Talbot Gee, CEO, HARDI, insists the industry has an obligation to inform HARDI when wholesale distribution is not properly serving the supply channel's needs.
Outgoing chairman, Troy Meachum, president, ACR Supply Co., Durham, North Carolina, called 2018 a banner year for distributors before passing the torch to incoming chairman Brian Peirce, president and CEO of Peirce-Phelps Inc., Blue Bell, Pennsylvania.
Alan Beaulieu, president, ITR Economics, provided an economic update. During his presentation, he stressed that distributors should not expect a repeat of 2018 in 2019.
Stephen Williston (right), president, S. Williston Sales Co. LLC, discusses a new piece of equipment with Harry Grissom (left), channel account manager, Johnson Controls Inc.
Jon Hirsch (foreground), director of business development, Auer Steel & Heating Supply Co., discusses the latest industry app with Justin Hilaire (left), national sales manager, EWC Controls Inc. and Mike Reilly (right), president and owner, EWC Controls Inc.
HARDI's mystery keynote speaker was none other than Platon, the British photographer who has taken portraits of many presidents and well known world figures.
AUSTIN, Texas — A record-breaking 1,640 individuals attended Heating, Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International’s (HARDI’s) 2018 Annual Conference, Dec. 1-4 in Austin, Texas. The Legacy-themed event honored those who paved the pathway to today’s success and celebrated those who are establishing their own legacies in the sector’s future.
“How can we make this channel the only one you want to go through?” he asked. “We don’t want most of the channel; we want it all. What do we need to do to be able to accomplish that?
At the age of 25, Matt Griffin was one of the deadliest men on the planet.
As a member of the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment, he had direct access to B1 bombers, AC-130s, A-10s. the heaviest of heavy artillery was attainable at the snap of a finger.
When conducting direct-action raids deep within hostile environments, the stakes were high: kill or be killed.
“If you found yourself surrounded by hell, you were likely on the business end of whatever we were doing,” said Griffin, who served as a rifle company fire support officer.
Following five years of death and destruction that led him through three deployments to Afghanistan and another to Iraq, Griffin grew tired of the chaotic military lifestyle. He began to view the countrymen he was charged to kill as people rather than targets. In order to truly help, he needed to transition from an invader to a visitor and friend.
Shortly after leaving the military, Griffin returned to war-torn Afghanistan as a medical equipment salesman. The sight made him sick to his stomach. The factories that once paid hundreds of locals to churn out the essentials of war now sat desolate. While the military machine had rolled into another country, replacement jobs never arrived.
Griffin felt inspired to somehow fill these facilities with opportunity. Looking down at the floor of the empty factory, he grasped the sole of a boot in one hand and a sandal thong in another.
In that moment, the former contract killer’s life flip-flopped. Literally.
Now, as the owner of Combat Flip Flips — an apparel company that specializes in creating footwear out of boot soles for those affected by conflict — Griffin has traded in his bulletproof vest for sandals, shemaghs, and sarongs. He now adheres to the mantra, “Business, not bullets.” Even his email signatures are punctuated with #Peace.
Griffin shared his story and offered a bit of inspiration for those in attendance as a keynote speaker.
Griffin said success — whether it’s achieved in the military or as a small business owner — is built on the process of overcoming failure.
While people can’t jump into 1,500° fire, Griffin insisted failure is a primary step in the human forging process.
While President Trump’s Tax Cut and Jobs Act provided a short-term boost in 2018, Beaulieu believes the tax legislation will not have a lasting effect.
“The tax change will not provide a boost in the economy for any length of time,” he said. “I like many of the changes in the tax code, such as the reduction in categories, and some people are seeing lower rates. Honestly, it's helped some people and hurt others, it just depends on the tax bracket you’re in. Regardless if it’s a personal win or loss, in the end, it will all balance out."