PRESS RELEASE
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Distributors Award Honors During Executive Planning Conference (November 14, 2005) - Approximately 500 home improvement industry executives attended meetings at the Executive Planning Conference Nov. 10-12, 2005 at the Registry Resort in Naples, Fla. Thirty-two independent distributor companies affiliated with the Des Plaines, Ill-based Distribution America and Denver-based PRO Group, Inc. were represented at the event, along with 161 key manufacturer companies. The focus of the annual Executive Planning Conference is one-on-one meetings between distributor members with top-level manufacturer executives. This marks the fourth year that the Des Plaines, Illinois-based Distribution America and Denver-based PRO Group have hosted the conference jointly. "The Executive Planning Conference is one of the most important events that we attend each year," said Doug Miller, president of Spokane, Wash.-based Jensen Distribution Services. "Where else can we meet with over 150 current and prospective vendors to discuss growing our sales and reducing costs in the channel?" Mark Rogers, vice president, merchandising for the Helena, Ark-based Southern Hardware, came prepared to get some relief from vendors and discuss shipping issues and shortages in some categories as a result of the recent hurricanes. "The hurricanes have created some real shortages and there is an issue with supply and demand," Rogers said. "Everyone is fighting for their own merchandise, and we want to be sure we are getting our fair share." Kenny Beauvais, president of the Shreveport, La.-based Hardware Distribution Warehouses, Inc. and Distribution America's chairman of the board, said the Executive Planning Conference is the most important event in the industry for his company. "We always bring away something new by seeing a large number of vendors," Beauvais said. "We try to expand and look at new vendor programs. The conference presents us with the opportunity to do that in an organized way." George Hebert, president of Providence, R.I.-based Blackstone Supply and a member of the PRO Group Board of Directors, said his company uses the event as a forum for annual planning. "We tie up loose ends and work on new products and programs." Dave Kresge and George Kulp of the North Haven, Conn.-based Gardus, Inc. attended the conference to promote the company's dryer vent system and establish new programs with participating distributors. Wendy and Lance Coultrap of United Coatings Manufacturing Company, were promoting an expanded retail program. Distribution America and PRO Group, Inc. also honored vendors at awards presentations. Distribution America's Distributor Awards included:
PRO Group presented Distributor Awards to:
Distribution America presented Vendor of the Year honors to Custom LeatherCraft, Genova Products, LDR Industries, Keeper Corporation, Red Devil, Enforcer Products, and Leviton Manufacturing Company. Genova Products was named overall Distribution America Partnership Vendor of the Year. PRO Group presented Key Supplier of the Year honors to Johnson Level & Tool Company, William H. Harvey Company, Hy-Ko Products, Aearo Company, Gilmour Group, and Gardner Bender. Wright-Bernet was named as the PRO Group Overall Key Supplier of the Year. Wholesale buyers also singled out products showcased by attending manufacturers with New Product Awards, rating the best new products and presented awards for the Overall Best New Product and the Best New Products by category, as determined by conference attendees. Attendees rated Keeper Corporation's 36" Super Heavy Duty Bungee Cord with Carabiner Hooks as the overall best new product. Products singled out for category awards included the Gardner Bender Circuit Alert Voltage Sensing Wire Stripper; Stanley Works Maxlife '3-6-9' Tripod Flashlight; Hy-Ko Products for its Looney Tunes KW 1 Key Blanks; H.D. Hudson Mfg. Co. One Gallon Fanny Pak Style Sprayer; Werner Ladder's Aluminum Telescoping Multi-Ladder; Gardus, Inc. Rotary Dryer Vent Cleaning System, and Shop-Vac Corporation's 5.5 HP 5 Gallon Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum. Vendors previewed new products and tuned into trends while planning for next year. Mary Ann Barnett, president of Wright-Bernet, said attending distributors seemed particularly interested in her company's equestrian line of brushes. "The increase in hobby farmers is making this category explode," Barnett said. Jeff Wike, national account sales for Wooster Brush Company, was introducing a new paint pail at the conference. "This is a nice opportunity to meet with top executives and discuss strategies." Lynne Wallis, senior national account manager for Cooper Hand Tools, previewed a new line of wrenches at the conference. "The timing is perfect, because we are starting new programs in January 2006," Wallis said. "The conference gives us a great opportunity to plan promotions." Henry Lipscomb, president of the Nashville, Tenn-based H.G. Lipscomb, said he uses the conference to find new vendors and strategize new business opportunities with existing vendors. "Nearly every conference we find at least one or two new manufacturers we had not been doing business with that are either new or we had not been aware of their program." Lipscomb partnered with some new vendors as a result of the 2004 conference. "They saved me a lot of money and made me a lot more competitive." Other event highlights included a prayer breakfast conducted by the Wallace Hardware Company, a golf tournament, a presentation about the 2006 National Hardware Show and individual meetings for PRO Group and Distribution America distributor members. Attending manufacturers also pre-registered for next year's Executive Planning Conference, scheduled for Nov. 12-14, 2006 at the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. Photos:
The Des Plaines, Illinois-based Distribution America www.daonline.com is a $2 billion plus buying and marketing organization, covering all 50 states with over 20,000 retail customers. Headquartered in Denver, PRO Group, Inc. www.pro-group.com is a merchandising and marketing organization with purchasing power exceeding $3 billion through its 41 Member Distributors. For More Information Contact: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
