In December the Manufacturers’ Agents of Cincinnati (MAC) had their Christmas luncheon at the Montgomery Inn with 50 MAC members and featured guest Molly Wellmann of Wellmanns Brands. Wellmann is a self taught Mixologist who has become a partner of five bar/restaurants in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her passion for the bar business is unparalleled and she demonstrated that her customers come first. She talked about her path to success as an entrepreneur in her field. She has won many awards, has written a book and has done many local TV commercials for the city she grew up in — Cincinnati. Wellmann … Read the rest

The Association of Independent Manufacturers’/Representatives, Inc.(AIM/R) honored Scott Edwards of Armacell as their recipient of the 2017 Golden Eagle Award. The presentation was made before a record crowd at AIM/R’s 45th Annual Conference in Seattle, Washington.

The Golden Eagle Award is presented annually to an individual in the manufacturing sector that demonstrates the highest level of professionalism in their interaction with independent manufacturers’ representatives. The award was presented by Charlie Parham, VP of industry and PR for AIM/R.

About Armacell

Founded in 2000 following a management buyout, Armacell has successfully developed from a small division of Armstrong World Industries in … Read the rest

The Association of Independent Manufacturers’/Representatives, Inc. (AIM/R) announced two new inductees into the AIM/R Hall of Fame at their 45th Annual Conference in Seattle, Washington. The presentations were made in front of a record crowd during their Golden Eagle Award banquet.

The newest inductees include John Dwight “Jack” Eversoll of Cambridge-Lee Sales in Anaheim, California. Among his many contributions, Eversoll served as AIM/R president from 1980 to 1981.
The Association also inducted John Clendenning, CPMR, of the J.R. Clendenning agency in Royersford, Pennsylvania. Clendenning served as AIM/R president from 1991 to 1992.

The AIM/R Hall of Fame was established to … Read the rest

The team at Henry M. Wood Company is pleased to announce the addition of a new territory manager for western Kentucky and southwest Indiana. Eric Yaeger has hit the ground running effective August 1, 2017, and brings a wealth of experience to our team.

Yaeger earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Georgia Tech. He has 17 years of comprehensive sales experience; he has worked as an account manager for B.W. Rogers (a division of Kaman) as well as at Grainger Industrial Supply. He also spent several years working as a civil project engineer.

He has worked … Read the rest

By means of a look to the past MANA-member Bruce Whitley lets Agency Sales’ readers know that paths paved years ago can still lead to business success today.

Whitley, Canacast Sales & Marketing, Ltd., British, Columbia, Canada, supplied a Code of Ethics followed by his grandfather more than 90 years ago. According to Whitley, “This was written by my grandfather, William Daniel Harris, who was at that time the president of ACT (Associated Canadian Travelers), a Canadian National Sales Organization. He lived in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. While this was written 91 years ago, it reflects the basis of how … Read the rest

“Thank you for letting me know of our 31 year membership in MANA. I know we have been a member for many years but didn’t know exactly how long. We joined after hearing Jim Gibbons speak at an AIM/R conference.

“MANA has been a smart business investment for us. Often we will discuss an article from Agency Sales for the same reason a veteran player returns to spring training — to hone the fundamentals. John Haskell’s articles come to mind. It seems I first heard him at an AIM/R conference, almost as long ago as I heard Jim Gibbons.

“Wishing … Read the rest

Just a note to say I enjoyed this month’s iToolbox Newsletter. Thank you for the time you, Jerry and staff put into this. You have built a streamlined program that is very effective, and helpful!

It’s amazing to see how far MANA has come since 1967 (the founding of our first agency). I know my Dad (our founder) would be so proud of you folks for all you’ve accomplished and the timely support you give to today’s rep agencies. He was a religious reader of Agency Sales magazine and mentored me to do the same. That enabled us to grow, … Read the rest

The newest members of MANA’s Board of Directors represent two firsts in the 75‑year history of the association.

Michelle Jobst is the Board’s first female member, while Charlie Ingram represents the first manufacturing firm to occupy a position on the Board.

