Members of the National Assn. of Wholesaler-Distributors have elected their 2004 officers, including: William A. Parsley, president of Carswell Distributing Co. in Winston Salem, N.C., as chairman of the board; Sydney "Tucker" Jones, president of Hudson Valley Paper Co. in Albany, N.Y., as chairman-elect; Robert Reynolds, chairman, president and CEO of Graybar Electric Co. in St. Louis, as first vice chairman; Raymon A. York, CEO of Ewing Irrigation Products in Phoenix, as second vice chairman; C.S. "Chip" Hornsby, president and CEO of Ferguson Enterprises in Newport News, Va., as secretary; and W. Grady Rosier, president and CEO of McLane Co. in Temple, Texas, as chairman, Subcommittee on Budget and Finance/treasurer. Dirk Van Dongen continues his tenure as president of NAW.

For more information, visit www.naw.org.

The National Assn. of Electrical Distributors is teaming up with charity Baseballers Against Drugs to bring baseball celebrities and memorabilia to the 2004 Champions Expo, held during NAED's Annual Meeting on May 17, at the San Francisco Marriott.

The half-day event, held immediately following the Opening General Session, will provide electrical industry leaders with access to innovative products, and celebrity appearances by: Orlando Cepeda, formerly of the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox; Tommy Davis, formerly of the New York Mets and L.A. Dodgers; and Jay Johnstone, a former player with eight different teams and author of three books.

Attendees may browse industry products and technology; network with leading manufacturers; enjoy sports-themed activities, food and entertainment; and participate in a silent auction and raffle for sports memorabilia.

For more information, visit www.naed.org.

The Material Handling Equipment Distributors Assn. announced that Loren Swakow, vice president of Scott Lift Truck in Elk Grove, Ill., has begun his term as the association's 50th president.

"We hope to provide value to membership, and show that it pays to be a MHEDA member," said Swakow. "…My goal this year will be to make dealers aware of the many inexpensive and cost-effective ways to utilize MHEDA's offerings."

Swakow also wants to develop relationships with businesses indirectly involved with material handling, such as freight companies, to give MHEDA members special advantages, and to continue offering educational teleconferences throughout the year.

For more information, visit www.mheda.org.

kgriffiths@reedbusiness.com