November 13-15, 2024 • Chicago, IL
Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park
Making Better
Homes a Reality for Everyone, Everywhere
NETWORK2024 PRESIDENT’S LETTER
ATTENDING NETWORK IS TIME WELL SPENT
As business leaders and industry professionals, we face significant demands with both our time and attention. Assessing whether to register for a conference becomes crucial, as it entails taking time away from our families and businesses. We’ve put in considerable effort to ensure that NETWORK, our association’s annual conference, is truly valuable and worthwhile, even amidst your busy schedules. As a result, NETWORK has emerged as the industry’s premier and most impactful conference, bringing together the most influential wholesalerdistributors, manufacturers and manufacturers’ rep firms for networking and collaboration.
More than 800 owners, CEOs, and professionals from 300 top firms, totaling more than $50 billion in sales, convene for networking and inspiration. They engage with thought-leaders across 10 educational sessions, offering an unparalleled chance for you and your team to fortify your business and draw inspiration for the future.
The survey feedback from last year’s attendees was exceptional, and we’re confident that this year’s program in Chicago will exceed the success we achieved in Orlando. We invite you to join us and experience everything we have in store.
NETWORK2024 in Chicago promises to be another can’t-miss opportunity for you and your team — a priority worth the time investment. Don’t delay in registering! Our last several NETWORK events reached full capacity, so please act quickly and get registered to secure your place.
I understand that you have numerous options for allocating your time. As you review the NETWORK brochure, I’m confident you’ll discover a robust and influential program. It’s designed to provide you and your team with valuable insights, innovative ideas, and meaningful connections that will endure long after your time with us in Chicago.
I look forward to seeing you in November when we’ll work together to fortify our businesses and craft a vibrant future for our industry.
Sincerely,
PATRICK MALONEY ASA President
TOP 5 REASONS TO ATTEND NETWORK2024:
The industry’s premier event for leaders and CEOs from wholesaler-distributors, manufacturers, & manufacturers’ representatives.
Impactful education sessions including 3 panel discussions featuring ASA thought leading members.
Gain insights into the economic trends that may affect your business in 2025.
Engaging networking events including the Great Ideas Roundtable Sessions and the Wholesaler-Distributor & Vendor Conference Appointments.
Find inspiration through collaborating with your peers. 1 2 3 4 5
Patrick Maloney
REGISTER NOW
CANCELLATION POLICY:
Written cancellations received by October 23, 2024, will receive a 100% refund. No refunds after October 23. Please email accounting@asa.net to make a cancellation request.
NETWORK2024 Hotel Information:
Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park 200 N Columbus Dr Chicago, IL 60601
NETWORK2024 Discounted Room Rate:
$309 plus tax per night. Guest rooms have been contracted for the nights of Tuesday, November 12, Wednesday, November 13, and Thursday, November 14. If you need nights outside of that time-frame, the group rate will be based on availability.
Room Rate Cut-off Date: The NETWORK room rate is available until October 21, 2024 or until our room block is full. We recommend reserving your hotel room as soon as your registration is completed. Room availability is on a first-come first-served basis.
