STAFDA announces teleconference hosts, reports sales figures. One-hour, quarterly educational teleconferences sponsored by the Specialty Tools and Fasteners Distributors Assn. continue June 11, 2002, with Dr. Lou Benson presenting Recruitment and Retention Strategies ; September 10, with Abe Walking Bear Sanchez discussing credit and collections; and December 10, with Scott Stratman giving inventory management advice.

An interactive question-and-answer session follows the program. Distributors are encouraged to use the teleconferences as training tools in which employees hear the same message together.

STAFDA also reported that distributor sales for the fourth quarter of 2001 fell 6.3 percent but the year was in the positive, with growth of 0.2 percent.

Sales for the year rose in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions, and in Canada. Sales figures fell in other regions, with the Northwest particularly hard hit, dropping 17.8 percent for the year.

The commercial building sector was hardest hit in 2001 while non-building construction rose 14 percent due to a rise in public works and utilities projects.

For more information, contact STAFDA at (262) 784-4774.

NAW elects slate of officers. Members of the National Assn. of Wholesaler-Distributors recently elected W. Grady Rosier the 2002 chairman of the board. Rosier is CEO of McLane Co., Temple, Texas.

Also elected were: Andre Lacy, chairman-elect, LDI Ltd., Indianapolis, Ind.; William Parsley, first vice chairman, Carswell Distributing, Winston-Salem, N.C.; Sydney Jones III, second vice chairman, Hudson Valley Paper Co., Albany, N.Y.; Robert Reynolds, secretary, Graybar Electric Co., St. Louis, Mo.; Byron Potter, treasurer, Dallas Wholesale Builders Supply, DeSoto, Texas; and Dirk Van Dongen, president and CEO, NAW.

NAW's new board of directors includes: Tim Holt, National School Supply and Equipment Assn.; Inge Calderon, American Supply Assn.; and Ralph Nappi, American Machine Tool Distributors Assn.

NFDA launches Web sales program. The National Fastener Distributors Assn. entered an exclusive agreement with www.1stfastener.com to administer its online inventory listing program. The program allows NFDA members to buy and sell excess or surplus inventory electronically. Purchase transactions are free; inventory listings are fee-based.

The Web site also offers a source database, electronic catalog posting and more features to association members.

"Income received from the site will be used for technical training and other programs that benefit NFDA members and the fastener industry as a whole," said NFDA executive vice president Dave Merrifield.

YEF, ID host golf tournament. The Young Executives Forum of ISMA/I.D.A. and Industrial Distribution will host a golf tournament on Tuesday, May 7, during the ISMA/I.D.A. Spring Convention in Denver, Colo. All convention attendees are invited. Proceeds help fund young adults in their educational endeavors.

The tournament is 18 holes at Thorncreek Golf Course. Sponsorships of the holes are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is an 8 a.m. shotgun start.

For more information, contact I.D.A. at (404) 266-3991.

ISD hosts technical seminars. Independent Sealing Distributors will offer a new format at its annual Spring Seminars program, held April 25-28 at the Sheraton Grande Hotel at Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport. Based on member input and survey results, ISD and its sister organization, the Fluid Sealing Assn., will offer a two-and-a-half day seminar on a variety of technical topics.

The program is designed to be interactive and promote discussion, according to executive director Joseph Thompson.

Program sessions will run all day Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27, with a half-day session Sunday morning, April 28.

For more information, contact ISD at (410) 263-1014.

Send Association News to associate editor Al Tuttle, 275 Washington St., Newton, Mass., 02458; call (617) 558-4770; fax to (617) 558-4327; or e-mail to atuttle@cahners.com.