The National Assn. of Wholesaler-Distributors' Distribution Research and Education Foundation, in partnership with Deloitte Consulting LLP, launched Driving Growth and Shareholder Value: The Distribution Value Map, a book conceived by the two organizations' three-year, $2 million research project. The book provides a practical framework and hundreds of provocative, actionable ideas for distributors to consider in their efforts to drive revenue growth, profitability and shareholder value in a competitive economy.

According to NAW, the book, and its companion book, are accessible, content-rich resources that will help distributors debate ideas and priorities for their organization, refine their strategies, and plan and execute their tactical performance improvement efforts. (To order the books, visit www.nawpubs.org.)

In other news from DREF, the group elected three industry executives to its Board of Directors. Joining the board are: Mark Allen, president and CEO of the NAW-member International Foodservice Distributors Assn., in Falls Church, Va.; Andre Lacy, chairman and CEO of LDI, Ltd., in Indianapolis; and Trish Lilly, executive director of the Assn. for High Technology Distribution in Philadelphia.

For more information, visit www.naw.org

The Specialty Tools & Fasteners Distributors Assn. announced that Jim Collins, author of From Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...and Others Don't, will be the keynote speaker at STAFDA's General Session during its 30th Annual Convention & Trade Show in Las Vegas, Nov. 13–15. Collins' address will expand on the book's concepts, explain how members can achieve greatness, look at personnel within the company, and explain how to create a culture of discipline.

Speakers for the convention's workshops include: Scott Deming, CEO and founder of RCI, a Syracuse, N.Y.—based marketing and communications company; Deborah Thomas-Nininger, founder of DTN Productions Intl.—Hallmark of Etiquette, a training company providing seminars on protocol; Tom Reilly, sales expert and president of Tom Reilly Training in Chesterfield, Mo.; and Greg Smith, president of Chart Your Course, who will speak on "Creating the High-Performance Organization."

Also, STAFDA joined the Manufacturers Representatives Educational Research Foundation, a non-profit organization enhancing public awareness of the value of independent, multi-line, selling rep agencies. MRERF serves independent reps by providing rep-focused education, and carrying out funded research studying the rep's role in the marketplace. STAFDA joins 35 other associations supporting MRERF.

For more information, visit www.stafda.org.

The Bearing Specialists Assn. elected Tom Miller of Motion Industries, Inc., as president of the association for 2006–07. Also, Cam Lawrence of BDI Canada, Inc., was elected first vice president; Steve Durston of Jamaica Bearings was elected second vice president; and Chuck Kitchen of Interstate Bearing Technologies was elected treasurer. Douglas Savage of Bearing Service, Inc., was elected chairman of the Board of Directors.

The association also elected Gordon Duncan, Kinecor, Inc.; Craig Gipson, Gipson Bearing and Supply, Inc.; and Ron Aupperle, IBT, Inc. to three-year terms on its board.

For more information, visit www.bsahome.org.

kgriffiths@reedbusiness.com