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When Eastern Industrial Supplies hired a young sales trainee in the summer of 1980, no one could have predicted that six years later he’d be running the company—least of all the trainee himself. Ask Kip Miller how he became president and CEO at 29, and he’ll give you a simple answer: "God gave me a company."

Faith, stewardship and a steady, people-first leadership style have defined Miller’s 45-year career at Eastern. Now, as he prepares to serve as the American Supply Association’s 2026 president, he’s bringing that same spirit to the broader PHCP-PVF community—focused on encouraging members, accelerating smart technology adoption, and building a stronger tomorrow together.

"I just wanted to work": An introduction to an industry—and a home

Miller graduated from the University of South Carolina in December 1979 on the cusp of a recession. "I couldn’t find a job. None of the existing companies were hiring," he recalls. An interim role with the U.S. Census Bureau kept him moving until a headhunter’s persistence opened the door that changed everything: "Eastern was formed on March 14, 1980 and they were looking to hire their first sales trainee. I went out there for an interview, and two weeks later they hired me."

Like many in distribution, his education started in the warehouse. "Since you don’t know anything, you start in the warehouse," he says, laughing. "I told my boss I was willing to get my hands dirty and be dependable." Ten weeks of loading material led to inventory control, then inside sales. A brief trial run in outside sales clarified his path: "I thought I wanted to be an outside salesman — until I tried it. I just knew that was not for me."

That "first job" became a vocation, and ultimately, a legacy. "I celebrated my 45th anniversary in the industry in September 2025," he notes. "Eastern is where I started—and where I’ve stayed."

"God gave me a company": Becoming CEO at 29

Eastern’s early years were eventful. After the owners split in 1985, the leader who hired Miller asked him to come along to the Eastern Industrial side and named him vice president. "We only had about 12 or 13 people," Miller says. "He was a financial guy; he allowed me to handle all the other groups in the company."

Then, in April 1986, everything changed. "He walked into my office, laid some papers on my desk and said, ‘I’ve been sick… I’m only going to work four days a week, and you’re going to be running the company. I’d like for you to have the opportunity to buy my stock in the event of my death.’"

Eight months later, tragedy struck. "He had a massive heart attack, so I just tell people God gave me a company. I didn’t have any money—God put me at the right place at the right time."

The right place came with real headwinds. "We were trying to work out of a desperate financial situation. There was a lot of debt," he says. "I didn’t feel like I had the money to go anywhere, nor the time. I kept my head down and worked to dig us out of a hole — along with our people."

Learning to lead: From "quiet intimidator" to transparent encourager

Naturally reserved, Miller admits that early on, he kept to himself. "I held my cards close to the vest. I was ‘Kip the businessman.’" That distance had unintended effects. "Someone told me I was a ‘quiet intimidator’—and that pulled me apart. It exposed a blind spot."

He went to work on himself. "I took some personal development courses, learned how to get outside my comfort zone and to become vulnerable, letting people know when I’ve made a mistake," he says. "I learned to say, ‘I don’t have the answers. I’ve made a mistake. We’re going to learn from this—hang in there; let’s do it together.’"

The shift reshaped his leadership. "Leadership is influence," he says, quoting John Maxwell. "It’s not a title or a logo on your sleeve, it’s humility and integrity; letting your words and actions tell the same story."

His most enduring example is close to home. "My greatest mentor is my dad," Miller says. "He’s 94, a hard worker. After he retired, he worked for us 17 years. Watching how he treated people formed a lot of my core values."

Finding ASA

Miller’s first ASA meeting was in 1996, roughly a decade into his CEO tenure. "For the longest time, being a very, very small company, I didn’t feel like I could leave the day-to-day. I kept my head down at work." When he finally walked into his first convention, the timing was perfect.

"I soaked up all of the educational sessions like a sponge," he says. That learning quickly turned into building blocks back home. "We didn’t have training materials, so we implemented ASA’s training resources and they helped us establish our original training program. We still work with them today."

Advocacy came next. "They started an advocacy group—going to Capitol Hill and speaking to our representatives has been a great experience," he notes. And on the numbers side, Miller emphasizes the value of ASA’s Industry Insights tool "Financial metrics are really, really important. We’ve participated for 15–20 years in Industry Insights." ASA members submit their audited financial statements and ASA provides a detailed report where you can compare your performance to like-sized companies by region and segment.

Another staple Miller prioritizes is the annual economic forum at NETWORK. "An hour and a half with an industry economist gives me so much I can take back to my company." ASA now continues with monthly, 10-minute podcast updates with Economist Dr. Chris Kuehl, which Miller says is an outstanding tool.

Stewardship as a calling

When asked why he has invested his time in volunteer leadership — inside ASA, IPD and with AD, Miller doesn’t hesitate. "We need to be stewards of whatever we’re involved in," he says. "This country would shut down without the PHCP-PVF wholesale supply trade. We’re necessary—even if we don’t always see ourselves that way."