Jobst, CPMR, who has been a rep since 1994, heads Jobst Incorporated, Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The agency represents manufacturers of custom molded rubber, cast and molded polyurethane, thermoset and thermoplastic composites (fiberglass and carbon fiber), EMI/RFI shielding materials, precision machined and progressively stamped metal, plastic and rubber extrusions, and VPI encapsulation.

In explaining why she is willing to take … Read the rest

At its 48th Management and Marketing Conference, held in Austin, Texas, February 26-28, the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) presented the ERA Key Award to its outgoing chairman of the board, Paul Nielsen, CPMR, of Brainard-Nielsen Marketing, Inc. The award honors an individual for volunteer service to ERA above and beyond “the call of duty.”

ERA President Dan Parks, CPMR, of West Electronic Sales made the surprise presentation to Nielsen in recognition of his 12 years of service on the Executive Committee and as ERA President and Chairman. Parks said, “Paul is one of the most generous in the business when … Read the rest

On February 28 at the 48th Management and Marketing Conference in Austin, Texas, ERA announced the chapters that have been selected as Chapters of the Year award recipients for their 2016 activities. The awards are based on four categories: Education, Membership/Member Services, Marketing Services, and Special Projects.

The award recipients are as follows:

• Special Projects — New York for its first annual industry golf outing. MANA Chair John Beaver is also Chair of the ERA Metro NY chapter.
• Education — Indiana-Kentucky for its program on cyber security.
• Membership and Member Services — Carolinas for its re-establishment of the Dixie chapter.

MANA’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce its new Chairperson and that two highly qualified candidates have been elected to MANA’s Board of Directors for a two-year term starting May 1, 2017.

MANA’s new chairperson of the board is MANA Director John Beaver of GSA who assumes Ken McGregor’s role as chairperson May 1, 2017.

MANA’s new directors are Michelle Jobst, CPMR, and Charlie Ingram.

Jobst owns manufacturers’ representative firm Jobst Incorporated. Jobst has been a MANA representative member since 1989. Ingram is vice president, sales & marketing, for Eriez Magnetics. Eriez has been a MANA manufacturer member since … Read the rest

The MRERF CPMR program completed another successful week in Austin, Texas this January. Over 220 manufacturer representative owners and their successors spent the week investing in their future success.

The Certified Professional Manufacturers Representative program is executive education whose graduates earn the designation and distinction of joining over three decades of professionals who set themselves, and their firm, apart with the recognizable CPMR logo.

These are members of our association who attended this year:

Grant Agee, CSP
Power Equipment Specialists, Inc.
Arvada, CO

Keynae Agnew
Agnew Pacific Enterprises, LLC
Aliso Viejo, CA

Jeremy Anderson
MVK Group
West Palm Beach, FL… Read the rest

Dear Fellow MANA Members,

Happy Anniversary!

In looking through this month’s Agency Sales (January 2017), it is very gratifying to see four Eriez sales offices celebrating significant anniversaries as members of MANA, an acknowledgement of their agency’s commitment as sales and business professionals. You four include:

• Kenbil Engineering — 40 years
• Armac, Inc. — 35 years
• Weinacht & Associates — 35 years
• Hareza Technical Sales — 25 year

Congratulations to each of you and your organizations!
Eriez is proud to join you as a MANA member for 27 years.

Thanks, and see you guys soon.

All the best…Charlie

Charlie Ingram… Read the rest

MANA’s Board of Directors recently honored Board Chair Ken McGregor (pictured below third from left) for six years of outstanding service on MANA’s Board that will end April 30, and elected John Beaver (far right) to serve as its new Chair effective May 1.

McGregor’s firm McGregor & Associates, Inc. has been a MANA member since 1999. McGregor was elected to MANA’s Board after long service on the Board of the Association of Independent Manufacturers’ Representatives (AIM/R), which is reps’ voice in the plumbing industry. “Ken joined MANA’s Board two weeks after I became MANA’s CEO,” notes MANA CEO and … Read the rest

Ever increasing in popularity, MANA’s October 13-14 Manufacturer Seminar Best Practices With Reps, Planning With Intent sold out every available seat. First time presenter Charlie Ingram, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Eriez Magnetics, wowed the assembled group when he discussed his first-hand experience managing rep councils.

