AEA Is pleased to introduce a new educational offering for our members– a face-to-face, regional Warehouse Training Course, the Essentials of Profitable Warehouse Operations, presented by Jason Bader of The Distribution Team. This one-day course is intended to give managers a framework to teach essential warehousing functions to the teams they manage. Please Read below for details:

Course Details

This one day course is based on the Essentials of Profitable Warehouse Operations© course created by ASA. The course is intended to give managers a framework to teach essential warehousing functions to the teams they manage. The content also serves to refresh old concepts and introduce additional operating efficiencies. Topics include:

• The role of the wholesale distributor in the supply chain
• Inventory as cash
• Warehouse security
• Inventory accuracy and cycle counting
• Preventative maintenance programs
• Employee safety
• Facility layout and storage systems
• Inventory movement analysis
• Dead Stock
• The order transaction
• Functional roles in the transaction
• Team leadership and supervision

The Idea

After primarily running the course through the ASA channels of distribution (Plumbing, Piping and HVAC), we feel that there is an excellent opportunity to open this training up to the members of FPDA. The course is generic enough that it will apply to all hard goods distribution companies. Several non-ASA companies have attended the course over the last year.

Most distribution owners are reluctant to send their warehouse personnel to destination education offerings. By locating these classes in larger distribution markets, we will be able to offer education without the need for extended travel expense. In the state of Florida, for example, we could hold the course in the 3 largest markets – Orlando, Miami and Tampa. We have identified 25 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) with at least 2 million residents in population.  Click here to view cities

The Educational Opportunity

Most privately held distributors struggle with training. Most training is geared toward product knowledge, sales or data processing functions. The material handling team, the same people who have a significant impact on net profit, receive little or no formal training. Distributors tend to use the shadow or OJT method. Unfortunately, bad habits tend to get passed down from employee to employee. This program will give the operational leaders the tools to create their own internal programs.

The Target Audience

This program is designed to appeal to all operational personnel. Branch managers, warehouse managers and key warehouse supervisors are the most common participants. We have also attracted several training coordinators interested in taking the program back to their organization.

The Cost of the Program

In order to make the financials work, the course will be offered at $325/head. Modest discounts can be offered for multiple participants from a single company. The tuition includes the Essentials of Profitable Warehouse Operations manual (currently sold at $160), lunch and other catering costs. This fee will cover the cost of the manuals from ASA, the instructor compensation and travel, the meeting space and catering.

The Instructor

The course has been facilitated by Jason Bader, of the Distribution Team, for the past year. He has presented the course in 10 cities around the United States. His ability to connect with participants stems from his experience growing up in the distribution business and spending several years working in warehouse operations. He transitioned to teaching and coaching in 2003.

Jason Bader is the managing partner of The Distribution Team. The Distribution Team specializes in providing excellence in inventory management training, business operations consulting and technology utilization to the wholesale distribution industry. Jason brings over 20 years of experience working in the distribution field. He has overseen various operational teams, managed small and large facilities, and served in an executive management capacity for the last 10 years of his distribution career.

Prior to joining The Distribution Team, he spent four years on the board of directors with STAFDA, the Specialty Tools and Fasteners Distributor Association. In his final year, he was given the honor of being the youngest president in the association’s 26 year history.

Jason is a graduate of the University of Oregon. He has a B.S. in human development and has held many different teaching and coaching positions throughout his life. Upon graduation, he spent a year in Japan teaching English to corporate clients such as Bankers Trust, Teac Corporation and Nippon Television. This opportunity strengthened his passion for teaching.

Jason finds himself in the unique position of being a true practitioner turned educator. He focuses his speaking engagements on practical experience. He often draws from real experience as a way to teach his audience how to overcome challenges in the wholesale distribution industry. Jason is a regular speaker at distribution industry events and he is a featured contributor to several trade publications, such as Construction Supply, Industrial Supply, The Wholesaler, FEDA News & Views and Today’s Electrical Distributor.

For the latest information on available dates and registration, click here:

Check back frequently to see if registration is open for a city near you!