The members of the ASA Board of Directors met for their annual series of leadership meetings February 5-8 in Tucson, Arizona. This Winter session is always popular for its comprehensive coverage of the issues and challenges facing the industry and the association.

To say it's a “Board of Directors meeting” is really an understatement, since this annual gathering comprises the meetings of a number of other volunteer groups within the organization. Also tackling their agendas during this time are the Industrial Piping Division (headed by Mike Abeling of Consumers Pipe in Los Angeles) and the Young Executives Council (headed by Kevin Neupert of Consolidated Supply in Portland, OR), as well as a number of ad hoc task forces and committees. Here are a few of the highlights of the meetings:

A Technology Task Force was formed to review the kinds of services and programs that are being offered by the Center for Advancing Technology. One of the Task Force's follow-ups will be a comprehensive survey that is being conducted among wholesalers and manufacturers as to their current use of technology in their businesses, and how they believe they will be implementing new tools in the near future. Joel Becker of Torrington Supply Co. in Waterbury, CT, is chair of the Task Force.

The Past Presidents Council members met (see photo) to review the current course and direction of the association's programs, and to give counsel to current leadership. ASA is fortunate to have so many of its past leaders who remain interested in and supportive of the organization. Mickey Weinstein of Ridgewood Corp. in Harriman, NY, will again be serving as Chairman of ASA's Government and Public Affairs Council, and is actively recruiting volunteers to help guide ASA's legislative and regulatory agenda in Washington.

A re-energized Membership Committee, headed up by Dottie Ramsey of Modern Supply in Knoxville, will be following up on their meeting with a new campaign to recruit members across the country to participate in ASA's programs and services. Contact Amy Black, ASA's Director of Membership, for info (312-464-0090) or email ablack@asa.net.

Of course the meeting also included general briefings on the operations side of things, including a review of the 2003 year-end financial statements of the association. Board members approved the 2004 operating budget for the association, which was presented to them by the treasurer, George Conyngham of Eastern Pennsylvania Supply in Wilkes Barre, PA. New members were added to the official roster during the meeting as well.