Stewardship, to Miller, touches every stakeholder. "There are givers and takers. We (at Eastern) want to be givers," he adds. "Collaborate with people who are trying to achieve betterment for our companies, for the people who work with us, and to advance this country."

Eastern Cares: A vision for children—and for agency

The company’s signature giving initiative, Eastern Cares, began during Eastern’s first formal strategic planning process in 2001. "Our advisor asked, ‘Do you have any goals, plans, dreams?’ We said we wanted to help with an orphanage," Miller recalls. Initial domestic options proved too complex. A new on-site chaplain—part of a program Eastern launched in 2002—made a connection overseas.

"In 2005, he called me on vacation: ‘I think I found a partnership,’" Miller says. The path led to an indigenous group in central Tanzania. "We agreed to start funding, bought property, built walls and buildings; that’s where our focused giving really started."

Nearly 20 years on, the work includes a children’s home caring for about 36 children, an orphanage with 30+ children, a secondary boarding school that’s English-speaking and for-profit (to encourage sustainability), and a small network of businesses that feed support back into the mission. "We’re preparing children in Tanzania who could be life-changing agents in that country and in all of Africa," he says. "We’re beginning to see that come to fruition."

Crucially, the long-term goal is local agency. "There’s a mindset shift—people have looked to Americans or Europeans for support. We’re helping graduates start businesses, come back, create jobs and provide places to live, and they’ve responded well," he says.

Back home, the chaplaincy remains a quiet pillar. "It’s voluntary and confidential; chaplains build relationships. When someone has an issue, they’ll often reach out to them before they’d come to me."

Issues on a president’s radar: Tech, costs, people and first-time quality

As Miller looks ahead to his year as ASA president, he’s keeping a clear eye on the challenges shaping distributors’ day-to-day realities — and the opportunities they present for improvement.

Foremost on his mind is technology. Artificial intelligence and automation are rapidly transforming how distributors forecast demand, manage inventory and serve customers. Miller sees both excitement and anxiety among members as they navigate where to begin. He believes ASA can play an essential role in helping members evaluate what’s practical, identify reliable partners and build a roadmap for implementation. "We’re already pulling together younger leaders and seasoned veterans to focus on how technology will fit into our next strategic plan," he says.

Financial pressures are another constant. Inflation, rising lease rates, insurance premiums and healthcare costs continue to squeeze margins across the supply chain. Miller notes that today’s leaders must balance competitive wages and benefits with careful cost control. He sees ASA’s benchmarking and education resources as vital tools to help members manage those competing priorities.

The workforce transition is also accelerating. With Baby Boomers retiring faster than new talent enters the trades and distribution, Miller emphasizes the need for renewed focus on training, succession and skills development. He points to ASA’s ongoing commitment to workforce programs and emerging-leader networks as a bright spot in tackling that challenge.

Finally, he stresses what he calls "first-time-right execution." In a business where efficiency and accuracy are everything, Miller believes distributors can dramatically cut costs and strengthen relationships simply by improving operational consistency — getting the order right the first time, every time. "Non-conformance is expensive," he says. "Continuous improvement pays for itself."

There are givers and takers. We (at Eastern) want to be givers. We need to be stewards of whatever we’re involved in.

Through all these challenges, Miller’s approach is less about alarm and more about action. He views each issue — from AI adoption to workforce gaps — as an invitation for ASA members to collaborate, learn and evolve together.

ASA, he believes, is uniquely positioned to convene, curate, and accelerate solutions. He points to Issue Strategic Action Teams (ISATs), which will frame the 2026 plan at a February session. "We’ve already had an initial meeting bringing younger leaders together with seasoned veterans to prioritize technology and the other issues I’ve mentioned. That’s how we move the industry forward."

If he had to sum up ASA’s value in a sentence, Miller’s would be simple: "Building a stronger tomorrow." For him, that looks like practical education, credible economic context, actionable benchmarking, and a strong advocacy voice.

"They’ve helped me become better, knowledgeable and stronger around the things that are most meaningful — how to run a business and how to treat people," he says.

The year ahead: An encourager-in-chief

Miller’s presidential agenda will spotlight participation. "We have five or six different events — from Women in Industry to Emerging Leaders and more — plus regional associations I’ll be visiting," he says. "I want to highlight these opportunities for involvement and invite more members in. We have a record number of volunteers and participants, and I want that to keep growing."

But more than programming, he wants to champion identity. "We, as distributors, are important," he says. "We need to see ourselves as important, to our people, to our manufacturers and service providers, to our communities. I want to be an encourager."

From first job to last: A legacy in motion

Ask what he’s most proud of, and Miller doesn’t cite a metric. He talks about people — his team, his family (three adult children with two in the business as well as a son-in-law), and the kids in Tanzania whose English flows and futures brighten with each passing year.

"I’ve never asked anyone to do something I wasn’t willing to do," he says. "Care about people. Be steady. Let your words and actions tell the same story."

It’s the through-line from a warehouse floor in 1980 to the ASA presidency in 2026: a faith-anchored steward who believes this industry is necessary, noble—and capable of even more when it moves together.