vfraza@reedbusiness.com

Since announcing plans to expand the scope of its Education Foundation last year, the National Assn. of Electrical Distributors has gained considerable financial support for the initiative. Now called the NAED Education & Research Foundation, the group received seven donations of $100,000 as of early February. Butler Supply, Inc. of Fenton, Mo., is the latest NAED member to give a $100K gift.

"…Our family has been involved in electrical distribution for a long time—my father was NAED chairman in 1963, and I served as chairman in 1995," said Butler Supply CEO Richard Butler. "The industry has been very good to us. Hopefully, our gift, and the other gifts combined, will enable NAED to develop programs to make the electrical distribution industry even better and more profitable."

The six other $100,000 donors include five distributors: Border States Electric Supply, Fargo, N.D.; The Hite Co., Altoona, Pa.; Dakota Supply Group, Fargo, N.D.; and Elliott Electric Supply, Nacogdoches, Texas; and one family foundation, the L&R Anixter Foundation of Chicago.

The donations are part of an endowment fund for the Education & Research Foundation, the principal amount of which will remain untouched, while the interest will be used to commission projects and studies. As $100,000 donors, each entity earns a permanent position on the Channel Advantage Partnership Council, which helps select future educational programs and research projects.

In late January, the National Assn. of Wholesaler-Distributors announced a partnership with consulting firm Deloitte US to develop strategies, tools and techniques that will help distributors improve their businesses. The partnership will have an initial phase of two years. NAW's Distribution Research and Education Foundation will be involved in the effort, as well…Industrial brush maker Osborn International lent a helping hand to American troops in January with a donation to the 1486 Transportation Company of the Ohio National Guard. Valued at more than $3,600, the gift includes assorted push brooms, scrub brushes, chip brushes and other related maintenance products. The donation comes on the heels of one of Osborne's employees—Seargent First Class Michael Clark—being called into action…Philadelphia-based industry consulting firm Pembroke Consulting announced the promotion of Randolph P. Reyerson to the position of vice president, marketing and public relations. Reyerson, who joined Pembroke in 2001, was previously director of marketing and public relations for the firm…Electrical and electronics distributor HISCO opened a stocking location in Franklin, Mass….MRO distributor Turner Supply Co. has formed a machine tool sales division to be based in Birmingham, Ala. Ray M. Pritchard, vice president of business development for Turner Supply, will direct the operation…Distributor alliance IBC recently added two distributors to its IndustrialSupplyPlus division: Marshall E. Campbell Co. of Port Huron, Mich., and Rotger Industrial Services of Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

Distributor Airgas, Inc. signed a letter of intent to acquire the U.S. packaged gas business of BOC Group, which specializes in industrial gases, vacuum technologies and distribution services. The transaction, valued at up to $200 million, is expected to close in mid 2004… Manufacturer HBD Industries, Inc., acquired California Drop Forge, Inc. of Los Angeles, and Hydro Carbide, Inc., of Latrobe, Pa., and Gulfport, Miss….Fluid power distributor The Paquin Co., of Euclid, Ohio, acquired C.P. Enston Co. of Kirtland, Ohio.