Consider this a formal introduction. NAED members, meet the 2016-2017 NAED Manufacturer’s Council.
Sure, you could go to www.naed.org and find the council and the list of names of the 13 members. And you probably know that they research a topic and then present a panel discussion each year at the NAED National Meeting in May. And that’s it, right?
Not really. In fact, that’s not even close.
The NAED Manufacturer’s Council is a sounding board for suppliers to get their ideas to NAED members and staff. “It’s for manufacturers to get engaged and have a voice so we can work together and increase and enhance the channel,” Don Spurgin, Vice President, Sales Development for Encore Wire and current NAED Manufacturer’s Council Chair told tED magazine. “We are interested in working collaboratively on improvement. We’re getting people interested in being engaged in the future. These topics are important for the channel and for the greater good of the industry. We need to work together on the mutual issues. We want to feedback on the items that are being discussed at all NAED meetings and industry events.”
Right now, one of the key items for discussion is recruitment and retention. The NAED Manufacturer’s Council is currently working with NAED on the topic, and how everyone can work together to help the recruitment issues many of us are facing right now and in the future. “I am leaning toward an industry commercial that has distributors and manufacturers talking about some of the state of the art things we do these days. The things we build. How societies are built around our products,” Spurgin says.
The recruitment and retention issue may be the topic for the Manufacturer’s Council panel discussion at the NAED National Meeting, but that still has not been decided. Anyone can help the council with the decision making process. “Once people identify that we exist and what our efforts are, it will open up the dialog, including the boards for each region. We can almost be a research group working with NAED to gather important issues and topics to understand manufacturer’s and distributor’s businesses alike. I believe the disconnect the industry is facing is a lack of communication amongst distributors and manufacturers on what issues are important to each other. Once these issues are all identified, we can all work together to improve the channel,” Spurgin adds.
So, it’s time for you to get involved. Suppliers, the Manufacturer’s Council is always looking for new members. It’s a two-year commitment, and you have to attend all of the NAED Regional Conferences to be considered. Getting started is as simple as contacting any of the council members and letting them know you are interested. Beyond that, suppliers are also asked to reach out to the Manufacturer’s Council with any ideas they have for improving the entire supply chain. Not just your individual business, but how everyone working together can build everyone up to be stronger for the future. Consider this your invitation to reach out to a council member.
The NAED Manufacturer’s Council formally meets four times a year, at each of the NAED Regional Conferences and the NAED National Meeting. Informally, it will get together at various events and through phone meetings throughout the year. It also coordinates one survey a year, based on current issues that are not just impacting suppliers, but the supply chain. It seems like a lot, because it is. But, with a committee of 13, the time commitment is not excessive.
“You can’t really put a number on it for amount of time,” Spurgin said. “But a little brings a lot of results. Conference calls occasionally. It doesn’t require a tremendous extra load on any one person.”
From the distributor side, the Manufacturer’s Council also wants to hear from you. While the council is working on what it believes is best for the supply chain, your opinion matters. “The council needs to be a sounding board and relay back to manufacturers how to solve issues,” Spurgin adds.
Now that you have been formally introduced, don’t be a stranger. Whether you are a supplier or a distributor, reach out to a Manufacturer’s Council member. Become a part of the process by volunteering to become a part of the council in the future. Help with making this supply chain stronger. And enjoy the results. Because they will lead to a stronger industry far into the future.
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