The Wholesaler

Feature

Chat Howard Jr.: Building on Faith and Servant Leadership

A community builder, mentor, guide and leader, The Wholesaler celebrates Chat Howard Jr. of Sandpiper Supply as our Person of the Year.

December 5, 2022

Ruth Mitchell

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Earlier this year, Chat Howard Jr., president and owner of Savannah, Ga.-based Sandpiper Supply, stood at a podium during Southern Wholesalers Association’s annual convention.

Feature

The Merit Experience

The PVF manufacturer and master distributor reflects on more than 85 years of celebrating business success.

December 5, 2022

Ruth Mitchell

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Growing up in Cleveland, Louis Schlessinger was a young man with administrative skills and financial acumen. He befriended Frank Lifshitz, an owner of a local hardware store involved in building and repairing boilers.

Feature

AIM/R Celebrates a Mission Complete

The organization celebrated its golden anniversary with informative education sessions, beneficial networking opportunities and an exciting closing party.

December 5, 2022

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In the manufacturers’ representative community, one of the largest events each year is our Association of Independent Manufacturers Representatives Annual Conference.

Feature

Crystal Vision: Honoring Those Who Change Lives

We sit down with World Vision’s Larry Noble to discuss how the organization celebrates building industry volunteers and donors who help with its mission.

December 5, 2022

Ruth Mitchell

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World Vision, a faith-based humanitarian organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and families worldwide, has been making an impact over the last two decades through the partnership of companies in the construction and building supply industries.

Op-Ed

The Economy? It Is What It Is

When your key manufacturers start referring to you as a channel, ask yourself how important you are to them.

December 5, 2022

Ernie Coutermarsh

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It seems to me that instead of the incessant chatter blaming or praising the economy as the reason sales and profits are up or down, not enough people are talking about the opportunities and trends presented by challenging times and specifically what they are doing about them.

Beschloss Perspective

OPEC Slashes Output Under Russian Pressure

President Joe Biden responds by opening oil/natural gas reserves.

December 5, 2022

Morris Beschloss

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A cut of 2 million oil barrels per day resulted from Russian-led allies, a move that caused already high prices to rise further. This results from Russian pressure on fellow members of the 23-member group known as OPEC.

PVF Market Overview

Biden Administration Flip-Flops on Natural Gas Drilling

Yet the Interior Department announced an offshore oil and gas sale for tracts in Alaska for December.

December 5, 2022

Stephen Letko

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December is the end of a turbulent year for the PVF sector of our economy: supply-chain constraints, rising costs of material, labor shortages, escalating energy costs, international conflicts and a political environment hostile to fossil-fuel energy sources.

Inventory Management

Ego is the Enemy — Even in Distribution

Abandon ego’s attachment to success. Fixating on the outcome will only lead to disappointment, frustration and resentment.

December 5, 2022

Jason Bader

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A few years ago, a client shared a book recommendation with me: “Ego is the Enemy,” by Ryan Holiday. Now, this is one of those grandiose titles that immediately makes my eyes roll. Here we have some know-it-all stating the obvious in a 250-page “business” self-help book.