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The towering Santa Rosa Mountains set the backdrop for the Distribution America/PRO Group, Inc. 2015 Executive Planning Conference, held Nov. 18-20 at the JW Marriott Palm Desert Resort in Palm Desert, California.
This year’s event marks the 11th consecutive year of the joint conference, where vendors have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with key principles from both organizations to discuss challenges and opportunities for the coming year.
According to Dave Christmas, president and CEO of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Distribution America, this special event continues to benefit both manufacturers and distributors in the industry, with this year’s conference hitting near record attendance. “The opportunity to conduct high-level conversations with new and existing customers while reducing travel time and expenses is a tremendous value for all attendees.” Christmas also said that “2014 has been a good year for our channel, as business continues to recover, and we expect the momentum to continue in 2015.”
According to Steve Synnott, president and CEO of Denver-based PRO Group Inc., “The EPC gets better every year as one of the channel’s premier events, with outstanding opportunities for industry leaders to accomplish both business planning and social interaction. This is a meeting where you can get to know a new colleague while developing a plan for the coming year’s business.”
Over 400 manufacturers and distributors attended the three-day event, which included 2,988 face-to-face meetings. Topics discussed included new product launches, fill rates, promotions and new business opportunities. A scramble golf tournament and a reception sponsored by the National Hardware Show, featuring culinary and musical talents of conference attendees, rounded out the networking opportunities.
Distribution America and PRO Group, Inc. presented the following awards during this year’s Executive Planning Conference:
Best New Product Awards:
Electrical: Gardner Bender – Wifi Inspection Camera
Hand Tools: CLC Custom LeatherCraft – Tackle Tec Nomad XP Lighted Backpack with USB Charging System
Housewares and Seasonal: Jack Links’s Beef Jerky – Small Batch Bacon Jerky s
Hardware: Stanley National Hardware / Kwikset – Smart Key Pad Lock
Lawn & Garden and Pet: United Industries Corporation – Mulch-Lock Products Seal Mulch
Paint: Rust-Oleum – Rust-Oleum Peel Coat
Plumbing: Delta Faucet Company – 6 Setting Digital Temperature Display Showerhead
Tools: Shop Air by Shop-Vac Corporation – 1/4 HP Stainless Steel Air Circulator
Overall Winner: Stanley Black & Decker Tools: Dewalt – 20 Volt Max Compact Reciprocating Saw
Distribution America Vendors of the Year
Electrical: Gardner Bender
Paint and Paint Sundries: Encore Plastics
Hardware: Midwest Fasteners
Hand and Power Tools: Apex tool Group
Plumbing: Genova Products
Lawn and Garden: H.D. Hudson
Specialty Products: Hampton Products
Soaring Eagle Vendor Partnership Award: Apex Tool Group
PRO Group, Inc. Key Suppliers of the Year:
Tools: Apex Tool Group
Plumbing: LDR Industries
Hardware: Stanley National Hardware
Paint Sundries: Intertape Polymer Group
Electrical: Coleman Cable
Seasonal: Boss manufacturing Co.
Key Supplier of the Year: Robert Bosch Tool Corp.
PRO Group, Inc. Distributor Honors:
PRO HARDWARE DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR
Wallace Hardware Co., Inc.
MERCHANDISING DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR
Cascade Wholesale Hardware, Inc.
FARM¨MART DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR
Horizon Distribution, Inc.
Best Target Vendor Support
The Bostwick-Braun Company
