Temperaments and Teamwork

Get ready to challenge the way you understand yourself and everyone around you. This hands-on session goes beyond typical personality assessments to give you a fresh, actionable framework for improving how you connect, collaborate, and lead.

Through interactive exercises and real-world applications, you’ll uncover the hidden forces that shape team dynamics and learn to navigate relationships with greater clarity and impact. You’ll walk away thinking less about who you are and more strategically about how to engage with who you’re not.

Learning Objectives:

• Create a blueprint on how to leverage the temperaments in decision-making
• Understand shortcuts to creating better personal and professional connections
• How to create a strategy to overcome your personal blind spots
• Develop a personal relationship strategy map

Tracy Spears

Founder, The Leader Lab

Tracy Spears is an internationally sought-after keynote speaker, TEDx speaker, author, advocate, host of the podcast “Shift Out Loud” and the Founder of the Exceptional Leaders Lab. Her organization specializes in developing leaders, inspiring teamwork, and creating inclusive cultures.

Tracy has written extensively about the many lessons she learned while spending over 25 years in the corporate world. Those lessons can be found in her best-selling books, “What Exceptional Leaders Know” and “The Exceptional Leaders Playbook” and provide much of the content utilized in the workshops and keynotes she delivers globally. Tracy’s energetic and interactive approach has helped leaders and aspiring leaders all over the world improve their leadership skills, communication, and understanding of how people and organizations succeed.

On a personal note, she is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and earned her college degree through a softball scholarship. She was also a member of the U.S. National Softball Team and competed in the U.S. Olympic Sports Festival.

From Roadblocks to Results: How Leaders Unlock Organizational Impact

In today’s fast-moving, complex work environment, the biggest obstacles to results often aren’t systems, strategies, or skills – they’re the unseen ways we misunderstand problems and each other.

This session challenges leaders and teams to reexamine how they see their roles, their colleagues, and the challenges they face. Participants will uncover how subtle patterns in how we interpret others’ actions, especially in tense or unproductive situations, can keep us stuck in cycles of blame, resistance, and frustration.

Through real-world stories, interactive reflection, and practical insight, this session offers a powerful shift: from asking “How do I fix the problem?” to “Am I even seeing the problem clearly?”

What You’ll Explore:

• Why our mindset, the lens through which we interpret people and situations, often matters more than our methods.
• How common dynamics of blame and misunderstanding quietly sustain the very problems we’re trying to solve.
• The subtle ways we can unintentionally escalate conflict, even when we think we’re “just doing our job.”
• How to reset patterns of resistance and reorient toward results.

Key Takeaways:

• A clear framework to recognize how your own thinking might limit problem-solving and innovation.
• New language to describe recurring interpersonal friction in a way that invites change rather than defensiveness.
• Practical strategies to shift conversations and relationships from opposition to alignment.
• A renewed sense of ownership – not just for tasks, but for outcomes that truly matter.

This session isn’t about adding more to your plate. It’s about seeing your challenges differently so you can approach them more effectively.

With his extensive experience helping clients architect and roll out Arbinger’s programs, Mike Rener deeply connects with people around their own real-world challenges and helps them see new possibilities for ways forward. His caring, empathetic manner draws in clients, inspiring and motivating them around mindset change. Mike has been a focused keynote speaker at conferences, delivered hundreds of in-person work sessions, and provided implementation consulting sessions, with feedback from clients including, “[Mike] is a master teacher,” “amazing storyteller and facilitator,” “engaging,” “made things relevant and practical,” and “kept energy levels high.”

Mike was introduced to Arbinger’s work over 20 years ago, and like many Arbinger team members, was a long-time client, learning about and implementing these concepts within his own life before joining Arbinger full time. For over the last decade, he has been managing strategic accounts and consulting organizations to implement cultural change and improve performance. He has worked with corporate executives in Fortune 100 companies, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, local and federal government leadership, and senior officers in the military.

Prior to joining Arbinger, Mike delivered Arbinger’s training programs as a contract facilitator in the for-profit and social sectors. With a background in hospitality and brand management, Mike brings a client-oriented and corporate perspective to his work. He has a passion for helping people see and leverage the practical applications of Arbinger’s material. Mike lives with his family in Park City and enjoys taking advantage of the many outdoor activities that Utah offers.

About the Arbinger Institute

Arbinger is the world leader in mindset change. Through training, consulting, coaching, and implementation programs, Arbinger enables individuals, teams, and organizations to change from the default self-focus of an inward mindset to the impact-focus of an outward mindset. Arbinger provides strategies and behavioral reinforcements that sustain this change. The result is dramatic and sustained improvement in the key success indicators of our client organizations—in their levels of collaboration, employee engagement, accountability, revenue growth, market share, and profitability.

