South West Pacific Distributors, a region of ASA, will host its annual SWPD Leadership Conference March 31-April 1 at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, California.

Buckle up for Part 2 as participants get into the nitty-gritty of technology, top threats to wholesale-distribution, plus the next-gen’s effect on the marketplace and consolidation.

As we emerge from this seemingly never-ending pandemic, I realize how much I value connecting with my industry friends. 

This diverse group of five participants includes roles from executive and marketing to purchasing and inventory experts. After the nearly three-hour conversation, it was clear one thing is for certain; the current supply chain status and high-demand calls for an all-hands-on-deck approach.

There are certain world/U.S. events that you can recall exactly where you were when they happened. The first in my upbringing was the attempted assassination of President Reagan. I was walking up to our front porch after getting off the school bus when my mom told me about it. The Space Shuttle tragedy: I was in school that day. If my memory serves correctly, we had a grainy TV on that was on one of those huge school AV carts.

Nashville, Tennessee — home of country music, hot chicken and Johnny Cash. Along with those prominent illustrations depicting the city at face-value, this year it was also the home of the ASA Emerging Leaders’ annual forum EMERGE.

The DPHA conference actually shuts down its exhibit hall during the speaker and roundtable meetings, allowing every attendee the ability to participate and network. The vendors know the conference schedule offers ample time for their customers to see their new products. They also understand that face-time away from others outside the exhibit hall is important in building stronger vendor-distributor relationships.