This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
This Website Uses Cookies
By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Learn More
This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
Supply House Times logo Supply House Times
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Supply House Times logo Supply House Times
  • Home
  • Magazine
    • Issues
    • Digital Editions
    • Archives
    • Ad Index
    • B.I.G Book
    • Rep Locator
  • Market Sectors
    • Plumbing
    • Bath & Kitchen
    • Industrial PVF
    • Radiant/Hydronics
    • HVAC
    • Fire Protection
    • Solar Thermal/Geothermal
    • Technology
    • Codes
    • Company News
    • ASA News
    • Women in Industry
  • Columnists
    • Mike Miazga: From the Editor
    • Dan Holohan: Heating Help
    • Hank Darlington: Showrooms
    • Jim Wheeler: HVAC
    • Bruce Merrifield: Distribution
    • Dirk Beveridge: Innovation Strategies
    • Michael Mercer: The Dr.’s Office
    • Letter from ASA President
    • Safety Columnists
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Gallery
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • Podcasts
    • YouTube Channel
    • eBook
  • Special Editions
    • Premier 150
    • PVF Outlook
    • PB Outlook
    • Radiant Comfort Guide
    • Radiant & Hydronics Report
    • Green Plumbing & Heating
  • Products
  • More
    • Industry Calendar
    • Classified Ads
    • Industry Links
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • Market Research
    • eNewsletters
    • Showrooms
    • Supply House Times Store
  • Bath & Kitchen Pro
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Home » Celebrating the plumbing industry
PlumbingMarket SectorsBath & Kitchen TrendsColumnistsMike Miazga: From the Editor

Celebrating the plumbing industry

Mike Miazga column
June 22, 2015
Mike Miazga
KEYWORDS American Supply Association / PHCP Distributors
Reprints
No Comments

As this issue of Supply House Times hits yourmailboxes, the Fourth of July holiday celebrating our nation’s birth is right around the corner.

And speaking of celebrating, there are plenty of reasons around our industry to do just that. Where to start?

It is of great significance that many of you are part of small businesses — the backbone of this country’s economy. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses make up 99.7% of U.S. employer firms. Despite a healthy uptick in consolidation of late, small businesses and independent distributors aren’t going anywhere.

We are blessed as an industry to have so many sources of knowledge and education at our fingertips, whether that’s content generated by the continually expanding American Supply Association’s ASA University, distributor counter days, lunch and learns at a rep’s office or webinars hosted on manufacturers’ websites. And we’ve made it even easier for you to access Supply House Times while you are on the go with our mobile-responsive website. Learning opportunities are abundant and always right around the corner.

This industry continues to tackle head-on the issue of identifying and training the next generation of talent. ASA’s Young Executives division and similar groups belonging to regional associations, buying groups and even distributors themselves are providing networking and best-practices sharing opportunities that will help these young guns as they move forward in their careers. I attended the first day of this year’s Young Executives Spring Forum in Charlotte and saw a packed house of 135 ASA-member young executives taking full advantage of the two-day networking and education window. If you are thinking about joining the YE group, check out my video with YE Council Chairman Rogers Earl Jr. at http://www.supplyht.com/videos.

And speaking of the Spring Forum, attendees were given a treat in the form of keynote speaker Steve McClatchey who delivered about as practical a presentation as I can remember. How many of us in our hectic professional and personal lives could do a tad better with time management? I left the first part of his seminar with some great takeaways that I have been able to immediately put to use in terms of getting more done in less amount of time. Our website also contains a link to one of McClatchey’s videos — worth checking out.

We also must celebrate the emergence of the ASA Women in Industry group. Like the YEs, Women in Industry spotlights another growing segment in the industry. While you hear the term “male-dominated industry” all the time, that’s simply not the case anymore. Talented women are making contributions at all levels of PHCP-PVF companies throughout the country.

While the name on the marquee says plumbing, heating, cooling, bath and kitchen, or pipe, valves and fittings, distributors, manufacturers and reps are doing so much more than that in their communities. The Houston-based PVF Roundtableheld its annual golf tournament in mid-May that helps fund industrial distribution as well as certificate-based trade-school scholarships. Last year it gave out $100,000 worth of scholarships to two Texas universities and a packed house at Sweetwater Country Club in Sugar Land, Texas, this year only will help advance this wonderful program forward.

