Over the past four years, The Wholesale Change Show has featured CEOs from MSC Industrial, Global Industrial, Zoro, Lawson Products, Johnstone Supply and dozens of other leading distributors. It’s the most informative and entertaining webcast and podcast in distribution! Watch on-demand for a special milestone event as we celebrated our 100th episode! We looked back on what we’ve learned and talked about the state of the distribution industry today and where it’s going. Distribution...

The second half of 2024 has been defined by uncertainty, with the election looming and economic indicators wavering. Alex Chausovsky, a highly experienced market researcher and analyst, clarified the murky forecast when he joined Wholesale Change hosts Ian Heller and Jonathan Bein to talk about what distributors can expect in the rest of 2024 and beyond. He provided practical and actionable advice to help you chart a course in the new year. We discussed: The impact of the U.S....

Watch on-demand as hosts Ian Heller and Jonathan Bein sit down with Wes Smith, the president and CEO of the National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED). Wes started his current position in January 2024, but he’s no stranger to the electrical industry or the association. He spent more than 34 years with Mayer Electric, including 14+ years as president before they were acquired by Rexel. At Rexel, he served as Chief Strategy and Growth Officer. After three decades in the...

On this episode of The Wholesale Change Show, we welcomed Zoro President Sandy Mattinson. Zoro is an ecommerce platform that helps businesses thrive by offering an endless assortment of products for every business need. Launched in 2011, the Grainger subsidiary has grown rapidly to over 600 team members and over $1 billion in annual revenues.  Sandy joined Zoro in 2019 as the company’s first female vice president and established its business development, category management and digital...

Watch as Distribution Strategy Group’s Ian Heller is joined by some of the technology leaders who participated in our recent conference, Applied AI for Distributors. During an information-filled, action-packed event, attendees spent two and a half days immersed in the latest information and education on AI and how it can help distributors grow sales, drive productivity, improve CX and provide better services. During this discussion, panelists reviewed: General session speakers: Zack Kass...

Can AI truly make a real-world difference, today, in a mid-sized distribution company? The answer is yes and Millcraft is one company who did it by focusing on adopting the latest technology and recruiting and training a workforce that understands how to use it. Among other solutions the company has implemented AI tools for order automation that has increased touchless ordering to 60%. Watch the Wholesale Change Show on-demand with hosts Ian Heller and Jonathan Bein, Ph.D. as we welcomed...

On this episode we welcomed Tim Brooks, CEO and co-owner of Lohmiller & Company, an HVAC distributor in Denver, Colorado. Tim has built a highly successful company based on extensive employee training, aggressive expansion of value-added services, a willingness to invest in new technologies and a focus on building an exceptional culture. These capabilities offer customers the best high-touch experiences with personal interactions but also top-notch digital tools that resulted in 27% of...

We welcomed Renata Morgan to this episode of the Wholesale Change show. Renata was recently promoted to President of Rheem Northeast Distribution, which is a combination of four previously independent distributors: United Supply Company, P&N Distribution, Mechanical Supply and MCN Distributors. The new division will incorporate 32 branches selling both Rheem and Ruud products across Eastern Pennsylvania, all of New Jersey, and parts of New York and Connecticut. Renata will be tasked...

BradyIFS + Envoy Solutions, a national distributor of janitorial-sanitation, foodservice disposables and industrial packaging products, just unveiled their new name: BradyPLUS. The new corporate identity follows the October 2023 merger of the two companies and is a step toward realizing the company’s priority of operating as one.  Get an inside view of the rebranded distributor’s story as we welcomed BradyPLUS Chief Marketing Officer Ian Gresham to the Wholesale Change show. His specialty...

Traditional and emerging competitors make it more difficult than ever for distributors to hold on to their role as manufacturers’ primary partners in going to market. Marketplaces, large retailers and even options for selling direct to end-users become more tempting to manufacturers when distributors offer poor digital capabilities or are weak at marketing. In this episode of Wholesale Change, representatives from two major manufacturers – ABB and Signify – shared how distributors can become...

During his two-decade tenure with Grainger companies, Kevin Weadick demonstrated his versatility across multiple countries and diverse divisions including supply chain, marketing and product management. However, the pinnacle of his Grainger career was the role of president for the company’s B2B marketplace, Zoro. Given his remarkable track record, it’s no surprise that when FleetPride embarked on its quest for a new CEO, Kevin emerged as an exceptional candidate. Few can boast of extensive...

AI is powering a new wave of applications in supply chain and warehouse, finance, HR, sales, marketing and customer service. These promise to deliver not just greater efficiency, but also greater effectiveness for distributors. The key, according to AI expert Brooks Hamilton, is to “understand where humans act like machines. That’s where the opportunities lie.” At the first-ever event on AI for distributors this month, Hamilton, who helps distributors build and implement AI strategies, gave...

