Remember when people could discuss politics in a reasonable tone without resorting to vicious attacks? Neither do I. I generally steer clear of politics but when it comes to the economy that is nearly impossible as the two tend to influence each other profoundly.

An association magazine can be far more than a publication that reports on who’s on the move across a profession. At its best, it becomes a trusted voice for the industry, helping shape conversations, influence thinking and provide a clear sense of where the industry is heading.

In recent years, some of the PHCP-PVF industry’s most respected leaders have received the prestigious Fred V. Keenan Lifetime Achievement Award — the American Supply Association’s highest honor.

More than 700 contractors reveal what drives supplier selection, loyalty and purchasing decisions.

How Hajoca’s four-year Management Development Program builds future leaders from the ground up.

Being a young leader is difficult. Even the most competent of young professional superstars can struggle. No matter how many books have been read or adult experiences had, the fact remains: leading seasoned team members is tough.

The distribution industry has spent the last several years navigating supply chain disruptions, inflationary pressures, labor shortages, and shifting end-market demand. More recently, another trend has begun reshaping the landscape: accelerated consolidation among contractors.

ASA’s latest Quarterly Market Survey offers a snapshot of how distributor members are viewing business conditions heading into the final quarter of 2026.

For years, we have viewed scams as unfortunate crimes that happen to individuals. Someone receives a suspicious email, answers a fraudulent phone call, or clicks on the wrong website. Money disappears. The victim feels embarrassed. Life moves on. Except it doesn’t.

Leadership development delivers its greatest value when participants apply what they are learning to a meaningful challenge within their own organization.

If your HR department were running on AI, the technology is not what you would notice.

With the first year of the second Trump Administration now complete, Washington remains as dynamic as ever. Cabinet transitions, Congressional activity, regulatory reviews, tariff developments, and ongoing legal decisions continue to shape a rapidly shifting policy landscape.

In an increasingly competitive media landscape, association magazines offer a distinct source of industry insight. While both association and trade publications provide valuable news, analysis and perspective, association publications are driven by a mission to support their members, advocate for the industry and provide a glimpse at the future rather than generate profits.

Most ghost heroes are not trying to stand out. They are simply doing the work. The challenge for leaders is to recognize invisible value before it becomes visible only through its absence.

The PHCP-PVF industry is entering a period of rapid consolidation and technological change.

The floor walk shows you what reports hide. AI shows you what the floor walk can’t. Put the two together, and you will run tighter inventory than either one delivers alone.

In an industry defined by constant change — shifting supply chains, evolving technologies, and rising customer expectations — distributors need more than just data.

Economic uncertainty has become the new normal. Between tariffs, elevated borrowing costs, shifting construction activity and ongoing market volatility, making informed business decisions isn't getting any easier.

A distributor brings on a new supplier line. The file lands, and before a single item can go live, someone on the product data team opens it and starts the same work they do every time. Match the supplier's categories to the house taxonomy.

There is a leadership practice so fundamental that it predates every management framework, every certification program, and every software platform ever built for the warehouse industry.

ASA recently conducted a survey of its members to gauge the current condition of recruitment in the PHCP/PVF industry. 

For many distributors, cybersecurity still feels abstract. It shows up in headlines, vendor conversations, and insurance questionnaires, but rarely in a way that leadership teams feel equipped to evaluate directly. When it’s unclear where to start, progress often stalls.