The Gases and Welding Distributors Association (GAWDA) Spring Management Conference (SMC) begins today in San Antonio, Texas, with the slogan “Lead with purpose, serve with heart.”
Spanning the weekend period, the program features several learning opportunities in the form of workshops, educational sessions, and presentations. Close to 700 GAWDA members and their guests are expected to attend.
Day one
Today will kick off with several committee meetings before wider activities begin in the afternoon. One of the first open networking and learning activities will be led by Gary Halter, President of both GAWDA and Indiana Oxygen. Halter’s “lunch and learn” will be an interactive session, through which he will share his industry stories and approach to motivating and maintaining a strong team.
Later, there will be a “legends of the industry scavenger hunt” for young professionals. The 90-minute activity will help some of the industry’s younger generation learn from some of those who have stories to tell and lessons to share.
Evening proceedings will then begin with the newcomers reception. This gives the opportunity for those who are new to the SMC – or GAWDA altogether – to meet GAWDA board members, past presidents, committee chairs, and the headquarters team before the larger president’s welcome reception and dinner.
Day two
Day two starts with a 15-minute GAWDA presentation setting the stage for the day. Following that will be Dirk Beveridge, founder and Executive Producer of UnleashWD. A visionary entrepreneur, Beveridge has been leading major change for over 35 years to advance growth, relevance, and transformation.
After the initial presentations, there are break-out sessions. Session one will focus on gas “mega trends” and explore the key topics that are driving the industry. Session two will explore the power of building positive relationships to drive followership. And session three will look at creating “stickiness,” – at ways to harness talents, treasures, and time within business.
The afternoon continues with educational sessions. Again, with a focus on how to improve business, the sessions will explore a variety of key lessons for those in the industrial gas space. Session one of the afternoon is tailored for professionals in any business role, providing practical solutions for understanding and utilizing AI. Session two will offer both practical and actionable advice on how businesses can thrive in an increasingly complex labor market. And the final educational session will cover the best practices for profitably growing.
Day three
Before the conference concludes, there will be one more business session. Dave Lambert, Group President of Sales and Marketing at ITW Welding and Miller Electric, will be the first to take the stage. Following Lambert will be Sharon Szafranski, Executive Vice-President of Welding of Illinois Tools Works. Then, lastly, Adrian Gostick, founder of the Culture Works, a workplace training and consulting company, will speak.
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