The 74-year-old Wholesale Distributors Association has discontinued operations by a vote of its board, primarily due to declining participation. The Southern Wholesalers Association is inviting former WDA members to join SWA.
"SWA is very sorry to see them go," said Lee Steinhouse, president of Nashville, Tenn.-based Steinhouse Supply and chairman of SWA. "We had been negotiating with them this summer about combining conventions in 2005 if not sooner."