Arbinger’s programs and methodology are based on 45 years of research in the psychology of human behavior and motivation, and more than 40 years of experience working with organizations worldwide in the corporate, healthcare, education, government, public safety, and nonprofit sectors. The Arbinger team is comprised of individuals from diverse backgrounds and industries who possess the ability to help individuals and organizations achieve success through a fundamental change in mindset. Arbinger has offices in nearly 30 countries.

The Industrial Channel Today: Trends, Turbulence, and What’s Next

The industrial supply channel is navigating one of the most dynamic periods in its history. From shifting buyer behaviors and margin pressures to the rise of digital competitors and consolidation, the landscape is changing fast – and the stakes are high for manufacturers, distributors, and reps alike.

In this data-rich and forward-looking session, John Gunderson, Executive Editor of Industrial Supply Trends, will break down the key forces reshaping the channel today. As part of this session, John will present an exclusive first look at the brand-new State of the Channel research report highlighting key trends, insights, and strategic implications you won’t find anywhere else.

Attendees will receive early access to the full report before it is released to the public, making this a must-attend session for leaders who want to stay ahead of the curve.

Learning Outcomes:

• Identify the macro and micro trends currently impacting the industrial supply channel.
• Understand how channel roles and customer expectations are evolving—and what that means for go-to-market strategies.
• Gain actionable insights into where the channel is headed and how to position your business for success in the next 12–24 months.

John Gunderson

Editorial Director, Industrial Supply Trends

John Gunderson is a senior distributor leader with more than 25+ years of experience leading category management, sales, marketing, pricing, analytics, and e-business with companies such as Crescent Electric Supply Company, HD Supply Power Solutions, White Cap Construction Supply, Anixter/WESCO, Modern Distribution Management, and EIS-Inc.

He writes and speaks for leading distributor publications including Industrial Supply Trends (IST),  MDM, HVACR and Electrical Trends, and Industrial Distribution.

Listen to Lead: Becoming a Better Listener and Feeling Heard

In this interactive session, we’ll explore two essential skills for impactful leadership: active listening and authentic self-expression. Whether you’re early in your career or in the C-suite, strong communication is key to earning trust, influencing outcomes, and navigating tough conversations. This session will help you build presence and confidence by understanding the connection between truly hearing others and making your own voice heard.

Through guided journaling, self-reflection, and practical tools, you’ll learn how to listen with intention, communicate with clarity, and speak up in a way that feels both authentic and effective. Expect an engaging, supportive environment designed to strengthen your leadership voice and deepen your influence, no matter your title or tenure.

Key Takeaways:

• The difference between hearing and listening, and how to listen with intention.
• Techniques to enhance your verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Strategies for speaking up and being heard in spaces where women’s voices are often minimized.
• Journaling prompts and reflective practices to celebrate your growth and leadership journey.
• A renewed sense of confidence in your ability to both listen deeply and lead authentically.

Dr. Hava Rose

Founder & Chief Wellness Officer, Pause. Experience A Wellbeing Agency

Dr. Hava Rose brings over a decade of experience in chiropractic medicine and wellness programming to her work with organizations and teams. As the founder of Pause. Experience A Wellbeing Agency, she specializes in creating practical, accessible wellness experiences that help professionals recharge, connect, and perform at their best.

Leading with an Outward Mindset

Leadership isn’t just about guiding tasks; it’s about shaping the conditions where people thrive, collaborate, and deliver results that matter. But too often, new leaders find themselves stuck reacting to problems, putting out fires, and managing resistance instead of creating momentum.

In this session, we explore two fundamentally different ways of working and leading.

One fuels trust, innovation, and accountability. The other, often without realizing it, keeps leaders spinning in cycles of correction, frustration, and resistance.

Through thought-provoking stories and practical frameworks, participants will learn how small shifts in how they see people and problems can lead to far greater impact, while also reducing the time they spend fixing what’s broken.

What You’ll Explore:

• Two contrasting ways of leading and how they shape everything from culture to results.
• Why many leadership challenges aren’t what they seem on the surface.
• How to invest your time and energy where it matters most… not just reacting to issues, but helping things go right.
• A clear strategy for increasing your influence without increasing your workload.

Key Takeaways:

• A practical lens for recognizing whether you’re leading from a posture of reaction or creation.
• A simple yet powerful framework to diagnose and improve your leadership influence.
• Concrete ways to lead in ways that invite others’ best contributions and reduce resistance.
• A renewed focus on the kind of leadership that elevates people and performance.

