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| A Semi-Monthly Newsletter for the Gases and Welding Distributors Association |
September
8, 2007
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BREAKING NEWS Bob Ames Reflects on His Year as GAWDA President When GAWDA President Bob Ames took office last fall, he promised that his term would be devoted to "partnerships, relationships and respect," and that's a promise he's been pleased to deliver on.
"The best memories I'm going to have of my year as president will be the nine Regional Meetings I attended," Ames says. "I've seen that partnership at the regional level is just phenomenal." Ames is proud that the Executive Committee made a point to send a representative to every Regional Meeting held in 2007. "It's important that we reach out to our members at the regional level," he says. "For example, with the consultant video, we've brought the GAWDA consultants to members who might not ever have seen or heard them before." President Ames is excited about both the immediate and long-term future of GAWDA. He's looking forward to meeting with over 1,000 delegates at the Annual Convention in San Francisco next week, and as his term draws to a close, he is confident that the association will be in capable hands. "Over the last couple of years, we've really seen GAWDA's Young Executives step up to the plate, which I think is so special," he says. "Just look at the age of our incoming president, Gary Stoneback, and our next president-elect, Britt Lovin. The Young Executives have their own organization within GAWDA now, and I think GAWDA is in great hands with its future leaders." When GAWDA members look back on Ames' year as president, he hopes they will remember his legacy as one of partnership. "I hope that somewhere along the line, more distributors begin to realize that they now look at their suppliers as partners, and that suppliers look at their distributors as partners, where maybe they didn't before," he says. "If through my message and my whole year of examples, they can look at a supplier or a distributor and say, 'This person really is my partner,' I will have exceeded the bar." President Ames is justifiably tired after a year of frequent travel, the extent of which he's never experienced before, but give him a bit of time to rest and he'd be glad to do it all over again. "I've enjoyed every meeting, and I've enjoyed every moment," he says. "I would encourage anybody to experience what I did for a year. There is tremendous value to what our association does, and it's been an honor serving as GAWDA's president."
Board Members Conclude Terms GAWDA would like to thank the Board members whose terms expire this fall for their dedication and service: Second Past President Robert Thornton Jr. of South Jersey Welding Supply, Supplier Member Vice President John M. Stropki of The Lincoln Electric Company, Insurance Trustees Chair Dave Weigel of Oxygen Service Company and Management Information Committee Chair Rick Smith of National Welders Supply Company. They have served well and the effects of their work are seen throughout the association. Thank you! Are You Ready for San Francisco?
Help Your Career Take Flight
The latest issue of GAWDA Edge, the e-magazine for young professionals in the gases and welding industry, is available at www.gawdaedge.org. Learn 7 tips to get you ready for convention, 6 cardinal rules for customer service, and 4 danger signs to look for in your equipment. Plus, read up on the history of GAWDA's Annual Convention and find out how you can deepen your knowledge of the gases and welding industry, even while taking to the skies! GAWDA Edge is also available in mobile and dial-up versions. And don't forget to visit the GAWDA Edge Forums to network with other up-and-coming industry professionals.
SAFETY & COMPLIANCE NEWS September Safety & Technology Organizer Online • The September 2007 Safety & Technology Organizer is now available at www.gawda.org. Topics include Poison/Toxic Gases Leak Response Guidance, Drug and Alcohol Policy, OSHA Electrical Standard Updated and Annual Management Program Review.
NEW MEMBERS GAWDA welcomes new Supplier Member Bessey Tools Inc. of Leroy, NY.
