The MHEDA Journal - Third Quarter, 2013 - (Page 11)

PRESIDENT’S CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PERSPECTIVE JERRY WEIDMANN 2013 MHEDA PRESIDENT A Commitment to Excellence I n this issue we celebrate the commitment to excellence of our distributor members, as recognized by their suppliers. Excellence is not a destination, but rather a commitment to high standards and to continuous improvement to sustain and elevate them. Tom Peters, of “In Search of Excellence” fame, observed that “excellent firms don’t believe in excellence — only constant improvement and constant change. More than 600 distributor and manufacturer companies are members of MHEDA. Their membership reflects their commitment to the standards of excellence. Our members are constantly pursuing new knowledge, networking with peers to identify best practices and advocating for our industry. It is MHEDA’s mission to improve the proficiency of the material handling distributor, and to make sure distributors continue to be the most effective and efficient conduit to the marketplace. Many manufacturers in the material handling industry present yearly performance awards to their top distributors. The awards go by many names, including dealers of excellence, dealer of the year and dealer of distinction. Regardless of the honor, these awards recognize those companies that demonstrated excellence in representing their manufacturer’s products. Excellence in the relationship between a ma nufactu rer a nd a distributor occurs when the distributor attains the level of product knowledge, market performance, sales growth and customer service necessary to exceed the expectations of the manufacturer. The manufacturer relies on the distributor to be their conduit to the market. The manufacturer can only succeed through the success of the distributor. In 2011, MHEDA launched the MVP (Most Valuable Partner) award program exclusively for MHEDA Distributor Members. This award is intended to provide recognition to those distributor members that demonstrate a commitment to business excellence, professionalism and stewardship. The MVP award is earned through a demonstrated commitment to excellence in industry relations, customer relations, peer-to-peer networking, education and best practices. MHEDA strives to provide the platform for excellence in each of these areas. Attainment of the MHEDA MVP award makes a statement to your employees, your suppliers and your customers: • To your employees, the MVP award confirms your commitment to invest in their education, attain the highest standards of professionalism and to lead in the industry. • To your suppliers, the MVP award confirms your commitment to be a superior partner in delivering their product to the industry. It confirms your commitment to excellence and high ethical standards. And your success raises the esteem for your suppliers in your market. • To your customers, your MVP status demonstrates your commitment to be the very best in the industry. Your status confirms the value of the services you provide. MVP status is earned each year. Each year you have to demonstrate your commitment to excellence and professionalism. Our industry is changing at an everincreasing rate. Our ability to succeed is determined by our commitment to constant improvement and our ability to manage constant change. MHEDA is committed to assist all of its members to attain and sustain world-class excellence in performance. This past May, the association and its members demonstrated their unique partnership at the convention in Palm Desert, California. Approximately 600 suppliers, distributors, associates and spouses came together to “get their game on.” With worldclass speakers, more than 20 educational sessions, roundtable discussions, 80 supplier exhibitors and countless networking opportunities, MHEDA provided a forum of excellence. We congratulate all the MHEDA MVP and manufacturer award winners. Let’s all celebrate the success of the past, but also focus on the things we can do to improve our future. Let’s ride the wave of change to new heights. The MHEDA Journal | Third Quar ter 2 013 11 http://www.themhedajournal.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The MHEDA Journal - Third Quarter, 2013

President’s Perspective
From the Desk of Liz Richards
Ask Your Board
MHEDA Member Profile
At Work
Happy Anniversary!
Implementing a Successful Internship Program
The Value of Being a MHEDA Member
Convention 2013 Recap
Exploring the Equity to Sales Ratio in the Equipment Industry
Professional Skills for Material Handling Distributor Sales Managers
Recruiting Young Talent
Increase Your Engagement & Balance Your Life
Emerging Leaders Conference
New Members
Spotlight on Association News
MHEDA University Calendar
MHEDA Milestones
New Products
Index of Advertisers by Product Category

The MHEDA Journal - Third Quarter, 2013