Our industry is at an inflection point as the rapid pace of change continues to happen at an exponential rate challenging distributors like never before. Over the past year, ASA and its volunteer leaders have been thinking about the future and what lies ahead for association members and their employees.  In numerous strategy sessions beginning back in December 2017 with the launch of a strategic think tank, significant focus has been given to thinking about how the members of 2027 will be challenged by the pending shortage of workers (both in our industry as well as with our contractor partners), a rapid pace of change from technology as well as the challenges many members are facing as they try to just keep pace.

Hearing the call for “what’s next” from the 70 volunteers who participated in the association’s strategic-discussion  Winter Leadership Meeting, the ASA Executive Committee backed by its regional associations has approved funding for the formation of three Issue Strategic Action Teams (ISATs) that will spearhead a deep dive into solving the three most pressing issues identified during the Winter Meeting.  How will we find the 100,000 people that we will need to replace the employees who will retire over the next 10 to 15 years? How will we keep members relevant with the onslaught of technological change? How can we engage members to become innovators and early adopters, keeping them to be relevant by 2027? These teams will take deep dives into these topics through an extensive series of facilitated meetings, with an end goal of identifying solutions and plans on how ASA can be the catalyst to solve the pressing issues.