Living Legends

A Profile of GAWDA's Past Presidents

There's an old adage that states that in order for us to succeed in the present and in the future, we have to learn from the past.

Since 1945, 58 men have been at the helm of our association – the first president, L.O. Scheiderwind, was elected in 1946, and Ralph Chase served a two-year term. As GAWDA turns 60, we begin a year-long celebration of recognition, dedication and commitment to you, its member. The first in this four-part series is a conversation with our Past Presidents.

The Past Presidents (we spoke with 31 of them!) possess an incredible amount of knowledge and experience. We thought it would be interesting to talk to these knowledgeable veterans, tapping their memories and history of the industry. In reading their comments, we are sure you will agree with our conclusion: We've come a long, long way! From their vantage point, we can also get a better look at where we are headed.

Each Past President remembered his time at the helm with great satisfaction. All of them are still very passionate about GAWDA and its objectives. We thank them for a time well served.

Harry Moore (1963 - 1964)
Moore Brothers
Sacramento, CA
Many distributors were buying oxygen for 60 cents and selling it for a dollar, thinking they could make a profit. They weren't considering the other costs: the cylinder, its transport and compressing the gas. Many believed the price charged by the manufacturer was a fixed price. In a talk to members called “Is Your Overhead Over Your Head?” I explained these true costs and helped members better understand this profit structure. Ultimately, we were able to get the price of gas up to where it should be. We also started to look at demurrage on cylinders, a complicated fee that went into effect after 30 days. The following year, through the work of 1964-65 President Reid Jones, demurrage was eliminated, replaced by cylinder rental. This was a major shift in philosophy that many people did not agree with.

Harry Moore, 87, and his brother built up their company to 6 stores and 75 employees, then sold it to Airgas. Harry and his wife Kathleen live in Sacramento in the winter and Santa Cruz during the summer. He still travels, plays golf and stays abreast of the industry.

Don Berner (1965 - 1966)
Welders Supply
Philadelphia, PA
Many distributors were first-generation owners, and the association was just beginning to address the issue of succession. As second generation, I was aware of many of the challenges, and set up a presentation with experts on the topic. We also addressed management issues. Remember, many owners had been employees of national companies and didn't know how to run a business. Training seminars were set up to help us learn.

I was the first Airco (now BOC) distributor to be elected president of the association, and from that vantage point, recognized the opportunities in the liquid business. Many manufacturers, including Airco and Linde, wanted us to stay in the cylinder business. They were in liquids. We saw the void between the size of accounts that national accounts were willing to address, and stepped into it.

Don Berner, 78, retired at age 62. He remarried after his first wife passed away and now lives in Sarasota, Florida. Often remembered as “NWSA's Song and Dance Man,” Don opened the 1966 Annual Convention with a parody of the song “Trouble in River City” from The Music Man, taking on the challenges in the industry.

Carl K. Seitz (1969 - 1970)
Welders Supply Company-Beloit
Beloit, WI
In the late 1960s, manufacturers wanted to assume the distributorship of their products, in essence, eliminating the distributor. Large manufacturing companies began to acquire distributorships, opening them as branches. This was a challenge for us. The association worked hard at building and strengthening cooperative relationships between manufacturers and distributors, developing much goodwill on both sides, despite the acquisitions taking place.

Other changes were occurring throughout the industry: Distributors took on cylinder ownership. Bulk plants were becoming more evident at distributor locations. The computer was evolving and many distributors changed to more sophisticated inventory and bookkeeping methods. Distributor operations had to change to keep pace with these evolutions.

Programs were developed to teach distributors how to better run their businesses, with special attention given to people management and selection, motivation, job description, company morale and management participation. We stressed that employees were needed who were knowledgeable not only about our industry, but good business practices. To that end, we made sure that every regional meeting included a presentation on this topic.

The NWSA Safety Committee was created this year, and a Safety Handbook was begun.

Carl Seitz, 87, retired in 1974. He moved to Arizona, earned his real estate broker's license and opened a real estate agency. He also assisted his wife Laura in an antique shop she opened in Tubac, Arizona. Married for 64 years, they still hunt for antiques as they drive through the Southwest.

