ASAEF expands programming, preps for new releases
BY MARY JO MARTIN
Editorial director
Don’t even think about telling Inge Calderon that you don’t have the time or the need for educational training within your company. Calderon is passionate about education, and as the executive director of the American Supply Association Education Foundation, she has tirelessly promoted its courses and programs around the country.
The ASAEF continues to develop and offer a wide variety of programs that can be of powerful assistance in training new employees -- and providing a “refresher” to seasoned veterans. All of these programs are made possible by the Karl E. Neupert Endowment Fund, to which so many industry firms contributed during a massive fundraising campaign in the late 1990s.
With a bevy of new programs recently released or on the docket for 2009, ASAEF has something of value for everyone. Recently, editorial director Mary Jo Martin interviewed Calderon to learn more about the ASAEF’s new programming and its plans for garnering greater participation.
MJM: It’s been about a year now since you transitioned from asa executive vice president to executive director of the Education Foundation. How are things going?
Calderon: It’s been an interesting time, as you might expect. It’s been great to watch some of the exciting new things that the new EVP Mike Adelizzi is bringing to ASA, and to see the enthusiasm and energy that he brings to the job. At the same time, I find that I have a renewed sense of energy that I can now devote to the Foundation.
MJM: What were some of your specific goals when you took on this post, and can you give us a scorecard of how they are progressing?
Calderon: The way I see it, there are two major goals: First, to provide high-quality training programs to the PHCP and industrial & mechanical pvf industries, and second, to grow the number of asa members and others who use those programs.
During the past few years, the funds generated by the Karl E. Neupert Endowment Fund have been growing, making it possible to invest them into the development of some terrific new programs that we couldn’t afford ‘til now.
So I’m happy to say that the scorecard on the first objective seems to be tracking quite well, because we have a number of new projects now underway, ready to be introduced in short order. However, I must say that I’m disappointed with my track record interms of getting the Foundation’s programs more widely and regularly used. Our work in convincing people of the value of a well-trained workforce is going to keep us busy for a while. While there are a number of wholesalers, and even some manufacturers, who regularly use our training programs, it’s a relatively small number compared to the potential that exists.
MJM: For those who might not be aware, could you please share a brief outline of the history of the Education Foundation and its early function?
Calderon: When I started working at ASA back in 1985, the Education Foundation was in its infancy, having been formed in the late 1970s. There were a number of dedicated volunteers during that period of time who felt that one of the most critical roles that asa could play would be to help its members train their employees.
Back then, the very first versions of our flagship product knowledge training program -- now known as Product Pro® -- were being written. The courses, then known as the Home Study Courses, were already setting a standard of high-quality training that we have since built upon.
Also at that time, the Foundation became involved with the fledgling Industrial Distribution program that was being built at Texas a&m by Professors Don Rice and Mike Workman. For many years, the Foundation offered an annual Management Institute for young managers in our industry, who would go down to College Station for four days of intense training from some of the best-known pioneers in the field.
MJM: Please share a little about the volunteer leaders who help guide the Foundation, along with the expertise that Paul Martin brings to the table?
Calderon: The Foundation has been extremely fortunate to have had many wonderful volunteers serving in a variety of ways. The president of the Foundation, Joe Poehling of First Supply llc, has been an inspiration to the other trustees on the ef Board. His term will be followed in 2009-10 by Frank Finkel of Davis & Warshow Inc., who I’m sure will bring yet another level of excellent leadership to the role.
We’re extremely grateful to all of the trustees who have served and who continue to serve the Foundation. The Board of Trustees is made up of a mix of wholesaler and manufacturer executives, as is the Endowment Investment Committee and other key volunteer groups that serve the Foundation. I wish I had room here to name them all, to express my thanks.
When it comes to Paul Martin, who continues to work as our senior director of program and business development, we’re really fortunate to have him on our team. He has been responsible for creating one of the biggest brands within our training menu, the Essentials certificate courses, among his many other contributions. In fact, he just started work on the newest installment in the series, this one titled Essentials of Profitable Warehouse Operations, which is due out in early ‘09.
MJM: How did the idea for the Endowment Campaign originally get started, and can you please revisit a little about the process that it went through in getting off the ground?
Calderon: The late Karl Neupert, who was president of the Foundation Trustees in the mid-1990s, felt an abiding passion about the need for an educated workforce in this industry. He believed that a trained workforce was one of the critical factors that could make or break the viability of the wholesale channel, and inspired a number of other wholesalers and manufacturers to join him in creating an endowment, beginning in late 1997.
In keeping with Karl’s methodical approach, and to prove to the asa Board of Directors -- from whom the Foundation was asking to borrow some funds -- a feasibility study was commissioned to prove that the potential to raise $10 million really did exist. Some scoffed at the amount, and said, “He’ll be lucky to raise $5 million.”
Nevertheless, the study bore out Karl’s hypothesis, and eventually, the asa Board granted a loan to the Education Foundation to launch the endowment campaign. The Endowment Fund reached Neupert’s original $10-million goal in 2006. The loan has since been paid back in full.
Sadly, Karl passed away in late 2002 after a very short but brave battle with pancreatic cancer. After his death, his widow Karolyn continued working with the Foundation, raising funds and getting involved with the Trustees. She was on hand with us in 2006 to celebrate achieving Karl’s lofty goal, which was a wonderful moment to witness.
MJM: Have you seen a real difference in what the Foundation has been able to accomplish now that the Endowment is in place?
Calderon: Absolutely! We would never have been able to create the industry-specific courses like our Essentials of Profitable Wholesale Distribution, Inside Sales or Showroom Sales without the Endowment’s support. Likewise, it’s a costly project to keep programs like Product Pro up to date, and to take all of the programs we have and make them available online.
Money generated by the Endowment Fund is spent only on program development, and never on any of the administrative or overhead expenses of running the Education Foundation. The sale of training programs generates revenue that goes to pay those bills.
There are many other ways the Endowment touches the employees of this industry that aren’t as visible. For example, the Endowment makes grants available to our Regional affiliates every year for their own training programs, and we sponsor day-long seminars across the country based on our Essentials series. This year alone, we have more than 14 of these seminars on our calendar. Likewise, the Endowment provides $200 rebates for every person our members send to the University of Industrial Distribution, and also helps bring a number of high-quality educational programs to the Annual Convention.
The Endowment makes it possible for the ef to offer training programs at very reasonable prices, and don’t forget, we extend 25% discounts to donors.
And we’re just getting warmed up! I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but we will announce a major new training program at the convention in Atlanta, which will be followed by more announcements, more frequently, thereafter.
MJM: What are some of the most recent programs to be introduced?
Calderon: As I mentioned earlier, the Essentials series has seen two new titles introduced in the recent past, Essentials of Profitable Inside Sales and Essentials of Profitable Showroom Sales. They hit right to the heart of a wholesaler’s core business, and like all the Essentials courses, are aimed at teaching people the important role they play in the company’s profitability and ability to compete. In fact, just a few weeks ago we introduced the 2nd edition of Essentials of Profitable Wholesale Distribution, which is now twice the size of the original course and features new content, including a chapter on cash flow.
Plus, about two weeks ago, we debuted a new, 15-minute online mini version of this Essentials course that asa members can access 24/7. It’s a great way to introduce new employees to the concepts of how wholesalers make money, and can also serve as a refresher for existing employees. At the very least, it’s a great conversation starter for staff meetings!
We also recently completed a revision and update of almost the entire Product Pro series of training programs, including the Industrial Valves and Specialty Products courses. That’s no small undertaking. And those courses are all available online as well as in the traditional book form.
MJM: For wholesalers who aren’t using any of the programs currently, which ones would you suggest they might start with to “get their feet wet?”
Calderon: The absolute best place to start is to look at the Essentials of Profitable Wholesale Distribution, which just about everyone in a typical wholesale supply house can learn from. It offers basic lessons on how wholesalers do business, and goes on to identify areas where employees can help grow their company’s business and improve their sales, competitiveness and customer service.
We’ve put together a short How to Get Started cheat sheet that’s available on our website, for companies that are looking for advice with training. And for those who are ready to really take the plunge, I’d advise them to get a copy of our Employee Performance Improvement Tool Kit. That’s almost like an entire hr Department in a box! It not only has the hr tools like job descriptions and lists of skills and requirements for those 21 different jobs, but also detailed guidelines on how to set up a training program, how to recruit new employees and how to retain them.
For those who still aren’t convinced, I’d encourage them to just look at that 15-minute “mini-Essentials” on our website that I mentioned earlier. I guarantee that it’ll inspire a few people who haven’t necessarily thought they could benefit from any training programs.
MJM: What type of reasons do you most often get from companies who aren’t taking advantage of these opportunities?
Calderon: “We don’t have time to train,” is probably what I hear the most, followed often by, “Besides, my employees have all been here for years and they already know this stuff.” To which I want to say, ‘Oh yeah?” But I resist the temptation. In fact, some of the most seasoned wholesaler salespeople who were “coerced” by their bosses into attending a recent Essentials of Inside Sales seminar were pleasantly surprised to come away with a new appreciation for how they could contribute more to their jobs, and weren’t afraid to admit it on the post-seminar survey we sent out.
And to me, the “I don’t have time to train,” response is really just another way of saying, “I don’t perceive the value of training,” which again challenges the Education Foundation to change that perception.
I wish I could tell you that the numbers were greater, but I would estimate that fewer than 50% of ASA members have ever taken any training programs from the Education Foundation. And when it comes to those who use our training programs on a regular basis, that number shrinks significantly. Yet if you were to look at that list, and compare it to the list of companies who are recognized leaders in their marketplaces, you’d probably see a consistent trend.
MJM: Can you share some of the positive feedback you’ve gotten from companies who have made good use of the training and education programs?
Calderon: Time and again we hear from the regular users of our programs that their employees ask them for more! What better testimony can there be, when a training program is so effective that it makes the student want to learn more? For some companies, our Product Pro courses have become so institutionalized that they put all of their new hires through at least the fundamental series. And that includes everyone -- not just warehouse employees. Imagine hiring a salesperson from another industry who doesn’t know a copper fitting from a butterfly valve!
Other companies will host full-day seminars for all of their key employees, which we help them facilitate. We’re starting to share some of the experiences of our members who regularly use our training programs in a series of articles called, “I Train, Do You?” so that they can tell others about their positive experiences and what motivates them.
We’re doing research now into professional learning management systems, and ways that the Foundation can provide better service to our members who use our training tools. It’s too soon to share any details, but I expect within the next year or so, we’ll be entering into a new era of service and benefits when it comes to the management of our training programs and offerings.
MJM: In light of current economic conditions, why is now a good time for companies to make an investment in training and education?
Calderon: I’d say that it’s one of the best times right now to make the investment for the future, because maybe that excuse about “not having enough time” doesn’t fly anymore. And since though you know things are going to turn around eventually, you definitely want to hang on to the good employees you have and prevent them from jumping ship. Give them a reason to want to work for your company, and invest in their professional and personal development. It’ll pay back in spades.
MJM: Can you give us a preview of new programs that will be coming soon?
Calderon: We’ll continue to build on our library of Essentials courses as I said earlier, including a new Warehouse volume in early 2009. And maybe one of the most exciting new developments will be the conversion of our courses into truly interactive, online media, versus the pdf versions that are now available. We’re starting with the flagship Essentials course which, when it’s ready in early 2009, will offer about four solid hours of online instruction, complete with games, exercises, interactive lessons and quizzes to make the learning fun. We’ll then go on to convert our other courses in similar fashion.
Likewise, we’ll be unveiling a brand new training program during the October convention that’ll blow your socks off. It’ll take what we’ve learned about training in the past 30 years and launch it into the next generation. It’s exactly the kind of thing many of our members have been looking for, even if they didn’t know it until now! It’s also the kind of thing that makes it exciting for me to be working at the Education Foundation right now.
For additional information, call 312/464-0090 or visit www.ASAEF.org.