NAW gets a new vice president. The National Assn. of Wholesaler-Distributors announced the appointment of Jade West as senior vice president-government relations and executive director of NAW's Political Action Committee. West has been staff director of the U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee for six years. She succeeds Alan Kranowitz, who died in June.

"She is a seasoned professional who will add significant dimension to our government relations and political activities," said NAW president Dirk Van Dongen. "

West was also executive director of the U.S. Senate Republican Party Steering Committee from 1982 to 1996.

NAED offers value-added workbook. The National Assn. of Electrical Distributors released its annual Performance Analysis Report Highlights, a compilation of performance data that allows distributors to benchmark their operations. The book includes investment and income data, productivity, and management discussions about profit improvement.

Also, NAED offers a workbook designed to help distributors identify, document and defend the monetary worth of their value-added services. How to Document Your Value-Added takes distributors step by step through the process, explaining how to compete by total cost rather than price alone.

The workbook uses a four-step method, includes worksheets and case studies and tools to evaluate which services are most valuable to customers.

For information, contact NAED at (314) 991-9000. MHIA, MHEDA launch cooperative training program. The Material Handling Industry of America and Material Handling Equipment Distributors Assn. offer an online career development program, Value-Added Sales Training for the Material Handling Industry . The material is available as an electronic, self-paced series of five lessons.

The first two lessons are estimated to take 45 minutes and each of the last three, 30 minutes. The course contains review questions and an opportunity to get a completion certificate.

For more information, contact www.mheda.org or www.mhia.org. SEDA, ISEA offer course. The Safety Equipment Distributors Assn. and International Safety Equipment Assn. will offer the Qualified Safety Sales Professional course November 4-8, 2002, in Louisville, Ky.

The course is designed to enhance expertise and knowledge of technical and regulatory areas of occupational health and safety. People involved in sales, marketing and support services are invited.

For more information contact SEDA at (410) 385-5301 or ISEA at (703) 525-1695. PTDA releases Distributor Performance Report. The Power Transmission Distributors Assn. recently released its report on profit challenges and opportunities based on 2001 data. The typical distributor continues to produce only adequate profits.

The pre-tax profit margin for typical distributors is 0.7 percent, down from 1.6 percent in 2000. High-performance, high-profit firms had margins of 3.2 percent, down from 4.6 percent a year earlier.

Among the statistics available in the report are wage-rate variables, expense control and employee productivity.

For more information, contact PTDA at (312) 876-9461. ISSA awards scholarships. The International Safety Supply Assn. Foundation awarded its 2002-03 academic year scholarships. Twenty-five students received scholarships totaling $75,000.

Member companies, employers and family members sponsor student applications. ISSA member companies and individuals contribute funds for the scholarships and awards.

Also, ISSA will offer a Partner Pass at this year's convention in Las Vegas. ISSA distributor members or exhibitors can invite contract cleaners and in-house cleaning professionals to the meeting free of charge.

For information, contact ISSA at 847-982-0800. ASA sponsors Top Gun school. The American Supply Assn. will sponsor four one-day Top Gun Survivor sales training schools for distributor salespeople. Locations are: Dallas, Texas, October 9; Chicago, Ill., Oct.25; Sturbridge, Mass., October 30 and Atlanta, Ga., November 4.

The seminar addresses problems like customers' lack of time to see salespeople, economic turbulence and the rise of e-commerce.

For more information, contact ASA at (800) 331-1287.