Excellent instruction with “take- home” value on distribution is hard to come by. That's why HARDI is excited to offer members one of the best opportunities available for distribution executives, managers and professionals: the University of Industrial Distribution (UID). The intense four-day training schedule runs from Sunday through Wednesday, March 5-8, 2006, on the Indianapolis campus at the Indiana University — Purdue University Conference Center. It is a concentrated educational program focused on the unique needs of the wholesale distribution industry.
HARDI and 25 other leading distribution professional associations sponsor the Industrial Distribution Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, which has a worldwide reputation of excellence in education. Working together, these groups take great care to ensure that the sessions focus on the distribution industry — its people, problems and issues, opportunities and its future. Distribution professionals play a fundamental role in the design of the coursework, offering a slant with the practical “in-the-trenches” experiences — just like yours.
The UID program is unique because it is specific for distributors and manufacturers going to market through distributors, and attendees can tailor their learning to their specific needs by choosing from among 30 sessions covering the field of distribution.
Participants pay one fee for four days packed with a wealth of vital information for distributor executives, managers and professionals, insights, and “take-it-to-the-bank” training and education guaranteed to dramatically change them and their company for the better. Plus, in every course, they will take home valuable, practical materials which can be used immediately in their business to improve profits, enhance customer service, stimulate employee productivity and add value to their firm, vendors and customers.
Learn from Experts Knowledgeable About Our Industry
UID selects its instructors and courses for their extensive backgrounds in business and, in particular, distribution. Attendees can count on reliable information from experienced pros who understand the challenges and opportunities faced in everyday business. It matches programs with expert instructors. UID takes great care in assembling the best instructors who offer the right mix of experience, knowledge of the industry and teaching skills that enable attendees to learn about a wide range of subjects in the curriculum.
Students can select from an extensive variety of practical courses to design their own program or they can follow the courses in selected tracks — Sales and Marketing, Financial Management, Executive Management, Branch and Operations, and Human Resource Management. Multiple day-long and several half-day workshops and courses will cover topics that include value-added, distributor-manufacturer relationships, inventory management, profitability, sales and marketing, as well as leadership, pricing, negotiation skills, best practices and developing unique selling practices — to name only a few of the many learning opportunities.
Testimony — The Honest Sell
More than 5,000 distribution and manufacturing executives, managers and professionals have attended previous programs and have raved about the quality of the courses and the high-value return for their investment.
Hear It for Yourself from These Previous Attendees
“With changes occurring on every front, demands for productivity increasing and the need to add value in all phases of distribution, I find that the single most beneficial investment for me was attending the University of Industrial Distribution. It allowed me and my management team the opportunity to learn about new techniques and processes as well as discuss solutions in all pertinent areas of our business with peers from around the U.S.”
“The professors had distribution experience. Their ability to relate their personal experiences really made a difference. They drove home points that I can take back to my branch. I am taking several of the skills I learned at UID and will apply them to my day-to-day work.”
“I was so impressed with the quality of instruction and the number of courses that I learned from that I have returned for the third time.”
“The program accomplishes what we can't with our internal training, and it's a better value than bringing in one instructor in-house. The professional instructors are better suited to offer a variety of industry practices and issues covered.”
HARDI mailed brochures to members in early January. Information is available through HARDI's website at www.hardinet.org. HARDI members will receive a $470 savings off the registration fee when they note that they are a member of the association. For more information, call Kimberly O'Neal at the HARDI office, 888/253-2128, or e-mail [email protected].
The University of Industrial Distribution — Your First Choice in Professional Education in Distribution