The Southern Leadership Division of The Southern Association of Wholesale Distributors held their Business Resource 2010 Meeting last Thursday – Saturday in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.  The event opened on Thursday evening with a reception and dinner that was well attended by both distributors and manufacturers & suppliers.  AWMA’s Scott Ramminger and Bob Pignato attended the meeting - AWMA was a co-sponsor of the event.

_{Pictured left to right is AWMA's Bob Pignato; 2010 President of the SLD, Chris Smythers, Merchants Grocery Company; and The Southern Association of Wholesale Distributors Executive Director, Greg Martin.}

After a networking breakfast on Friday morning, the day began with an InfoMetrics Users Group Meeting facilitated by the InfoRhythm team of Viv Penninti, Bill Casey, Kathy Eisner and Jeff Daugherty.  Attendees had live training, a demonstration and education session on using InfoMetrics.  By using their laptops, attendees were able to view and compare data versus the market, drill down to store level SKU information, and learn how to use their own data to maximize category performance while learning how to navigate through the system. 

On Friday afternoon, distributors then began two-on-one sessions with the InfoMetrics team where two non-competing distributors had personalized training to address their own specific data requirements.  The sessions were particularly helpful to these companies currently using InfoMetrics.

Also, on Friday afternoon, industry expert Doug MacKay, The Glen Douglas Group, presented to the group in a session called Good to Great; Time to Make the Move.  In this session, attendees explored inconvenient truths, re-connecting with key negotiating principles and learning how to sell the brand called: You.”

_{Pictured right, Viv Penninti of InfoRhythm}

On Friday evening, everyone ventured into Colonial Williamsburg to dinner at the oldest tavern in Williamsburg – Shield’s Tavern.  Here attendees were treated to an old fashioned dinner, as well as a history lesson presented by tavern staff dressed in traditional 17th century costumes.  

Finally, on Saturday morning, two more sessions before the meeting adjourned.  The first session presented by Doug MacKay, was a leadership session called Leadership: Stand Up and Be Counted.  After this session, a panel discussion with two distributors and two manufacturers on Best Practices in Wholesale Distribution including panelists from Thomas & Howard, The H.T. Hackney Company, Altadis USA and the Kellogg Company.

_{Pictured left, Doug MacKay, The Glen Douglas Group}

_{Best Practices in Wholesale Distribution panel - l to r -  Barry Krebs, Kellogg's; Marty Howell, The H.T. Hackney Company; Rich Ivancic, Altadis U.S.A.; Jere Loggins, Thomas & Howard.}