You must be registered to attend NETWORK in order to make a room reservation. Instructions on how to make your reservation will be included in your registration confirmation.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13
8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. - Advisory Group Meetings By invitation only
10 a.m. - 11 a.m. - Strategic Council Meetings By invitation only
9 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. - NETWORK2024 Registration Open
11:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. - ASA Board of Directors Meeting & Luncheon
ASA Board Members & Invited Guests
2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. - Conference Kick-off / General Session
Speaker: Herm Edwards, ESPN Analyst, Former NFL Player and Head Coach
- Doing the Little Things and Executing Vision
3:45 p.m. - 5 p.m. - General Session
Speaker: Barry Zekelman, CEO of Zekelman Ind. - The Man of Steel Presented by the ASA Industrial Piping Division
5 p.m. - 6 p.m. - Receptions (By Invitation Only) Emerging Leaders Women in Industry AIM/R Principals PAC Fundraising Event
6 p.m. - 7 p.m. - Bradford White NETWORK2024 Opening Reception
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14
7 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. - NIBCO Industry Breakfast
Speaker: Molly Fletcher
- Secrets of a Champion Mindset
8:45 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. - Concurrent Educational Sessions
AI in Distribution: Navigating the Future of Supply Chain Engagement
Moderated by John Gillespie, ATS Software
Culture Catalysts: Strategies for Enhancing Company Culture
Moderated by Tracie Sponenberg, Tracie Sponenberg, LLC
10 a.m. - 11 a.m. - Concurrent Educational Sessions
Efficiency Unleashed: Strategies for Optimizing Wholesale Distribution Center Operations
Moderated by Chris Fasano, Torrco
Voice of the Customer Discussion
TJ O’Connor, Farmington Consulting Group
11:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. - InSinkErator ASA Annual Meeting & Member Luncheon
Speaker: Seb Terry
- Unlock Limitless Possibility
1:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. - Great Ideas Roundtable Sessions
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - AIM/R Roundtables for Manufacturers’ Representatives
3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. - Wholesaler-Distributor & Vendor Conference Appointments
5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. - Networking Reception
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15
7 a.m - 8:30 a.m. - A. O. Smith Breakfast
Speaker: Eric Boles, The Game Changers Inc. and Expert in Leadership and Peak Performance - Moving to Great
8:45 a.m. - 10 a.m. - 2025 LIXIL Industry Forecast
Speaker: Dr. Chris Kuehl, ASA’s Chief Economist
10 a.m. - Conference Close
InSinkErator ASA Annual Meeting & Member Luncheon
Thursday, Nov. 14 11:15 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Join us for our annual luncheon and ASA update from Patrick Maloney, ASA’s 2024 President. Featuring speaker Seb Terry.
We’re committed to the professional installation of our products. At Bradford White, we believe our quality products deserve a quality installation performed by a professional contractor. We want our contractors to have all the support they can get. So we send them to Bradford White Wholesalers – the only place where they can get our Built to be the Best® products – to benefit from the knowledge and experience of wholesale distributors like you.
As you support contractors, we are here to support you, our valued wholesaler customers.
To learn more, visit bradfordwhite.com
NETWORK2024 CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
RECEPTIONS
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 13
5 p.m. - 6 p.m. (by Invitation Only)
Emerging Leaders
Women in Industry
AIM/R Principal’s PAC Fundraising Event
6 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Bradford White NETWORK2024
Opening Reception
GREAT IDEAS ROUNDTABLE SESSIONS
THURSDAY, NOV. 14
1:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Share best practices, innovative ideas, and just plain GREAT IDEAS on how businesses can do things better. During this highly interactive session, attendees can expect to walk out with key takeaways that are new and that can be immediately implemented when they return to their offices.
WHOLESALER-DISTRIBUTOR &
VENDOR
CONFERENCE APPOINTMENTS
THURSDAY, NOV. 14
3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
A major networking event to expand your ability to meet face-to-face with top industry CEOs that regularly attend NETWORK. Through formalized pre-scheduled appointments this is THE INDUSTRY EVENT where partnerships are strengthened, and new connections are made.
NETWORKING RECEPTION
THURSDAY, NOV. 14
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
LEVEL UP
Service and support built for your success
At A. O. Smith, our pursuit of continuous improvement doesn’t stop with our products. We’ve invested in a suite of technology and service advancements to help our channel partners’ businesses run smoothly.
TECHNOLOGY
Our new website built to help you find the information you need quickly and easily SERVICE
Improved customer service experience including video chat capabilities making calls more accurate and efficient
TRAINING
State-of-the-art training capabilities ensure you and your customers have the product knowledge you need
FEATURED SPEAKER
MOLLY FLETCHER
Hailed as the “female Jerry Maguire” by CNN, Molly Fletcher made a name for herself as one of the first female sports agents. During her almost two-decade career as President of CSE, Molly negotiated over $500 million in contracts and represented over 300 of sports’ biggest names, including Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz, PGA TOUR golfer Matt Kuchar, broadcaster Erin Andrews and basketball championship coaches Tom Izzo and Doc Rivers.
As a World’s Top 50 Keynote Speaker, she delivers her inspiring message to audiences around the world. She is the author of five books, including The Energy Clock and Fearless at Work, and her latest TED Talk, “Secrets of a Champion Mindset,” has more than one million views.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14
7 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
NIBCO INDUSTRY BREAKFAST
Secrets of a Champion Mindset
FEATURED SPEAKER
SEB TERRY
Affected by the death of a close friend, Sebastian Terry had a moment of deep reflection and realized that he was leading a life devoid of passion and joy. In a moment of darkness and uncertainty, he decided to pick up a pen and paper and began to create a list of 100 things that he hoped would bring him closer to a sense of happiness, if not purpose.
