ELEVATE2022 is loaded with education and networking opportunities. Highlights include a tour of Zoeller Pump’s Louisville headquarters, plus educational sessions with Michelle Villalobos (How to “Sell” with Grace, Ease & Flow), Kathleen Hoye (How to Keep “Family” Part of Family Business), Janine Driver (You Say More Than You Think: Leadership, Sales & Communications Secrets for Affinity and Success) and Kristen Hawley (Self-Kindness is Self-Care).

Each year, ASA members compete for the award by submitting an application and their prior year’s incident rate (300A form). Thank you to all those that participated in the ASA Safety Award competition, and to all those who help form ASA's safety culture and education through volunteerism, and support through such efforts as its Safety Recognition Program.

There are very few work-related emergencies that carry more risk and danger than fire events. Many regulations related to fire prevention have been developed to protect workers and facilities with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) being responsible for many of them.

You do your best to keep surfaces clear of clutter, debris and moisture to help ensure that employees and customers have a pleasant and safe experience at your business. Still, someone can lose their footing, slip and fall, leading to serious injuries.

Culture seems to be all the rage in the corporate world today, or maybe that’s just because I read a lot about it, and because we really focus on it being real. At Eastern, we have a healthy desire to have a positive impact on the lives of people we come in contact with. One of the ways we foster this is through our 28 Fundamentals, or as we call it, The Eastern Way.

ASA’s monthly sales report shows October 2021 results that reflect another month of robust performance compared to the same month a year ago. Year-to-date and trailing-twelve-month figures remained strong when compared against 2020, a year that had multiple weeks, if not months of closures or partial closures.

As another year comes to a close, I cannot help but to look back and reflect on how resilient and successful our association was during another year of disruption. For a second straight year, our world struggled with a worldwide pandemic and unprecedented supply chain disruption. But one thing remains constant. Our association and our dedicated volunteer leaders continue to be the voice of hope for a stronger future for our industry.

The topic of labor has been front and center for quite some time now inside and outside of this industry. But it wasn’t until the recent Thanksgiving holiday break that it really hit home as to just how bad the current situation is. While waiting for my daughter to finish a recent fitness class, I decided to run a quick errand to mail a package. While driving down this road in an industrial park setting, business after business had roadside signs looking for labor — virtually every business on this busy road.

The recent chaos and gloom that we’ve experienced during the global pandemic has taught us several important lessons, including resilience and strength.

The Southwest Pacific Distributors, a regional affiliate of the American Supply Association, recently held its annual awards dinner in Long Beach, California.