The Fluid Power Distributors Assn. and the National Fluid Power Assn. practiced what they preach in their Fall Conferences and Joint Conference Day in Pittsburgh in October, gathering together under the banner, "The Power of Teamwork." But each association also held its own members-only days: FPDA's "Mission: Foresight," and NFPA's "Innovation through Cooperation," focusing on the aspects that were uppermost in their members' minds.

The joint session kicked off with a keynote presentation by Afterburner, a corporate training group comprised of former fighter pilots. "Flawless execution" was the phrase emphasized by the presenters, who focused on sharing a six-step plan to success.

Industry education initiatives were on the agenda for the afternoon, where attendees learned more about how they could help the industry by contributing to programs such as FIRST, "Project Lead the Way," the "Engineering Research Center" and the International Fluid Power Society.

Ed Rigsbee, president of Rigsbee Research, gave a presentation titled,"The New Era of Manufacturer-Distributor Cooperation," sharing his statistical and survey information on the disconnect between manufacturers and distributors, and pointing out that, according to his information, manufacturers know distributors better than distributors know manufacturers.

FPDA began its own conference day with a general session, which included remarks from association president Mike Marthold; Keith Elphick, who addressed the attendees on YES, FPDA's young executives' group, and the Sales Excellence Council; and Mary Sue Lyon, executive vice president of the Power Transmission Distributors Assn., who led a presentation on the Industrial Careers Pathway, the PTDA-led education initiative designed to foster entry-level talent in industrial distribution.

Next year's FPDA Annual Meeting is scheduled for April 30 to May 3, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.