Ingram joined veteran presenters (left to right) Kris Hefley, Associate Professor, Johnson & Wales University; Hank Bergson, President, Henry Bergson Associates, LLC; and Charles Cohon, CEO and President, MANA.

This event will repeat in October, 2017. Watch www.MANAonline.org in June, 2017 for complete details and a registration link.… Read the rest

The Association of Independent Manufacturers’ Representatives (AIM/R) announced the AIM/R Hall of Fame on Wednesday, October 19th, at the 44th Annual Conference in Miami, Florida. The association honored three individuals in 2016.

The AIM/R Hall of Fame was established to recognize and honor those outstanding independent manufacturers’ representatives who have walked along side AIM/R in the plumbing, HVAC, PVF, kitchen, bath-related industries. Through their passion, leadership, integrity and entrepreneurial spirit, they have helped create awareness of the manufacturers’ representative and their role in the sales and marketing process. Because of their dedication and volunteerism, AIM/R continues to be the leading … Read the rest

Key Vote Program Has Kept NAM Issues Top of Mind for Policymakers

With the release of its Congressional Voting Record on September 29, 2016 (www.nam.org/votingrecord) the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) is highlighting the strength of manufacturers’ advocacy by recognizing more than 300 champions in the 114th Congress. The NAM continues to lead by driving the agenda in Washington, and as a result, Congress is taking action on an increasing number of key manufacturing priorities.

“Manufacturers have mobilized and spoken out, and we have seen Congress respond. This year, members of Congress have taken action on more legislation essential to … Read the rest

MANA’s outreach to bring the concept of manufacturers’ representatives into business schools continued recently with presentations to two classes at Arizona State University. Joining MANA CEO Charles Cohon (left) for the event were MANA members (left to right) Vickie Pedersen, Pedersen Group, LLC; Arno Marcuse, AGM Technical Solutions, LLC; Richard W. Sinclair, Applied Process Equipment, Inc.; and Professor Gary C. Naumann, W.P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University. Would your alma mater benefit from a MANA presentation? Reach out to MANA CEO Charles Cohon at [email protected].… Read the rest

Two successful Cincinnati-based companies that have been providing products and services to the manufacturing, processing, and packaging industries in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana for nearly 100 years have merged. Henry M. Wood Company, founded in 1928, and the Batsner Company, founded in 1919, are joining forces to provide seamless solutions. Both companies are founding members of MANA.

Henry M. Wood Company, a leader in pneumatic fluid power, machine control safety, leak testing, low pressure fluid handling, and ergonomic manufacturing solutions, works with Ross Controls, Atlas, Legris, Enertrols, Pinnacle Systems, Fastest, CPC, Autoquip, CM and Positech. In 2009, Henry M. Wood … Read the rest

MANA Director Danny Collis recently received the highest award of the Manufacturers’ Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry (MAFSI). Collis received the Tony Award, which recognizes a member who has consistently performed and demonstrated sincere interest, effort and leadership, and has given time to the welfare and progress of MAFSI and the enhancement of the manufacturer agents’ function and position in the industry.… Read the rest

Cinpak, Inc. announced the acquisition of DandK Marketing, a manufacturers’ representative company specializing in “table top” products operating in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Cinpak is a manufacturers’ representative company for disposable and jan-san products covering six states (www.cinpak.com).

This acquisition allows Cinpak to expand its markets and fulfill its strategy to expand deeply into the “table top” niche. It also allows them to add seasoned representatives with strong relationships in key markets who fit the purpose and core value of the company.

