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| A Semi-Monthly Newsletter for the Gases and Welding Distributors Association |
October 8, 2008 |
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BREAKING NEWS The Sun Is Shining On GAWDA’s Future
GAWDA's 64th Annual Convention at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas closed on Wednesday, September 24, with a look at the future of GAWDA. John Stropki, CEO and chairman of Lincoln Electric, spoke on the state of the industry and future trends, telling attendees that when it comes to the future, "I've never seen so much uncertainty, but I've never been more bullish about opportunities." Stropki focused on the importance of global markets and infrastructure, citing the fact that by 2013, half of the world's construction will be done in China. Fred Thompson, former senator and presidential candidate, recalled his experience in law, acting and politics. Thompson had assuring words for members, saying, "We're going to be fine." After the Closing Business Session, attendees were given MetLife Snoopy plush toys in honor of the 50th anniversary of GAWDA's Life Insurance Program, which has awarded approximately $30 million to its beneficiaries.
Britt Lovin Inducted as GAWDA President
Britt Lovin was inducted as president of the Gases and Welding Distributors Association for the 2008-2009 term on Wednesday, September 24. Lovin is vice president of Andy Oxy Company in Asheville, NC. "During the past 6 years, it has been my honor and privilege to have the opportunity to serve on GAWDA's Board of Directors and give a little back to the industry that has given me so much during my career," said Lovin. During his term, Lovin's theme will be "Focus on the Future." His goals include increasing the value of regional meetings, strengthening GAWDA's governance and committee structure, continuing work on GAWDA U, increasing participation in the Contact Booth program and continuing to improve the value of GAWDA consultants. "We have one common goal," said Lovin, "To advance the industry." To read Lovin’s full speech, click here. New Board Elected This year's Board of Directors will have some new faces: Lloyd Robinson of AWISCO was named 1st Vice President; Gregg Waltman of Airgas South was named Southeastern Zone Director; Randy Anderson of Oxygen Service Company was named Central Zone Director; Ned Pontious of Norco was named Western Zone Director; and James Horvath of Thermadyne was named Supplier Member Director.
Distributors Win with the Contact Booth Program
Distributors and suppliers networked at the Contact Booth Program on Tuesday, September 23. The newest and best products and services in the industry were displayed by 106 suppliers. New to the Contact Booth Program this year were prize raffles for distributors who attended the program. Bonnie Stanage from Matheson Tri-Gas won the drawing for a flat screen HDTV. All distributors who visited 30 or more booths were eligible for the drawing. Click here for more photos of the Contact Booth Program. GAWDA Gives Back With additional money brought in over the course of Convention, GAWDA Gives Back raised a grand total $135,580 for The Ranfurly Homes for Children. For a complete list of donors, click here. Young Executives' Volleyball and Beach Party
The last day of Convention was set aside for the Young Executives' Volleyball Beach and Party. On Thursday, September 25, over 100 Young Executives gathered on the sands of the West Beach for volleyball, barbeque and a chance to enjoy the beauty of the Bahamas. "I was pleased with the attendance," said Young Executives Committee Chair Richelle Smith-Brecht. "We had a great time. It was a nice way to end Convention."
September Safety & Technology Organizer Online • The September Safety & Technology Organizer is now available at www.gawda.org.
GAWDA welcomes new supplier member Hy-Mark Cylinders Inc. of Hampton, VA.
Interstate Welding Gone Fishing (Murphy, NC) • Interstate Welding showed its appreciation to its employees on September 27 by taking them deep-sea fishing. "We go fishing every year," says Office Manager Greg Bradshaw. The 8 participating employees caught an estimated 768 pounds total of red snapper and grouper fish off of Panama City, FL. Hypertherm Adds Four Employees (Hanover, NH) • Martin Geheran was named product marketing manager for Hypertherm's Centricut Line and will be responsible for consumables sales of non-Hypertherm cutting systems. Hypertherm also added Brian Dotson, Tom Nugen and Corey Stahle as district sales managers. Dotson will serve distributors in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and northern Georgia; Nugen will serve Kentucky and southern Ohio; and Stahle will serve Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.
