| October 31, 2008 | News for the wholesale distribution industry |
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- Airgas to continue acquisition strategy
Airgas Chairman and CEO Peter McCausland said the industrial gases distributor is evaluating six companies for possible acquisition and noted that the economic slowdown isn't diminishing the value of possible acquisitions. "It doesn't matter whether it's a fill-in or an anchor acquisition for us ... we're out working hard trying to drum up prospects," McCausland said. Industrial Distribution
(10/27)
     
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Airgas CEO agrees with McCain on economy: Airgas CEO Peter McCausland said he agrees with Sen. John McCain that the fundamentals of the economy are sound. "The lesson is that the government needs to focus on promoting the parts of the economy which produce real goods and provide essential services and which build necessary infrastructure to keep the United States competitive," McCausland said. Industrial Distribution
(10/27)
- McKesson fiscal Q2 profit increases by 32%
McKesson Corp. reported net income of $327 million for its fiscal second quarter ending Sept. 30, a 32% jump from $247 million for the same period last year. McKesson said some portions of the company may be vulnerable to an economic slowdown, including its hospital solutions and physician office products divisions, while an Oppenheimer & Co. analyst asserted that the pharmaceutical wholesaler's drug distribution business is "what's driving the business right now." Reuters
(10/28)
, RTT News
(10/28)
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| | Supply Chain Innovations: Executive Kit
Distribution industry expert, Dr. Adam Fein shares the four main topics of his acclaimed book Facing the Forces of Change®: Lead the Way in the Supply Chain in this compilation of articles. Click here to download IBM's executive kit for strategic insight and innovations for your supply chain. | |
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| Best Practices |  | |
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- Integrate company's various plans of action for singular goal
A company's budget is one way of making plans across departments, but many other plans and forecasts may exist that don't line up with each other. Two tips for improving coordination at a company level are to increase the integration of various plans and forecasts and assess the financial implications of different proposed courses of action. Business Finance
(10/20)
- CEO: Take a stand, but more importantly, listen
A testy boss' advice about learning to listen early in her career has been a lesson to live by for Maureen Chiquet, global CEO of Chanel. "In retail -- as well as in other industries -- you've got to have a strong point of view and present it effectively," she says. "But to lead effectively and achieve real business results as the head of any enterprise, you have to listen. You've got to constantly ask questions and seek out diverse opinions, and remain humble enough to change your mind -- whether about a product or a person." Harvard Business Review
(11/2008)
 | It's time to get strategic about hiring.
Reach thousands of engaged professionals with SmartBrief Jobs.
Need to find the best and the brightest? SmartBrief Jobs will deliver your openings directly to the people who matter the most.
Start your focused recruiting campaign now. |
| Sales | | |
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- Selling may be an art, but it needs more science
Executives who maintain that selling is more of an art than a science -- and that sales as a division therefore doesn't rely on process and measurement to the same extent as do other departments -- are wrong, according to this columnist. Some tips for building an effective selling methodology include starting with a comprehensive assessment of how customers buy, looking at existing selling capabilities and benchmarking current performance. Manage Smarter
(10/27)
| Small Business Manager | | |
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- Small businesses can still get credit locally
Credit is harder to come by these days, but small businesses can still call on community banks, credit unions and the Small Business Administration, says small-business and entrepreneurship expert Steve Strauss in this Q-and-A. USA TODAY
(10/26)
| Executive Life | | |
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- Elite fliers finding more express lanes at U.S. airports
Expedited security lines for elite travelers are making a comeback at airports across the U.S. American Airlines is improving its PriorityAAcess lanes by banning customers from other carriers, while Southwest Airlines is rewarding elite fliers for the first time with Fly By lines at seven airports. Airlines and airports are responsible for funneling travelers to the actual screening area, where the Transportation Security Administration's responsibility normally begins. But the government is getting in on the shortcut trend as well with the Diamond Self-Select program now operating 45 airports and Registered Traveler lanes available in 21 cities. USA TODAY
(10/27)
- Loews puts its signature on complimentary cocktails
 Picking up on the trend of upscale hotels handing a free drink to guests as they arrive, Loews Hotels is adding a twist by offering a signature drink for each hotel as the complimentary cocktail. At the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, that means a raspberry mojito, and at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, the drink is the Ventana Stargazer. HotelChatter
(10/27)
| NAW Insider | | |
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Here's your key HR resource for improving employee performance
Every distributor needs a more structured approach to improving employee performance, and the Employee Performance Improvement Tool Kit (book and CD) fits that bill. Use it in today's tough market to find, hire, develop, evaluate and retain employees. It includes dozens of customizable templates and 21 different distribution job samples. Make it a key component in your human resources program.
| Weekly Poll | | |
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Does your company plan to increase hiring of college graduates in 2009?
After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like.
 | Yes. There is less competition right now as other industries are decreasing their hires. |
| No. There likely will not be room in the budget for bigger salaries. |
| We will hire the same number as previous years. |
| SmartQuote | | |
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 | It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do."
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| | Recent NAW SmartBrief Issues:
- Thursday, October 30, 2008
- Wednesday, October 29, 2008
- Monday, October 27, 2008
- Friday, October 24, 2008
- Thursday, October 23, 2008
| | | Lead Editor: Ashley McMaster
Contributing Editor: Nancy Melville | Robert Jones
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