Edited by Kimberly Griffiths

The National Assn. of Electrical Distributors announced its new Board of Directors for 2004–05, to be led by newly elected chairman of the board Peter De Steiger, chief executive officer of Raymond De Steiger, Inc. in Sterling Heights, Mich.

Other senior NAED officers include Bill Elliott of Elliott Electric Supply as chair-elect, and Tom Cloud of United Electric Supply as past chair. Other board of directors members are: John Spoor; Barry McEachern; Sam McCamy, III; Bruce Leff; Tammy Miller; Mike Ales; Sandra Rosecrans; Thomas Isenberg; Richard Waterman; Lawrence Stern; David Beattie; Denise Kelly; Robert Reynolds; Myers Lockard, III; Cora Williams; and T. Scott Lawhead.

For more information, visit www.naed.org.

FPDA–Serving Fluid Power and Motion Technology Distributors will conduct its second motion control products Tech Expo at the organization's 2004 Fall Conference, Oct. 16–19, in St. Louis. The goal of the Tech Expo is to showcase companion technologies that can work in conjunction with more traditional fluid power products.

Attendees will learn first-hand how products such as sensors, manual input devices, motors, drives, power supplies, transducers and more, can add opportunities for better systems integration, customer satisfaction and profitability. Attendees also may view displays and talk one-on-one with manufacturers of the technologies, while rotating through a schedule of workshop sessions designed to educate distributors about companion technology applications and marketing.

For more information, visit www.fpda.org.

The National Assn. of Wholesaler-Distributors' Distribution Research and Education Foundation announced the election of a new chairman and the addition of two members to its Board of Directors.

Byron Potter, president/CEO of Dallas Wholesale Builders Supply, Inc., in DeSoto, Texas, will be taking over the position of chairman. Also joining the DREF Board are Mark W. Kramer, CEO of Laird Plastics in West Palm Beach, Fla., and Randy Lindberg, president/CEO of Nature's Best in Brea, Calif.

For more information, visit www.naw.org.

The Specialty Tools and Fasteners Distributors Assn. is helping keep members on top of the issues and candidates' positions during the election year with a new button on its Web site, "Government Relations." The button contains three hyperlinks—one to the National Assn. of Manufacturers, one to the Small Business Legislative Council, and the final to a new election year service called Capwiz Election. Capwiz is a non-partisan, all-in-one resource designed to educate members on the candidates, where they stand on the issues, their voting record, and on specific ballot initiatives.

STAFDA members that attend the association's 28th Annual Convention & Trade Show, Nov. 14–16 in San Francisco, and its opening party, will have a jump, jive and wailing good time with the event's headlining performer, the Brian Setzer Orchestra. The concert boasts rocking entertainment by the 18-piece orchestra, and Setzer's own rockabilly guitar.

For more information, visit www.stafda.org.

kgriffiths@reedbusiness.com