The entrepreneurial spirit lives on in industrial distribution. Despite the consolidation that has occurred in the industrial distribution marketplace, most distribution companies are still independent, family-owned businesses. In fact, INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION's 58 ^TH Annual Survey of Distributor Operations shows that nearly 78 percent of distributorships are still family-owned enterprises. It's equally important to note that many of these companies have been around for more than 50 years, and some—2 percent of the 800 respondents—have passed the century mark. But there are still a number of distributorships that have started up in the past several years.

George Fournier, president of Industrial Rubber & Gasket in Nashville, Tenn., and the subject of our cover story for this month's issue, is clearly an entrepreneur. Fifteen years ago, Fournier and his wife bought a hose and rubber distributorship that was in bankruptcy and brought the company to profitability, where it has remained ever since.

Fournier didn't come from a distribution background. His degrees from Northeastern University in Boston were in industrial engineering and mechanical engineering. His work experience was strictly on the manufacturing side, as a project and plant engineer. Worse yet, he didn't have experience in the hose and rubber business. Most people didn't think he could succeed.

But, as he told us during our interview, his dream had always been to own his own business. Fournier was driven to succeed in his business venture. And as our article shows, he has.

Today, Fournier's company has grown to 22 employees, with two branches in addition to its downtown Nashville headquarters.

Much of Fournier's success is due to the team atmosphere that exists within his company. He treats his employees well and, as one supplier told us, acts as if those employees are an extension of his own family.

Being an entrepreneur today, especially in distribution, isn't easy. Margins are tighter than ever, competition has never been as fierce, and national contracts have eaten away at the profits of many independent distributors.

Yet the independent, family-owned distributor lives. Some of these distributors are small, niche-oriented players who realize the importance of providing value-added services for their customers, and have positioned themselves as integral members of the customer's buying team. They are, indeed, the ultimate survivors, who will be around for years to come.