DISTRIBUTORS MEET WITH MANUFACTURERS DURING EXECUTIVE PLANNING CONFERENCE
Manufacturers and distributors from two groups strategized business development plans during the annual Executive Planning Conference at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort and Spa in Tucson, Arizona November, 15-17. The Charlotte-based Distribution America and Denver-based PRO Group, Inc. began conducting their annual conferences jointly in 2003 as an effort to bring together a diversity of outlooks while also reducing cost and increasing value for manufacturers and wholesalers. The conference also provides extensive networking opportunities within the industry. More than 400 distributors and manufacturers were in attendance at the Executive Planning Conference, and over three days they took part in 2,834 one-on-one sessions. During those sessions, distributor and manufacturers came together to discuss topics ranging from new product and program launches, prior year fill-rates, order turn-around time, promotional effectiveness, return on asset performance, new business opportunities and how to gain market share with key customers in 2011. In addition, there were a number of social functions that enabled attendees to network, share best practices and address issues during the conference. On Nov. 15, the 35th Annual Wallace Leadership Prayer Breakfast featured guest speaker Skip Ast Sr., CEO and founder of Shasta Pools. A golf tournament followed at Starr Pass, complete with beverage cart and a hole-in-one contest sponsored by the North American Retail Hardware Association. Later that evening, attendees donned their favorite college football or NFL attire for Monday Night Football at the tailgating-themed welcome reception, sponsored by National Hardware Show. The days that followed included an annual awards ceremony recognizing distributors and manufacturers.
INDUSTRY EXPERTS INTERVIEWED ON SITE AT THE EPC
National Hardware Show executive promotes tailgate area.
Diane Allen of NRHA discusses the vendor partner program.
Bill Lee discusses how North American Retail Hardware Association helps independent retailers.
DA AND PRO ANNOUNCE AWARD WINNERS
The following distributors and vendors were presented with awards during the Executive Planning Conference in Tucson, Arizona:
Best New Product Awards:
Electrical: Gardner Bender - Cable Wraptor
Hand Tools: Great Neck Saw Mfg., Inc. - Around the House Tool Kit
Housewares and Seasonal: Ames True Temper - AutoBoss Compact Shovel
Hardware: GTO, Inc. - Wireless Driveway Alarm
Lawn & Garden and Pet: Coleman Cable, Inc. - Solar Moonrays - Birds of North America
Paint: Rust-Oleum Corporation - Countertop Transformations Kit
Plumbing: LDR Industries - Three Function Dual Head Shower Kit Power
Tools: Shop-Vac Corporation - Mighty Mini Air Mover
Overall Winner: Cooper Lighting - Might-D-Light LED Rechargeable Folding Worklight
|
|
|
Electrical: Gardner Bender - Cable Wraptor
Bob Reiling, Jeremy Lueloff, Jim Sobota |
|
Hand Tools: Great Neck Saw Mfg., Inc. -
Around the House Tool Kit
Bob Reiling, Bruce Baum, Jim Hoenscheidt, Jim Sobota |
|
|
|
Housewares and Seasonal: Ames True Temper -
AutoBoss Compact Shovel
Bob Reiling, Mike Coyne, Gary Varney, Jim Sobota |
|
Hardware: GTO, Inc. - Wireless Driveway Alarm |
 |
|
|
Lawn & Garden and Pet: Coleman Cable, Inc. -
Solar Moonrays - Birds of North America
Bob Reiling, Todd Hermon, Jim Sobota
|
|
Paint: Rust-Oleum Corporation - Countertop Transformations Kit |
 |
|
|
Plumbing: LDR Industries - Three Function Dual Head Shower Kit Power
Bob Reiling, Loren Greenspon, John Watkins, Mark Marotto, Jim Marino, Jim Sobota
|
|
Tools: Shop-Vac Corporation - Mighty Mini Air Mover |
| |
 |
|
| |
Overall Winner: Cooper Lighting - Might-D-Light LED Rechargeable Folding Worklight
Bob Reiling, Dave Shea, Lou Diaz, Jim Sobota
|
|
Distribution America Vendor Award Winners:
Lawn & Garden: Seymour Manufacturing Co., Inc.
Paint and Paint Sundries: DAP Inc.
Tools: Apex Tool Group
Hardware: Master Lock Company
Electrical: Coleman Cable, Inc.
Plumbing: Genova Products, Inc.
Soaring Eagle Vendor Partnership Award: Genova Products, Inc.
Distribution America Member Awards:
Outstanding Sales Growth: House-Hasson Hardware Company
Outstanding Inventory Management: Handy Hardware Wholesale
Soaring Eagle Member Partnership Award: Blish-Mize
PRO Group, Inc. Key Suppliers of the Year:
Tools: Great Neck Saw Mfg., Inc.
Plumbing: Plumb Pak Corp.
Hardware: Master Lock Company
Paint Sundries: DAP Inc.
Electrical: Coleman Cable, Inc.
Seasonal: Ames True Temper
Key Supplier of the Year (all product categories): Apex Tool Group
 |
|
 |
Tools: Great Neck Saw Mfg., Inc.
Richard Paige, Brendan Sullivan, Bruce Baum, Jim Hoenscheidt, Steve Synnott
|
|
Plumbing: Plumb Pak Corp.
Steve Synnott, Bob Reiling, Jim Stephens, Wayne Moore, Richard Paige, Tom Bollenbacher
|
 |
|
 |
Hardware: Master Lock Company
Richard Paige, Brendan Sullivan, Jim Canning, John Spade
|
|
Paint Sundries: DAP Inc.
Steve Synnott, Bob Reiling, Greg Ballein, Kent Barnes, Richard Paige
|
 |
|
 |
Electrical: Coleman Cable, Inc.
Richard Paige, Brendan Sullivan, John Pappas, Todd Hermon, Rick Brambley, Steve Synnott
|
|
Seasonal: Ames True Temper
Geoff Brownrigg, Steve Synnott, Mike Coyne, Gary Varney, Brendan Sullivan
|
| |
 |
|
| |
Key Supplier of the Year (all product categories): Apex Tool Group
Richard Paige, Brendan Sullivan, Jeff Tholen, Lynne Wallis, Doug Laird
|
|
2010 PRO Group, Inc. Member Awards:
PRO Hardware Distributor of the Year: The Bostwick-Braun Company
Merchandising Distributor of the Year: CC Distributors, Inc.
FARM MART Distributor of the Year: Wallace Hardware Company, Inc.
Best Target Vendor Support: Long-Lewis Hardware Company
 |
|
|
PRO Hardware Distributor of the Year: The Bostwick-Braun Company
Dave Davis, Mark Rogers, Tom Miller, Chris Beach, Bill Bolin, Richard Paige, Steve Synnott, Shari Kalbach
|
|
Merchandising Distributor of the Year:
CC Distributors, Inc.
Steve Synnott, Kenneth Maltz, Richard Cole, Richard Paige, Shari Kalbach
|
|
|
|
Best Target Vendor Support: Long-Lewis Hardware Company
Steve Synnott, Tre Brannum, Michael Brady, Richard Paige, Shari Kalbach
|
|
FARM MART Distributor of the Year:
Wallace Hardware Company, Inc.
Richard Paige, Lynn Dawson, Richard Snowden, Shari Kalbach, Steve Synnott |
If you attended the 2011 Executive Planning Conference please remember to visit http://www.executiveplanningconference.com/Evaluations/surveyform.html to complete the conference survey.
Read the Full EPC Press Releases Here.
