The Automotive Warehouse Distributor’s Association’s (AWDA) 62nd Annual Business & Education Conference, going on now through Thursday at AAPEX, promises attendees a variety of opportunities to connect with one another and their vendor partners on, and off, the show floor.

The week kicked off for AWDA’s member distributors with Sunday night’s General Session, where incoming Chairman Willi Alexander, of Uni-Select USA, offered an overview of AWDA’s accomplishments over the past 12 months and also looked to the future of the association. Outgoing Chairman Rusty Bishop, of Federated Auto Parts, served as master of ceremonies for the event, which was followed by AWDA’s Manufacturers’ Reception.

“It’s in honor of our manufacturer members of AWDA,” says Larry Northup, senior director, industry relations for AAIA. “It’s to thank them for their contributions, their work and assistance and their partnership over the year.”

New this year for the association’s member distributors is the AWDA Pavilion on the show floor. Centrally located on the Upper Lobby, the area will offer refreshments and a lounge area where members can meet or just take a break during the show.

“The idea is to provide a central meeting point for distributors, specifically AWDA member distributors, on the show floor,” Northup says. “The show floor is huge, it’s expansive — it’s sometimes tiring getting around. So we thought this would be a place where the distributors could connect, not only with fellow distributors, but also with vendors if they choose not to meet in the vendors’ booths.”

Also new this year, and surrounding the lounge and meeting area, will be booths staffed by companies that provide services specifically for warehouse operations. Companies include: GCommerce Inc., booth #3462; Nexjen Systems, booth #3563; Siggins Co., booth #3461; Strategy 7 Corp., booth #3562; Zurich, booth #3561; and Trinpak, booth #3563.

“These are companies that sell services for warehouse operations, as opposed to traditional parts like radiators and water pumps,” Northup says. “These would be things like software programs, shipping systems, system integration and insurance. Hopefully in the coming years we can expand on that base of exhibitors.”

AWDA members also won’t want to miss another new opportunity at this year’s show — distributor-specific education seminars that the association is sponsoring on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.

“Our members and our board had called for additional education specific to distributors, so we worked with the AAIA Education Department and put together a distributor track on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings,” Northup says. “They’re being presented by a couple of gentlemen who come highly recommended from the National Association of Wholesale Distributors and who are recognized experts in the field of distribution.

“They will also be available after their presentations in our pavilion. So members can come by and talk to them one on one, ask questions, set up appointments for them later in the day or the week as well,” Northup adds.

On Tuesday, Brent Grover, Evergreen Consulting LLC, will present “The Sacred Cows of Automotive Aftermarket Distribution: It’s Not What You Take In — It’s What You Take Home” from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., and  “Protect the Winners and Fix the Losers: Customer Profitability Analysis” from 9 to 10 a.m.

On Wednesday, Michael Marks, Indian River Consulting Group, will provide insight into “Successfully Managing Distributor-Manufacturer Relationships” from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and will speak on “The Recovery is Coming: Will You Be Ready?” from 9 to 10 a.m.

Sessions will be held at the Venetian/Palazzo Congress Center Level 1, Marco Polo Rooms 701-706.

“AWDA is sponsoring both those morning sessions,” Northup says, but added that they are open to anyone, free of charge. “It’s AWDA’s way of supporting the industry in general by financially supporting those sessions.”