ARLINGTON, Va., July 10, 2006 — Health Communications, Inc (HCI) today announced that they have certified over 2,000,000 people worldwide in the TIPS program. TIPS is the global leader in education and training for the responsible service, sale, and consumption of alcohol. No other responsible alcohol service training provider has certified as many people as TIPS. Proven effective by third-party studies, TIPS is a skills-based training program that is designed to prevent intoxication, underage drinking, and drunk driving. TIPS offers seven programs that address the unique environments where alcohol is served, sold, and consumed, including On Premise, Off Premise, Concessions, Gaming, University, Seniors, and Workplace.
The two-millionth person certified was Colleen Cull of the Boston Culinary Group in Boston, Massachusetts. Colleen works at the Bank of America Pavilion and was certified in TIPS for Concessions, a program that focuses on the unique challenges of serving alcohol at stadiums, arenas, theaters, amusement parks, fairs, or festivals – any large venue where alcohol is consumed. "The class brought a fresh perspective to the responsibilities involved in serving alcohol. TIPS provides practical suggestions that you can use to prevent a customer from getting drunk or driving drunk. They also assist with spotting underage drinkers," said Colleen. The Boston Culinary Group has used the TIPS program for over 20 years and finds great value in offering a program that equips its employees with the confidence and knowledge to intervene when an alcohol-related situation occurs.
Mike Marcantonio, owner of Dram Shoppe Consultants, is a 21-year TIPS Trainer who trained Colleen and has certified over 40,000 other participants. "Servers who come to my sessions often speak of one day getting a 'real job.' When they learn that servers and sellers of alcohol sometimes face liability claims as high as doctors being sued for malpractice, they realize that serving alcohol IS a real job. Rather than educate the drinker, TIPS empowers those who surround the drinker to intervene. People leaving my class feel better about their jobs. They realize that they can make a big difference in society and that their efforts save lives," said Mike.
Adam Chafetz, President and CEO of Health Communications, Inc., said, "It is no surprise that our two-millionth certified individual is employed by a company that routinely customizes its programs to exceed client expectations while meeting the highest standards of service for their guests. TIPS training is a perfect component of that service. TIPS-certified servers keep their guests safe and help ensure an enjoyable and responsible environment wherever alcohol is served."
About Health Communications, Inc.
Health Communications, Inc. (HCI) was founded in 1982 by the Health Education Foundation and Dr. Morris Chafetz, founding director of the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Located in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, HCI offers TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS), eTIPS, CAST (Certified Alcohol Seller Training), and ASSET (Alcohol Sales/Service Education & Training). HCI is a nationally recognized expert in the field of alcohol server training. Its flagship program, TIPS, was the first of its kind and continues to set industry standards for this type of training. Numerous public officials and government agencies have recognized and endorsed TIPS training as life-saving and critical to the progress made in reducing alcohol-related injuries and deaths.
Contact:
Trevor Estelle
703-524-1200 ext. 357
Email
http://www.gettips.com