Supply Chain Equity Partners (SCEP) is “North America’s only committed private equity firm focused exclusively on making investments in the distribution and logistics industry,” says Jay Greyson, the firm’s co-founder and partner. He joined hosts Ian Heller and Jonathan Bein, Ph.D. of Distribution Strategy Group to discuss industry trends in M&A, along with how distributors can prepare for an equity event. Jay, Ian and Jonathan discussed how factors like strategic vs. financial buyers,...

Ian Heller and Jonathan Bein, Ph.D. were joined by distribution technology expert, Klaus Werner, on the Wholesale Change Show. Klaus is also preparing to deliver a keynote presentation, “AI Applications and Use Cases for Distribution," at our upcoming Applied AI for Distributors Conference. Klaus discussed how distributors can use AI to improve productivity, quality and profitability in areas like: > Customer service > Supply chain > Sales automation > Personalization >...

What does the increasing pace of M&A activity mean for distributors, manufacturers and reps? How will this change the ecosystem of the industry? * Will the role of manufacturers’ reps evolve so they’re more like VARs? * What happens to associations as distributors consolidate? * How will manufacturers adapt as M&A activity continues? In this episode of Wholesale Change our guest was distribution expert David Gordon. Outspoken, candid, expert and industry insider – David is all of...

On this episode we welcomed Ben Hensler, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of Motion & Control Enterprises (MCE), to the Wholesale Change show. Ben joined MCE in 2021. During that time MCE has seen significant growth, including the acquisition of 10 businesses, enhancing their technical product and service offering. MCE’s ability to recognize the talents of acquired companies is a key strength of their business model. Beyond the consolidated buying power, optimized pricing and...

Keller Logistics Group is killing it. The logistics and distribution business is targeting $165 million in sales this year, nearly double the sales of a decade ago. Their Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG)? $1 billion by 2032. But for CEO Bryan Keller, his work isn’t just about revenue. It’s about how his company can give back to the communities in which they work. That’s what really drives him. Keller joined us for the June 28 episode of Wholesale Change. In addition to talking about the...

This episode of Wholesale Change featured Newton Sears, Managing Director at Greenhill & Co., an advisory-focused investment bank dedicated to M&A, restructurings, financings and capital raising. Newton and his firm work with many distribution firms and publish data about M&A activity within the industry. A frequent advisor to distributors, Greenhill offers expert insight executives can use to make better decisions about acquisition opportunities, recapitalizations, valuations...

On this episode of the Wholesale Change show, we welcomed Robyn Pollina, CEO of Palmer-Donavin. Robyn ascended to the CEO position in 2020 after 25 years at the building materials wholesale distributor, including serving as the company’s CFO. “I shifted from managing day-to-day tasks to establishing six growth initiatives,” she notes. As the head of a leading distributor of building materials and an ESOP, Robyn’s job is to meet and manage the expectation of its many employee-owners while...

On this episode, we’re joined by Marty Daley, CEO of Marco Rubber. In two years, Marty’s team has tripled the size of the business – organically and through acquisitions. Whether it’s a $400 seal for a critical application or a tri clamp gasket a customer needs quickly, Marco Rubber offers the kind of service that brings in new customers and keeps existing accounts coming back. “Technology is woven into our DNA,” Daley notes. “Not just the front end, which is a source of technical...

Watch the Wholesale Change show on-demand as distribution legend Dirk Beveridge shares talent strategies he has learned in decades of working with the world’s best distributors. You need the best team to surpass competitors – and meet customer expectations, especially in the dynamic world of distribution. As new challenges and opportunities arise, it’s crucial to evolve the way you lead. Dirk has compiled the top 10 human resource strategies for 2023: From solving the talent shortage to...

In this episode of Wholesale Change, host Ian Heller has a frank conversation with Kevin Short, President and CEO of master wholesaler ORS Nasco. He shares his take on the importance of trust in the distribution channel as it relates to better serving the end-customer. He also shares an update on ORS Nasco’s focus from 2023 onward, as they look to refine their value proposition to better support distributors of all types.

ConEquip Parts & Equipment is a rapidly growing B2B marketplace. They offer 500,000 parts, represent 3,000 suppliers and $52B in inventory – but you can’t order a thing online! How is this possible and why do they do it? We talked with Ryan Loos, Chief Financial Officer of ConEquip Parts & Equipment, about the construction equipment parts distributor’s go-to-market strategy – including a decision not to invest in a transactional ecommerce system. ConEquip has seen consistent...

Watch on-demand as we’re joined by the CEO of COE Distributing, J.D. Ewing. J.D. grew the company to $100M+ in 13 years by building a company that creates terrific customer experiences. Most of this growth has been organic. J.D. described COE’s culture as “inclusive, open door, good at listening and gathering feedback from across the organization,” and “adept at implementing ideas and suggestions in real time.”