At the YE Spring Forum, more than $8,000 was raised toward Operation Rise and Conquer and Bradley Corp. made an exciting announcement regarding its participation in that initiative; Eastern Penn Supply recently announced it will donate, in partnership with selected vendors, $12,000 to three military-based causes; Express Pipe & Supply through its golf tournament raised more than $3,000 toward the Autism Speaks cause. Stories such as these are endless and speak to the high level of engagement industry companies have with their respective communities.

And hats off to all the volunteer leaders who donate their time and efforts to make sure our trade associations, buying groups and philanthropic efforts operate at their highest efficiencies possible.

But most importantly, let’s celebrate the big picture here. You work in an industry that performs a vital function — providing products and systems that help ensure the public’s safety.

To that and everything else here, let’s all raise our glasses. 

sht-subscribe

Recent Articles by Mike Miazga

ASA celebrates 50 years with NETWORK event

Tools tackle the labor shortage

Meet incoming ASA President Bill Glockner

ASA visits the White House

Mike Miazga: Lion Plumbing Supply keys in on its customers

Mike-miazga_2015

Mike Miazga is the Group Editorial Director for BNP Media’s Plumbing Group. He oversee oversees the editorial content and direction of the Plumbing Group’s four brands (Plumbing & Mechanical, PM Engineer, Reeves Journal and Supply House Times) and their associated print and digital products, including the dedicated Radiant & Hydronics and Bath & Kitchen Pro websites, as well as six eNewsletters.

In his ninth year at BNP Media, Miazga originally was hired as senior editor of Plumbing & Mechanical and PM Engineer before taking over chief editor duties at Supply House Times in 2011. In addition to his role as editorial director, Miazga continues as Supply House Times chief editor and the editor of the American Supply Association’s PVF Outlook eNewsletter. Supply House Times is the official publication of ASA.

Miazga started his career in newspapers at the age of 19 and has more than 25 years of newsroom, management, editorial and public/media relations experience, and is a former high-school baseball and golf head varsity coach.

Related Articles

Adapting to change in the plumbing industry

Mike Miazga: The plumbing industry is rapidly changing

Blaze your trail in the plumbing industry

The pulse of the industry

Related Products

Supply House Time Manufacturers Reps Directory

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Subscribe For Free!
  • Print & Digital Edition Subscriptions
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Popular Stories

First Supply acquires lighting store

Oatey acquires certain assets of The Keeney Mfg. Co.

First Supply acquires lighting store

Ferguson Ventures invests in Whisker Labs and Ting technology

Milwaukee Tool

The value of independent manufacturers reps

dodge outlook 2020 report

Construction starts to slip back in 2020

Meet incoming ASA President Bill Glockner

Meet incoming ASA President Bill Glockner

SHTPremier150-360


sht-young-execs-360

Events

June 5, 2019

Do You Know Everything You Need to Know About North American Drinking Water Laws?

On Demand Protecting drinking water is of paramount importance.  The last decade has seen the enactment of safe drinking water laws that safeguard our water for consumption.  These laws can lead to confusion in determining which applications are regulated and which materials are safe to be installed in these applications. 

December 30, 2030

Webinar Sponsorship Information

For webinar sponsorship information, visit www.bnpevents.com/webinars or email webinars@bnpmedia.com.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Valve Handbook, 3rd Edition

Valve Handbook, 3rd Edition

Revised to include details on the latest technologies, Valve Handbook, Third Edition, discusses design, performance, selection, operation, and application. This updated resource features a new chapter on the green technology currently employed by the valve industry, as well as an overview of the major environmental global standards that process plants are expected to meet.

See More Products

SHT-Meet20Women-360

Supply House Times

SHT 1119 cover

2019 November

Check out November issue of Supply House Times features a chat with incoming ASA President Bill Glockner of Hirsch Pipe & Supply, plus a complete recap of ASA’s NETWORK2019 50th anniversary celebration. We also have the latest tool trends and a look at how Milwaukee Tool best utilizes its network of independent manufacturers reps.

View More Create Account
  • Additional Links
    • Ad Index
    • List Rental
    • Order Reprints
    • Web Exclusives
    • Supply House Times Store
    • Bath & Kitchen Pro
    • Contact Us
    • eNewsletters
    • Privacy Policy
  • Want More?
    • Connect
    • Industry Links
    • Survey And Sample
  • Plumbing Group
    • Plumbing & Mechanical
    • PM Engineer

Copyright ©2019. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing