The 2004 Small Distributor Summit, held March 6-8 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Kansas City, Mo., resulted from suggestions by several members of DMIA's principals-only broadcast email system. On the heels of a similar meeting last year sponsored by manufacturer FormStore Incorporated, Fenton, Mo., the Small Distributor Summit was an educational and networking program for distributorships with sales volumes of $2.5 million or less. Dick Gray, CDC, president of distributorship Xtension Technologies Inc., served as the event's chairman.

"Gather energetic printing entrepreneurs for a weekend and give them an open license to share insight and you will now have what I have," said Bill Lampe, manager of Lampe Graphics, St. Louis. "That is pages and pages of ideas to help us run our business better. I felt the individual side conversations were worth the money and time spent alone. Add to that the formal sessions and the interaction at the meetings, and you have a powerful two-and-a-half days."

Jerry Ballone, president of distributorship Computer Business Forms Inc., Marietta, Ga., agreed. Attending the event was "one of the best investments I've made during my 20 years in this business," he said. "It was a great pleasure to meet and share ideas with so many outstanding colleagues."

The Small Distributor Summit included five distributor-run, group-participation sessions on these topics: SWOT analysis, customer relationship management, marketing, future planning, and becoming a generalist- or niche-focused firm. The meeting also included manufacturer education sessions by sponsoring firms Ward/Kraft Inc., based in Fort Scott, Kan.; DISPATCH, Erie, Pa.; Printegra, Peachtree, City, Ga.; Wilmer, Dayton, Ohio; and FormStore Incorporated.

Click here for photo coverage of the event.