Thanks to modern technology, the increasing speed by which our employees and managers can transact business every hour of every day is truly incredible. But, despite all of the mobility that technology affords, how many of our employees and managers can actually put faces to the many names for the supply chain partners on whom they regularly rely to best serve our customers? The answer may surprise you.

Ours’ is a relationship business. Time and again, our companies have proven to be successful, in large part, because of the people we have come to know throughout the industry in our marketplaces over many, many years. If our companies are to continue to be successful for another generation, these relationships need to remain strong and grow. ASA’s independent regional affiliates provide our industry with a tremendous value that helps us to pass the proverbial baton and connect the next generation of our industry’s leaders so that they might cultivate some of this same camaraderie.

It really is incumbent upon the veterans throughout the industry to leverage the local networking and education opportunities that MwDA, NCWA, PSDA, SWA, WANE and WSA provide regularly throughout the year. The events and programs that ASA’s regional affiliates provide make it easy and inexpensive to simply involve the promising people at the beginning and middle of their careers; those who represent the next generation of principals and managers for our businesses as well as leadership within our industry.

Please visit the industry calendar at www.asa.net to learn more about the details for various local events and programs presented by the different ASA regional affiliates coming soon to a location near you in 2013!