This newsletter is brought to you by:
|
|
There is still time left! The Spring Course is just 12 days away. This is a great opportunity to help your staff develop skill sets in specialty gas filling through both classroom and hands-on instruction. The programs focus on all aspects of specialty gas filling and testing. Participants in the programs can receive certification in Specialty Gas Mixing and Gas Chromatography. Click
here
for more details.
|
|
March 12 Deadline for SMC Early-Bird Pricing
Early-bird discount pricing concludes March 12 for the annual Spring Management Conference. The event is scheduled Sunday, May 6 through Tuesday, May 8. This year’s theme is “Gateway to Progress: People, Process, Plan.”
The event takes place at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel in St. Louis, Mo. Registration is open; sign up
here.
|
|
SMC Contact Booths: Gone Like Hotcakes!
All the available 10 x 10-foot show floor booth spaces for this year’s Contact Booth Program are now reserved, according to John Ospina, GAWDA executive director.
A number of 6 x 6-foot tabletop display spaces remain available. To reserve one, contact Stephen Hill, GAWDA member services manager, at [email protected] and 954-367-7728. To make sure your company has actually reserved your booth space, check out the show layout map. (Scroll down to see the floor layout
here
.)
GAWDA is again this year hosting the
Prize Program
, so exhibitors who want to sign up to award a prize during the trade show need to make plans now to promote that fact.
To sign up for the Contact Booth Prize Program and Exhibitor Guide that appears in the GAWDA magazine Q2 issue (which is published before the SMC), contact Tim Hudson at Welding & Gases Today/GAWDA Media ([email protected]; 315-445-2347).
|
|
Membership Directory Updates Are Underway
GAWDA’s annual membership directory is being updated for publication later this spring, and members are being asked to make any needed updates to their listings now.
The directory pages are being compiled and will be emailed to distributor and supplier members for verification of updated information in the timeframe of March 15-30, before finalization and publication.
If you need to update your listing, get in touch with Member Services Manager Stephen Hill ([email protected] and 954-367-7728) if you’re a distributor, or GAWDA Media VP Sales Tim Hudson ([email protected]; 315-445-2347) if you’re a supplier.
|
|
Safety Committee Seeking Sample Disaster Plans
The GAWDA Safety Committee is looking for sample emergency disaster plans that members may be willing to share, according to Chair Jim Herring.
The Safety Committee is interested in the informational value that various members’ plans contain, with the goal of compiling an information base of applicable ideas and action plans that can be used by other members. Compiling the disaster-reaction/prevention information will help other members prepare and plan for situations such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and other natural disasters, Herring says.
According to Michael Dodd, GAWDA safety consultant, any plan submitted will have identifying information (such as distributor name) removed, unless the member company wants that information included. If you have a plan you’d like to submit, please route it to Mike Dodd at
[email protected]
.
|
|
SMC Speakers Will Get Down to Business
Business session speakers for this year’s Spring Management Conference will focus on the nitty-gritty of what it takes to run a good business, day in and day out, from an operations and process standpoint.
On
Monday, May 7, on the theme of "Process Topics," speakers are:
- Mitch Milstein, Ph.D., of the University of Missouri/St. Louis College of Business’s Center for Business and Industrial Studies. He also is principal of Supply Velocity, Inc., and his topic is “Lean/Operational Excellence.”
- Andy Stawski, commercial market manager at Miller ITW. He will discuss, “Maximizing Your Retail Space.”
On
Tuesday, May 8, sessions address “People and Planning” topics. Speakers are:
- Jeanet Wade, a certified EOS implementer and business consultant, speaking on, “Getting a Grip on Your Business; Gaining Traction”
- Jim DelCarmen, a partner at Collaborative Strategies, Inc., who will discuss “Hiring and Retaining Great People.”
The talks will be followed by a panel of distributors and suppliers assessing best practices in people and planning aspects of business operations.
|
|
Updated SMC Event App Available to Download
The 2018 GAWDA Spring Management App is now available to download. This app will continue to add more value to your experience at the SMC as a delegate, exhibitor or guest, GAWDA says.
There’s a new way to download the app based on how Apple has made upgrades to its App Store. The event app is now accessible through “the CrowdCompass AttendeeHub” app.
(Note: those who have the GAWDA Events App from the 2017 Spring Management Conference will need to remove that app from your mobile device.)
For more details on downloading the app, please click
here.
|
|
Upcoming GAWDA Events
There are a number of GAWDA events taking place in the next couple of months, and here is a reminder about many of them. Please check the GAWDA website for additional details and information.
March 20-22: Compliance Seminar at Chart
A professional compliance seminar, featuring GAWDA safety experts Thomas Badstubner, of AsteRisk, LLC (GAWDA’s FDA and medical gases consultant), and Michael Dodd, of MLD Safety Associates, LLC (GAWDA’s DOT, OSHA, EPA and security consultant) as presenters, is set for these dates. The seminar is hosted by
Chart, Inc., and takes place at the firm’s Ball Ground, Ga., facility. Tours of the Chart manufacturing facility and CO
2 safety specialty processes and presentations are highlights.
