AVDA Thanks 2008 Conference Sponsors

AVDA's 2008 Annual Conference is greatly enhanced by support from our sponsors. There are 29 companies this year to whom we are very grateful. DETAILS

AVDA Announces Lifetime Achievement Awards

The AVDA board of directors is pleased to announce that the first recipients of the AVDA Lifetime Achievement Awards will be Dr. Bob Danielson of MWI Veterinary Supply and E. Thomas Corcoran of Fort Dodge Animal Health. The award winners will be recognized during the AVDA Annual Awards Banquet on Tuesday, April 29 at the AVDA Annual Conference being held in Tucson, Arizona. DETAILS

AVDA Annual Meeting & Election of Officers to be Held in Tucson

AVDA will be holding its Annual Meeting on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona, in conjunction with its Annual Conference.

The AVDA Nominating Committee has presented a slate of candidates for the 2008-2009 Board of Directors, which will be voted upon by AVDA’s Active membership at the April 29th meeting.

Click here for a complete slate of candidates for the Board of Directors.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

California Board of Pharmacy Delays E-Pedigree Implementation Until 2011

The California Board of Pharmacy, after weighing the state of the majority of industry, has decided to delay mandatory implementation of electronic pedigree. While acknowledging the efforts of parties that have pushed to comply with the January 2009 deadline, the board acknowledged that universal compliance would not be possible, and the efforts of the forerunners might be negatively impacted when working with parties that are not yet ready for compliance. DETAILS

State Monitor Service Update

In June 2007, AVDA members were invited to access a new service through BuzzeoPDMA called State Monitor Service. The service is open to all AVDA members at no additional cost. The State Monitor Service is an online clearinghouse of information on Federal and state legislation and regulations to assist the animal health industry monitor emerging issues. DETAILS

AVDA TRAINING

2008 UID Attendance Over 600

The 2008 session of UID (University of Industrial Distribution) held this past March 2-5 in Indianapolis, IN received rave reviews from all involved. Hosted at the Indiana University / Purdue University (IUPUI) University Place Conference Center, UID expanded registration this year to accommodate over 600 attendees. DETAILS

Registration Begins in April for Young Distribution Professionals Program

AVDA is a once again proud to offer the Young Distribution Professional (YDP) program to our members August 3 – 6 at the Eaglewood Resort and Spa just outside of Chicago, IL. YDP is a program designed specifically for young professionals, with less than ten years of experience, interested in growing and expanding their distribution careers. The target audience for this program includes individuals that want to learn more about distribution operations as well as sales, operations and marketing. DETAILS

AVDA AEA Training Schedule for 2008

AVDA together with the Association Education Alliance (AEA) is presenting a variety of educational sessions in 2008. AEA is an alliance of over 40 professional and trade associations whose purpose is to identify, evaluate and develop affordable educational programs for use by member associations.  DETAILS

MEMBER NEWS

AVDA Welcomes New Members

AVDA welcomed four new members since the last issue of The Animal Health Distributor was published. DETAILS

AVDA Networking Reception During NAVC a Success

AVDA’s co-sponsored Networking Reception with the KC Animal Health Corridor during the 2008 North American Veterinary Conference in Orlando on January 21 was a huge success with members and guests. The reception followed the Annual Brakke Consulting Overview. DETAILS

FINANCIAL NEWS

Deadline to Participate in PROFIT Survey is March 31

One of the most important benefits AVDA members enjoy is the annual PROFIT Report. Conducted by Dr. Al Bates and the team at Profit Planning Group, the PROFIT Report is the best source for financial benchmarking information in the industry. The information in the report – on gross margin, operating expenses, average collection period and the like – is arranged to provide direct comparisons with your firm. However, the information is available only to those firms that participate in the study. DETAILS

Now What?

Currently, almost every firm faces a somewhat uncertain future; a few even face a frightening one. Depending upon the sector of the economy, sales range from soft to non-existent. Regardless of the exact size of the sales challenge, management faces the same issue. Namely, what actions need to be taken to ensure the success of the firm in the face of unknown future sales. DETAILS

NAW NEWS

New Books from NAW

Al Bates of Profit Planning Group has published a new book, Profit Myths in Wholesale Distribution: The Truth About Sales, Margins, Inventory and Expenses. The book has one overall goal to change the way distribution managers think about their businesses. Also, Dave Kahle has completed the second edition of Transforming Your Sales Force for the 21st Century. DETAILS

NAW Insurance Trust Update

The NAW Insurance Trust is now available to members in 24 additional states—making it available in 34 total states. Members can request a premium quote today, and are advised to do so approximately 60 days prior to their desired plan effective date. Additionally, members do not have to wait until their existing plan renewal date to get a quote and enroll in a Trust health plan. DETAILS