Meet MDM’s 2021 Women in Distribution
These extraordinary women are taking the industry to new heights through strong leadership and mindful investments in the future.
April 11, 2021
Chintan Patel at Forefront of SiteOne Landscape Supply’s Digital Transformation
Patel used her extensive B2C e-commerce experience when building a digital sales channel for the landscape equipment distributor.
Jayne Millard Has Built a Lasting Legacy at Turtle & Hughes — and in the Industry
Millard might have handed the reins of the electrical distributor's top executive post to a successor, but her legacy at the company and in wholesale distribution is intact.
Katie Parris is Putting Her Own Stamp on the Family Plumbing Business
As the president/CEO and owner of The Part Works Inc., a company her parents started, Parris now gets to combine her own experience and skills with the foundation they built.
Anne Vranicic Can Handle it All for Valin Corp.
Vrancic might officially be the director or marketing, but she has proven to be so much for the industrial distributor since joining the company in 2002.
Amazon Business GM Leading Way for Company’s Soaring Growth
Petra Schindler-Carter has been with Amazon Business since it rebranded from AmazonSupply in 2015, and she is a major reason for the division's success.
‘Entrepreneurial Mindset’ Pays Off for Riverhawk Industrial Supply’s Sarah Finlayson
Though a relative newbie to the distribution industry, Finlayson has brought a solid business acumen to the company she bought from her parents a few years ago and is now seeing the industrial supplier thrive.
Graybar’s Kathy Mazzarella is the ‘Dean’ of Women Leaders in Distribution
Mazzarella's rise to the top at Grayber is legendary, and she is out to help distributors learn from her experience and expertise.
Deb Swambar Returns Home to Distribution, Makes Impact Beyond HR
As the chief human resources office for Crescent Electric Supply Co., Swambar is leading the charge in the company's "war for talent," but she brings much more to the electrical distribution business.
Allie Copeland Exemplifies Leadership When It’s Needed the Most
ADI Global Distribution vice president of global operations helped carry the company through the complexity of COVID-19 with "creative and unique" solutions.
Download this Issue as a PDF: April 10 2021
MDM's inaugural class of Women in Distribution Award winners make for a powerful group of leaders whose company initiatives and industry outreach are a boon to the profession. Read their stories in the April 10 issue.
Mahar Tool Supply COO Finds Success in Dedication to Family Business
Carrie Kessel learned the distribution business by osmosis, as she grew up doing everything from mowing the lawn to counting inventory to filing documents.
NetPlus Alliance President ‘Exemplifies All of the Traits of a Great Leader’
Jennifer Murphy’s advice to women just starting out in the distributor industry is to continually cultivate their networking opportunities.
Legacy of Female Leadership Grows at Industrial Supply
Jessica Yurgaitis follows in the footsteps of her grandmother and great-grandmother at one of the largest industrial suppliers in the Intermountain West.
Vallen’s Lansdale Strives to Increase Industry Diversity
Joyce Lansdale was instrumental to the creation of VICKIE, an acronym for “Voices Inspiring Change, Knowledge, Innovation and Empowerment,” Vallen’s employee resource group designed to recruit strong, diverse candidates into leadership.
Commentary: A Technology-Driven Future is Coming, Whether You’re Ready or Not
The future we’re headed toward has no sympathy for resource constraints, resistance to change or incompatible legacy systems.
WESCO Tech Exec Fosters Innovation with Next-Gen Tech and Partnerships
Rose Chen is driving new growth opportunities by promoting cross-collaboration with emerging technology partners across artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), and digital technologies.
NB Handy CEO Excels at Attracting and Retaining New Talent
Rosana Chaidez crafts NB Handy’s Future Leaders program whereby the company hires college graduates each year to develop them into sales or operations leaders within the company.
Non-Traditional Career Path Leads Industry Vet to Palmer-Donavin CEO
Robyn Pollina rose through the ranks from accountant to CEO, ensuring along the way that company culture and giving back to communities are core values for the employee-owned business.
Mayer CEO Deepens Company Culture By Giving Back to Community
Nancy Goedecke and her three siblings are the third-generation owners of Mayer and, along with their spouses, make up what is now known as the G3 (Generation 3) Group.
