2025 Agenda
Profit and Productivity Summit
Join distribution leaders November 10–12, 2025, to discover how to Unlock Greater Profit Margins and Operational Efficiency in Distribution
Agenda
10:30 – 11:30am
Pre-show workshop: Unlocking Manufacturer-Distributor Collaboration for Powerful and Efficient Growth
Ian Heller, Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer
Distribution Strategy Group
Learn More
Ian Heller has more than 30 years of experience executing marketing and e-business strategy in the wholesale distribution industry. He has written and spoken extensively on the impact of digital disruption on distributors.
Ian entered the distribution industry as a truck unloader at a Grainger branch while in college. He eventually became Vice President of Marketing there and has since held senior executive roles at GE Capital, Corporate Express, Newark Electronics and HD Supply. Ian most recently served as President and COO for Modern Distribution Management, a specialized information and analytics firm serving the wholesale distribution industry.
Ian earned a BA in History from Roosevelt University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, where he was elected commencement speaker by his classmates and won the Dean’s Distinguished Service Award.
*Register early to be attend this private event
Distributors who collaborate effectively with manufacturers can build more comprehensive and effective marketing plans that drive sales and profits. Even better, you can use your marketing co-op funds and rebates to have these initiatives funded by suppliers.
In this session, Ian Heller, who has been a VP Marketing for four large, publicly-held distributors, explains how you can work with your manufacturers to transcend transactional relationships and build powerful collaborative marketing partnerships. Learn practical methods to identify joint opportunities, utilize co-op marketing funds intelligently, and employ simple marketing technology to measure and boost results. You’ll leave equipped with strategies that turn everyday distributor-manufacturer interactions into long-term competitive advantages.
Key Topics:
- Moving from transactional rebates to strategic collaboration
- Practical use of co-op funds to amplify marketing impact
- Harnessing simple marketing technology for powerful results
- Real-world examples of collaboration improving both distributor and manufacturer profitability
12:15pm – 12:30pm
Welcome + Agenda Review
Conference hosts Ian Heller and Jonathan Bein preview the conference!
12:30pm – 1:15pm
KEYNOTE: Session Details Coming soon!
John Wiborg, CEO & Founder
Stellar
Learn More
John Wiborg is founder, CEO & President of Stellar Industrial Supply, Inc. a leading nation-wide distributor of industrial, safety and metalworking supplies, with twenty locations and headquartered in Tacoma, Washington. He is a member of the Board of Directors and Lead Director of Affiliated Distributors, the largest buying group in North America. He is also on the Divisional Board of Directors of the Industrial Supply Division of Affiliated Distributors. John also served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee and is a past Chairman for ISA (Industrial Supply Association).
John is currently on several private company boards, and he is an active community volunteer. John serves on the Board of MultiCare Health System, where he is also the Chairman, as well as being a member or Chairman of several committees for that organization. John re-joined the Board of Directors of YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties in 2023.
John has previously served on many Boards and Committees in the Tacoma community, including the boards of YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties (past Chairman), The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation (past Chairman of the Investment Committee), Bellarmine Preparatory School and The Bellarmine Benefactors’ Trust.
John lives in Tacoma, Washington, he has 5 grown children, 1 grandchild and two dogs. John enjoys snow skiing, golf, boating, cooking, travel, his dogs and reading (especially historical novels).
1:15pm – 2:00pm
Tech Leader Panel
As businesses scale in complexity, tech leaders are increasingly tasked with aligning digital infrastructure to drive both productivity and profitability. In this panel, senior technology executives will explore how they’re modernizing operations, streamlining data flows, and enabling more responsive customer experiences. From practical lessons in automation to navigating the challenges of systems integration and team alignment, this conversation will dig into what it really takes to lead sustainable digital transformation in today’s competitive landscape.
Expect candid insights from leaders with firsthand experience architecting resilient, high-performance tech environments across commerce, operations, and customer engagement.
2:00pm – 2:30pm
welcome event experts
A brief introduction round for event sponsors where each sponsor is given 1 minute to introduce themselves, share their core offerings, and explain how they align with the event’s mission.
2:30pm – 2:45pm
Passing Break
2:45pm – 3:15pm
Session Details Coming Soon!