Thompson Brothers Celebrates 60th Anniversary (Coffeyville, KS) • Thompson Brothers Supplies held an open house September 23-25 in celebration of its 60th anniversary. The first day was spent at the Bartlesville, OK, store while the other two days were at the Coffeyville, KS, location. Approximately 1,000 attendees took part in supplier demonstrations, a barbeque lunch and the giving away of door prizes. "We had a great showing of support from customers and vendors," says Marketing Manager Ryan Thompson. Linde Receives Responsible Care Certification (Murray Hill, NJ) • Linde North America received certification of its headquarters in Murray Hill, NJ, under the American Chemistry Council's Responsible Care program. Responsible Care is a management system aimed at helping companies improve performance, offering an integrated, structured approach for continual improvement. "Meeting all the criteria for Responsible Care certification was a very rewarding experience," says President Pat Murphy.
AWISCO Holds Vendor Days (Maspeth, NY) • Throughout September and October, AWISCO will be having its annual Vendor Days at its 5 branches. Vendor Days are designed for customers who cannot attend AWISCO's annual June Trade Show. "These mini open houses create a more intimate and relaxed setting for customers to meet supplier representatives," commented AWISCO President Lloyd Robinson. Vendor Days are produced and coordinated by AWISCO's branch managers in cooperation with supplier representatives.
Skaff Cryogenics Donates to Hospital (Brentwood, NH) • Skaff Cryogenics recently donated $25,000 to Franciscan's Hospital for Children. Past contributions from Skaff Cryogenics helped FHC do various renovation projects, including updates to the rehab unit as well as a new solarium. James Andersen Hired at R3 Safety (Wilmington, OH) • R3 Safety hired James Andersen to the position of national sales and marketing manager for Canada. Andersen has 20 years of experience in safety and redistribution.
GAWDA NEWS Attention, Volunteers • Interested in helping to grow our membership? We are looking for volunteer leaders to be a part of the GAWDA Membership Committee. If interested, please contact Kate Cole, membership director, at 215-564-4672 or kcole@fernley.com. HR Report Available • The September 2008 HR Manager's Legal Reporter is now available for download at www.gawda.org. GAWDA Clearinghouse •The GAWDA Clearinghouse has been updated for the month and is available here. Eastern Zone “Gives Back” in Gettysburg • On September 3, Doug Morton of Eleet Cryogenics hosted a regional meeting for 74 GAWDA distributors and suppliers at The Links at Gettysburg golf resort in Gettysburg, PA. Speakers included Paul Matlock of TAP Resources on "Using Lean Thinking to Achieve Operational Efficiency" and Jim Getty, a President Lincoln actor and historian who spoke about leadership. Auctioned items and sponsors raised a total of $21,500 for GAWDA Gives Back. Sixty-four people participated in the golf tournament. The Valley National Gases team of Jim McClaughry, Darren Wishard, Steve Culver and John Erickson took first place.
Take Advantage of GAWDA University Online GAWDA U is an easy-to-use and inexpensive online training tool for your employees. The educational content of GAWDA U was developed to support GAWDA's primary mission of providing information to assist you in improving your company's safety and compliance. GAWDA U Online will be an ever-changing and growing program. The initial course offerings will concentrate on training for new employees during their first 90 days. The second generation of content will focus on more advanced training that will build upon the earlier basic/elementary courses. This summer, we will be seeking training material from our members that can be adapted to the GAWDA U platform and will expand the program to include supplier-based training on company-specific products and services. We are conducting weekly Webinars to introduce members to the functions and content of GAWDA U and to answer any questions. Please contact GAWDA Membership Director Kate Cole (kcole@fernley.com) to sign up for the introductory webinars or to find out more about this exciting opportunity! Click here to view course listings.
WORKSHOPS, WEB CONFERENCES & SEMINARS
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