Charles E. Squibb (1970 - 1971)
Welder's Supply
Dallas, TX
The industry was in its glory days—the role of private ownership was just about at its peak and the acquisitions by major national and international firms were just starting. We set out to develop a way for small, independent distributors to continue their success when consolidation was imminent. Professional speakers were brought in to address the topic, and networking sessions with industry colleagues who met the challenge were promoted. This attitude of helpfulness and friendship among distributors greatly enhanced membership.

Charles E. Squibb retired from Welder's Supply almost 10 years ago, passing the reins to his son Randy, who also served as NWSA President in 1995. The company was acquired in 1996. Charles and his wife Martha live in Dallas, Texas.

Don Wyatt (1971 - 1972)
Mobile Welding Supply
Mobile, AL
In 1972, manufacturers were competing heavily against distributors, and one of our top priorities was to promote the value of a strong relationship with them. Both sides needed to be loyal and able to count on the other. It was time to stand up and be counted. During this year, the association helped manufacturers develop categories for electrodes. When they first started categorizing them, they were only to number 610.

Don Wyatt sold his business to Union Carbide in 1979 and is currently a pharmacy manager for Winn-Dixie in Mobile, Alabama. Don has been a registered pharmacist for 54 years, a background that came in handy as he directed his company's growth away from industrial and toward medical gases.

Ed Madison (1973 - 1974)
Prest-O-Sales & Service
Long Island City, NY
Material shortages, rising prices and dramatically rising labor and operating costs confronted us, pushing the economy into an inflationary spiral. We were feeling the full impact of regulatory agencies like OSHA, FDA and DOT. Much of NWSA's program content helped members cope with these rules and regulations, and what to expect when federal inspectors came calling. Representatives from the government agencies were brought in to explain to members what to expect. It was during this time that the Canadian Zone was created.

Ed Madison retired from Prest-O-Sales & Service in 1993. The company now is run by his son Jim, also an NWSA President in 2002. Ed calls himself the “self-appointed official correspondent” of the association and makes sure that networking and ideas continue to be shared.

Erroll C. Sult (1976 - 1977)
National Welders Supply Co.
Charlotte, NC
The insurance industry discontinued writing casualty coverage for our businesses in 1977. This sudden termination left many distributors without insurance, so the association took on the challenge to alleviate this problem. We instituted a captive company, called WESCAP, that was set up to provide casualty insurance at reduced rates through a group plan. More than 200 welding supply companies joined it over the years before the insurance industry decided to come back. At the time, WESCAP provided incentive to join the association and was an added bonus of membership.

Erroll C. Sult retired as CEO and president of National Welders Supply in June 1999, after 51 years in the welding industry. He continues to work three days a week at ECS Enterprises, a custom machine work and plastic fabrication business that he bought with his son in Concord, North Carolina.

George Motzenbecker (1977 - 1978
Welding Gas & Equipment
Detroit, MI
The skyrocketing costs of trucking necessitated a change, coming at a time when the practice of pumping our own gas was gaining momentum with distributors. We had to drastically change our internal way of handling gases, and it became very important for the association to make members aware of how much it really was costing them to deliver their products.

Manufacturers continued to acquire distributorships. One of our duties as an association is to provide information to members, and we set out to make distributors aware of what was happening.

When George Motzenbecker, 80, retired, he sold his business to Union Carbide. He now resides in West Bloomfield, Michigan. His son remains in the industry, managing a distributorship in Detroit.

William Sturgeon (1979 - 1980)
Consumers Welders Supplies
Edmonton, AB, Canada
Distributors in Canada were eager for information and education. They attended NWSA meetings at a time when U.S. regulatory agencies were in full force. Thus, many of those meetings dealt with educating distributors on the U.S. regulations. Building on the development of a Canadian Zone for members, NWSA's reach was extended northward, enabling Canadian members to take advantage of networking and information specifically related to Canadian issues.

Bill Sturgeon, the association's first Canadian president, lives in Edmonton. Battling ALS, Bill continues to follow the industry he is passionate about.

Sam Wilson (1982 - 1983)
Wilson Oxygen Company
Austin, TX
As our companies got bigger, we needed to be more aware of how to keep our costs down. Modern management tools were making this easier to do. We stressed efficiency and highlighted the adoption of computers for better efficiencies. As an association, we also stressed what we did daily in our businesses...serve the customer. Part of that service to members was a comparative, industry-wide survey focusing on best practices, expenses, profit and a wide variety of other topics.

