The Industrial Distribution Assn. has announced the lineup for the up-coming I.D.A. Annual Distributor & Manufacturer Business Expo, to be held Nov. 22–24 in Chicago. The convention's theme will be, "Linking Partners in the Industrial Supply Chain."

Educational sessions will include succession planning for family or business, with Dr. Bart Basi; improving asset management, with Dr. Barry Lawrence; getting paid faster, with Robert Langdon, CPA; solving market challenges, with distributor sales expert Jim Pancero; and three secrets to creating Raving Fans, with Ann Philips of The Ken Blanchard Co. Other highlights include one-on-one consulting sessions with lawyer/CPA Basi; a half-day management workshop; the supplier booth program; Technology "Inforums," live presentations and product features; and a full-day distributor conference booth program.

For more information, visit www.ida-assoc.org.

The Power Transmission Distributors Assn.'s 2003 convention will be held Oct. 16–18 at the New Orleans Marriott in New Orleans, and will be organized around the theme, "Doing Good Business in Turbulent Times."

Highlighting a company's need to adapt and succeed, PTDA offers tactical sessions, in which attendees will identify strategies to differentiate themselves from competitors, reduce costs of doing business, and effectively demonstrate their unique value. Session titles include: "Stand Out in the Crowd: Positioning for Success;" "Improving Asset Management;" "Ensuring Your Sales Force Delivers Real Value;" "End-User Practices and Expectations;" "Supply Chain Evolution;" "Partnering to Cut Costs and Improve Efficiency;" "Service Provider Spotlight;" and "Manufacturer-Distributor Idea Exchange 2003."

For more information, call (312) 876-9461 or visit www.ptda.org.

Continuing the series of leadership interviews on audio CD, the National Assn. of Wholesalers-Distributors' Distribution Research and Education Foundation recently released Volume V, "The Power of Knowing Your Customer."

In this volume, Randall W. Larrimore, retired president and CEO of United Stationers, a leading distributor of office products, encourages listeners to know their customer's market; help their customers sell; and to think like their customer.

For more information, call (202) 872-0885 or visit www.nawdpubs.org.

FPDA- Serving Fluid Power and Motion Technology Distributors and the National Fluid Power Assn. is hosting its 2003 Joint Fall Conference at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown in Indianapolis, Oct. 25-28.

Programming topics will include: a look at the future of the fluid power and motion control supply channel; a session on documenting and presenting your value; case studies highlighting successful technology implementations; a workshop on credit and collections management; the "IT Showcase," focus groups and networking.

For more information, visit www.fpda.org.