“America's Business,” the National Assn. of Manufacturers' public affairs radio program, is now being aired on 71 radio stations around the country each weekend.

The program runs 90 times each weekend. Additional radio stations are scheduled to begin airing the program.

“'America's Business'” is a balanced public forum for discussion of the critical issues confronting business,” said NAM president John Engler. “Too often, the general media either give superficial coverage to important business matters or present them in a biased context. We will put a spotlight on the really crucial challenges facing our economy.”

“America's Business” host Mike Hambrick anchored the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscast at WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C. for four years. He has also worked for TV stations in Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Dallas and Phoenix.

“'America's Business' talks to policy makers in Washington and factory managers on shop floors,” said Hambrick. “We talk about soaring energy prices, runaway litigation, failing schools, unaffordable health insurance, and a level international playing field. Anything and everything that impacts the way America does business is fair game.”

For a listing of radio stations that carry “America's Business” as well as air times and days, log on to www.nam.org/radiostations. To listen to the latest broadcast of “America's Business,” log on to www.nam.org/americasbusiness.

The National Assn. of Wholesaler-Distributors' Distribution Research and Education Foundation—along with Pembroke Consulting—will release the latest “Facing the Forces of Change” report this March.

The eighth edition of the series (“Facing the Forces of Change: Lead the Way in the Supply Chain”) looks at the key business and economic trends that will affect the wholesale distribution supply chain through 2012.

The report recommends various strategies and tactics wholesaler-distributors can use in response to these trends. It will also include survey responses from nearly 1,000 wholesale distribution executives and 300 manufacturing executives.

“The 'Facing the Forces of Change' series remains the only major research study to analyze the future of wholesale distribution within multiple supply chains,” said DREF executive director Ron Schreibman.

The report was researched and written by Pembroke's president and DREF Fellow Adam Fein.

“The report will help executives position their companies to lead the supply chain by combining an understanding of their customers' purchasing priorities with a realistic perspective on their best suppliers' business requirements,” said Fein.

Fein will preview the report's findings on Jan. 31 in Washington during NAW's annual Executive Summit. All summit attendees will receive a copy of the 2007 report when it is formally released in March.

Pricing and ordering information are available at www.naw.org/ftf07.

As we mentioned last month, U.S. citizens attending the 2007 meeting of NAHAD—The Assn. for Hose and Accessories Distribution—will need a passport to get to the meeting site in Victoria, British Columbia (May 18-22).

Under new government regulations, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Mexico and Canda—plus Bermuda and Panama—will be required to have a passport to enter or re-enter the United States. Due to these new regulations, the State Department is experiencing unprecedented demand for passports.

For more information, visit the State Department's travel Web site, www.travel.state.gov, or call the U.S. National Passport Information Center at (877) 487-2778.

For more information, visit www.nahad.org