Sam Wilson sold his company to Praxair in 1995. He is now retired and lives with his wife Sonia in Austin, Texas.

Larry Kissler (1986 - 1987)
Norco, Boise, ID
The association recognized that membership would dwindle as small welding companies were being purchased by the major manufacturers and other large distributors. To deal with the future decline, we focused on recruiting new members, and asking individuals to step up to the plate to volunteer for committee work. Members readily and generously accepted this responsibility, which also helped spread the news of the benefits of membership. As a result, membership grew rapidly, rather than decline.

Larry Kissler is chairman of the board of Norco, and acts in an advisory role to his son, Jim Kissler, CEO of the company, who was president of GAWDA in 2003.

Gordon Wetmore (1987 - 1988)
Wetmore Welding Supplies
Mississauga, ON, Canada
The industry was in very good shape in 1988. We were dealing with the efficient use of information technology to help us run our businesses, though many distributors were skeptical about incorporating new technology into their companies. Consolidation was another hot topic. Data at the time pointed to almost 4,000 small, independent distributorships and the number was rapidly decreasing due to consolidation. As an independent owner, I believed in the smaller approach to distribution. My final talk as president was called “Don't Sell The Farm” and I emphasized the importance of the small business. I wanted distributors who were going to sell to a big conglomerate to think twice and realize what a valuable asset the small business was and how hard it was to come by.

Gordon Wetmore sold the remaining shares of his company to Praxair in June 1994. He is retired and lives with his wife Jane in Toronto.

Frank Middleton (1988 - 1989)
Middleton Welders Supply Company
San Leandro, CA
The industry has become over-regulated through the years, and one of those instances was in 1989 when distributors in the State of California were required to put MSDS certificates on the outside of all packages—meaning every cylinder. I thought this was highly impractical and worked with NWSA's Government Affairs Committee to overturn this regulation. I believed it was important to focus on this because of the ripple effect it would have on other regulatory issues that would come up.

Frank Middleton sold his business about nine years ago but continued working there for the next five years. He is now retired but continues to attend industry meetings and events.

R. Peter Plank (1989 - 1990)
Welders Supply Company
Billerica, MA
Many regulations were changing in the late 1980s. It was a confusing time, so the association compiled its first EPA Guidance Book as a member resource. Today that resource has grown. In those days, volunteerism was prevalent and members gave a lot of time, effort and talent to growing the association. We generously shared our best practices with each other.

R. Peter Plank sold his company to AGA in 1997. It was then purchased by Linde. He still owns the property the business sits on. Now retired, Peter lives in Lexington, Massachusetts, with Joanne, his wife of 55 years.

Dan Parris (1990 - 1991)
National Welding Supply Company
Fort Worth, TX
Spring meetings were originally designed to bring distributors together from a specific geographic area. That focus on location was changed to a “topical” focus, specifically to bring members together from different parts of the country. We also laid the groundwork for establishing formal and ongoing strategic planning for the association. It was during this time that we tried to reactivate the Canadian Zone and keep it alive, despite the loss of membership that emanated from consolidation. As the association continued to develop compliance manuals, the Human Resources Manual was completed, which helped distributors develop standards for personnel.

Dan Parris sold his company to Airgas, Inc. in 1995. He is currently the CEO of a start-up company, Win Welding Supply in Fort Worth, Texas, which he opened in June 2004.

John C. Beringer (1991 - 1992)
Akron Oxygen & Supply Co.
Akron, OH
We were on the doorstep of exploding technology, and our marketplace was changing as it moved toward the Internet. It required a leap of faith from most of us to get knee deep into it, but I think if we hadn't, some of us wouldn't have survived. We also spent a lot of effort on safety issues. Technology, specifically bar coding of cylinders and product, was greatly influencing our industry, and we focused on the idea that bar coding cylinders would improve safety.

John C. Beringer is co-owner of Bel-Air Products in Akron, Ohio, a supplier of bags and clothing to manufacturers and distributors.

Jack Butler (1992 - 1993)
Butler Gas Products Co.
McKees Rocks, PA
“Why Technology? Because It Works!” This slogan was used to challenge our members to adopt new technologies. We focused on the efficiency and safety benefits of palletization and bar coding.