DandK Marketing will be rebranded as Cinpak TT and will operate as a separate business unit. Don Roets, … Read the rest

Past MANA Board Chairman Tom Hayward (left) of United Sales Associates extends MANA’s thanks to MANA Board member Greg Bruno of Midlantic Enterprises, Inc., for his insight and commitment to MANA’s mission during Bruno’s two terms of service as a MANA Board member.… Read the rest

MANA members Larry Roy, Enterprise Electronic Sales, Inc., and Chris Schnetzer, CAT Equipment Company and president of Manu­facturers’ Agents of Cincinnati (MAC), made the most of their time in front of an undergraduate audience at Kent State University late last fall. Promoting and supporting the rep profession in front of an audience comprised of student members of Pi Sigma Epsilon (PSE), the national sales and marketing fraternity, the two independent manufacturers’ representatives presented a PowerPoint presentation and took questions during their 20-minute presentation.

Student representatives from the following universities were in attendance:

• Purdue University
• Ball State University
• University of Toledo

As you probably remember, this great organization of which I’ve had the privilege of being a member for many years, and I, share an important event.

This very day [October 17], we celebrate our 68th birthdays. Hard to believe that we are the age that we’ve become but hopefully the organization is in as good shape as I feel for my age.

I also had the great privilege of being born in Southern California with my first home being my parents apartment in North Hollywood at that time.

We moved back to Western New York, my Dad’s native area, in … Read the rest

The National Marine Representatives Association (NMRA) presented its 2015 Mel Barr Award to Ron Bailey, vice president of sales and marketing at Turning Point Propellers. The award recognizes an individual who has contributed to the improvement of the industry and is named in the memory of marine rep Mel Barr, one of the founders of NMRA and its first president. Jonathan Sweet, editor-in-chief of Boating Industry magazine, and NMRA incoming president Rob Gueterman made the presentation at the 2015 IBEX Industry Awards Breakfast in Louisville, Kentucky.

Bailey began his career in the industry in 1980 at Hoffert Marine. In 2008, … Read the rest

Lake Air Metal Stamping, a global metal stamping company, today announced Josco Melius, Inc. as its new manufacturers’ sales representative to manage sales for the upper Midwest region. They will cover Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa and western Wisconsin.

Josco Melius aims to be the premier provider of sales and marketing services and representation to the highest quality manufacturers, all the while delivering the most innovative products available on the market to their customer base. “As we continue to execute against our corporate strategic plan, it is important to align ourselves with seasoned sales representative agencies that share our … Read the rest

Wow!

Sometimes I get a letter that just knocks me back on me heels because it’s so perceptive and well-written!

I received just such a letter from Steve Anderson, Anderson Agency, Inc. Steve’s manufacturers’ representative company has been a MANA member since 1987.
With Steve’s permission I am reprinting his letter here. I hope you will find it as insightful and inspiring as I did.

— Charles Cohon, CEO, MANA

I formed my rep agency approximately 34 years ago at the ripe old age of 27. At that time, and for many reps like me, our youthful, wild-eyed, exuberance gave … Read the rest

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) has announced that Bob Evans, CPMR, president of EK Associates, Inc., Palatine, Illinois, is the most recent recipient of the Ray Hall Spirit of ERA Award. Evans has served as the chair of ERA’s Chapter Leadership Council (CLC) since 2011, is closely involved in developing the member and industry surveys conducted by the association, and also serves on the committee now searching for a new ERA CEO.

In addition to his national leadership roles, Evans has held many offices in ERA’s Chicagoland-Wisconsin Chapter over the past 12 years, including as president and chairman of the … Read the rest

Talk about rolling out the welcome mat — here’s the message that was waiting for past MANA Board member John Sandifer, SanCo Sales Inc., when he called on a prospect recently in East Texas.

… Read the rest

MANA is pleased to announce the election of two exceptionally well-qualified MANA representative members to MANA’s Board of Directors. Each will serve a two‑year term that starts May 1, 2015. Please join us in congratulating them.

If you are a representative member and are interested in serving on MANA’s Board of Directors, please e-mail Susan Strouse at [email protected] to request the necessary forms.

John Beaver earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Long Island University, and at age 26, in 1984, founded Optimum Metro Sales, Inc., which joined MANA in 1990. Beaver brings 30 years’ experience as a representative … Read the rest