The National Fastener Distributors Assn. will join with the Institute for Trend Research to produce customized economic reports exclusively for NFDA members.

The “NFDA Economic Outlook Report” will be released four times a year and includes data for specific product categories related to the fastener industry.

The report will be a tool to help member companies forecast what effect the economy has on their business and what they might expect in the future.

With each report, the NFDA will host an “Economic Outlook Webinar” with ITR executive director Brian Beaulieu, who will review highlights of the report, provide additional analysis and take questions from NFDA members.

“I am pleased that NFDA is able to offer such an invaluable resource to our membership,” said John Hausoul, NFDA's executive vice president. “Arming our members with these reports gives them the much needed edge in today's tough marketplace.”

The first “NFDA Economic Outlook Report” will be released in Fall 2008.

For more information, go to www.nfda-fastener.org

The Institute for Supply Management presented its Person of the Year Awards during the annual International Supply Management Conference and Educational Exhibit held recently in St. Louis.

Honorees were recognized in the following categories: Education/learning, innovation/creativity, leadership, marketing/communicating and volunteerism.

The winners were: Eileen Byrne-Halczyn, Florida Gulf Coast Inc. (education/learning); Jim Haining, Nevada Inc. (innovation/creativity); Christine Couts, Columbus Inc. (leadership); Robert Barwick, Milwaukee Inc. (marketing/communicating); David Duprey, Greater Syracuse Inc. (volunteer of the year).

For more information, go to www.ism.ws

NIBA-The Belting Assn. announced the two recipients of its $4,000 scholarship presented annually to college students.

This year's scholarship recipients are Jessica Althouse of Mt. Wolf, Pa., daughter of Linda Althouse of R/W Connection; and Sarah Chopka of Valley View, Ohio, daughter of David and Mary Chopka of Applied Industrial Technologies.

They were selected by NIBA's Education & Training Committee from among 64 applicants.

The scholarship is available to children of NIBA member company employees.

NIBA also offers three NIBA seminar tuition scholarships to employees of member companies.

For information, go to www.niba.org

The National Electrical Manufacturers Assn. launched a Web site dedicated to the ANSI Z535 series of safety standards and guidelines.

The site provides easy access to the six different standards in the ANSI Z535 series and offers tips for using them at home or at work.

“NEMA has always been in the electrical safety business,” said Paul Orr, NEMA program manager and secretary for the Z535 Committee. “[But these] safety standards apply across the board—automotive, energy, construction, home, everywhere. They make a big difference.”

The ANSI Z535 series prevents injuries by standardizing recognized symbols and colors. It incorporates a unified set of signs, colors and symbols that identify and warn against specific hazards.

For information, go to: www.nema.org/Z535