MDM Podcast: Voices of NAW's 2025 Executive Summit - Modern Distribution Management

MDM Podcast: Voices of NAW’s 2025 Executive Summit

At NAW's marquee annual event, we had mini-interviews with 10 different executive attendees about their company's biggest initiatives in 2025; the industry's top challenges and reasons for optimism; and what they get out of the event.
NAW ES Podcast

Even before the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors acquired MDM in early 2024, I considered NAW’s annual Executive Summit as the one of the industry’s preeminent events for thought leadership content sessions and networking.

With the 2025 version held Jan. 27-29 in Washington D.C., this year’s event delivered again, and the sold-out conference was NAW’s biggest ever, causing the organization to relocate it to a bigger venue at the Grand Hyatt Washington.

Despite all the uncertainty accompanying economic policies of the Trump administration — sworn in just a week earlier — the event was filled with energy and optimism, which was reflected in a slew of quick interviews I conducted on-site for the MDM Podcast.

I was able to wrangle 10 different attendee executives to get their thoughts on the following:

  • What do you see as the biggest challenge facing wholesale distribution today?
  • What is the biggest initiative or project your company is looking to accomplish in 2025?
  • In your opinion, what is the biggest thing attendees get out of coming to this event?
  • What gives you hope and/or optimism for this industry?

Those interviews, heard in the podcast audio embedded above, were with the following attendees, in order:

  • Chuck Cohen – Managing Director of Benco Dental
  • Seth Depuy – Chief Strategy Officer of First Supply
  • Robyn Pollina – CEO of Palmer-Donavin
  • Larry Stoddard – CEO of Colony Hardware & NAW Board Chairman
  • Patrick McCurdy – President of Kimball Midwest
  • Kevin Weadick – CEO of FleetPride
  • Allie Copeland – Chief Transformation Officer of ADI Global Distribution
  • David Bauders – CEO of SPARXiQ and Trade Hounds
  • Mike Medart – CEO & President of Medart Engine
  • Eric Hoplin – NAW CEO

You can find all of our past MDM Podcast episodes here.

Alongside NAW, MDM has a great lineup of events in 2025. Here’s two that I highly recommend you attend:

AI for Distributors Summit — a virtual event to be held March 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET. It’ll offer a wealth of AI application examples, how-to insights and guidance from distribution experts using and scaling the technology today. And it’s free to attend.

2025 SHIFT Conference — our marquee in-person event. To be held May 13-15 in Denver, SHIFT features two and a half days of change management thought leadership and networking across pillars of hybrid sales, digital transformation, data analytics and culture. Find registration, the agenda and details at mdm.com/SHIFT2025.

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