Excellence in Distribution by STAFDA presents

Workshop Speakers

Jim Ambrose

Jim Ambrose has been directly engaged in the wholesale distribution for more than 40 years. He is a popular speaker and the author of the best-selling books, Five Fundamentals for the Wholesale Distribution Branch Manager, published by the National Association of Wholesalers, and Cracking Accounts.

Alan Amling

Alan Amling is a TED speaker and thought leader on harnessing digital disruption for success. Alan helped drive innovation over a 27-year career with UPS and is currently a Distinguished Fellow at The University of Tennessee and CEO of advisory firm Thrive and Advance LLC. He also serves as an advisor for Airflow.aero, Deliver-EZ, the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute, and the NextGen Supply Chain Conference. He researches, invests, advises, and speaks on innovation in manufacturing and logistics and how firms can recognize and thrive in disruption.

Dirk Beveridge

He inspires companies to rethink what’s possible while providing the frameworks to creatively destruct the status quo and build a relevant and profitable future.

Ken Brown

Ken Brown, a distribution industry professional, began his career working for a manufacturer of tapes and packaging materials.

Benj Cohen

Benj Cohen is the Founder and CEO of Proton.ai. He graduated from Harvard University with a degree in Applied Math. Proton.ai is on a mission to optimize distributors’ sales operations.

Nancye Combs

Nancye M. Combs, AEP-SPHR, has a long and distinguished career in executive management and is a highly respected expert in employment practices. She is the knowledgeable HR resource STAFDA members depend on, and more than 1,500 practicing Human Resources professionals proudly call “teacher.”

Mike Foster

He has earned numerous certifications, including CISSP® (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) and CISA® (Certified Information Systems Auditor), and has authored The Secure CEO: How to Protect Your Computer Systems, Your Company, and Your Job.

Andrew Hartman

STAFDA President, Andrew Hartman is President and Owner of Hartman Independent Company, Canonsburg, PA. Hartman provides fastening and packaging solutions to the construction and industrial markets for Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Dr. Jeanne Hurlbert

Before launching Hurlbert Consulting Group, Dr. Jeanne Hurlbert served on the faculty of Louisiana State University for more than 25 years, where she taught hundreds of marketing and social science students how to ‘read people’s minds’ using surveys.

Ken Novak

Ken is the Owner at HATCH Quantified. Before this, he was the Global Director, Digital Marketing and Ecommerce at Parker Hannifin. His experience gained from growing B2B and B2C ecommerce brands as a part of an agency and as an ecommerce manager to execute digital strategies that drive real world results.

Paul Reilly

Paul Reilly is a speaker, sales trainer, author of Selling Through Tough Times (McGraw-Hill, 2021), co-author of Value-Added Selling, fourth edition (McGraw-Hill, 2018), and host of The Q and A Sales Podcast.

Kimberly Reuter

From humble beginnings working the import docks, representing Fortune 500 giants, Ford, Michelin Tire, and Black & Decker; to Amazon technology patent holder and Nordstrom Change Leader, Kimberly has designed, implemented, and optimized best-in-class, highly scalable global logistics and retail operations all over the world. Kimberly is a retail and logistics innovator with over 20 years of experience driving mega initiatives for Amazon, Nordstrom, and QVC.

Jon Schreibfeder

Jon Schreibfeder is president of Effective Inventory Management, Inc., a firm dedicated to helping manufacturers, distributors, and large retailers get the most out of their investment in stock inventory.

Loren A. Smith Jr

Loren A. Smith, Jr. is the president of Skyline Policy Risk Group, a consulting firm working on the supply chain, infrastructure, and technology. From 2017 to 2021, he helped lead the Policy office at the U.S. Department of Transportation and has also served at the U.S. Department of Labor and as a Congressional staffer.

Mike Staver

Mike Staver is the author of “Leadership Isn’t for Cowards” and an internationally respected speaker, author, and coach. Mike takes noisy, often complex, leadership content and makes it immediately useful, digestible, and entertaining. In all Mike’s work, the goal is simple – helping leaders perform better and live better lives.

Jamie Turner

Jamie Turner is an internationally recognized author, professor, speaker, and TV news contributor who has helped The Coca-Cola Company, AT&T, Holiday Inn, and other global brands tackle complex business problems.

Are you ready to attend this year's Excellence in Distribution?

Registration is opening in late November 2023