This session is an invitation to lead differently, starting not with what you do, but with how you see.

Mike Rener

With his extensive experience helping clients architect and roll out Arbinger’s programs, Mike Rener deeply connects with people around their own real-world challenges and helps them see new possibilities for ways forward. His caring, empathetic manner draws in clients, inspiring and motivating them around mindset change. Mike has been a focused keynote speaker at conferences, delivered hundreds of in-person work sessions, and provided implementation consulting sessions, with feedback from clients including, “[Mike] is a master teacher,” “amazing storyteller and facilitator,” “engaging,” “made things relevant and practical,” and “kept energy levels high.”

Mike was introduced to Arbinger’s work over 20 years ago, and like many Arbinger team members, was a long-time client, learning about and implementing these concepts within his own life before joining Arbinger full time. For over the last decade, he has been managing strategic accounts and consulting organizations to implement cultural change and improve performance. He has worked with corporate executives in Fortune 100 companies, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, local and federal government leadership, and senior officers in the military.

Prior to joining Arbinger, Mike delivered Arbinger’s training programs as a contract facilitator in the for-profit and social sectors. With a background in hospitality and brand management, Mike brings a client-oriented and corporate perspective to his work. He has a passion for helping people see and leverage the practical applications of Arbinger’s material. Mike lives with his family in Park City and enjoys taking advantage of the many outdoor activities that Utah offers.

About the Arbinger Institute

Arbinger is the world leader in mindset change. Through training, consulting, coaching, and implementation programs, Arbinger enables individuals, teams, and organizations to change from the default self-focus of an inward mindset to the impact-focus of an outward mindset. Arbinger provides strategies and behavioral reinforcements that sustain this change. The result is dramatic and sustained improvement in the key success indicators of our client organizations—in their levels of collaboration, employee engagement, accountability, revenue growth, market share, and profitability.

Arbinger’s programs and methodology are based on 45 years of research in the psychology of human behavior and motivation, and more than 40 years of experience working with organizations worldwide in the corporate, healthcare, education, government, public safety, and nonprofit sectors. The Arbinger team is comprised of individuals from diverse backgrounds and industries who possess the ability to help individuals and organizations achieve success through a fundamental change in mindset. Arbinger has offices in nearly 30 countries.

Unlocking Growth Through Digital Transformation in Legacy Operations

When companies talk about digital disruption, the conversation often centers on top-line growth including new customer experiences, digital sales channels, and AI-driven marketing. But the real opportunity may lie deeper in the business. For manufacturers and distributors, modernizing legacy operations can unlock hidden profit, reduce waste, improve cash flow, and create a more resilient backbone for growth.

In this panel discussion, facilitated by Paul Noble, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Verusen, industry leaders will share how they’re using digital tools to optimize core operations like inventory, procurement, and production planning without ripping out what still works. Learn how practical, phased transformation can drive efficiency, agility, and bottom-line impact in even the most established environments.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand how to identify and prioritize digital transformation opportunities within legacy operations.
• Learn real-world strategies for improving margins and cash flow through operational modernization.
• Gain insight into change management and technology integration without disrupting business continuity.

Paul Noble

Founder, Verusen

As founder and CEO of Verusen, an innovator in supply chain data, inventory, and procurement technology, Paul Noble oversees the company’s vision and strategic direction. He has extensive experience in the industrial supply chain and distribution space, as he was recognized as a Supply Chain Pros to Know by Supply and Demand Chain Executive in 2020 & 2021.

Before founding Verusen, Noble spent over a decade with The Sherwin-Williams Company, where he specialized in supply chain/manufacturing and led its Eastern U.S. Industrial Distribution business unit.

Noble graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Management and Marketing from Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee.

Brent Williams

President, US Tool Group

Steve Hudson

Vice President of Digital Services, Stanley Black & Decker

Steve Hudson bio coming soon.

24 Strategies to Level Up Your Leadership

With over 30 years of experience in developing leaders, inspiring teamwork, and enhancing inter-office communication, Tracy Spears brings a wealth of knowledge to help you elevate your career in 2026. In this dynamic session, Tracy will share 24 actionable strategies and tactics designed to strengthen your leadership, improve collaboration, and drive personal and professional success. Whether you’re looking to refine your skills, build stronger teams, or communicate more effectively, this session will equip you with the tools to make an impact. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insights from a leadership expert and set yourself up for a successful year ahead!

