BSA convention focuses on certification
By Staff -- Industrial Distribution, 6/1/1998
Amelia Island, Fla.-- The Bearing Specialists Assn. unveiled its new certified bearing specialists program at its 32nd annual convention held here at the Ritz-Carlton Resort April 26-29.The program is the first-and only- certification program in the industry designed by and for bearing specialists. Candidates for the program include sales engineers, applications engineers, field service technicians, bearing technical support specialists, outside and inside salespeople and account managers.
To be eligible for the CBS program, candidates must be employed for at least two years in the bearings industry, successfully complete the BSA in-house training guide and complete the application and filing fees of $500 for BSA members and $900 for non-members.
Southern Illinois University has been chosen to develop the CBS exam.
BSA members who served on the Certification Advisory Committee were Charles Nicholson, Bearings and Drives, Inc.; Peter Fitzpatrick, Bearings Specialty Co.; Paul A. Brown, Associated Bearings Co.; R.P. Racine, Gopher Bearing Co.; Jack Cahill, Kaman Industrial Technologies,Corp.; and Herbert Hough, M.B.S. Bearing Service Inc.
While the new certification process was one of the highlights of the meeting, BSA members had many opportunities to attend educational seminars and network.
Meeting under the theme, "Balance of Power,'' more than 300 members attended the four-day meeting. Attendees came from a number of countries including Canada, Mexico, Spain, France, Japan, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and the United States. "The BSA is truly an international organization,'' BSA president Tom Brown of Applied Industrial Technologies pointed out.
Keynote speaker Scott Shuster of Business Week focused on international events and how they might impact the bearing distributor, his customer and supplier. One key issue is the Eurodollar, he said.
In addition, Shuster pointed out a second wave of economic reform taking place in Latin America. Shuster, a foreign correspondent for many years, questioned whether new leaders in these countries would adopt a protectionist policy that could stall a march toward globalization and a free economy.
Shuster also hosted a series of "real life'' vignettes in which BSA members became actors depicting situations faced by distributors on a daily basis. Some of those situations involved the manufacturer-distributor relationship.
Through a "quick tally" electronic response BSA members in the audience indicated what they would do in each of the situations.
The new incoming president of BSA is Bill Stevens of Motion Industries. Bruce Hill, of Minnesota Bearing Co. was elected first vice president. I
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