Dropping everything in his life to pursue each of his 100 goals, Sebastian’s journey has been turned into a best-selling book, a reality TV show and a platform that inspires people to unlock limitless possibility in their own lives.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14
11:15 a.m - 1:15 p.m.
ASA Annual Meeting & Member Luncheon Unlock Limitless Possibility
FEATURED SPEAKER ERIC BOLES
Eric Boles is the president of The Game Changers, Inc. Through a combination of coaching, consulting, and training, Eric Boles helps organizations collapse time achieve goals quickly and function within their purpose and values. The results organizations experience are real and powerful. He helps organizations such as Dunkin’ Brands, Aviva, Starbucks, Alaska Airlines, and others take leaps towards reaching their organizational goals with company wide support and enthusiasm.
Prior to becoming a high-performance authority, Eric Boles learned many principles of team dynamics and leadership from his experience playing in the National Football League. He was coached and mentored by some of the finest coaches and players in the league.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15
7 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
A. O. SMITH BREAKFAST
Moving to Great
Partners in Innovation
As we look ahead to the next 150 years of Kohler’s bold journey, we do so with tremendous optimism, knowing our valued ASA distributor partners will be by our side. We are profoundly grateful for your ongoing support and partnership.
NETWORK2024 GENERAL SESSIONS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13
2 p.m. -3:30 p.m.
Conference Kick-off / General Session
Speaker: Herm Edwards
Doing the Little Things and Executing Vision
Edwards takes the audience – armed with his trademark enthusiasm – through his football journey as a player and coach to uncover the life lessons learned along with way. He also brings the group into the “huddle” to help better understand a team’s roles and responsibilities along with an emphasis on the teamwork, communication and collaboration it takes to execute on a game plan.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13
3:45 p.m. - 5 p.m. - General Session
Speaker: Barry Zekelman
The Man of Steel
Presented by the ASA Industrial Piping Division
Barry Zekelman is the executive chairman and CEO of Zekelman Industries, a family of 100 percent domestic manufacturing companies with a legacy dating back to 1877 and $5 billion in annual sales. Zekelman Industries is the largest independent steel pipe and tube manufacturer in North America and the leading innovator in multifamily housing development. During this fireside chat, Barry will speak on topics such as the American Dream, the importance of domestic manufacturing, the economy, relationships with distributors, the vital topic of company culture, plus he will answer attendee questions where, in his own words, “nothing is off limits.”
TO BE THE UNIFIED VOICE THAT DRIVES THE SUCCESS OF THE PHCP AND PVF SUPPLY CHAIN INDUSTRY.
FRIDAY, November 15
8:45 a.m. - 10 a.m.
2025 LIXIL Industry Forecast
Dr. Chris Kuehl, ASA’s Chief Economist
NETWORK2024 EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14
8:45 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
Concurrent Educational Session
AI in Distribution: Navigating the Future of Supply Chain Engagement Panel Discussion
Moderated by John Gillespie, ATS Software
Industry experts and thought leaders will lead this dynamic panel discussion. As the distribution landscape continues to evolve, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) has become increasingly vital for optimizing operations, enhancing efficiency, and driving growth. We will explore the diverse applications of AI in distribution, from demand forecasting and inventory management to route optimization and customer engagement. Our panelists will share practical insights, best practices, and real-world examples of how organizations can harness the power of AI to streamline distribution processes, improve decision-making, and deliver superior customer experiences. Whether you’re a distributor, logistics professional, or technology enthusiast, this session will provide valuable perspectives and actionable strategies for effectively engaging AI in distribution to stay ahead in today’s competitive marketplace.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14
8:45 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
Concurrent Educational Session
Culture Catalysts: Strategies for Enhancing Company Culture
Panel Discussion
Moderated by Tracie Sponenberg, Tracie Sponenberg, LLC
During this panel discussion, we will delve into the crucial role that company culture plays in organizational success and explore effective strategies for cultivating a positive and productive work environment. From fostering inclusivity and diversity to implementing employee engagement initiatives, we will examine practical techniques and real-world examples that can serve as catalysts for cultural transformation within your organization. Whether you’re a leader seeking to inspire your team or an HR professional looking to drive meaningful change, this discussion will provide valuable insights and actionable takeaways to elevate your company culture to new heights.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14