Learning Objectives:

• Leveraging the Leadership toolbox
• How to enact Parkinson’s Law and get more time on your calendar
• The one thing you must do to build a high-performing team
• Understanding self-awareness through the Dunning-Kruger Effect
• Valuing sustainability over availability
• Why you should never waste a crisis

Tracy Spears

Founder, The Leader Lab

Tracy Spears is an internationally sought-after keynote speaker, TEDx speaker, author, advocate, host of the podcast “Shift Out Loud” and the Founder of the Exceptional Leaders Lab. Her organization specializes in developing leaders, inspiring teamwork, and creating inclusive cultures.

Tracy has written extensively about the many lessons she learned while spending over 25 years in the corporate world. Those lessons can be found in her best-selling books, “What Exceptional Leaders Know” and “The Exceptional Leaders Playbook” and provide much of the content utilized in the workshops and keynotes she delivers globally. Tracy’s energetic and interactive approach has helped leaders and aspiring leaders all over the world improve their leadership skills, communication, and understanding of how people and organizations succeed.

On a personal note, she is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and earned her college degree through a softball scholarship. She was also a member of the U.S. National Softball Team and competed in the U.S. Olympic Sports Festival.

Sticks and Stones: Feedback That Builds or Undermines Your Leadership

Feedback is one of the most powerful tools in leadership, but it’s often misunderstood, misused, or missed entirely. It shapes how we perform, how we connect, and how teams either thrive or fracture. Yet few leaders have been trained to give or receive feedback in ways that build trust and growth.

In this interactive, story-driven session, Darryl Woods Jr. helps you decode the real dynamics of feedback – formal and informal, spoken and silent. You’ll explore how personality, perception, and past experiences shape how feedback is delivered, received, and interpreted.

Through experiential exercises and a practical framework, you’ll learn to give feedback that builds your team, your culture, and your leadership edge. You’ll also gain tools to receive feedback with confidence, humility, and intention.

Key Takeaways:

• Learn a step-by-step method to deliver feedback with precision, empathy, and timing so your words empower, not erode.
• Identify what kind of feedback your team members actually need and how to tailor your approach.
• Practice a powerful language shift to give feedback that builds both performance and trust.
• Discover how to process and grow from feedback, even when it stings.
• Walk away with a daily practice to build a feedback-friendly culture.

Darryl Woods Jr.

Sr. Sales Operations Manager, Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.

Sales Leadership Session 1: From Rep to Rainmaker: Coaching for Sales Growth

Today’s top-performing sales teams don’t just happen—they’re built by managers who know how to coach, not just command. In this high-impact session, Jay Johnson, sales expert and educator at Texas A&M, brings real-world experience from both academia and the field with Navasota Industrial Supply to help sales leaders elevate their teams.

Through engaging discussion and practical frameworks, Jay will explore how coaching differs from managing, how to unlock individual potential, and how to develop a performance culture that drives results across the sales organization. Whether you lead a team of new reps or seasoned pros, this session will equip you with tools to level up your people, and your numbers.

Why it matters: In a rapidly evolving industrial market, coaching is a competitive advantage. Distributors and manufacturers alike need sales managers who can develop talent, foster accountability, and keep teams engaged through change.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the mindset shift from managing to coaching
• Learn practical coaching techniques that improve sales performance
• Discover how to give feedback that motivates and drives behavior change
• Explore ways to build a high-trust, high-performance team culture
  • Walk away with tools you can immediately apply to your sales team

Jay Johnson

President, Navasota Industrial Supply; Educator, Texas A&M

Jay Johnson has over 25 years of distribution experience, including financial management, sales, sales management, general management, and people development. He has been a speaker, researcher, and advisor to companies across multiple channels in the distribution industry, including serving on the board of directors for a distributor. He is currently the instructor for the senior-level financial management course.

Jay has co-author two books. The first was about the 50-year history of the Industrial Distribution Program at Texas A&M University, co-authored with Dr. Barry Lawrence of Texas A&M to commemorate the history of the program. The second, “Financial Transactions of the Wholesale Distributor” was co-authored with Dr. Don Rice of Texas A&M to serve as a book for managers on how to make money in the distribution industry.

Jay has a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Distribution and a Master of Business Administration degree with a focus in Finance, both from Texas A&M University.

Interactive Networking Lunch

Step out of your usual lunch crowd and make some new connections. At this interactive lunch, you’ll be seated with a new mix of attendees, giving you the chance to meet fresh faces and spark real conversations.

