On the outside looking in, ASA is a large organization representing billions of dollars in this great industry of ours, and sometimes it can be hard to figure out “What is in it for me?”

Or maybe, what can our company get out of ASA?

Look no further than the Women in Industry and Emerging Leaders specialty interest groups. Both divisions are led by our membership. Both divisions allow you or your employees avenues to understand our industry better.

And it just so happens that their respective networking events are happening this month and in May.

First…a few “Did You Knows?” about the Women in Industry:

In just over a decade, the attendance for Women in Industry has jumped from almost 100 people at the first meeting in Chicago, to an expected crowd of more than 425 women this month in Nashville at ELEVATE2024. And they anticipate the ELEVATE2025 meeting in Miami could top over 500.

This is a great opportunity for businesses (distributors, vendors and rep agencies alike) to identify women in your companies and show them that you want to invest in their future and give them an opportunity to spend three days with other industry minded women.

The reality is this is still a male-dominated industry. But these numbers show that the percentage of women in our industry continues to grow, and their positive influence is making our businesses better. Case in point, one of the founding members of Women in Industry and past chairwoman is our past ASA president and current ASA Chairwoman, Katie Poeling Seymour of First Supply.

ASA’s Women in Industry group continues to grow in scope. This month’s ELEVATE2024 conference will attract more than 400 attendees to Nashville, Tennessee. ASA file photo.

ASA’s Women in Industry group continues to grow in scope. This month’s ELEVATE2024 conference will attract more than 400 attendees to Nashville, Tennessee. ASA file photo.

So…does your company have anyone participating in Women in Industry? If no…why not?

Now, a few “Did You Knows?” about Emerging Leaders:

Over 20 years ago the Young Executives division was formed as a way to get younger people in our businesses an avenue to network with other young people. A few years ago, the group changed its name from Young Executives to Emerging Leaders. I think they had some people that were still young at heart and wanted to attend but didn’t know when they changed from “young” to “old.” So, in order to appease the masses, the name was changed (I don’t know if that is actually what happened, but that’s my take on it).

The EMERGE program, very similarly to the ELEVATE program, is where our businesses can identify younger employees, either in age or younger in the industry, and give them an opportunity to network with other people in similar positions as themselves. This year’s program will be in Boston and just like ELEVATE, it is also sold out and will set a new EMERGE attendance record for the third year in a row.

So…does your company have anyone participating in Emerging Leaders? If no…why not?

As with anything in ASA, you can choose to participate, or not. Coburn Supply Company decided to participate. We continue to identify multiple women to give an opportunity to go to the Women in Industry event.

In fact, one of the past chairwomen is from Coburn’s…my cousin Christy Maloney. She is still actively involved and still recruits businesses to get their people involved in a growing pillar of ASA.

Emerging Leaders was the place that was identified to me and my brother, Michael, as a great place to become involved and network. At Emerging Laders, we were able to discuss issues that were important to us in that stage of our careers. We were able to talk to people that had the same issues as us, and learned different ways to come to a positive conclusion. We met what we consider lifelong friends, and we both wanted to become more involved in this industry. Eventually, we both served as the chairman of Emerging Leaders and still consider it one of the best opportunities we have had in our personal career path.

The education attendees receive at each event is applicable to your job, and to your life. The networking and talking to other like-minded people in the industry with different perspectives is invaluable.

If you are fortunate to go to ELEVATE and EMERGE, share your experience when you get back to work. Embrace the new ideas and energy you got in Nashville and Boston and incorporate what you learned, because it will make you a better leader and make your business better.

So, who is on the list from your company this year to attend?