Mike Loftus is a respected Illinois entrepreneur who guides MLE Merchandising & Sign Solutions, Inc., and offers a full range of brand solutions. His firm focuses on the installation and production of signage for retail and corporate interior and exteriors. Mike Loftus and the MLE team also take on space refresh projects. An ongoing MLE project spans Target stores across the country and involves Starbucks in-store remodels. Remodels are completed within a four- or five-day timeframe, and the firm has completed more than 70 locations up to the present. Remodels span all cabinetry, plumbing, drywall, lighting, and coffee bar countertops. Starbucks has partnered with Target in providing an in-store coffee shop experience for the past several years and maintains a close relationship with the nationwide big-box retailer. As reported in Fortune Magazine, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz presented before Target team members in an April 2016 event designed to rally a company that has weathered demographic-led turbulence following the recession. Having successfully rebounded through an innovative sales platform emphasizing e-commerce and collaborative branding through companies such as Lilly and Marimekko, Target is poised for growth once more. Mr. Schultz emphasized the importance of getting the basics and details right, with a focus on reminding customers of what they “fell in love with in the first place,” one cup at a time.
For more than 10 years, Mike Loftus has been serving as the president of MLE Merchandising & Sign Solutions, Inc., in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. In this capacity, Mr. Loftus oversees the growth of MLE as the company provides a full range of signage design, production, and installation. A dedicated family man, Mike Loftus enjoys spending time with his wife, children, and four dogs.The process of introducing a new dog to a resident dog should be done carefully. At first, use cages or small rooms to keep the dogs separated. This provides the dogs with a sense of security and gives them a chance to smell each other before they actually see each other.
To promote familiarity with the smell of the other dog, switch toys or blankets periodically so their smells can be transferred from one dog’s space to the other. After some time, allow the new dog to roam the house while the resident dog is still confined. Next, the resident dog should be allowed to roam freely and explore the new dog's scent.When introducing the dogs face-to-face, take them to a neutral area so their territorial instincts do not cause aggression. The dogs should be on leashes, but the leashes should be kept loose to reduce tension and allow the dogs to approach each other. Alternatively, have a friend walk the new dog while the owner and resident dog walk in front. Over time, the dogs will get used to each other and can be brought together. If the dogs show no signs of aggression after they have been brought together, they can be moved to an enclosed area. The dogs should be allowed to establish their own pack hierarchy, but extreme aggression by one or both dogs should be discouraged.
