vfraza@reedbusiness.com

The INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION Assn.s young executive forum lent a helping hand to homeless teens in November when it launched the group's first annual Community Outreach Project. YEF teamed up with Teen Living Programs, a Chicago-based agency serving runaway and homeless youth, to make home improvements to TLP's Belfort House residence, the largest residential facility for homeless youth in Chicago. Twenty-five YEF members took part in the event, which occurred in conjunction with the I.D.A. Annual Distributor and Manufacturer Business Expo Nov. 21-24.

"Our generation really should have a social conscience…and our association is in the position to help develop that," said Halley Stith, who works for distribution consulting firm IDC3 and is a member of the YEF steering committee.

Stith worked with fellow YEF member Dan Bormolini over the summer to get the program off the ground. Bormolini, Midwest regional manager for distribution software company Selltis LLC, is a TLP board member and helped bring the two groups together. The two credit Mary Ritchie, I.D.A.'s director of meetings and conventions, with making the event happen by working with Stacy Segal, assistant director of development for TLP.

"The homeless youth population often gets overlooked, so the YEF members' commitment to the organization truly is appreciated. We hope to see continued participation in the future," said Segal.

YEF is already planning this year's event, which will be held in conjunction with the I.D.A. Business Expo once again. Bormolini and Stith expect the second annual Community Outreach Project to be bigger and better than the first.

"We've gotten such good feedback. So many people have asked, 'How do I get involved?,'" said Bormolini. "People get so caught up in the day to day, they don't think about the easy ways they can make a difference."

Manufacturer Chicago Rawhide, a division of SKF, launched its STAR program last year to support U.S. troops stationed overseas. STAR stands for Supporting Troops at Rawhide. The company assembled care packages that were sent to the troops last summer and during the holidays. The packages included snacks, personal care items, SKF/CR items, and a letter from Rawhide president George Dettloff…Saint-Gobain Abrasives' Higgins Grinding Technology Center celebrated its 10th anniversary in November. The center's mission is to develop innovative grinding solutions through collaborative alliances with machine tool builders, coolant suppliers and other suppliers to the abrasives industry.

Interline Brands, Inc., an MRO distributor headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., acquired Florida Lighting, Inc., a distributor of specialty lighting and electrical products that serves professional contractors, lighting retailers and electrical wholesalers…Ohio Transmission Corp., a power transmission/motion control distributor based in Columbus, Ohio, acquired Hydro-Power, Inc. of Terre Haute, Ind. Hydro-Power serves the industrial markets in Indiana and portions of eastern Illinois with similar products to OTC…Welding and safety products distributor Airgas, Inc. acquired Safety West, Inc., a safety products distributor based in City of Industry, Calif.

Glove-maker Ironclad Performance Wear was named one of Los Angeles County's fastest-growing private companies by the Los Angeles Business Journal. Ironclad ranked third out of the 100 companies chosen for the award…Florida-based distributor Hughes Supply, Inc. was recognized by the Central Florida Chapter of the Assn. of Fundraising Professionals for its philanthropic efforts…Masco Corp., a manufacturer of home improvement and building products, named W.W. Grainger and Hermes Abrasives winners in its MASTAR 2003 Awards Program. The MASTAR awards recognize leadership, communication, commitment and cooperation among Masco's supplier network.