The Gases and Welding Distributors Association’s (GAWDA) (www.gawda.org) mission is to promote the safe operation and economic vitality of distributors of industrial, medical, and specialty gases and related welding equipment and supplies in North America. GAWDA does this in three ways: through education, with networking opportunities, and by providing consultants on key issues, like safety.
I believe that for a distributor, GAWDA is not an option, but a necessary tool in running a successful company in the welding and gases industry. If you are not already a GAWDA member, I encourage you to become one.
With years of experience in the industrial gas industry and now President of AWISCO, I must acknowledge GAWDA’s educational opportunities as a tremendous and continuing asset to my business. On-line information like The GAWDA Connection provides twice-amonth updates on what is new and exciting in the industry and is delivered right to your inbox. The Connection is my way of keeping up with the goings-on in the industry. The GAWDA Edge is another on-line newsletter targeted to young executives (of which I am one until November). This monthly E-newsletter supplies young executives with the tools needed to build and further their careers in our industry. The GAWDA Wiki website is a great resource for obtaining information on anything related to welding. GAWDA also prints a quarterly magazine called Welding and Gases Today, which is a must-read for in-depth information on the relevant topics affecting our industry.
GAWDA also provides educational content at its meetings. At this year’s Spring Management Conference in Chicago, the theme was “Measuring Accountability in Your Organization.” The feedback from the over 600 attendees was overwhelmingly positive regarding the educational value of the various speakers and panel discussions. All of our Regional Meetings also feature educational and motivational speakers who provide great take-home value. And the educational content at the Annual Convention is always enhanced to provide members extra take-home value. The dates, times, and locations of GAWDA’s meetings can be easily found on www.gawda.org, in the calendar section.
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