technology is a leadership initiative, bringing to our customers the newest and most relevant technologies in order to make our products address their needs.The final leg of the tour was when Kyle took the students on a tour of the sample making room.  In this room all of the dreams of the designers take hold. The sample makers at Barco are crucial and help give birth to the designs of our talented design team. It is an amazing moment seeing each garment come to life. The students listened intently as Kyle concluded his remarks with a story and advice as to what it takes to be successful.

As we neared the end of the tour I took some time to express some lessons from life that I thought they would benefit. I explained that what is key is for each of them to discover inside what is their passion and what they want to do to make a difference in the world. I also explained that once they answer this question they will find it easy to give their complete heart and soul to making a difference is any career they choose. Looking at the hope and excitement in their faces, it energized me. I realized the importance of nurturing and helping the young whether they are the children of Barco’s Nightingales or the students of FIDM. We are already looking forward to next semester.
-Michael