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Association Highlights When was the last time you took advantage of these key membership benefits? here are many reasons why the leading dealers in the country belong to FEDA. Each member has their own reasons but at the core is their desire to lend their strength to a strong collective voice in support of a profitable dealer-based distribution system. Beyond dealer advocacy, FEDA dealers have access to a number of key membership benefits. Here is a list of a few of them. If you have any questions on any of them let me know. I���m here to help you get the most from your membership. T Ray Herrick Executive Vice President ray@feda.com FEDA Convention: The FEDAAnnual Convention is held each spring, and it is the highlight of the year for leading dealers looking to exchange best practices, meet with their peers and learn how to grow their business from professional business speakers. The 2013 Convention will be held April 3-7, 2013 at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa in San Antonio, Texas. This year���s theme is Vision and Courage to Create your Own Profitable Future. Check out the FEDA website at www.feda.com to see a preview of the outstanding speakers and programs that have been designed specifically to help dealers. If you would like to attend but have not registered, call the FEDA office ASAP. I hope to see you there. At the FEDA convention, it���s still the relationships you build and the knowledge you gain that make it a smart investment in your business. Profit Survey: In turbulent times, financial benchmarking information is more important than ever before and the best source of financial benchmarks for the industry is the FEDA PROFIT Survey. Want to know if the most successful firms in a down market are placing more emphasis on gross margin management or expense control? Check out the Profit Survey. It presents a wealth of financial and operating guidelines and provides direct comparisons between your firm and other participating firms. However, this valuable information is only available to firms that participate in the study. The good news is that the detailed benchmarking information in the PROFIT Report and in your Profit Improvement Profile is available to you free of charge. This is a great FEDA membership benefit and members should watch for details on it in early summer each year. continued on page 51 From the NAFEM Show Floor First I would like to thank NAFEM Show Chair Kevin Fink, CFSP, Scottsman Industries; Assistant Show Chair Ken Murray, CFSP; NAFEM President Tom Campion, Frankie Foodservice Systems Inc.; and NAFEM Executive Vice President Deirdre Flynn and her wonderful staff for an outstanding show. FEDA had around 500 dealer salespeople attend its box lunch seminar, featuring sales trainer Joe Ellers on the topic ���Good and Real ���A Blueprint For Sales Success.��� And, of course, a big ���thank you��� to Mike Whiteley, VP of Sales & Marketing at Hatco Corp., for sponsoring this seminar! 8 FEDA New s & View s