TED Magazine - May 2017

technology in our channel—to make us more efficient. We need to make better use of big data and information systems,” he said. “In the near future, most products will be ‘smart.’ They’ll have an IP address and be connected. We can’t get hung up today on how
they get connected; we have to make sure they can be connected. Then down the road we can figure out the connectivity. That’s going to be a huge growth engine for the industry.” Dungan said he plans to spend a lot of his year as chair meeting with and talking to as many people as pos- sible to educate NAED’s membership on this issue. “I want to make sure that distributors are aware of both the technology and the resources that NAED provides,” he said. “Our manu- facturer partners will help us with this too. They are working in their labs on these smart devices. Just like we have smart TVs and refrigerators now, our circuit breakers, wiring devices, lighting systems, and other products will be connected.” Although such changes can be cause for concern, Dungan believes that overall it will be a benefit to the channel. He noted that when Apple introduced the iPhone, it created a secondary growth industry outside the company—the companies that created apps and accessories for it— and helped propel its popularity. “These networked electrical prod- ucts will need applications and addi- tional products,” he explained. “Our manufacturer partners will be work- ing on these next-generation prod- ucts. The technical revolution is going to happen in our industry too.” Dungan noted that with disruptive change, some companies adapt better than others. “I don’t know what the full role of the distributor will be,” he acknowledged. “It’s going to change a bit. It’s going to be a bell curve: Some companies will find ways to take off, most will be in the middle, and there will be some that don’t adapt. But I have a lot of confidence that, as an industry, we will adapt to whatever comes down the road.” ; Katarsky is a freelance business writer based in Philadelphia. She can be reached at ckatarsky@gmail.com.

has received, Schnirring was
quick to share the credit. “It’s
all about hiring the right peo-
ple,” he said. “Our success is
driven by the fact that we had
a lot of key people who did
well and were motivated and
hardworking. Our No. 1 key to
success is the wonderful team
we were able to put together,
in part due to our ESOP. I’m
particularly proud of the ESOP
because it gives our people a
chance at ownership and the
pride and benefits that come
with it.”
Barker has also spent his
entire career with Springfield
Electric. He joined the firm in

1970, holding several positions including vice president of marketing, president, and CEO, as well as leadership positions within NAED. He received the

2010 Arthur W. Hooper Award.
The Value of NAED

Springfield Electric’s involvement with NAED has not only helped shape the company’s culture, but also provided personal, professional, and business benefits.

“Like most things, if you
don’t put much in, you won’t
get much out,” Schnirring said,
explaining why he first joined
NAED. “NAED has a lot to offer,
but it always goes back to
people. I have made friendships
that lasted decades, and we
shared thoughts and ideas on
how to handle people, how not
to, and how to solve problems.”
“NAED events continue to be
the industry’s meeting place,
providing networking opportu-
nities and programming for
distributors and manufacturers
not available elsewhere,” noted
Barker. “In a business where
we’re only as good as our peo-
ple, NAED’s education pro-
grams provide specific indus-
try training that is crucial to
individual development.”
Dungan, NAED’s current
chair, echoed his predecessors’
feelings about being involved in
the organization. “If you can’t
go to the regional conferences,
there are so many other events
to attend,” he said. “For exam-
ple, make sure to expose all
high-potential employees to
LEAD; it is so important for
their training and networking. It
will help them understand some
of the cutting-edge thinking
that’s going on in the channel.”
Understandably, Barker and
Schnirring were glad to see
Dungan take up the mantle at
NAED. “Springfield Electric
is very proud to have Dan as
the third chair from our com-
pany,” said Barker. “As a com-
pany, we have long benefited
greatly from our involvement
in NAED. Serving in various
capacities is our company’s
way of giving back to an in-
dustry that has given so much
to us.”
“It’s quite an honor for the
company, obviously, but also
for Dan,” said Schnirring. “He’s
earned it. He’s a good student
and a good teacher. He’s very
active in the community and
he’s been an innovator [at
Springfield Electric]. You don’t
[serve as chair] for the pur-
pose of getting accolades, but
it is nice to have those efforts
be recognized.” —C.K.