Savvy business strategy and new product introductions were the themes of the 2008 Nordyne distributor business meeting, held in early October in St. Charles, MO. The Friday night banquet included an appreciative awards celebration with plaques presented to more than 80 distributors who had grown their Nordyne business over the past two years.
Coburn Supply, Beaumont, TX, and Partners Supply, Chattanooga, TN, walked away with top honors and crystal keepsakes as they were awarded the 2006 and 2007 Distributor of Year, respectively.
Joe Brandt, vice president of sales for Nordyne’s western division, says Nordyne is proud to partner with independent distribution because it means the company must continuously work hard at earning their customers’ business.
“We really need to believe in each other because our success is tied together,” says Brandt. “The two distributors we recognized truly embody that spirit of partnership and have helped us grow our business while we’ve helped them grow theirs.”
Coburn Supply earned the 2006 Distributor of the Year title due to the organization’s long-lasting commitment to the Frigidaire brand and their ability to handle the unexpected.
“Coburn has built their business over the years by utilizing and building on Nordyne programs,” adds Brandt. “Even after Hurricanes Rita and Katrina devastated their market area in 2005, they were able to recover quickly because of the programs and plans they had in place. They’ve developed a strong team of Frigidaire dealers throughout Louisiana and East Texas. Coburn Supply is a model of how an organization can deal with adversity and win.”
Partners Supply has been a Frigidaire distributor for more than 10 years.
“They're fully committed to our brands and have developed successful dealer programs,” explains Philip Windham, director of sales for Nordyne’s eastern region. “They continue to grow their sales with us despite difficult market conditions and are a major contributor to any product-enhancement conversation. We're very fortunate to have Partners Supply as our partner.”
Top photo: Coburn Supply received the 2006 Distributor of the Year award. Pictured from left to right: Doug Jones, vice president marketing and sales, NORDYNE; Don Maloney, president, Coburn Supply; Ken Babin, HVAC division manager, Coburn Supply; Lee Bradfield, NORDYNE brand manager, Coburn Supply; Dave LaGrand, president and CEO, NORDYNE; AJ Maloney, executive vice president, Coburn Supply.