A Note from the SHDA President

First of all, I hope everyone in the SHDA family is enjoying the holiday season. It’s hard to believe 2021 is coming to a close. We’ve much to be thankful for over the past 12 months, most of all an amazing membership committed to SHDA’s mission to continually improve the proficiency of security hardware distributors. I want to thank our Associate Advisors who have taken the time to share their expertise through SHDA’s webinar series. I am unbelievably thankful for the opportunity to meet in-person in Phoenix for the Industry Advancement Summit and look forward to FINALLY celebrating SHDA’s 50th anniversary next April in Dallas.

There’s a lot of news to share as you’ll see below: the charity SHDA will be supporting in the lead up to the April summit (and well beyond), a market outlook by Bob Stetson of ASSA ABLOY, and a remembrance of George Drimas of Canada’s JOVAN Distributors. Plus there’s reminders about the University of Innovative Distribution, the Al Hoffman Scholarship, and the announcement of the winner of our summit social media contest.

Best wishes to you and your family. I hope you have a healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year.

Regards,

Rob Justen 

A Message from the SHDA Office

SHDA expresses its sincere sympathies to those affected by the recent tornadoes impacting nine states. If there is anything the SHDA office can do to assist members, please do not hesitate to reach out.

The Spirit of Giving in 2022: SHDA to Support Haiti-Focused Charity  

SHDA's Board of Directors has selected Cabaret Haiti Mission as its charity to support in 2022. The nonprofit has served communities in Haiti for nearly 20 years and provides health care, education for children and adults, employment, and orphan care. In the run-up to April's Industry Advancement Summit, SHDA asks its members to consider donations to this charity providing much-needed assistance.

In Memoriam: George Drimas of JOVAN Distributors

The SHDA family is saddened to hear of the passing of George Drimas. Drimas died suddenly at his home in Vancouver on Sunday, September 12, 2021 at the age of 57. He was born in Montreal on December 25, 1963 and moved to Vancouver in 1989. In 2011 George became President of the Jo-Van Distribution company in Toronto. Under his leadership, the company expanded to a group of security distributors, including J.W. Benton Ltd. in Vancouver; CC Craig in Winnipeg, Calgary, and Edmonton; and D.G. MacLachlan Ltd. in Vancouver. Drimas was always very mindful and had tremendous respect for the many suppliers and customer relationships he had built throughout his career.    Read more on the DHI Canada website.

Share Your Industry Expertise

You’re invited to share your expertise with the entire security hardware industry. We have two new opportunities available for Associate Members.

SHDA Webinar Series - Associate members of SHDA who are interested in hosting or recording webinars of varying lengths can submit their ideas via this form.

Newsletter Submissions - We are always looking for topics for the SHDA Unlocked newsletter. If you have a topic that would be of interest to our community, we want to hear from you.

Your participation supports continuous learning and career development for members. If you are interested in participating in the opportunities above to help further the exchange of ideas, complete the forms or email Executive Director Amy Luckado at aluckado@shda.org.

Industry News

Construction Drives Ahead in Market Outlook

According to Dodge Construction Market Forecasting, total construction will exceed the prior peak in 2021 and will continue growing through the end of the forecast in 2026. But greater-than-normal economic volatility — and a less certain construction outlook — will persist as federal and state governments race to vaccinate the U.S. population against a rising global tide of Covid-19 variants. Click to read more. 

Deadline Approaching for Al Hoffman Scholarship

Distributor middle-management professionals seeking career advancement in the distribution field are encouraged to apply for the SHDA Al Hoffman Memorial Scholarship. The $1,095 scholarship covers registration* for The University of Innovative Distribution (UID) annual conference, scheduled for March 21-24, 2022 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Indianapolis, Indiana. This is an incredible opportunity for distributors to identify their future leaders and provide them with the education that will enhance their skills and contribution to your company and the industry.

Please submit all applications with related materials by December 31, 2021. Full details can be found on the application. If you have any questions please email SHDA Executive Director Amy Luckado or call 410-940-6346.

* Participants will pay for their own travel, hotel, and some meals.

Quick Links to the University of Innovative Distribution 

• Registration - Early Bird ends on Monday, January 31, 2022
  
• Hotel Information
• Schedule