GAWDA Establishes Young Executives Program

Building a successful future for our industry and our association

By Gary Stoneback

GAWDA's current leadership team, in collaboration with GAWDA Executive Director Kent Van Amburg, have made it a priority to re-establish a program specifically intended for young executives, drawn from both our distributor and our supplier members. The goal of this program is to provide educational programming and networking opportunities that will help young executives within our association to develop the skills and knowledge they will need to reach personal and professional objectives that will enhance their companies, GAWDA and themselves.

Forming Young Executives
Discussions about re-establishing the Young Executives started just prior to the 2006 Annual Convention in Orlando. Our first official meeting took place on May 22, 2007, during the Spring Management Conference at the Pointe South Mountain Resort in Phoenix, Arizona. It should be noted that this meeting was a breakfast meeting which took place on the morning after the last official GAWDA event, the very successful pool party the prior evening. I was a bit apprehensive about the turnout, but was pleasantly surprised by a turnout of over 20 very enthusiastic young executives, both distributors and suppliers.

The point of emphasis was to establish a mission statement and continue to gain traction as a viable value to GAWDA. The prevalent discussion theme was the need to transfer industry knowledge, as well as GAWDA knowledge, from the current leaders to the future leaders of our industry and association. The group also noted that a need exists for a group of peers within their own generation with whom they can develop friendships and business relationships.

Leadership and Participation
The group recommended that the Young Executives be recognized as a formal committee with a chair, members, a budget and a seat on the Board of Directors. This recommendation will be presented to the Board of Directors during the San Francisco meeting in September. I have volunteered to serve as the first chair, and Richelle Smith-Brecht of S.J. Smith Company has volunteered to co-chair until the group is more organized and can have official elections.

Each member company of GAWDA will be asked to appoint at least one representative to the Young Executives. Group members also will be encouraged to help the Zone Vice Presidents in organizing Regional Meetings and to participate in GAWDA committees. I want to personally thank those who attended the breakfast meeting in Phoenix for their valuable input and their eager willingness to participate.

Other Opportunities for Development
Several of our GAWDA Young Executives attended a Young Distribution Professionals Conference at the Eaglewood Resort and Spa in Itasca, Illinois, in early August. GAWDA partnered with several other distributor-based associations to organize the conference, which targeted sales managers, operations managers, marketing managers and finance managers looking to enhance and expand their distribution careers.

The objective of the conference was to provide young distribution professionals with a big-picture look at the many important aspects of distribution: sales, marketing, operations, finance and, most important, the bottom line. The conference also focused on leadership training and career development tools for future advancement.

GAWDA was represented well by both our distributor members and our supplier members. I was joined at the conference by Kevin Falconer of Minneapolis Oxygen Company, Faisal Khan of AWISCO, Britt Lovin of Andy Oxy Company, Jenny McCall of WESCO Gas & Welding Supply, and Phillip Fulgenzi of The Lincoln Electric Company. Lloyd Robinson of AWISCO also attended the conference as a presenter speaking about leadership and the lessons he has learned in managing change, creating team spirit and improving company morale.

Young Executives at Convention
Our next organized meeting for the Young Executives will take place at the Annual Convention in San Francisco. Current members are planning a team-building event on Sunday, September 16, and a workshop featuring a presentation by Lloyd Robinson on Tuesday, September 18. We are anticipating over 50 Young Executives along with their spouses to attend a scavenger hunt on Sunday. After lunch and a quick orientation of San Francisco, teams of eight will spread out across the city on foot, by cab or by trolley to find unusual items and take team pictures at San Francisco landmarks.

The workshop will be an opportunity for the Young Executives to learn more about our association. Current and Past Presidents as well as Board Members will give an overview of the fine 62-year history of GAWDA, the governance structure, and tips on how to get the most from the meetings and your membership.

For those who are eligible to join the program, I urge you to do so. For our more seasoned/experienced members, please get involved by insisting that your young executives join our program. I pledge that the program will provide a forum for professional growth that will enhance each member and each member's company, as well as our association as a whole. See you in San Francisco!

GAWDA Members Convene At Young Distribution Professionals Conference The first multi-association Young Distribution Professionals Conference, presented by the Association Education Alliance on August 5-8, drew 109 attendees from 16 different associations, including six GAWDA members. Lloyd Robinson, president of AWISCO (Maspeth, NY), gave a presentation on leadership. N. Britt Lovin of Andy Oxy Company (right) and GAWDA Executive Director Kent Van Amburg Kevin Falconer Minneapolis Oxygen Company Faisal Khan AWISCO Lloyd Robinson AWISCO (L-R) N. Britt Lovin, Andy Oxy Company; 2007 GAWDA President-Elect Gary Stoneback, Metro Welding Supply Corporation; Jenny McCall, WESCO Gas & Welding Supply; Phil Fulgenzi, The Lincoln Electric Company