STAFDA sees record turnout in Nashville

By Staff -- Industrial Distribution, 12/1/2000

Nashville, Tenn.-The presidential election wasn't the only hot topic in Nashville last month. As election day drew near, members of the Specialty Tools & Fasteners Distributors Assn. met at the city's Opryland Hotel for their 24th Annual Convention, Nov. 5-7.

Incoming STAFDA president Jim Smith, of Nail Fast, Inc. in Albuquerque, N. Mex., said the convention's 4,400 pre-registered attendees set a record that was 18 percent ahead of last year's attendance in Denver. The 710 manufacturers' booths also made up the largest-ever trade show, held Monday and Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 6 and 7.

Smith made his comments during the general session, held Monday morning. Other speakers during the 21/2-hour meeting included outgoing STAFDA president Marc Beerman of Beerman Precision, New Orleans, La.; John Allenbach, Danaher Corp.; and Dr. Barry Asmus of the National Center for Policy Analysis.

In his opening remarks, Beerman thanked STAFDA members for the chance to serve as president during 2000. He also introduced his family and some Beerman Precision employees, and recognized the association staff-executive director Georgia Foley, administration manager Jan Tschetter, and member services director Cathy Usher-for their work in putting the convention together.

Beerman also delivered STAFDA's annual distributor State of the Industry report. He noted the strong economy, reporting that STAFDA distributors have seen 34 consecutive quarters of sales growth. He said the unprecedented growth of the last few years leaves some black clouds on the horizon-particularly that there is no precedent for how long the good times will last.

Still, Beerman said, "I'm confident we ... have a bright future."

To get there, though, Beerman said STAFDA distributors must continue to battle traditional competitors-big boxes, direct marketers like Hilti, consolidators and buying groups-along with new forces like e-commerce and the dot-coms. It's essential, Beerman said, for distributors to confront those new threats head-on by developing an e-business strategy.

Beerman also stressed the importance of developing a niche strategy. Speaking to the many small, independent companies in attendance, he said to figure out what differentiates their firm from the competition and capitalize on those strengths.

Beerman closed by saying: "I have been truly honored today to serve as your first president of the new millennium."

John Allenbach of Danaher Corp. delivered the annual manufacturer State of the Industry report. He gave a brief history of STAFDA, noting that the association's founders approached business as if they were going to war-against direct marketers like Hilti.

Allenbach said that while STAFDA has come a long way, there is still a war on. Instead of fighting a ground war, however, he said today STAFDA members are engaged in a multi-front war that includes those early forces along with the likes of Home Depot, dot-coms and other issues like end-user vendor reduction. Allenbach listed two key weapons to be used in that fight: good employee training programs and the development of a strong company brand. He challenged members to either validate or develop their brand strategy.

Keynote speaker Barry Asmus, an economist at the National Center for Policy Analysis in Phoenix and a nationally recognized presenter, made the case for expanding the free market system and moving away from top-down government controls in the 21st century.

During an engaging-and sometimes controversial-talk, Asmus predicted that privatization will rapidly take hold in education, health care and other key sectors in the U.S. He said market-based approaches such as offering employees health care savings accounts and school vouchers will soon take hold. Meanwhile, Asmus predicted other countries whose economies have been dominated by command-style approaches will continue to embrace free enterprise.

"America has done well because it understands that freedom is the mainspring of economic security," he said. "Now, with five percent of the world's population, we produce almost 40 percent of the world's wealth, because most of the world in the 20th century didn't figure it out."

He called the rapid development of information technology another case in point, saying it has moved from "a political model to the market model."

The convention also featured a Technology & Consultant's Fair on Sunday morning that included three technology workshops. On Tuesday morning, members could choose from six educational workshops on topics ranging from leadership and change to selling and international sales.

STAFDA will meet for its 25th Annual Convention next year in San Antonio, Texas, Nov. 11-13.