New Orleans— Under its new format, the ISMA/I.D.A. Spring Convention will be led by the Industrial Supply Manufacturers Assn., which produced the line-up for the meeting running this spring, May 17-19.

For the first time, the convention is open to any industrial distributor interested in attending, said Chuck Stockinger, ISMA's executive director. And there are more first-time events than ever before.

Opening the convention to a wider audience has become critical to everyone's success, Stockinger said. In a time of political and economic turmoil, and with considerable manufacturing jobs leaving the United States, supply chain partners need to be in closer communication with each other, he said.

"With the dramatic changes now taking place in the supply chain, it's vital that all MROP distributors attend … to take advantage of the latest information and technology," he said.

The convention is also open to buying groups, marketing groups, service providers and members of other distribution associations. All distributors are welcome to reserve a booth or attend the Triple Industrial Supply Manufacturer/Distributor Conference Booth Program, which has a new format, as well. Every distributor will pay the same registration fee, Stockinger noted.

For several years, ISMA has been building a database of distributors that includes their membership in industry trade associations. The database shows that a significant number of industrial distributors do not belong to any association, so it is best to offer attendance to all distributors who may be interested in joining, Stockinger said.

The keynote speaker, Joseph Pyne, is senior vice president of supply chain solutions for UPS. He will talk about the "converging flows of commerce," a topic Stockinger said will shake up the entire supply chain industry.

The planning process for a convention that would be new and different was a long one, Stockinger said. As details came together, they included ideas from people throughout the industry.

"When we got together and decided we needed to do something very different, we began with two committees that eventually became one," he said. "It includes manufacturers, several distributors and one buying group, participants from all around the industry."

More features added this year include the ISMA Biz-Tech, a showcase of technology products businesses; The New Industrial Products and Construction Products Showcase; and the first annual ISMA Industrial Distribution Career Fair.

The latter will take place on Saturday, May 17. The fair allows attendees to meet and recruit students from industrial distribution programs at 23 universities. Students interested in full-time and internship opportunities are urged to attend. The fair was developed in conjunction with Texas A&M University for juniors and seniors already in industrial distribution programs. That school alone will bring over 100 students to the convention, Stockinger noted.

The educational tracks are divided into distributor and manufacturer categories for the first time.

Shari Bayer, director of marketing and communications for I.D.A., said that the more distributors who come to the meeting, the better for everyone concerned.

"The convention is a great opportunity for I.D.A. to show prospective members firsthand how membership gives them unlimited access to success stories from distributors facing the same challenges," Bayer said.

She expects the Spring Convention to be an opportunity for I.D.A. to recruit new members from around the country. For current members of the association, additional attendees mean more chances to meet on a peer-to-peer level, she said.

Bayer also made note of the I.D.A./ISMA 2003 Fall Convention. "It will definitely have the three C's: cost-effectiveness, convenience and content," she said.