We’ll provide a few fun and thoughtful prompts to help get things rolling. You’ll trade stories, ideas, and perspectives as you enjoy a hot buffet lunch.

Bold by Design: Career Strategy Roundtable Discussions for Confidence, Influence & Impact

This session offers a space for authentic dialogue around the the personal and professional challenges women face in leadership roles, especially when life outside of work demands just as much attention.

In two rotating 25-minute roundtable discussions, you’ll connect with peers on the challenges and choices that shape your leadership journey, inside and outside the workplace. Together, we’ll reflect, share, and grow through candid conversation.

Roundtable Topics:

1. Leading Upward: Effectively Managing Up the Channel as a Woman
2. Personal Brand: Establishing Your Leadership Presence with Intention
3. Strong Women, Strong Voices: Unapologetic Assertiveness without the Labels
4. Credibility in a Seasoned Industry: Being Taken Seriously as a New or Young Pro

*Table discussions will be led by Women in Industry volunteers from the Fall Summit Committee.

Burn Bright Without Burning Out: Performance, Pressure, and the Power of Pause

In the fast-paced world of industrial supply, leadership comes with constant pressure to perform. This upbeat, interactive session dives into the link between performance, stress, and sustainable success, highlighting how intentional pause and personal well-being can drive better results. You’ll explore how burnout shows up physically and emotionally, and walk away with practical tools to regulate stress, stay clear-headed, and lead with resilience.

Through guided reflection, breathing techniques, and journaling prompts, you’ll gain insight into your own response to pressure and how your values shape the way you lead. This isn’t about slowing down, it’s about learning to reset with purpose so you can show up fully engaged and at your best, for yourself, your team, and your business.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand the physiological and emotional impact of burnout
• Learn accessible tools to regulate stress and boost clarity
• Discover how to habit-stack routines that support resilience
• Reflect and journal on your own patterns of pressure and pause
• Build a sustainable framework for showing up as your best self

Dr. Hava Rose

Founder & Chief Wellness Officer, pause. Experience

Dr. Hava Rose brings over a decade of experience in chiropractic medicine and wellness programming to her work with organizations and teams. As the founder of Pause. Experience A Wellbeing Agency, she specializes in creating practical, accessible wellness experiences that help professionals recharge, connect, and perform at their best.

With more than six years of experience leading workshops and retreats, Hava uses guided journaling, structured conversation, and intentional pause to create space for meaningful self-reflection and team connection. Her approach combines physical, emotional, and mental wellness strategies, helping participants leave with simple, actionable tools they can integrate into their daily routines, both personally and professionally.

At the Fall Summit, attendees can expect a sessions that feels relevant and doable, focused on re-centering, refocusing, and reconnecting in the middle of fast-paced work and life.

The Sales Edge: Using Data to Drive Growth

Sales success in the industrial supply channel is no longer just about relationships and instincts. It’s increasingly about data. In a market defined by margin pressure, shifting customer expectations, and digital disruption, sales leaders must harness data to drive smarter decisions, prioritize the right opportunities, and improve performance across the team.

In this interactive session, John Gunderson, Executive Editor of Industrial Supply Trends, joins Kyle Weber, President, Global Integrated Supply at Vallen, to explore how top-performing teams are leveraging analytics to make better calls—on pricing, accounts, activity, and forecasting. You’ll learn how to move from gut feel to guided strategy, using the data already in your CRM, ERP, and customer interactions.

Learning Outcomes:

• Discover which sales data actually moves the needle and how to separate signal from noise.
• Learn how to use data to prioritize accounts, coach reps, and improve pipeline accuracy.
• Understand how distributors and manufacturers can collaborate using shared data to unlock mutual growth.

John Gunderson

Editorial Director, Industrial Supply Trends

John Gunderson is a senior distributor leader with more than 25+ years of experience leading category management, sales, marketing, pricing, analytics, and e-business with companies such as Crescent Electric Supply Company, HD Supply Power Solutions, White Cap Construction Supply, Anixter/WESCO, Modern Distribution Management, and EIS-Inc.

He writes and speaks for leading distributor publications including Industrial Supply Trends (IST),  MDM, HVACR and Electrical Trends, and Industrial Distribution.

Kyle Weber

President, Global Integrated Supply, Vallen

Ready Now, Ready Next: Building a Future-Ready Talent Bench

This interactive session outlines our strategic approach to building a strong talent bench that meets today’s needs and anticipates tomorrow’s challenges. We will explore a quick roadmap to talent readiness, spotlight key development levers, and engage in group activities to identify real-time gaps and actionable next steps.

