NAHAD's strong growth continues

I spoke with Molly Mullins, EVP of NAHAD, at this month’s 35th Annual Convention at the Bellagio resort in Las Vegas. Mullins, who has been leading the organization for almost two years, has really focused on the organization’s Hose Safety Institute (HSI).

“There is nothing more important to NAHAD, and to our member companies, than ensuring the safety of their products and their customers,” Mullins said. “That is why NAHAD members join the HSI and train their teams on industry best practices related to hose assembly. Our goal this year is to bring this incredibly important information to our members in a much more digestible and user-friendly format.”

Her team has turned the 300+ page HSI Handbook into an online, interactive course where participants can learn at their own speed through engaging content. Mullins feels that this will, in turn, lead to better participation and retention of content, which will ultimately lead to safer hose assembly.

The NAHAD team has been busy, also launching the NAHAD Training Academy, which includes targeted training opportunities for individuals working in distribution. NAHAD members will have access to Hose Safety Institute content, as well as other education to benefit their employees, ranging from supply chain to branch management to marketing to inside sales. And the group is also launching a regional training program, starting this Fall.

“NAHAD is launching its Regional Training, which will become a series of trainings throughout the U.S. that provide classroom learning as well as the opportunity to be a part of the fabrication process at various NAHAD-member facilities,” she said. “We chose Cleveland, as so many NAHAD member companies are based in Ohio, and a central location provides an opportunity for local members to send their teams in a cost-effective manner.”

Mullins told me that technology plays a huge role in her thought process and she is always trying to think a few steps ahead about what NAHAD will need not just right now, but as the industry evolves.

“I want us constantly thinking about new products and services with one thought in mind: how will this help my members’ businesses and their overall bottom line?” she said. “We will spend a lot of time in 2020 developing new industry content for our online learning system as well as promoting the message of hose safety to the broader end-user community.”

To learn more details about the NAHAD Academy, read our Distributor Update department on page 30. FPW

Paul J. Heney | VP, Editorial Director