This was a time of distrust because some manufacturers were starting their own initiatives to go around distributors for business. To get manufacturers to work more closely with distributors, we invited them to become co-chairs of our committees. We had to work together in this capacity, and we hoped it would have an impact on the business relationship.

Jack Butler is president of Butler Gas Products Co. He is also the president of the International Oxygen Manufacturer's Association.

Jack Dammann (1993 - 1994)
Industrial Gas Products & Supply
Colorado Springs, CO
The makeup of the association was transitioning as we approached the mid-1990s. We were starting to realize that we were a mixed gender organization, and I appointed the first woman to serve on a committee, the Industry Partnering Committee. A younger generation was also becoming very active in the association, as they succeeded their fathers and grandfathers.

In 1994, the association celebrated its 50th Anniversary. Our convention, held at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, attracted almost 2,000 people. Motivational speakers at conventions are an industry tradition. That year, members heard General Norman Schwarzkopf, straight from Operation Desert Storm, and Bonnie Blair, on the heels of her Olympic victories.

Jack Dammann sold his 50-year-old company in the fall of 1997 and became president of an Airgas hub. A year later, he retired. Currently, Jack owns a small consulting company with his wife Jo in Colorado Springs, and continues to manage his family and business real estate holdings.

Randy Squibb (1994 - 1995)
Welder's Supply
Dallas, TX
“E-commerce “was the buzzword in the industry, and everyone was in an uproar about what to do with this new, alternative channel of distribution. We had to find a way to coexist with new competitors, these huge discount supply houses that had never been in the welding business. It was also a tough time for manufacturers, because distributors were asking them, “What do you mean, you're going to set these people up? We're your arm to the marketplace!”

During this time, the association took a proactive approach to safety, emphasizing that our industry is not high risk and that we are very safe operators. We decreased the number of zone meetings, and eliminated the Canadian Zone.

Randy Squibb sold his company to BOC Gases in 1998. Missing the people and the business, he fulfilled his non-compete agreement, then in 2002, purchased Basin Welding Supply in Odessa, Texas, from a long-time NWSA member. His father, Charles, served as the association's president in 1970.

William H. Higley (1995 - 1996)
Interstate Welding Sales Corp.
Marinette, WI
We continued to deal with manufacturers providing traditional welding supplies to third channel, big box suppliers. Buying groups thus became more valuable and critical for the financial survival of the independent distributor. One of the projects we tackled was the association's dues structure. Each member was carefully measured and reclassified into the proper dues category, which resulted in a significant increase in revenue.

The association faced the untimely death of then President-Elect Jim Robertson. Jim was passionate about safety and devoted much time to teaching people inside and outside the industry about safety.

In April 2004, Bill Higley sold his company, Interstate Welding Sales Corp., to Airgas, Inc. He now works for Airgas as national manager-distributor channel, and is based in Menominee, Michigan. His father served as president of the association in 1985.

Ken Biedermann (1996 - 1997)
Airweld, Inc.
Fredericksburg, TX
Technology was an important issue that would govern our operations from then on, and the welding industry was a little behind the curve. I focused on integrating technology into our welding businesses, but in doing so, I didn't want to lose track of the human factor. People are the guts of our business.

Two consultants were added: one whose purpose was to advise our industry on areas of technology, helping members learn where their businesses could be improved; and another to advise on areas requiring human resources information and advice. I worked to make sure that members were taking advantage of all the consultant services the association already had on hand, promoting the benefits of membership in NWSA.

Ken Biedermann is semi-retired and lives in Fredericksburg, Texas. He keeps abreast of the welding industry through GAWDA events and through his son, who has a key role in the company.

Chip Valentine (1997 - 1998)
nexAir
Memphis, TN
The role of the independent distributor was uncertain: Could they remain independent, or were they ultimately going to have to sell to the big, national, public companies? With this issue looming over so many NWSA members, we were very blunt in our message. As an industry, we needed to address the topic and prepare our members. Association meetings were very well-attended as we addressed this important issue.

Chip Valentine sold nexAir in 2003, and now lives in Memphis, Tennessee. He remains involved in the industry as a part-time consultant with IWDC. Chip also advises individuals on acquisition and divestiture issues. He is involved in land development and construction in the Florida panhandle.

