Members of the Power Transmission Distributors Assn. will meet in Palm Springs next month for their annual Industry Summit. The meeting will be held at the Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa in Palm Desert, Calif.

This year's theme is “Communicate. Collaborate. Innovate,” with workshops focused on technology, long-term business growth and manufacturer-distributor relationships. Speakers include J. Michael Marks of Indian River Consulting Group, Neil Gholson of Deloitte Consulting, Marilyn Moats Kennedy of Career Strategies and Alan Beaulieu of the Institute for Trend Research.

Dr. Robert Kriegel will give the keynote address on Friday, Oct. 19. Kriegel is an expert in “change performance” and author of the book, “Sacred Cows Make the Best Burgers.” His talk will focus on “gaining the competitive edge not by competing but by changing the game; leading customers, not following them; and rethinking rules, redefining roles and reinventing the game,” according to PTDA.

The Summit will feature a new addition to the education line-up this year with a motion control workshop titled, “Understanding Basic Motion Technologies and Components.” The ticketed event will focus on the four basic motion control technologies, their components and how to select the right technology for the application. The workshop precedes the Motion Control Showcase, launched last year, which features motion control product demonstrations.

The final day of the convention will feature the annual Manufacturer-Distributor Idea Exchange, which features tabletop exhibits by PTDA's manufacturer members.

This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the PTDA Foundation, the association's education and research arm. PTDA will host a special dinner to mark the occasion on Wednesday, Oct. 17, prior to the official start of the Summit.

For information, go to www.ptda.org.