Session presented by:
3:15pm – 3:45pm
Session Details Coming Soon!
Session presented by:
3:45pm – 4:15pm
Session Details Coming Soon!
Session presented by:
4:15pm – 5:00pm
KEYNOTE: Session details coming soon!
5:00pm – 7:00pm
Networking & Reception
Join us for an evening of connection, conversation, and celebration as you mingle with fellow attendees in the Exhibit Hall.
Enjoy a delectable selection of heavy hors d’oeuvres and a variety of drinks while you network and set the stage for an unforgettable event. Don’t miss this perfect opportunity to make new connections and reconnect with colleagues!
7:00am – 8:00am
All Attendee Breakfast
8:00am – 8:15am
What We Learned on Day 1 / Preview of Day 2
Join Ian and Jonathan to kick off day 2! Hear about yesterday’s highlights and what day 2 has in store.
8:15am – 9:00am
KEYNOTE: AI-Powered Profitability: Transforming Your Business in 2026
Randy MacLean
WayPoint Analytics
Learn More
Randy MacLean founded WayPoint Analytics which has been delivering detailed cost and profit analyses to distributors and manufacturers for more than fifteen years. His best-selling “Profit-Driven” book series have been a vital guide for industry executives and managers, bringing effective tactics for boosting profit rates to companies across the industry. His insights and techniques are widely used, as the most successful distributors have adopted data-driven approaches to their profit strategies. Discover more at www.waypointanalytics.net
The AI revolution is here, and it’s reshaping the landscape of business success. Many executives are yet to fully grasp AI’s transformative potential for profitability and productivity. In this dynamic session, discover how AI can drive unprecedented growth, boost margins, optimize costs, and unlock capabilities beyond your current vision. Learn practical strategies to enhance execution and elevate your market presence. This isn’t just a talk—it’s your blueprint for action when you return to the office. Bring a notepad; you’ll want to capture every insight!
9:00am – 9:30am
Reimagining Profitability in Today’s Economy
9:30am – 10:00am
Predictive Demand & Inventory Agility
10:00am – 10:15am
Passing Break / AM Bev break
10:15am – 10:45am
TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP PANEL
10:45am – 11:15am
session details coming soon!
11:15am – 12:45pm
All Attendee Lunch & SPEED NETWORKING
Join us for a speed networking lunch where you’ll connect with professionals in a topical focused conversation.
12:45pm – 1:30pm
KEYNOTE: Workforce 2030 — Automation, Upskilling, Retention
Dwayne Roberts, President
Summit Electric Supply
Learn More
Dwayne Roberts is the President of Summit Electric Supply, bringing over two decades of experience in the electrical distribution industry. Since joining Summit in 2022 as Vice President of Operations, Dwayne has played a pivotal role in driving operational excellence and enhancing customer and supplier relationships. His leadership spans critical areas, including Inventory Management & Procurement, Pricing & Profitability, Service Center & Customer Service Operations, Logistics & Fleet Management, and the company’s Quality & Safety programs.
Before joining Summit, Dwayne spent over 21 years at Graybar, where he held various leadership roles in accounting and operations. His responsibilities included overseeing a $700 million region with a 300+ person operations team across two regional distribution centers and 18 branch locations.
Dwayne holds a B.S. in Business Administration with a focus in Accounting from Appalachian State University. His dedication to operational efficiency and customer-centric strategies continues to position Summit Electric Supply as a leader in the industry.
1:30pm – 2:00pm
session details coming soon!
2:00pm – 2:30pm
session details coming soon!
2:30pm – 2:45pm
Passing Break
2:45pm – 3:15pm
session details coming soon!
3:15pm – 3:45pm
session details coming soon!
3:45pm – 4:00pm
Passing Break
4:00pm – 4:30pm
session details coming soon!
4:30pm – 5:00pm
session details coming soon!
TBD
A Series
Track 1
Track 2
Track 3
7:00am – 8:00am
All Attendee Breakfast
8:00am – 8:15am
What We Learned on Day 2 / Conference Wrap Up
Wrap up the event with Ian and Jonathan! Revisit all the note-worthy events from the 2 previous days and review what today has in store.