10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Concurrent Educational Session
Efficiency Unleashed: Strategies for Optimizing Wholesale Distribution Center Operations Panel Discussion
Moderated by Chris Fasano, Torrco
In this panel, industry leaders and experts will converge to explore innovative strategies and best practices for maximizing the efficiency of wholesale distribution center operations. From leveraging advanced technologies like automation and data analytics to implementing streamlined processes and workforce management techniques, our panelists will share insights gleaned from their extensive experience in the field. Whether you’re a seasoned distributor looking to finetune your operations or a newcomer seeking to navigate the complexities of wholesale distribution, this session will provide actionable strategies and practical advice to help you unlock the full potential of your distribution center. Join us as we uncover the keys to operational excellence and efficiency in wholesale distribution.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14
10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Concurrent Educational Session
Voice of the Customer Discussion
TJ O’Connor, Farmington Consulting Group
Farmington Consulting Group
President TJ O’Connor will talk about the results of the new 2024 ASA Voice of the Builder Survey that queried builders across the country about their relationships with wholesalers and suppliers and trends they are seeing both in the construction space and with homeowners/building owners. Florida-based Farmington conducted both the Voice of the Builder and the 2023 wildly popular ASA Voice of the Contractor surveys.
INSINKERATOR® SUPPORTS SUSTAINABILITY
The first step towards changing a behavior is proper education. That’s why InSinkErator® is educating and encouraging homeowners to choose sustainability by taking the pledge to join the Down with Food Waste movement. InSinkErator garbage disposals offer a convenient and hygienic solution to food waste in the home—from meat and fish to bread and pasta. Using a garbage disposal helps keep food waste out of the trash and landfill for a more sustainable kitchen. And using a garbage disposal, in conjunction with wastewater treatment, will lower the Global Warming Potential (GWP) by at least 50% compared to landfills while also driving the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
InSinkErator garbage disposals are designed to grind food waste into fine particles that can then flow to a wastewater treatment plant. Half of U.S. wastewater flows to a standard treatment plant to transform food waste into fertilizer while the other half flows to an advanced treatment plant that converts wastewater into renewable energy sources like heat or power. With InSinkErator, tonight’s dinner can be tomorrow’s power! Together, we can all keep more food waste out of landfills and slow the impact of climate change.
Knowing our customers is a skill that comes with experience. No two customers are alike, so we make it our business to customize a suite of products and services that best fit their individual needs. Changing times require new approaches and solutions and we go out of our way to ensure the perfect fit.
• Product training by knowledgeable
App
FOUNDRIES IN THE WORLD —
BUILT RIGHT HERE ON
AMERICAN SOIL
Our new foundry in Oakboro, North Carolina, is a $460 million investment set on about 700 acres. The opening of this state-of-the-art foundry ushers in a new era of growth for Charlotte Pipe commitment to our associates, the plumbing industry, and American manufacturing.
MADE for TRADE
You’re called a trade professional for a reason—you are dedicated to your craft and will meet your customer’s design and budget expectations, no matter what.
So, you need products that are designed for your specific project. That’s why Delta Faucet created four collections made exclusively for trade professionals and their specific style and budget needs—Broderick® Kitchen and Bath, Dorval® Bath, Coranto® Kitchen, and Kayra® Bath.
Products that are MADE for TRADE.
gerber-us.com
Every Drop Counts
Celebrating a 150 Year Legacy of Water Safety Innovation
Water. It’s in our name and close to our hearts. Since 1874, Watts has delivered innovative technologies that make the world’s most precious resource safe and accessible. Every effort, like every drop, has a ripple effect. Together, we can create a more sustainable world today and tomorrow.
FAMILY TRUSTED FACTORY TESTED AMERICA TOUGH
As a famiy-owned business with 95% of our products being made in the USA using a majority of US content, Zoeller Pump Company is proud of our American heritage & US commitment.
NOVEMBER 12-14, 2025 WASHINGTON D.C.