Engagement is key

An ASA membership has so much to offer.

Dear Industry Colleagues,

Like all previous ASA presidents at this time of the year, I recently began a very busy travel schedule that will last throughout the summer.

This schedule includes visits to the ASA Young Executive Spring Forum event (which was a huge success in Milwaukee), meetings in all ASA regions and stops at several other places along the way. During these visits, I have the great privilege of speaking face-to-face with many ASA members and industry friends. One question I am commonly asked is, “How does a company get the most out of its ASA membership?” Quite simply, I tell them engagement is the key. I have said it before many times and will continue to say it: you get out of an ASA membership exactly what you put into it.

Along with taking advantage of world-class networking and the best industry training available through the ASA Education Foundation and ASA University, ASA members should be taking advantage of the great business intelligence opportunities that the association has to offer.

For example, contributing to the monthly Operating Performance Report enhances a wholesaler-distributor’s ability to grow its firm exponentially if used properly. Another example is the monthly ASA Advisor forecasting report, authored by industry economist Alan Beaulieu, which provides a regular 36-month rolling industry forecast and a thorough snapshot of where we are headed.

At the top of everyone’s ASA engagement list should be involvement in one or more of ASA’s many divisions and special-interest groups. These segments of the association connect people to people and ideas to actions, which is what an ASA membership is really all about. We’ve seen ASA’s Women in Industry division take off right before our eyes with a successful April event in Chicago boasting 85 up-and-coming attendees from the PHCP and PVF industry. The Young Executives Division continues to be ASA’s fastest-growing segment and also one of its strongest.

ASA’s Industrial Piping Division is another very popular segment. The IPD is comprised of ASA members that operate significantly or predominantly in the industrial and mechanical pipe, valve and fittings segment of the industry. This division recently introduced a new initiative, the IPD Open House Breakfast Forum, which was held in May in conjunction with the industry’s spring PVF Roundtable event in Houston.

ASA’s Plumbing Division also continues to grow along with its Hydronics Division, both of which meet regularly and allow participants to share ideas and keep their fingers on the pulse of the particulars in those areas. Our strong government affairs presence was evident at our recent legislative fly-in, which was held in cooperation with Plumbing Manufacturers International.

Also growing in stature are our Vendor Member Division, which allows all channel partners to have a voice within ASA, and our peer networking councils (CFOs, showroom managers, trainers, warehouse operations), which currently are scheduling regular meetings throughout the remainder of 2014.

For information about becoming more involved in any of the programs, groups or divisions I have outlined here, please visit http://www.asa.net or contact a member of the ASA staff today at 630/467-0000. You’ll be glad you did.