How has business been lately? Very good; 2006 has been a busy year, and the future continues to look exciting.

What do you expect the remainder of the year? Continued growth in revenue. I'll also be watching the cost side of things. I like to monitor the raw material markets and crude oil futures. Eventually, those prices always have an impact on the product lines we distribute.

What is the best idea you've implemented in the last six months? Developing an improved product training schedule for our branch offices.

What is the biggest issue facing distribution today? Maintaining a consistent, positive relationship between distributor and vendor.

When interviewing potential employees, what is the best question to ask them? “Why should we hire you?” In essence, get them to explain the details of why they would be considered a valuable asset to our organization.

If you had unlimited resources, what change would you make in your business? I would provide for additional marketing tools to enhance the productivity of our sales force.

What is the most misunderstood aspect of your industry? There are tons of options here! However, probably the best example would be that of adding value to the marketplace. As distributors, we must constantly remind ourselves of how to add value to the products and services that we provide our clients with. Otherwise, in the long term, our vendors may not need us around.

If you could have any other job in the world, what would it be? Coaching football. It's the ultimate challenge. Trying to manage people and teach them effective skills; working together as a team to achieve a common objective; strategic planning; and dealing with unknown variables, etc. It sounds similar in many ways to industrial distribution.

What's your golf handicap? Your favorite course? I haven't made time to play much lately. Therefore, I would guess, probably close to 20. I would love to someday get the opportunity to play Pebble Beach. Eighteen holes at Spyglass sounds great to me!

If you could choose someone, living or dead, to have lunch with, who would it be? My deceased father. I'd ask him to critique my life's work so far.

Where did you go on your last vacation? Colorado. Our family enjoys spending time each year in the Rocky Mountains.

Name a talent you wish you had. It's more of a learned skill than a natural talent, but that would be to earn a pilot's license. I love to fly.