William Timken, U.S. Ambassador to Germany, presented The Power Transmission Distributors Assn. with a Certificate of Appreciation during the recent 2007 Hannover Fair in Hannover, Germany.

Timken made the presentation in recognition of PTDA's two decades of support to its members, enabling them to exhibit at the Hannover Fair.

Since PTDA first launched visits to the Hannover Fair in 1987, dozens of its member companies have attended to evaluate some of the latest innovations in worldwide power transmission and motion control technology.

The PTDA Pavilion at the Hannover Fair gives member companies of all sizes a visible presence at the event, while still maintaining individual company recognition.

This year, the PTDA Pavilion hosted 15 member exhibitors in one of the eight halls dedicated to power transmission. Overall, this year's event drew more than 230,000. Visitors from abroad represented around 30 percent of total attendance.

For information, visit www.ptda.org

Inge Calderon has been named executive director of the American Supply Assn.'s Education Foundation. She had been the ASA's executive vice president since 1995.

“Inge has been an exceptional leader for ASA and has successfully led the association through some of its more challenging times,” says Joel Becker of Torrington Supply Co., the current ASA president.

Paul Martin, who had been executive vice president of the foundation since 1997, will continue with the foundation.

“I'm very excited about the new role that I'll be taking on,” said Calderon. “Together, Paul and I will work with the foundation's staff to quickly expand our menu of training materials, get more of our members actively involved, and promote the value that training and education bring to every company.”

The ASA has appointed a search committee to hire a new executive vice president. A new executive vice president is expected to be in place by October.

For information, visit www.asa.org

Kirby Risk Electrical Supply of Lafayette, Ind., has made a $100,000 contribution to the Education & Research Foundation of the National Assn. of Electrical Distributors.

The contribution is in memory of the company's founder, J. Kirby Risk. Risk's son, Jim—CEO of Risk Electrical—said his father “had a love affair with NAED and was one of its greatest cheerleaders.”

The pledge will support the foundation's Channel Advantage Partnership endowment, which funds projects to strengthen the quality and performance of electrical distribution.

“A distributor's greatest asset is its team of employees...and their continuing education and training are critical to future success. Contributions to the foundation are important investments for our industry's future,” Risk said.

Dick Waterman, chairman of the NAED Foundation's Channel Advantage Partnership campaign and executive vice president/CEO of International Electrical Supply Corp., said “The research funded by the foundation is critical to identifying future success strategies for our industry.”

For information, visit www.naed.org