Whether planning for growth, succession, or innovation, this session equips you to be proactive, not reactive, about talent.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand the five strategic pillars behind bench development strategy
• Learn how to assess, develop, and prepare talent using tools like 9-box or AVIPA
• Apply a team-level lens to identify critical gaps and plan actions
• Experience shared ownership of development as a leadership imperative
• Commit to one tangible step that enhances your team’s readiness

*Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this presentation are my own and do not necessarily represent Grainger’s position, opinion, or strategy. I am not here in my capacity as a representative of Grainger.

Gowri Natarajan

Director Procurement & Supplier Management, Grainger

Gowri Natarajan is a seasoned procurement leader and strategic operations executive with over 15 years of experience driving transformation across marketing, sales, sourcing, and analytics within Fortune 500 companies. At W.W. Grainger, she oversees more than $6B in annual revenue, delivering margin growth and cost efficiencies through innovative procurement strategies and performance improvement initiatives.

In her past roles, Gowri has developed and executed category strategies across a wide range of product lines—including safety, electrical, lighting, test instruments, metalworking, Tools, cleaning and material handling – accelerating growth and operational excellence through cross-functional collaboration, supplier relationships and data-driven decision-making.

She holds an MBA in Finance and Marketing from Northern Illinois University, a Master’s in Engineering from Anna University, and executive credentials from Harvard and Wharton. Gowri is a certified PMP, Six Sigma Green Belt, and Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals professional. She also serves as adjunct faculty at North Park University and the College of Lake County, where she shares her passion for leadership, procurement, and continuous improvement.

Fierce Conversations That Shape Your Life and Leadership

The conversation is the relationship, yet so many workplace interactions in our industry skim the surface, avoid tension, or fail to address what really matters.

In this session inspired by Susan Scott’s book Fierce Conversations – Achieving Success at Work and in Life One Conversation at a Time, Kyle Webber of Vallen will share how he and his team are applying the book’s seven transformative principles to sharpen communication, build trust, and lead more effectively in the fast-paced world of industrial distribution.

Through a 20-minute talk followed by a panel discussion, Kyle will explore how principles like “Interrogate reality,” “Tackle your toughest challenge today,” and “Let silence do the heavy lifting” have helped his team have more honest conversations, drive accountability, and unlock stronger performance. He’ll also show how any leader, especially those still growing their influence, can apply these tools to strengthen culture, coach others, and lead with confidence.

Whether you’re a team leader or an individual contributor, this session will challenge you to rethink how you show up in your most important conversations—and give you practical tools to make every word count.

Key Takeaways:

• Unpack the 7 principles of Fierce Conversations and how they can accelerate growth, trust, and leadership
• Get practical strategies to help you coach up, manage across, and lead from any level
• Learn how to address hard truths with respect and clarity without damaging relationships
• Leave with a sharper understanding of how communication builds credibility, connection, and culture

Kyle Weber

President, Global Integrated Supply, Vallen

Annabel Raineri (Moderator)

Human Resources Manager, Vallen

Annabel Raineri serves as HR Manager for Vallen’s Integrated Supply group, where she leads strategic initiatives and drives cultural alignment. With nearly a decade of HR experience, she is known for building trust with teams and delivering practical, people-first solutions that foster individual growth and organizational success.

She is also the creator and co-host of Fierce Files, an internal podcast inspired by the principles of Fierce Conversations, designed to spark a culture of transparency, authenticity, and courageous dialogue across the organization.

Sales Leadership Session 3: Strategic Customer Engagement: Turning Feedback into Growth

Customer relationships are no longer won on products and pricing alone. In today’s competitive industrial landscape, both distributors and manufacturers who sell through distribution must rethink how they engage customers to build loyalty, uncover new opportunities, and drive long-term growth.

Join Jonathan Bein of Distribution Strategy Group and Molly Langdon of Stellar Industrial Supply for a candid conversation on what strategic customer engagement really looks like and why it requires more than just surveys or CRM tools. Drawing from real experiences, they’ll share how leading companies are shifting from transactional thinking to becoming true customer partners.

While the CXRX™ platform will be referenced as one way companies are turning feedback into action, the heart of this session is about how you lead, align, and evolve customer engagement to stay competitive. You’ll walk away with practical insights relevant whether you’re managing customer relationships directly or supporting them through the channel.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the difference between transactional and strategic customer engagement and why it matters
• Learn how distributors and manufacturers can align to improve end-customer experiences
• Discover common engagement gaps and how to close them
• Hear how real companies are using customer feedback to drive strategic growth
• Take away actionable practices to elevate customer relationships in your own organization

Jonathan Bein

Managing Partner, Distribution Strategy Group

Jonathan Bein, Ph.D. has worked with many distributors to make their marketing a profit center. He has developed and applied analytic approaches for customer segmentation, customer lifecycle management, positioning and messaging, pricing, and channel strategy for distributors.