March 20-22:
Atlantic City Regional Meeting
The AC regional is being held at the Stockton Seaview Hotel & Golf Club in Galloway, N.J., and events include:
Tuesday, March 20
: A pizza-making and cooking class, kart racing at New Jersey Motorsports Park, clay shooting in the New Jersey Pinelands, evening reception and dinner.
Wednesday, March 21:
Breakfast, business session with GAWDA Government Affairs and Human Resources Law Consultant Rick Schweitzer and GAWDA FDA and Medical Gases Consultant Tom Badstubner; Speaker Art Waskey, senior vice president of sales, General Air Service & Supply, speaking on, “Managing Millennials in Sales.” After golf in the afternoon, there is a barbeque dinner and awards.
Thursday, March 22:
Morning workshop offering an update on FDA regulations and medical gases by GAWDA Consultant Tom Badstubner. He’ll present on: “Maximize Profits with Deeper Specialty Gas Market Penetration.” You can register online at GAWDA’s website and contact meeting coordinator Michael Trueba, of MPT Industries ( [email protected] or 973-989-9220) for more information.
April 3-4: Destin, Fla. Regional
Events are at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin, Fla. They include:
Tuesday, April 3:
Reception, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 4:
Networking breakfast, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.; business session at the Linkside
Conference Center, 8:30 to noon. Golf tournament at the Sandestin Baytowne Golf Course, 12:30 p.m.
Speakers are:
- GAWDA Past President Bill Visintainer, who will offer GAWDA news and updates;
- Bob VanKirk of Linde, who as an industry speaker, will provide information and insights;
- Keynoter Dr. Jim Harris, who will speak on "Embracing Change." Harris will share his simple, time-tested business model on how to lead people through both positive or negative change.
April 16-17: Houston Regional
Being held at the Hilton University (Hotel) of Houston, you can get more information from coordinator Gary Degenhart at: 832-527-2840 and [email protected] or co-coordinator Ashley Madray.
Monday, April 16
: Lunch (11:30 a.m.) and golf, (1:00 p.m. shotgun tee off – Bay Forest Golf Club, LaPorte, Texas.) Reception at 6:30 p.m., Hilton University Hotel.
Tuesday, April 17
: Continental breakfast; Conference begins at 8:00 a.m. and lasts through noon.
June 18-20: Pittsburgh Regional
Featuring: unbeatable business content, a training workshop, a mountain barbeque, golf, fun networking opportunities and sporting clays activity at this summer resort destination in Seven Springs, Pa. Contact organizer Abydee Butler Moore for more information;
[email protected]
.
|
|
Young Professionals Focus Group Planned at SMC
GAWDA Young Professionals (YPs) are invited to participate in a specially planned focus group scheduled during the Spring Management Conference. It’s on
Sunday
,
(May 6)
from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel. YPs who want to take part are asked to sign up at this
Doodle poll
to gauge the number attending.
The session is designed to discover how GAWDA might move forward in working with and providing programming for Young Professional members. It will address the questions: (1) What GAWDA should do to better engage and support young talent (2) How YP events should be structured (3) What GAWDA member services YPs consider the most valuable and (4) What services/resources GAWDA should offer to stay current.
Contact session facilitator Abydee Butler Moore with any questions at 800-860-2427 or 412-771-7660 x316 and
[email protected]
.
|
|
Early Bird Pricing for Gas Safety Seminar
Planning to attend the
2018 Acetylene and Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety Seminar? Be sure to register by
May 14 to obtain early pricing for the June 5 and 6 event in Louisville, Ky.
The seminar is jointly hosted by
Compressed Gas Association and Gases and Welding Distributors Association (GAWDA). It offers a forum for discussion and review of topics and issues relating to the production and safe handling of acetylene and liquefied petroleum gas and related equipment.
Presentations are planned on these topics:
- Process safety in acetylene and liquefied petroleum gas operations
- Liquefied petroleum gas cylinder requalification and repairs
- New technologies for trucking and distribution
- The importance of properly vented cylinders
- How to handle acetylene and liquefied petroleum gas cylinders in a fire
- Recent changes and updates to related CGA publications.
The event includes a tour of Carbide Industries acetylene manufacturing facility.
|
|
Member News:
- IWDC Makes Staff Appointments
- Weldcoa Celebrates 50th Anniversary With 50/50s
|
|
In Memoriam:
GAWDA has received word of the
following obituary notices.
|
|
What new products and services have GAWDA suppliers and manufacturers got to help gases and welding supplies distributors boost business in 2018?
Check out the new products and initiatives GAWDA suppliers and manufacturers have this year and read how their newest offerings can give distributors a leg up on revenues. It might be just the business booster you can use to make the year truly great!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
