News and Trends

• Spartan Stores posts $11.1M net earnings for Q2
  Spartan Stores reported net earnings of $11.1 million for the second quarter, compared with $9.1 million for the same period last year. The company said the 21.6% increase can be attributed to same-store sales growth as well as higher distribution sales. The earnings of $0.55 per share exceeded analysts' expectations of $0.54 per share. RTT News (10/15)

• Dennis Eidson becomes CEO of Spartan Stores: Dennis Eidson has taken office as president and chief executive of grocery distributor Spartan Stores. Former CEO Craig Sturken announced his departure in August from the company based in Grand Rapids, Mich. Spartan recently acquired VG's Food and Pharmacy, and will focus on integrating the acquisition in the upcoming months. RTT News (10/15) , Forbes/The Associated Press (10/15)

• SUPERVALU shares drop after decline in profit
  SUPERVALU shares declined 7.2% to $16.17 Wednesday after the grocer reported a dip of about 14% in quarterly profit. Some analysts recommended the Minneapolis-based company look at a new strategic plan. "With the sharp reduction in the equity value and worsening operating results, we think the company should possibly consider strategic changes," wrote Scott Mushkin, an analyst for Jefferies. Forbes/The Associated Press (10/15)

• Other News

• Ingram Micro adds disaster recovery to services offered
  ChannelWeb Network (10/15)

• Bell Microproducts expands 3 key credit facilities
  RTT News (10/15)

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Best Practices

• Strategic performance management goes a longer way in meeting goals
  In the past, companies have erred by placing too much focus on performance measurement when strategic performance measurement with longer-term goals is called for. The latter involves aligning goals with corporate strategic initiatives and adding relevant communication and action to the process. CEO Strategist (10/13)

• Business sustainability means much more than LEED certification
  When it comes to sustainable practices, having LEED credentials and helping clients reduce their carbon footprints are not enough for architectural, engineering and construction firms. Sustainable practices also involve considering soaring fuel prices when dealing with employees and clients, and looking at the sustainability of all areas of internal business operations. Engineering News-Record (10/15)

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Sales

• Segment e-mail marketing campaigns to boost response rate
  Blanket e-mail marketing campaigns make the big mistake of sending the same message to everyone. Segmented and triggered e-mail approaches can be far more relevant and effective, and most e-mail service providers have the tools on hand to create such mailings. MarketingProfs (free registration) (10/7)

Hot Topics

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

• Wolseley stock upgraded on rumors of possible division closure (Bloomberg)

• Master art of asking good questions (DaveKahle.com)

• Grainger boosts net earnings on record third-quarter sales (Industrial Distribution)

• Engage employees, especially in tough times (Entrepreneur.com)

• Spartan to acquire VG supermarkets and pharmacies (Forbes)

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

Small Business Manager

• Collections are integral part of keeping cash flowing
  Maintaining adequate cash flow can make or break a small business. While many business owners focus on keeping their expenses down and having a line of credit ready, they often neglect bill collection, finance charges and late fees. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (10/15)

Executive Life

• Hotel-security issues raise travelers' concerns
  While reports of theft and other crimes are not unusual at hotels, it's difficult to say how common such crimes are, since some hotels may not draw attention to the crimes and local law-enforcement authorities may lump such incidents with general statistics on crime. After a luxury hotel in London lost his bags, one traveler -- the president of a Maryland-based consulting firm -- said he never leaves his bags anymore unless the hotel verifies that the suitcase will be in a locked room. The Washington Post/Portfolio.com (10/14)

• New MacBook line goes metallic
  Apple on Tuesday introduced updated models of its MacBook line of laptop computers that feature an aluminum casing and, on the MacBook Pro and MacBook, sport a glass touchpad that recognizes gestures similar to the company's iPhone. Price points for the updated line go from $999 to $1,999. ClipSyndicate/Associated Press (10/14) , The Wall Street Journal (10/15) , The New York Times (10/14) , USA TODAY (10/15)

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.

• New Edition: Learn the Essentials of Profitable Wholesale Distribution
  Making money in distribution gets tougher every year -- it's even harder during an economic slump! Running a successful company requires cooperative efforts from knowledgeable and motivated employees. Speed their learning and retention by giving them Essentials of Profitable Wholesale Distribution. Twice the size of the first edition, this second edition includes both brand-new and updated instructional text and all-new graphics!

Weekly Poll

• Is your company taking efforts to be more "green"?
  After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like.

	Yes -- we have implemented several new policies.
	Not yet -- we are in discussions though.
	No -- this is not our top priority right now.
	We have always tried to be eco-friendly.

Business Manager Curbell Plastics, Inc. Various Locations Vice President, Supply Chain Stein Mart Jacksonville, Florida

SmartQuote

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." --Leo Tolstoy, Russian novelist and philosopher