Pasadena, Calif. — With a focus on ways to improve business ethics and leadership, members of the Bearings Specialists Assn. gathered April 26-30 at the Ritz Carlton in Pasadena.

More than 200 members and their spouses attended the meeting, the 37th since the association's founding.

Keynote speaker Frank Bucaro, an author who writes about business ethics, described the changes taking place in today's business environment and their impact on ethics. Noting the economic downturn and its effect on workers, Bucaro noted, "It's a lot easier to preach ethics than it is to live [them]."

Bucaro emphasized the need to "stay in touch" with personal values. Values, he said, can be seen as "what you believe, and ethics as what you actually do."

Jim Tunney, a referee for the National Football League for more than 30 years, told members it's imperative that they and their employees develop a positive mental attitude.

He added that managers must share information with their staffs, and warned attendees not to give up on their employees when they make mistakes.

"That's the time to build them up," he said, adding that, "… you build teams by building people."

Economist Gene Stanaland updated members on the economy, saying he does not expect the Federal Reserve to raise rates until August at the earliest. Another speaker, Sten Malmstrom, president of SKF-USA, described the bearing market from the perspective of the American Bearings Manufacturers Assn.

In addition to the seminars and workshops, members participated in the contact table program for manufacturers and distributors, and attended social and networking functions.

In his remarks to members, outgoing president Peter Fitzpatrick of Bearings Specialty Co. said that BSA has become an international association, noting that 15 countries were represented at this year's meeting — three more than last year. In addition, among those in attendance were 13 first-time distributors and four new manufacturers.

Succeeding Fitzpatrick as president is Jeff Ramras of Applied Industrial Technologies. Craig Gipson of Gipson Bearing and Supply is the new first vice president, while Doug Savage of Bearing Service Inc. is second vice president.