NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release
7/13/2005

ISA holds successful executive retreat
(7/13/05) -- Nearly 50 young executives from member companies of the Industrial Supply Association attended the successful 2005 Executive Development Retreat in Cleveland in late July. Organized by ISA’s Young Executive Forum (YEF) and designed and facilitated by the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, the workshop focused on helping managers develop better communication skills.

“We were extremely pleased with the turnout for the Executive Development Retreat and the quality of the program,” said Pascal Martel of Tenaquip Ltd. in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and chair of the YEF Steering Committee. “Communication is important to anyone in a management position. Attendees walked away with practical advice they could put to use as soon as they returned to their offices.”

Retreat leaders at the two-day event were Case Western Reserve’s Sarah McClusky Walleck, an organizational consultant, individual coach, and team facilitator with more than 20 years of experience in personal and professional development, and Tim Ewing, an independent management consultant and trainer who has worked with multiple Fortune 500 companies to assist them in creating high-performing, multi-culturally sensitive work environments. The workshop included sessions on understanding what happens when we communicate, effective communications as managers and exploring how biases and assumptions affect communication efforts.

“One of the things I found most useful from the retreat was the opportunity we had to share success stories and to interact with the workshop leaders and participants,” said Tom Roddy of Krylon Products Group, who headed the YEF sub-committee that organized the Executive Retreat. “I’m confident the ideas I picked up at the workshop will help me become a better communicator with co-workers and with customers.”

The Executive Development Retreat is an annual event sponsored by ISA member companies. Platinum level corporate sponsors included 3M, Hagemeyer, Lenox, Tenaquip Ltd. and Thomas Associates Inc. Gold level sponsors were Chicago Pneumatic, Horizons Solutions Corporation, Krylon Industrial Products and Replenex. Silver sponsors were Dayton Progress Corporation and Streamlight Inc., and Bronze level sponsors included Brady Corporation, Coffing Hoists, Columbus McKinnon Corporation, Hannibal Carbide, Martin Supply Co., Sentry Insurance, SGS Tool Co. and Yale/Lift-Tech International.

“This event would not be possible without the support of our corporate sponsors. Thanks to their help, the Executive Development Retreat has become a must-attend event for the Industrial Supply Association,” Martel said.