Prior to Distribution Strategy Group, Bein has successfully led and been part of executive management for software product and services companies in information technology, healthcare, and communications. Bein has been CEO of several companies including:

SkyeTek — grew revenues and valuation four-fold of RFID manufacturer in seven months.

IGS, Inc. — delivered 100 software solutions for companies such as AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, and Lucent.

Bolder Heuristics, Inc. — achieved Inc 500 ranking with software services for telecommunications, healthcare, and IT.

As VP of Engineering at Informed Access, a provider of phone-based healthcare triage, he drove the development of core products and services and the company was subsequently sold for $300M. As VP of Engineering at Telwatch, Bein drove the development of network management software that became the core platform for Objective Systems. At Martin Marietta, he applied artificial intelligence to perform automatic real-time fault handling of spacecraft hardware.

Bein earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science at the University of Colorado with a focus in Data Intensive Expert Systems and a BA in Computer Science at Indiana University.

Molly Langdon

Senior V.P. Customer Experience, Stellar Industrial Supply

Molly Langdon is Sr. V.P. Customer Experience with Stellar Industrial Supply, based out of Tacoma, WA. With her almost 25 years of industrial supply experience, Molly leads the operations and customer service teams at Stellar as well as their quality management system and certification efforts. Her focus on people development, continuous improvement, and lifelong learning makes her a strong leader in all aspects of team and process development as well as operational excellence.

Molly is currently the Immediate Past Chair of ISA’s Women in Industry and has been a member of this group for over 14 years and helps lead the Women’s Initiative Network at Stellar.

Beyond the Business Card: Elevate Your Career Through Authentic Networking

Attending a networking event is easy, but building lasting, career-shaping relationships is the real challenge. In this bold, high-energy session, Tia Cristy will help you break free from the pressure to be “perfect” and teach you how to network with intention, confidence, and authenticity.

Whether you’re just launching your career or leading a team, you’ll discover how to speak in your natural voice, follow up with purpose, and cultivate a personal network of advocates, collaborators, and trailblazers. This isn’t just about collecting business cards, it’s about making real connections that drive growth, influence, and opportunity.

Key Takeaways:

• Learn how to turn quick conversations into long-term connections
• Ditch perfection and network with confidence and authenticity
• Master the follow-up: what to say and how to stay connected
• Build your personal board of allies, advocates, and collaborators
• Use your natural voice to make meaningful, memorable impressions

Tia Cristy

TEDx Speaker, Communications Coach

Tia Cristy is a professional speaker who has been entertaining others for decades through radio and public engagements. She has stood on many stages in front of tens of thousands of remarkable faces in sold-out arenas.

Tia is a proud member of the Alum, where she has distinguished for thousands the difference between the Frazzler and the Silent Stressor.

As well as being a Tips Expert and the Founder of Tips from Tia, Tia Cristy is the CEO of Ready Speaker One℠, where a team of brilliant coaches take clients through an intensive program to prepare them for the Red Circle. And as a private coach, Tia helps elite clients overcome their fears and excel in the art of communication.

When she’s not teaching others how to speak, Tia loves to enlighten audiences of all sizes with tips and techniques on how to reduce stress in everyday life.

As a Tips Expert, Tia has over 100,000 subscribers and followers who look forward to her collection of lifestyle tips, from health and beauty to home and life.

Tia is a speaker for many events including workshops, corporate seminars, and conventions. She has spoken for prestigious corporations like Vanguard, helping teams find their natural voices and become the authorities on their own stories, as well as speaking on national tours, trying to prevent individuals from suffering from burnout. Tia is also part of She Talks tours alongside an extraordinary lineup of women who range from executive heroes to military Superwomen.

Through the Power of Voice and the Art of Communication, Tia strives to make a positive impact on the world.

Behind the Curtain: What Industry Executives Want Rising Leaders to Know

Ever wonder what today’s industry leaders wish they had known earlier in their careers? In this candid panel moderated by Kayla Jane McLaughlin, Director of Digital and Development at Surpless Dunn & Co., you’ll hear directly from four senior executives as they share real-world lessons, pivotal career moments, and the mindset shifts that helped them lead through complexity.