INDUSTRY
BEAT
News at AWISCO (Maspeth, NY) • Dani Epstein accepted the position of branch manager of AWISCO Corp.'s West Babylon, NY, store. Epstein was promoted from her previous position of administrative assistant. Says AWISCO President Lloyd Robinsion, "Dani represents the new generation of young, 'home-grown' managers that are coming up in our organization, and she has demonstrated tremendous growth in a very short amount of time." AWISCO Corp. also announced the acquisition of Associated Industrial Gases of Patterson, NJ. The small, family-owned business served the northeastern New Jersey market for 25 years. AWISCO will roll the customers into its West Milford and West Orange, NJ, branches. Says Robinson, "Associated's customer base is ideally situated between our two New Jersey locations, and the acquisition will result in a natural expansion of our New Jersey business." WestAir Receives ISO Certification (San Diego, CA) • WestAir Gases & Equipment received formal ISO 9001:2000 certification on August 29. Ron Savage, general manager of WestAir, commended all members of the ISO task team at WestAir who "worked so diligently to successfully complete this important project in our continuing commitment to the highest industry standards." Airgas
Transitions National Welders into Wholly Owned Subsidiary
(Radnor, PA) • Airgas reached a definitive agreement with its
National Welders joint venture partners to exchange all preferred
shares of National Welders Supply Company for Airgas common stock,
which will transition the joint venture into a wholly owned subsidiary
of Airgas. Since 1996, Airgas has owned 100% of the joint venture's
common stock, with a 50% voting interest. The Turner family and
other owners of National Welders preferred stock held the balance
of the voting interest. National Welders President and CEO Andy
Cichocki will report directly to Airgas executive VP and COO
Mike Molinini.
Thermadyne Names Executive VP (St. Louis, MO) • Thermadyne Industries appointed Terry A. Moody as executive VP of global operations. Moody was formerly employed by Videocon Industries, a manufacturer of high-end digital products, where he served as COO and senior VP of Europe. "Terry has extensive experience in all facets of operations and executive management. He has a history of achieving results in a low-margin, highly competitive industry where efficiency and cost effectiveness are critical to success. I am confident Terry's experience will contribute to the growing success of Thermadyne," says Paul D. Melnuk, chairman and CEO.
SafTCart Presents AWS Donation (Clarksdale, MS) • SafTCart donated $1,000 to the AWS Foundation and has pledged to match the donation in successive years. The AWS Foundation supports programs that ensure the growth and development of the welding industry through strengthening research and educational opportunities in welding and related industries.
GAWDA NEWS Welding & Gases Today Live Online • The Fall 2007 issue of GAWDA's member magazine, Welding & Gases Today, is now online at www.gawda.org. Discover how distributors and suppliers are "bridging the gap" to form best-in-class relationships, and learn how you can improve your own distributor-supplier partnerships. Plus, read the special Annual Convention section to learn more about the Contact Booth Program exhibitors, get the inside scoop on Industry Keynote Speaker Ricardo Malfitano of Praxair, Inc., find out how your GAWDA Gives Back donation will help families in crisis, and discover places you don't want to miss during your visit to San Francisco. All this and more is exclusively in Welding & Gases Today, in print and online now. Convention Registration Is Ongoing • Visit the Current Events page at www.gawda.org to register for the meeting and for programming details. While on that page, you can also make individual or corporate donations to the GAWDA Gives Back program.
Southwestern Zone Meets in Kansas City • On August 20-21, Rick Hanchette of Kirk Welding Supply, Mike Duvall of Airgas and Tom Dunn of CeeKay Supply hosted a Regional Meeting and Golf Outing at the Embassy Suites Hotel/Tiffany Springs Golf Club in Kansas City, MO. The business session was well attended by more than 140 people, including GAWDA President Bob Ames, who gave a GAWDA update; GAWDA Consultant Joe Ellers, who gave a sales overview; and Martha Thomas of the Institute for Trend Research. View more photos. Eastern Zone Meets in Gettysburg • On August 28, Doug Morton of Harsco GasServ hosted a Regional Meeting and Golf Outing at The Links at Gettysburg in Gettysburg, PA. The business session was attended by 75 members, including GAWDA President Bob Ames, who gave a GAWDA update, Bill Koch of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., who discussed "Securing the Future of the Industrial Gas Industry" (download the presentation on the Regional Calendar page), and Dick Smith of Lincoln Electric, who spoke about Hexavalent Chromium and OSHA changes. The golf outing drew 68 members and the meeting raised a very impressive $2,000 for 2007 GAWDA Gives Back recipient Hamilton Family Center. Thank you all! View photos. HR Report Available • The September 2007 HR Manager's Legal Reporter and supplemental QuikStep Trainer are now available for download at www.gawda.org. Clearinghouse Updated • The GAWDA Clearinghouse has been updated for September. For more information, visit www.gawda.org.
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