Fred Fitch (1998 - 1999)
Fitch Industrial & Welding Supply
Lawton, OK
With so many acquisitions taking place, attendance was dropping at NWSA events. We worked hard to get the message out that attendance at these events was a valuable benefit of membership. We restructured the regional meetings so that programs would be beneficial to members from small distributorships who were unable to attend a three or four-day conference, but could attend a one-day meeting. We also shrank the Spring Management Conferences, putting more meat into each meeting and having fewer meetings in more accessible and economical areas. We also got the message to manufacturers who were not attending the SMCs and Convention that they should be. It worked, and members realized that they were doing themselves and their companies an injustice by not taking advantage of these member benefits. Attendance increased.

Fred Fitch is president of Fitch Industrial & Welding Supply in Lawton, Oklahoma.

David Mahoney (1999 - 2000)
AWESCO
Albany, NY
As we entered the new century, many distributors were worried about the impact of the Internet and online purchasing. At every opportunity, we addressed the topic, advising members to embrace this new technology in order to survive.

Major changes were made in the association: The fiscal year was changed to begin on November 1; dues collection changed from date of renewal to November 1; and we changed our accounting system, in essence, balancing the association's budget. The Gives Back program, an idea put forth by my wife, Donna, was initiated at our Annual Convention in Maui. To date, GAWDA members have given back over $193,000 to a deserving charity in the convention's host city.

Dave Mahoney is president and CEO of AWESCO in Albany, New York.

D. Sheron Carter (2000 - 2001)
Action Welding Supply
Jacksonville, FL
Compliance with FDA and DOT regulations continued to dominate our thoughts, as did acquisitions and mergers. The use of the Web site, www.gawda.org, kept members informed, and we stopped hardcopying information. The tragic events of September 11 forced the cancellation of our Annual Convention in San Francisco, the first time in the history of the association the convention did not take place. Our members rose to the occasion and donated supplies and equipment to the recovery efforts.

A discussion began about changing the association's name to reflect the broader services offered by members.

Sheron Carter sold his company in 2002, then opened a new one, Independent Welder Repair, a business dedicated to the repair of equipment. He and his wife Lyn reside in Jacksonville, Florida.

James Madison (2001 - 2002)
Prest-O-Sales & Service
Long Island City, NY
To communicate better with members, we began publishing our own, official member journal, Welding & Gases Today, and updated our twice-monthly electronic newsletter. “GAWDA University” became the theme of a multi-track program at the Spring Management Conferences, and topics were designed to appeal to a broader, cross-company audience.

The name change from the National Welders Supply Association to the Gases and Welding Distributors Association was finalized. Since so much of what we do relates to gases, we wanted “gases” in our name. We also wanted our name to reflect the membership base outside of the United States.

To help members become more educated about FDA requirements for medical gases production and distribution, the association retained a medical gases consultant firm that developed a compliance program for GAWDA members. We also began working with FDA on developing more sensible guidelines, a process that is still unfolding.

Jim Madison is president of Prest-O-Sales & Service in Long Island City, New York. His father Ed was NWSA president in 1974.

James A. Kissler (2002 - 2003)
Norco
Boise, ID
Post 9/11, people were traveling less and attending fewer meetings in order to save costs. In response to this, we made our meetings as valuable as possible, continuing “GAWDA University” and its broad array of topics. In an effort to reduce members' travel costs and allay travel fears, we took advantage of webcast technology to offer more low-cost teleconferences on a wider range of subjects. For many members, this was their first experience attending a seminar from the comforts of their office.

Jim Kissler is CEO of Norco in Boise, Idaho. His father Larry was NWSA president in 1987.

Wally Brant (2003 - 2004)
Indiana Oxygen Company
Indianapolis, IN
As members became accustomed to the association's new name, we worked on establishing our brand. Part of that brand is a strong focus on member benefits and we continued the development of quality training programs, including teleconferences and webcasts. At the Annual Convention, 21 bylaw and standing rule changes were passed to make leadership more attractive to members and to modify the organization, including the creation of an Associate Zone. Associate members will soon be able to vote on active issues. The length of time a member is asked to serve on the board was shortened from three years to two.

Wally Brant is president of Indiana Oxygen Company in Indianapolis, Indiana.