This is your chance to peek behind the curtain and gain unfiltered insights into what matters most to those at the top – what they look for in rising talent, how they approach decision-making, and what they believe the next generation needs to succeed.

This session will end with Q&A some come with questions!

Bill Davis

VP Industrial Distribution Sales, Snap-on Industrial

With over 30 years in the industrial marketplace, Bill Davis is Vice President of Distribution Sales at Snap-on Industrial. He has spent the past nine years leading the growth of key brands including Williams, Bahco Bandsaw, Sioux, Lindstrom, Bahco Pruning, and ATI.

His career includes leadership roles at major companies such as Grainger – where he developed and launched the Westward Tools brand – and Craftsman, where he led industrial and international expansion efforts. He currently serves on the ISA Board of Directors (2024–present) and holds a B.A. in Marketing Communications from Winona State University.

Sara Dulski

Head of Business Unit – Metalworking, MSC Industrial Supply Co.

At MSC, Sara serves as the Head of the Metalworking Business Unit, which consists of metalworking production tools, like End Mills and Caliber Measuring tools, as well as our Value Added Services and Innovations, such as Special Tooling, Regrinds, 3D Printing, Blade Welding and Metalworking Innovations. Prior to leading MSC’s Metalworking Business Unit, Sara spent 3 ½ years leading MSC’s Exclusive Brands portfolio and Global Sourcing Office, driving improved commercial partnerships with Sales and supporting Customer needs with MSC’s own brands and products.

Before MSC and Industrial Distribution, Sara spent more than 20 years in manufacturing with Newell Brands, Inc. and Electrolux Major Appliances, N.A.. During that time, she served in various customer-facing sales, marketing and product development roles. Sara has led Strategic Business Units with P&Ls for durable and packaged goods in US manufacturing, in addition to global manufacturing and sourcing.

Sara is married to Tom and they have two children, John (13) and Jane (10), along with Daisy the dog. They have an active, overly-scheduled life filled with youth sports, but are a family that loves golf. They reside in Charlotte, North Carolina, close to MSC’s corporate headquarters. Sara serves annually in the fundraising efforts on the Executive Leadership Committee for the American Heart Association’s Greater Charlotte Heart Ball. She is a proud NC native, an undergraduate of UNC Chapel Hill and remains a diehard Tar Heel fan.

Joyce Lansdale

Vice President Enterprise Business Development, Vallen

Kayla Jane McLaughlin (Moderator)

Director of Digital & Development, Surpless Dunn & Co.

Kayla Jane McLaughlin is the Director of Digital and Business Development for Surpless Dunn & Co, Inc based in Chicagoland. She’s worked in the industry for over 8 years since graduating with a degree in Supply Chain Management and Accounting. In her current role, she oversees the entirety of the warehouse, inside sales, and eCommerce business; supports relationships with manufacturers and distributors, and works to develop CRM/ERPs that best-serve our business partners’ needs. Kayla is currently the Immediate Past Chair of the Emerging Leaders Network.

Leading Through Change: Building Resilience Across the Industrial Channel

In today’s unpredictable business environment, marked by technological shifts, workforce disruption, and evolving customer expectations, change management is no longer a back-office function; it’s a core leadership competency.

Join Shawn Gregg, Vice President at WESCO, and Teresa Wu, Vice President at 3M, for an in-depth, real-world conversation about leading through uncertainty. Together, they’ll explore how both distributors and manufacturers who sell through distribution can adapt with speed, align cross-functional teams, and create cultures that embrace transformation instead of resisting it.

This session is relevant to both sides of the channel because lasting change can’t happen in isolation. Distributors must manage change within their teams and with their suppliers. Manufacturers must guide their own organizations while enabling their channel partners to evolve as well. Change done well strengthens the entire ecosystem.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the leadership behaviors that drive successful change
• Learn how to manage change across both internal teams and external partnerships
• Discover how top companies are building change-ready cultures
• Gain actionable strategies for navigating transformation in a volatile market
• See why shared change management proficiency benefits the full supply chain

Shawn Gregg

Vice President – General Manager, Wesco International

Shawn Gregg is vice president of global safety for Wesco, a multinational supply chain and distribution services company. He started his career as a safety engineer and over the past three decades has focused on producing and delivering innovative safety solutions and programs to keep workers safe. He brings deep experience in key end markets, such as manufacturing, along with first-hand industry knowledge and technical expertise in industrial safety. A Minnesota native, Shawn earned his bachelor’s degree at Bemidji State University and his MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management at DeVry University.

Teresa Wu

Vice President, Industrial Channel, USAC SIBG, 3M

Bio coming soon.