Industrial Supply Association Annual Meeting In Cleveland, Ohio

This annual meeting provides a format for manufacturers and distributors to assemble for the benefit of sharing best practices, attending educational programs and networking. This year’s meeting was held in the brand new Cleveland Convention Center that will also be the site of the 2016 National Republican Convention.

The ISA Education Foundation has three missions:

To educate and train industry employees.
To provide scholarships for employees of member companies.
To attract future qualified employees.

At the meeting, it became evident that significant progress is being made to enhance the quality of individuals working in our industry.

The keynote speaker, General Michael Hayden, who was responsible of leading both the CIA and NSA under the President Bush administration, spoke about the interworking of government at the highest level, but unfortunately was unable to share high security secrets.

A number of educational sessions were conducted featuring critically important topics such as the future of distribution and the impact of the expanding electronic world. Distributors were challenged to embrace change and be leaders when facing the fast pace evolution occurring in every aspect of their business

The highlight of this meeting for manufacturers was the scheduled short sessions for management-to-management discussions held among distributors. When structured effectively, these sessions can lead to the expansion of business opportunities and removal of communication hurdles.

This year’s event also featured a 5K walk/run to benefit Make a Wish Foundation, a golf tournament and a closing party at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

As always, the annual ISA convention provided an effective format to enhance business relationships and continue learning in a rapidly changing environment. We look forward to Chicago in 2016.