Hello HARDI members. It feels great to reconnect with all of you once again, particularly now that the polar vortex days of winter are behind us and we can finally start enjoying the beautiful spring weather. Spring symbolizes renewal and awakening, so I sincerely hope I can successfully motivate all of our members to get excited about the numerous initiatives HARDI has planned ahead!

Right around the corner holds another important HARDI initiative that I urge all members to attend. On May 20-21, HARDI members will meet on Capitol Hill to bring attention to legislation that directly affects the HVAC industry and how members handle business dealings in the future. With issues such as proposals to repeal LIFO from the House, Senate, and President Obama, as well as the President‘s proposal to reduce the estate tax exemption and raise the rate, ongoing challenges with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, and more, it is crucial that members make their voices heard. I’m confident all that attend will engage in meaningful dialogue and make a lasting impression on Congress.I would first like to acknowledge all of the members that have attended one or both of the past two HARDI Focus Conferences; the Operations & Logistics Optimization Conference in March, and the Strategic Leadership Conference that took place in April. Personally, I had an incredible time at both events, and was very impressed with the knowledgeable speakers and informative content put forth. I would like to commend the HARDI staff for being incredibly diligent and thorough in preparing for the 2014 Focus Conferences, as their efforts have most definitely paid off. As usual, it was a pleasure to have the opportunity to connect with so many of you again, listen to the many advancements taking place at your respective companies, and gather feedback about your particular interest and concerns within the industry. I find this feedback to be invaluable, as it allows HARDI to be an instrumental component in better serving your needs as HARDI members. I look forward to seeing even more of you at the next two Focus Conferences; the Marketing & Sales Optimization Conference taking place in Delavan, Wis., June 22-24, and the Purchasing Optimization Conference in Newport, R.I., Sept. 14-16. These conferences will continue the high standard of quality the Focus Conferences have displayed this year, and will surely provide worthwhile insight into how your business can maximize profit moving ahead.

HARDI is extremely proud to debut the much anticipated Emerging Leaders Summer Conference, taking place in beautiful San Francisco, July 20-22.  The theme of the summer conference is business strategy and leadership development. I am incredibly proud of the progress I have seen the Emerging Leaders program make from its debut at last year’s annual conference to the present. It speaks to how motivated these rising business professionals are to succeed, and the passion they carry for the industry. The summer conference will once again include a mentor-led roundtable discussion as seen at Evolve ’13, but also feature speaker Randy Disharoon, director, Global Strategic Accounts, a scavenger hunt that takes place in Union Square, and many more activities that will establish a strong bond amongst participants. As HARDI president, I’m excited to witness how these driven individuals continue to progress and contribute to the HVAC industry.

 HARDI continues to make the needs of members a No. 1 priority. In keeping with this idea, I am pleased to announce that HARDI’s new benchmarking service, Distributor Performance Dashboards, will be available later this month. I am sure you will find this meets your benchmarking needs in a more efficient and prompt manner. Members can now create customizable user performance analysis dashboards, have quarterly reporting of recent trends, and observe cross industry benchmarking data in an effort to maintain their competitive advantage. This service has been provided as a result of member demand, so I truly hope it helps you in your strategic planning for future endeavors.

As spring transitions us into beautiful days full of sunshine and blue skies, I feel a renewed sense of promise and enthusiasm for what the future holds.  I encourage all of you to stay informed of the various HARDI initiatives and programs by regularly checking the HARDI website for any updates and announcements. I would like to remind all of you that HARDI also provides members with two complimentary hours of consulting services with Nancye Combs, HARDI’s human resources consultant, and Lacey Robinson, HARDI’s health benefits consultant. Take advantage of their expertise and see what insight they can provide to make your company more effective.

Thank you once again for all of your support. Let’s get inspired this spring and aim to reach our full business potential.

Kind regards,

Royce Henderson