As always, this year will once again be a time of renovation, expansion, and renewal.  The 30 business units of the Advantage Co are all poised for a great 2013.

Front and center will be several new projects, programs, and businesses that we expect to launch in 2013.  Here’s a brief look at what’s new for the coming year:

1. The Cento Club.  The Cento Club will be for our top 100 TW&Co customers based on their total TW&Co and Giancarlo’s purchases in 2012 and additional select customers who will be invited to join for an annual fee of $1,000.  Additionally, we will have day passes for special customers and out of town guests.  All Cento Club members will automatically be enrolled in all TW&Co programs and receive an additional 10% off all of their regular purchases.  There will also be a private Cento Club Concierge and three private Cento Club rooms available by appointment only:
   1. The Cento Private Club Room.  Construction is nearly complete on the private club room which will include a 400 sq’ private dining and dressing/showroom/lounge, along with a private spa treatment room and bath.  Cento Club members will be able to enter the Cento Private Club Room directly from TW B+B, the outside, or Giancarlo’s Cento Banquet Room.  There will also be a private patio right outside of the club room for summertime dining.
   2. The Cento Banquet Room.  Although there are several finishing touches still underway, Christina Karl hosted our grand opening of the Cento Banquet Room last night.  By all accounts, it was a very good time.  The new room is considerably larger than the Vantaggio Room, and it will accommodate all types of parties, meetings, shows, and banquets for our Cento Club members.  Cento Club members will also be able to eat lunch and dinner in the privacy of the Cento Banquet Room when no events are taking place.  With the addition of the Cento Banquet Room, Giancarlo’s can now comfortably accommodate parties of up to 160 guests.
   3. The Cento Bazaar.  Our new private back-room store will be for our Cento Club members only, and it will open at the end of January.  The Cento Bazaar will feature transition product from the previous season’s lineup from all of the TW&Co shops.  All product in the Cento Room will be exclusively for Cento Club members at 30% off.
2. The TW&Co Gift Center.  I always feel better when we actually get to build a new concept, so, in 2013, we are finally going to build our long awaited TW&Co Gift Center.  The Gift Center will be home to our Corporate Gift Concierge, Gift Giving Registry, Gift Registry, Gift Wrapping, Ship It Free, Gift Cards, Gift Certificates, and video conferenced gift solutions.
3. The Smart Center.  Yes, some day soon we will speak as fondly of the old Stereo Advantage as we do the Sneaker Advantage.  Just as the Sneaker Advantage morphed into the Tony Walker & Co array of premium shops, so will the Stereo Advantage transform itself into the Smart Center.
   1. The Smart Center will offer consumers, businesses, schools, institutions, and the government complete technology integration and entertainment solutions, providing the finest brands, Lifetime Service, and system architecture professionally designed, programmed, and installed by The Smart Squad and Advantage TI.
   2. Computer/Internet Technology.  It is up to us to integrate computer/internet technology with entertainment and business solutions.  Furthermore, we have to make it universally accessible.  Whether it’s in our customer’s living room, office, business, or online – it’s up to us to seamlessly integrate our customer’s access to all of their information and entertainment resources.  No one is better equipped to provide the myriad of expertise necessary to deliver the whole package.  We are the future.  From System Architecture to Technology Integration to Lifetime Service – we are the vanguard of our industry.
4. The Resource Center.  Since 1981, the Advantage Co has embraced my Root Philosophy.  At the core of this business philosophy is the desire to always develop new opportunities for everyone involved in the Advantage experience.  Accordingly, The Resource Center will identify and enable the utilization of all our resources, products, and professional service offerings to expand current business operations and to, more importantly  launch new business opportunities.
5. Advantage Brands.  We are fortunate to nationally represent Sumbody, Bogavia, Piece Apparel, Modern Luxuri, and, soon to be launched, RiOT clothing and accessories.  The representation, sale, distribution, and fulfillment of these brands to accounts nationally [and online direct to the consumer] will provide TW&Co with unlimited access to customers worldwide.
6. The Advantage Sales Group.  Once we are finished with all of the above, we will be able to turn our attention to renovating and expanding our second floor operations at the Walker Center.  Fortunately, we currently have space for our iFul and Advantage Brands’ sales operations, but the full promise of the Advantage Nation Sales Program will not be realized until we have everyone under one roof.  By the end of the summer, we will have the Advantage Sales Group, iFul, Advantage Global Management, and Smart Squad Design all in one contiguous space.
7. IaaS.  It’s official as of yesterday.  Our Autonomic Resources partnership is the first to receive an authority to operate from FedRamp.  This is a remarkable achievement.  Yes, the Advantage Co is much more than meets the eye in Williamsville.  Please read the entire announcement: http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/autonomic-resources-arc-p-cloud-173500926.html

Autonomic Resources ARC-P Cloud Receives FedRAMP’s First Issued Authority to Operate  CARY, N.C., Dec. 27, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Autonomic Resources, a Government Cloud Service Provider (CSP), has received a Federal Risk Authorization and Management Program (FedRAMP) provisional Authority to Operate (ATO) from the FedRAMP Joint Authorization Board (JAB) for their ARC-P cloud solution. The FedRAMP program supports the U.S. government’s objective to enable U.S. federal agencies to use managed service providers that enable cloud computing capabilities. 

Of course, there are several other projects, programs, and new business waiting to sprout in 2013, but this is enough for a first glimpse.  I can’t wait to see how it all turns out.  The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades.