NAHAD celebrates 15 years in San Antonio
By Industrial Distribution Staff -- Industrial Distribution, 6/1/1999
San Antonio--More than 900 people turned out for the 15th anniversary meeting of the National Assn. of Hose and Accessories Distributors, held April 17-21. Included in those figures were 97 first-time attendees, according to NAHAD president Tom Slater, president of Rubber Supply Co. in Morrisville, Pa.Key events included the annual ServiceMart exhibits, business sessions and an update on the NAHAD Institute, the association's newest educational initiative.
Slater opened the meeting by welcoming members to the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort. In honor of the association's 15th anniversary, he made special mention of the 15 individuals who gathered in St. Louis in 1984 to found the group. He also recognized the 36 companies that joined the association that first year.
Business sessions included a keynote presentation by Mark Sanborn on "Expanding Horizons - Mastering Change." Playing off of NAHAD's theme, "Expanding Horizons," Sanborn talked about the importance of embracing change in a changing business climate.
"You're either going to change, or you're not going to be at this meeting for the 30th anniversary," he said, adding that businesses need to re-focus for the 21st century, which means asking different questions of themselves, their employees, their customers and their suppliers. "If we can't master change, change masters us."
Sanborn's session was followed by a presentation of the latest "Facing the Forces of Change" report. Released last October, the report is the fifth in a series conducted by the National Assn. of Wholesaler-Distributors' Distribution Research and Education Foundation in conjunction with Arthur Andersen. Pat Dolan of Arthur Andersen focused his presentation on electronic commerce, supply chain integration, globalization, and strategic alliances.
Prior to the opening ceremonies, members had the chance to visit NAHAD's ServiceMart exhibits, in which affiliate members displayed their latest products and services.
The annual contact table program - in which manufacturer members display product information in booths - was held on Monday morning. The annual meeting of members followed on Tuesday, at which members were updated on the NAHAD Institute.
Industry consultant Bill McCleave, who has been working with NAHAD on the program, said the NAHAD Institute is a "brilliant move" on NAHAD's part, given the need for training and education within the industry.
McCleave also noted that while the business portion of the institute is well on its way to fruition, NAHAD still needs help developing the product training part of the program.
NAHAD plans to run preliminary training sessions this summer and fall. The NAHAD Institute will then be rolled out to the general membership.
The meeting also saw the election of new officers. Slater passed the gavel to Lee Helfer, president of Specialty Hose Corp. in North Canton, Ohio. Chuck Connors of Omni Services in Worcester, Mass., was named first vice president; Joe Mika of Goodall Rubber Co. based in Ewing, N.J. was named second vice president; and Slater was named immediate past president.
"It's my honor and privilege to serve as your president ... as we close the 20th century," Helfer said, adding that it is a "responsibility and a challenge that I willingly accept."
The meeting closed with four business sessions. Industry consultant Adam Fein, who specializes in consolidation issues, led a session on distributor alliances. McCleave spoke about the changing role of the small distributor, basing his remarks on a study he conducted last year. Bart Basi, a noted CPA and tax attorney, led a packed session titled "Writing a Business Plan."
The afternoon concluded with a workshop on electronic commerce led by consultant Terry Brock. His interactive session was designed to show attendees the latest technologies available to help them serve their customers better.
Talkback
Related Content
Related Content
Sponsored Links
View All Blogs