8:15am – 9:00am
KEYNOTE: Economic and Labor Market Update – What to Expect in 2025 and Beyond
Alex Chausovsky, Director of Analytics and Consulting
Bundy Group
Learn More
In his investment banking advisory role as the Director of Analytics and Consulting for Bundy Group, Alex Chausovsky is a trusted resource and advisor for owners and executives of privately-held firms and industry trade associations on analytical, economic and business-oriented topics. Alex is a highly experienced market researcher and analyst with more than two decades of expertise across industries such as automation, industrial technology, healthcare, business services and manufacturing.
He has consulted and advised companies throughout the U.S. and Canada, Europe, South America, and Asia. Alex has delivered more than one thousand presentations, webinars, and workshops to small businesses, trade associations, and Fortune 500 companies and is the go-to source of industry data and insights for hundreds of enterprises across a spectrum of industries. Alex’s analysis has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, on the BBC, and on NPR.
The US macro economy finished 2024 on a strong note, with the consumer acting as the main growth driver. However, the industrial (B2B) sector faced substantial headwinds as aggressive interest rate policy decisions by the Fed mostly stamped out inflation but also raised borrowing costs and stifled capital investment. Now that the rate cutting cycle has begun, the Fed is looking to strike a balance between keeping a lid on inflation while preventing the economy and the job market from deteriorating.
Leading indicators point to an improvement in the US economy in 2025, but President Trump’s agenda, particularly his tax cut, immigration, and tariff policies, are bound to have a substantial impact. What does all this mean for the economy and for your business? This presentation will deliver practical and actionable advice designed to help business leaders plan for future economic conditions and continuously improve their organization’s strategic planning initiatives.
Attendees will walk away from the session with the following insights:
- Time-sensitive economic events of concern such as inflation, interest rates, tariffs, immigration, labor market conditions, consumer spending, business investment, and industrial activity
- Concrete advice on how to navigate the current macroeconomic climate and plan for the future
- Tools that company leadership can use to become better data-driven decision makers in running their businesses
9:00am – 9:15am
Passing Break
9:15am – 10:30am
WORKSHOP: Using AI to Improve Profit and Productivity (PNP Planning)
Janet Zelenka, Board Member, Former CFO/CIO
Stericycle and Essendant
Learn More
Janet is a Board member and Audit Committee Chair for private companies and most recently served and both CFO and CIO for Stericycle, a public company in the regulated healthcare waste industry. She combines her collaborative and transparent leadership style with her unique synthesis of finance and IT expertise to drive shareholder value. She is a respected and engaging thought leader who speaks on profitability, cash generation, artificial intelligence, IT, data, and governance.
In 2023, Janet was named to 2023 Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Leaders in Finance List and was awarded the 2023 Bronze Stevie Award for Technology Executive of the Year. In 2022 Janet won the 2022 Chicago Enterprise CIO of the Year ORBIE Award, the Chicago SIM CIO+ of the Year Award and was a finalist for the Chicago FEI CFO Public Company Award.
Join Janet Zelenka for an interactive, hands-on workshop focused on uncovering new avenues for profit and productivity within distribution companies. Drawing on her extensive executive experience, Janet will guide participants through practical exercises and real-world scenarios to identify hidden profit opportunities, streamline operations, and drive organizational performance. The session will feature group discussions, table exercises, and Q&A, ensuring actionable takeaways for every attendee.
Key Takeaways:
Proven strategies for boosting profit in distribution
Best practices for improving productivity and operational efficiency
Interactive exercises to apply concepts to your own business
Opportunity for Q&A with one of the industry’s most respected financial leaders
10:30am – 10:45am
Passing Break / AM Bev break
10:45am – 11:15pm
tech leader panel
In an era where customer expectations are rising and margins are tightening, unlocking growth means getting more precise — with your product data, your pricing, and your strategy. In this practical session, experts from Pimberly and PROS come together to explore how better data governance and AI-powered pricing strategies are reshaping the way companies operate in digital commerce.
Participants will learn how modern PIM systems and pricing intelligence platforms can work in tandem to accelerate product launches, improve personalization, and protect profitability — even in volatile markets. With real-world examples and hands-on takeaways, this session focuses on the how, not just the what, behind scalable, data-driven performance.
11:45am – 12:00pm