Healdsburg's Excellent Service Workshop Gains Mo-mentum

We told you several weeks ago about how workers in Healdsburg's retail, professional services and winery industries could get training this spring to make the city eliglble for the new Certification in Service Excellence.

Now it's time to up the ante: Registrations received by March 16th will receive a "baked with excellence" by , Chamber of Commerce director. To register, click here.

If the city qualifies and is awarded the certification, Healdsburg would be the first town in California to qualify for this new concept in the realm of hospitality.

“I am thrilled about possibly qualifying Healdsburg as the first town in California for a 'Certification in Service Excellence',” said Eric Weiss, president and founder of Service Arts, Inc., who will present the program April 30 - May 9 in Healdsburg.

is hosting the program, which has the blessing of Healdsburg Chamber CEO McElroy.

"In my 25-year career in hospitality, this is one of the singular most exciting initiatives I have taken part in," McElroy said.

"Being in service is a value I have lived most of my life," McElroy said. "When I first met Eric and learned of his extraordinary approach to service, we immediately shared a vision of taking Healdsburg -- an immensely successful town -- to another level of excellence."

Also giving a thumbs up was Daniel Shanks, usher of food and beverage for The White House in Washington, DC.

"This concept could change the face of hospitality," Shanks said.

The training, dubbed Healdsburg's first "Excellent Service Workshop Series," will include seven days of interactive activities and training tools, divided into two-day sessions for the following sectors:

--hotels/restaurants;

--retail/professional services;

--winery/tasting rooms.

The final day will culminate with a day for all three sectors ,and a celebration event with City of Healdsburg and Chamber officials presiding.

Each day's program will run from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. in Healdsburg. Fee for the program is $195 per participant and limited to two representatives from each establishment. Lunch is included for all days.

Because of the limited space, (40 participants for each segment,) the program will be offered on a first sign-up basis. The list of local businesses that has signed up already is growing - and with the added incentive of a pie from Mo, it's bound to fill up soon.

• Cyrus
• Larry Orr
• Myra Hoefer
• Costeaux French Bakery
• Applewood Inn & Restaurant
• Viola
• Four Sisters Inns & Healdsburg Inn on the Plaza
• Va-de-Vi Bistro & Wine Bar
• Healdsburg Vacation Homes
• SOAR Inflatables / Russian River Adventures
• Mengali Accountancy
• Haydon Street Inn
• Options Gallery
• Sotheby's International Realty
• Artisan Sotheby's Int'l Realty
• Bear Republic Brewing Company
• Michael Laird
• Camellia Inn
• Lambert Bridge Winery
• Baker Street Downtown 

See what we mean? Don't miss out on your chance to join this illustrous list. To register, visit To register, click here.

To read the San Francisco Chronicle article on this program, click here.