The Fluid Power Distributors Assn. awarded its annual Tom D. Ralls Memorial Scholarship to Eddie Burns, customer service manager, Southwestern Controls, in Dallas.

The scholarship provides tuition for the University of Industrial Distribution, an education program sponsored by FPDA and several other distribution trade associations, that was held in March in Indianapolis.

Ralls, a past FPDA president & chairman of the board, passed away in June 2003.

“Tom Ralls made countless contributions to the fluid power and motion control industry and to the FPDA,” said Kathleen DeMarco, FPDA executive director. “He was a strong supporter of its Young Executives (YES) program. We are very pleased someone of Mr. Burns' caliber will be able to take advantage of this memorial scholarship.”

To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must be members of the FPDA Young Executives and have management-level responsibilities within a member distribution firm.

Entrants completed an essay on “What Benefit Will You, Your Company and/or the Industry Receive by Your Attending the 2007 University of Industrial Distribution Program?” The essays were judged by the FPDA Executive Committee.

An estimated $5,500 was raised for the scholarship fund following the FPDA 2006 Fall Meeting in Chicago, where a silent auction was held for two original signed works by artist Erik Wahl. Donors whose high bids won the paintings were Ted Barney of Hyspeco Inc. and Bill Tulloch of RHM Fluid Power.

UID students can apply their course work towards a Professional Certificate in Industrial Distribution, awarded by Indiana University/Purdue University.

For information, www.fpda.org

NAHAD—The Assn. for Hose and Accessories Distribution recently held a training and informational seminar for it members at which NAHAD received ample—and mostly very favorable—feedback for its Hose Assembly Guidelines initiative.

Billed as “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About NAHAD's Hose Assembly Guidelines,” the day-long seminar drew more than 160 members to Cleveland.

The session included an overview of the guidelines' development and design process, as well as information about the Hose Assembly Guidelines Web site.

Located on NAHAD's home page, the site includes public access to all NAHAD Listed Members; order forms for hose assembly specification guides; information and applications for specification exams, and other features related to all five hose assembly groups (industrial, hydraulic, composite, fluoropolymer and corrugated metal hose.)

Roundtable discussions gave Cleveland attendees a chance to offer reaction and insights on how they will use the guidelines as well as give suggestions for further development.

For information, www.nahad.org

Following its Executive Summit meeting held earlier this year in Washington, the National Assn. of Wholesaler-Distributors elected Raymon York, CEO of Ewing Irrigation Products, Phoenix, as chairman of the NAW board of directors.

He succeeds Robert Reynolds, Jr., chairman/president/CEO of Graybar Electric. He will remain active on the board as immediate past chairman.

The following were elected NAW officers for 2007:

C.S. “Chip” Hornsby, group chief executive, Wolseley PLC, (chairman-elect); Randy Lindberg, Western region president, United Natural Foods, Inc. (first vice chairman); Robert Taylor, president/CEO, Do it Best Corp. (second vice chairman); Dennis Hatchell, president/COO, Alex Lee Inc. (secretary). Dirk Van Dongen, president and CEO of the NAW, will also be an officer.

For information, www.naw.org

jnowlan@reedbusiness.com