News and Trends

• Electronics distributors see little impact from soft economy
  Most companies at the recent Electronics Distribution Show in Las Vegas said their business is holding up despite the overall weakness of the U.S. economy. "I tell our team not to read the newspapers," joked Philip Gallagher, SVP of Avnet Inc., and president of Avnet electronics marketing, Americas. "Let's not talk ourselves into a slowdown." Purchasing.com (6/5)

• Home Depot cuts several installations to focus on retailing
  Home Depot Inc. says it no longer will install irrigation or home security systems and is discontinuing some other services, as well as some product categories, as it seeks to concentrate on its core customer base and refocus on the fundamentals of profitable retailing, this article says. CNNMoney.com/Dow Jones Newswires (6/5)

• Employment looks bleak as fuel prices rise, many economists say
  Analysts say rising fuel costs will continue to take a toll on the job market as airlines, automakers and other manufacturers scale back their operations. CNNMoney.com (6/6)

• Other News

• Arrow Electronics revises expectations for Q2
  RTT News (6/5)

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Best Practices

• Take the sting out of dropping a last-minute project on staff
  The article outlines some of the strategies managers can use to facilitate situations in which employees are asked at the last minute to complete an important task on a super-tight deadline. Manage Smarter (6/4)

• Three key mistakes keep many from finding right job
  Three issues that prevent many from reaching their career objectives are using the wrong tactics, such as relying on the Web or recruiters, allowing fear to hold them back and failing to use the power of honesty. CareerJournal (The Wall Street Journal) (6/3)

Sales

• Appraisers look for numbers to back up value
  Professional appraisals help buyers and sellers determine the earning potential of a company. Usually, a valuation costs about $10,000 and takes 45 days as appraisers determine the value of equipment, property and inventory as well as potential earning power. Business Tennessee magazine (6/2008)

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by NAW SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Many top-50 distributors remain optimistic for 2008 (Industrial Distribution)

• U.S. economy has yet to turn corner, Wolseley CEO says (Industrial Distribution)

• Salespeople can help with collections -- sometimes (DaveKahle.com)

• WinWholesale opens store for renewable energy products (Industrial Distribution)

• Country's most "time-draining" airports listed (Forbes)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Small Business Manager

• Self-respect can boost performance, enhance leadership
  Small-business owners can undermine their leadership potential by being too self-critical, expecting more than they should of themselves or setting standards too high, says David Peck, president of Leadership Unleashed in San Francisco. A personal reassessment can lead to greater self-care and respect. BusinessWeek/Today's Tip (6/5)

Executive Life

• Body-scanning machines to be installed at 10 U.S. airports
  The Transportation Security Administration has started using body-scanning machines on passengers chosen at random in Albuquerque, Baltimore, Denver, Los Angeles and at New York's Kennedy airport. The equipment will be added to airports in Dallas, Miami, Detroit and Las Vegas this month. James Schear, the TSA security director at Baltimore-Washington International Airport, said the technology may eventually replace airport metal detectors. USA TODAY (6/5)

• Gourmet pizzas get a taste of Argentina
  Chef Ezequiel "Zee" Otoro combines cooking-school basics and his Argentinean roots to create artistic cuisine, particularly thin-crust gourmet pizzas. The unique crackerlike crust can hold up heavy toppings, such as buffalo mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, bacon and sausage. Daily Herald (Chicago) (6/6)

NAW Insider

• Brand new: Make Your Operations Lean in Challenging Times
  Becoming lean in distribution is more important than ever in today's challenging economic market. Applying lean concepts makes sense because becoming lean means becoming a more effective distributor. And becoming lean will lead to higher profitability. Lean Operations in Wholesale Distribution focuses on the lucrative operations area and discusses steps distributors must take to design and manage a lean culture.

• Download key economic data to plan for growth
  Download individual economic analysis reports that are most relevant to your business from the 19 major wholesale distribution sectors in the 2008 Wholesale Distribution Economic Reports. As we continue to weather this economic storm, these reports supply a wealth of benchmarking data, including revenue and employment growth trends, the number and size distribution of companies, gross margins, wages, and other operating statistics.

Weekly Poll

• Do you think airport body-scanning machines at are a good idea?
  After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like.

	Yes, they will make travelers more secure.
	No, they seem a little invasive to me.
	Maybe -- I just hope they will move the lines faster.

There's no better way to find first-rate professionals with expertise in the wholesale distribution industry. Click here to display your open positions in NAW SmartBrief.

SmartQuote

Here's something to think about: How come you never see a headline like 'Psychic Wins Lottery'?" --Jay Leno, comedian