The Bearing Specialists Association (BSA) 2010 Annual Convention May 1-4 at the Naples Grande Beach Resort, Naples, Florida, invited attendees to "A Look Back to Step Ahead" to build on the association's 44 years of industry leadership as they look ahead to new opportunities and markets in the recovering economy. Pairing industry expertise in a business program built on the experience and participation of top level bearing executives with unparalleled industry networking added up to a powerful draw to the 2010 event. Despite the rocky recession recovery, attendance surpassed 2009 numbers.
The convention used a series of panel discussions to examine past industry lessons as a way of mapping out the future. On Sunday, a panel of past industry leaders provided the "Look Back," discussing industry and economic lessons learned throughout the past twenty years, including their reflection on six different key topics of interest to the bearing industry. Moderated by Bill Childers, President of North American Sales, Rexnord Industries, LLC, manufacturer panelists were Gus Kontonickas, NSK Precision Americas/The Timken Corporation/Loctite Industrial Div. Henkel Technologies/Thomson Industries, Inc.; Jamie Martin, The Timken Corporation/Torrington; and Gene Yarussi, Emerson Power Transmission. Distributor panelists were Lathrop Smith, Industrial Supplies, Inc.; Tom Miller, Motion Industries, Inc.; and Tom Brown, Applied Industrial Technologies/Associated Bearings Company. Attendees used rapid-response electronics to cast anonymous votes on audience response questions. Onscreen results separated distributor and manufacturer responses as categories, not individuals.
Also on Sunday, Mike Arnold, Executive Vice President & President of the Bearings & Power Transmission Group at The Timken Company, and Bill Purser, President & COO of Applied Industrial Technologies, presented the Present Industry Overview, elaborating on the six key topics introduced by the Past Leaders Panel. Their analysis shed light on how and why the bearing industry has evolved over the years, focusing on what works and what doesn't.
On Monday morning, the Future Panel of current industry leaders, led by moderator Jeff Ramras, Vice President of Marketing & Supply Chain Management, Applied Industrial Technologies, addressed the results of Sunday's immediate audience responses and brought the audience from the present to the future with their engaging and innovative opinions. Distributor panelists for this event were Mitch Bouchard, Secretary/Treasurer, General Bearing Service Inc.; Rex Davis, Vice President of Supply Chain, IBT, Inc; and Carl James, President/CEO, BDI. Manufacturer panelists were Chris Curran, President, Marketing, Climax Metal Products Company; Jeff Moore, Director of Sales, Baldor Electric - Dodge; and Donald Poland, President, North America, SKF Service Division.
Additional programming included a BSA Update on the Distributor Survey results by Gordon Duncan, Kinecor LP, and an ABMA update from Bruce Warmbold, President & CEO, Schaeffler Group, a presentation on counterfeit bearings, and a look at "The New Normal" with Futurist Don Reynolds. The association also honored its long-time legal counsel, William C. Ives, with a Lifetime Achievement award.
BSA is the "must belong to organization for authorized bearing distributors." An international service and educational organization of distributors representing a total of almost 100 companies distributing factory-warranted ball-, roller-, and anti-friction bearings and invited manufacturers of bearings and related products, the association's mission says, "BSA is the forum to enhance networking and knowledge sharing and promote the sale of bearings through authorized distributors." For more information on BSA contact the BSA office at (630) 858-3838; fax (630) 790-3095; email info@bsahome.org or visit the association website at www.bsahome.org.
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