This month marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of MANA. Earlier this year, MANA President & CEO Charley Cohon noted that since those early days of 1947 “…things have changed, and changed for the better” for independent manufacturers’ representatives and their principals. One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is the constant need for a place where reps and their manufacturers can learn how to work more efficiently with each other. If the words of several long-standing MANA members can be believed, MANA is still that place.

Just as several other long-standing MANA members, Elry Cramer can’t necessarily take credit for his company’s record of membership spanning 45 years. According to Cramer, Buchanan Sales Company, “I’m the third owner and I have to say I inherited it.”

The Buchanan Sales Company, Inc. (BSC), Allison Park, Pennsylvania, provides sourcing solutions for custom-engineered mechanical and electronic components. Working with purchasing and engineering departments, the agency provides “technology matching” services to determine which manufacturing technology best suits a particular component or assembly.

“I can’t tell you why the original founder of the company joined. All I know is that there was never any doubt that I was going to continue the membership. I’m glad I did that as the association has shown its value on any number of levels.”

Among the many highlights of his and the agency’s membership was his participation in MANA’s first study mission to China several years ago. “I’m still in touch with the translators who worked with us on that trip and I even attended the wedding of one of them.

“The real benefit of the trip, however, was that experience gave us a running start for working with manufacturers in Asia. The overseas manufacturers we work with today were a direct result of that trip.”

Traveling to China hasn’t been the only highlight of BSC’s MANA membership. “We’ve been involved in a number of MANA training sessions including those presented by ‘Dr. Revenue,’ and we were also active in the local MANA chapter where we met regularly with other MANA members in the area.”

And, he’s not done yet. “The association’s advocacy efforts in Washington and its information on legal issues have always been major assets for us. Then there have been the larger meetings where some of the presentations have been especially beneficial. I can recall one where the CFO of a major manufacturer offered a bar graph that showed a cost comparison between using independent reps vs. a direct sales force. Obviously, the presentation was very complimentary to reps. That’s something I use to this day when talking to prospective manufacturers.”

MANA as Clearinghouse

As he explains his agency’s 40-year membership in MANA, Dave Knapp, president of Interface, Inc., Manassas, Virginia, points to the association’s brand in the profession and its reputation for being an excellent clearinghouse for information to reps as major attractions. “MANA has long served as a conduit between people who need the services of reps and those who provide that service to principals and customers. The association has shown a unique ability to address a lot of the key issues faced on a day-to-day basis by everyone from the one-man to the larger multi-person agencies.”

Interface Incorporated assists companies in navigating the federal procurement process and achieving success in this market. Since 1967, the agency had provided sales, business development, and contract management support to manufacturers and service providers large and small.

Describing specifically how the association has benefited his agency over the years, Knapp notes, “While we’re in a position now where we’re not actively looking for principals or customers, the online presence the association provides has been very beneficial. Every once in a while, we’ll still receive inquiries from manufacturers asking if we’d like to conduct business with them.”

Finally, he emphasizes the benefits of Agency Sales magazine. “Agency Sales continues to be timely with a variety of articles that are focused on the things we as reps have dealt with and continue to deal with including contract negotiations, relationship management and virtually all the things that go along with running an agency. It is — if you will — a repository for like-thinking people.”

Relationships Are Key

Mark Scherer, Scherer & Associates, Johnston, Iowa, notes that he has maintained his agency’s membership of more than 45 years largely because of the relationships it has provided him with prospective and existing principals. “My father, who preceded me in the association, was a member. I’ve simply continued what he started. To this day we’re constantly receiving contacts from principals as a result of our membership.” He adds that one of his principals even joined MANA as an associate member in order to contact prospective reps.

In addition to the relationships built with manufacturers, Scherer cites a number of the other services MANA provides that have been beneficial over the years. “I’ve made use of the sample rep contracts and much of the legal information in addition to regularly participating in the teleforums conducted by Nicki Weiss.”

Finally, he notes how valuable his subscription to Agency Sales has been: “The magazine provides any number of great ideas for developing sales strategies and maintaining the professionalism of your agency. By reading the magazine I think you can become much more valuable to your customers and principals.”

Legal Assistance

One of the first things Jack Wahlberg cites as a major benefit to being a member of MANA is the legal assistance. Wahlberg, CEO, Alpha Sales Company, maintains “MANA basically helped me put together good contracts with companies that I thought were way off base.”

Alpha Sales Company, Plymouth, Massachusetts, has been a leader in decorative bath and hardware sales in the Northeast for more than 44 years. The agency boasts of 100+years of combined decorative sales/service experience and a solid relationship with its customers. The agency consists of four well-experienced sales professionals and a seasoned administrative assistant.

According to the 40-year MANA member, “When I present manufacturers with a MANA sample contract, they’re usually surprised. Their response is something like ‘I didn’t know you were so knowledgeable.’ I quickly let them know that I know how to do more than just sell.”

To make his point, Walhberg, a former MANA Board member, recalls attending a sales meeting where his largest principal presented a contract to the reps in attendance. “I just about fell through my chair when I read it,” he said. “I asked the president of the company who had written the contract. I told him it was something I wouldn’t sign in a million years and I recommended to everyone in the room that they don’t sign it.”

To the president’s credit, he responded “Let’s talk about this.” According to Wahlberg, what resulted was a contract that was fair for everyone. “This was a case that if I hadn’t been exposed to MANA and joined the association, I would have never done something like that.”

He continues, “In the end, I’d say that MANA has been a huge help in taking our agency to another level. When I look at some other agencies, I’m a little embarrassed at the contracts they work under. What we’ve learned from MANA is how to sit down and get hard-nosed with our factories. I think it’s absolutely reasonable for an agency to become a member of MANA.”

MANA Builds Organization

Sporting more than a half century membership in MANA, Mike Berry, IES Technical Sales Corp., is quick to deflect credit for his agency’s association membership. “I can’t take credit for that. That belongs to our organization’s founders way back in the 1940s. But, from what I’ve been told, 50 years ago they were intent on building our organization and MANA was there to help them. Back then they needed new lines, well-written, fair contracts, and everything else. MANA was obviously the perfect fit for helping a growing agency.”

The agency was founded in Boston in 1947 as Industrial Equipment & Sales Corp., focusing on industrial products. In the early 1960s IES entered the thin film market. Since then the agency has focused primarily on high-technology products in order to serve the broad array of companies and research facilities in the northeast United States. Upon moving to its current facility in Danvers, Massachusetts, in 1998, the agency name was changed to IES Technical Sales to more closely match its focus on high technology.

While he won’t pat himself on the back for IES’ original membership in MANA, Berry does note that there are a couple of contributing factors for his agency’s continued membership. “Certainly, part of it has to do with being sentimental. We’ve been members for so long, why change now? On the other hand, we’re very proud of our lengthy membership. I’m sure we’re among a minority that can say we’ve belonged as long as we have. On top of that, however, is that MANA, despite being generic in terms of its rep membership, is an excellent fit for us. It provides a solid platform for monitoring what’s going on with the profession. We also treasure Agency Sales. The articles are typically excellent and we never fail to learn something each month.

“In general, we probably don’t use all the features and benefits of MANA but over the years we’ve found that when we have a need, they are there for us.”

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