The AIM/R board of directors took a field trip for its annual mid-year meeting and travelled to this year’s 2025 AIM/R Annual Conference location — the Scottsdale Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona. The board used this time not only to work on its agenda to advocate for and support the representative function, but also to get a feel for the conference venue to better prepare and cultivate this year’s conference experience.

In addition to the mid-year meeting, the board had dinner with Winsupply’s President Local Company Group Rob Ferguson, Director of Business Development Steve Coen, Senior Vice President Supply Chain Guy Pauley, Vice President Vendor Engagement and Finance Tom Ponting and four Phoenix-area local company presidents to discuss their businesses and how reps can better work with Winsupply local companies. 

The following morning, the board took a trip to the Winsupply Phoenix distribution center (DC) and was given a tour by President and General Manager Bret Long. During his tour, Long explained that Winsupply Phoenix DC currently services around 100 local companies via will-call, local truck deliveries and less-than-truckload shipments to further support local companies. 

The board then met with Ferguson, Coen, Pauley, and Ponting, who took them through their business model, explaining how the Winsupply umbrella supports local companies and outlining their strategy for future growth.

Trusted advisers and advocates

Winsupply is currently scheduled to open 20 new local companies during the fiscal year of 2026. While discussing their growth thought process, Coen said, “We grow through people, not markets. We won’t grow unless we employ the right people.”

There was also much discussion on how local company presidents are entrepreneurs at heart, much like independent manufacturers’ representatives. While they have the Winsupply umbrella backing them, each local company president has the authority and autonomy to decide how to go to market and what their product mix will be. 

“Local company presidents share many similarities with principals of manufacturing rep firms,” AIM/R Board of Directors President Michelle Lewnes-Dadas noted. “Recognizing this as a rep community strengthens the value we bring to each local company and to Winsupply as a whole. Both roles involve overseeing the daily operations of a business, with a core focus on managing the profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow.” 

When asked about how reps can help local companies, Pauley said: “I think we underuse marketing funds. If you look at it from a regional perspective, we will train and develop people, and then work with the manufacturer to use marketing funds. Then, the person who is technically certified on that product can train others in the market. We will help run and manage these funds and make sure monies are used where they are needed and by people who will use them.”

When asked about Winsupply’s focus on engagement and sponsorship with AIM/R, Ponting said: “Core to Winsupply values includes building and supporting entrepreneurs, just like most of our joint customers. Finding new ways to engage and strategize is vital to our partnership on growth.”

Lewnes-Dadas added: “As rep principals, it’s essential that we equip our teams to engage in business conversations, which are not always sales conversations. We then position our sales teams as trusted advisors to local company presidents. To support this, we aim to immerse the AIM/R board in the inner workings of Winsupply companies, enabling them to advocate for how our rep community can help local companies grow and thrive.”

As the conversation around how reps can further assist local companies continued, Ferguson said: “I encourage you to take our people with you when you go to a jobsite to service or troubleshoot with a contractor. Our people need to have tough conversations; they need to be on jobsites and see plumbers in the field. People learn more in the field than they do sitting in a room or in training. They learn by seeing products work and problems that pop up in the field. This business is all about trust. Do you have the contractor’s back? If the contractor trusts you, then he will do business with you. Our local companies must be more than transactional with their customers.” 

All in all, it was a very productive couple of days, and we look forward to hosting everyone in Scottsdale for the 53rd Annual Conference, Oct. 20-23. 

Jessica Kolaitis, CPMR, is vice president of operations at Tim Morales & Associates and a director on AIM/R’s board.