SUMMER 2016

96
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK
NAW INSTITUTE FOR DISTRIBUTION EXCELLENCE
1325 G. Street, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005
TEL 202-872-0085 FAX 202-785-0586 WEB www.naw.org
THE NAW ELECTS TWO NEW DIRECTORS
Directors of the NAW Institute for Distribution
Excellence, the long-range research arm of the National
Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW), during its
Spring Meeting in Washington, DC, this week, elected Ron
Calhoun, President and CEO of The Palmer-Donavin Mfg.
Co., to take the helm as Chairman of the NAW Institute for
Distribution Excellence.
Ron Calhoun as Chairman
of the NAW Institute Board. Mr.
Calhoun is President and CEO
of The Palmer-Donavin Mfg., Co., a
wholesaler-distributor of residential
building materials in the Midwest, and
headquartered in Grove City, Ohio. Mr.
Calhoun succeeds Joseph Nettemeyer,
President and CEO of Valin Corporation, headquartered in
Sunnyvale, California.
Says Mr. Calhoun of his new post, “Our management
team at Palmer-Donavin has read several of the NAW Institute’s
research studies over the years and gotten valuable results. I
believe the NAW Institute continues to do groundbreaking
research and I look forward to working as its Chairman and
contributing to its ongoing research work for our industry.”
In addition to Mr. Calhoun’s election, the following
wholesale distribution industry leaders were elected as
Directors of the NAW Institute Board for four-year terms:
Victor R. Jury, Jr., Chairman and CEO,
Summit Electric Supply, headquartered in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. Summit Electric
is an independent, privately held, wholesalerdistributor
of industrial electrical equipment
and supplies with locations in the Southwest
United States and the Middle East.
Joseph S. Poehling, Chairman and
CEO, First Supply LLC, headquartered in
La Crosse, Wisconsin. First Supply LLC is a
distributor of plumbing, heating, industrial,
utility, pump, well, and building supplies
serving contractor, industrial, and home
center accounts in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Northern Iowa,
Northern Illinois, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
BUSINESS FOCUS ARTICLE
Joseph M. Thompson, Jr., Founder and CEO
of Thompson Management Associates, LLC,
headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland. TMA
is an association management firm serving
seven industry trade associations, including
several representing wholesale distribution
companies. Mr. Thompson is Executive Vice President of The
Association for Hose & Accessories Distribution.
Re-elected To The NAW Board Was:
Doug York, President and CEO
Ewing Irrigation Products Inc.
The Balance Of The NAW Board Includes:
Tim Bouche, President and CEO
Motorcycle Industry Council
Talbot Gee, Executive Vice President and COO
Heating, Air-conditioning & Refrigeration
Distributors International
Kevin Kampe, President
Womack Machine Supply Co.
Patricia Lilly, Executive Director
Fluid Power Distributors Association
Security Hardware Distributors Association
Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association
Jeff McLendon, President
U.S Lumber Group
Michael Medart, President and CEO
Medart Marine
Thomas Naber, President and CEO
National Association of Electrical Distributors
George Pattee, Chairman and CEO
Parksite, Inc.
Larry Stoddard, President and CEO
RelaDyne
Ralph Suppa, President and General Manager
Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating
Bruce Zwicker, President and CEO
JJ Haines & Co. Inc.
NAW