NAHAD convention readies members for rebound
by Joe Thompson, NAHAD executive vice president
Over the past 18 months, many businesses tightened their cash flow by pulling back on business travel, employee training and education activities, and participation at association events. Associations thereby suffered downturns in their attendance at their conventions and events, and tried their best to adjust to the new normal.
Like our member companies, this serious disruption of normal business practices resulted in NAHAD needing to adjust, refocus and change some of our basic programs and services. As the NAHAD board of directors met to discuss the future development of the annual NAHAD Convention program at their year-end 2009 meeting, a number of new ideas and proposals were considered, many of them coming from the members themselves. The 2010 Convention, scheduled for April 17-21 at the Omni ChampionsGate Resort in Orlando, Fla., is evidence of those changes. And, the attending members will benefit greatly.
The NAHAD Convention has always provided an excellent opportunity for hose manufacturers and distributors, worldwide, to come together over three days to conduct serious business and nurture valuable networking relationships that directly benefit their businesses in the coming year. The combination of top-notch educational and business sessions and presentations, coupled with the manufacturers’ exhibit program, as well as great opportunities for socializing and business networking, have always been a hallmark of the NAHAD annual event. At this year’s program, many new additions and modifications will make the program even more beneficial and exciting.
The NAHAD Contact Table Exhibits program, where manufacturers and suppliers have always displayed their company literature and small product samples, will be greatly expanded in 2010. Exhibitors may now display whatever product literature, samples, equipment or services they wish. Many companies will also purchase multiple booths, expanding the opportunity for new product showcasing. This major expansion of display opportunities will benefit the exhibiting firms, as well as better serving the interests and needs of their distributor customers.
To compliment the full-day Contact Table Exhibits program, manufacturers may also purchase private booths in an adjacent room for one-on-one appointments with their customers. This new feature will provide enhanced business networking for all attendees.
NAHAD Affiliate members, those companies providing services and products of value to the distributor community, will offer new Spotlight Presentations during the opening day of the Convention, providing attendees with additional educational and informational opportunities. The Affiliate members will also be part of the Contact Table Exhibits program for the first time in NAHAD’s history.
To serve the needs of attending mid-level and branch managers, the convention program will include a University of Industrial Distribution-in-a-Day format. Three faculty members from the popular UID program will offer six different sessions, with three concurrent programs in the morning and three more in the afternoon. Well-known industry experts Mike Workman, Al Bates and Joe Ellers will offer attendees valuable educational content, which can be used toward earning their complimentary Certificate in Industrial Distribution from Purdue University.
To maximize members’ networking potential, the program will include a special Speed Networking session, designed to offer “rapid fire insights and solutions” for all attending members; a business version of speed dating!
A highlight of every NAHAD Convention is the presentation of the George Carver Award for Industry Excellence. This year, the award will be presented to NAHAD past president, Ed Fabacher, president of Fabacher Inc. in Harvey, La. Fabacher will be recognized for his critical role in the formation, development, leadership and continued support of NAHAD since its inception in 1984.
No NAHAD convention would be complete without the latest updates and benefits on the NAHAD Hose Assembly Guidelines program. Since the association first introduced these industry standards for hose assembly safety, quality and reliability in 2000, the program has evolved each year to encompass new Guidelines publications, expanded member benefits and enhanced online tools. NAHAD’s Standards
Committee will update attendees on the latest Guidelines benefits at the Connections Café each day of the Convention.
Complete details on the 2010 NAHAD convention are available at www.NAHAD.org.
This article originally appeared in the March/April 2010 edition of Industrial Supply magazine. Copyright 2010, Direct Business Media, LLC.
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