Author: Steve Guglielmo

After the introductory marks, Abydee welcomed the six participants for the morning’s opening session, “The CEO Track.” She was joined on stage by industry stalwarts: Jason Krieger, Jenny McCall, Richelle Smith-Brecht, Mark Raimy, Wally Brant and Alex Kennedy. The panel followed the SWOT analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. “The CEO is not a reward, it’s not a medal and it’s not somewhere you park somebody when they get old. It’s an active job and an active duty. To me, a good day as a CEO is being visible,” said Indiana Oxygen CEO Wally Brant. “Be engaging with your people.…

The term “Made in the USA” is one that is familiar to everybody. We’ve seen it on packaging. We’ve seen it in commercials, usually accompanied by flags waving, baseball in the background and apple pie coming out of the oven. And research suggests that the term does more than evoke feelings of patriotism. It can actually drive consumer spending and habits. But the term “Made in the USA” and other similar claims, like “American Made,” are more than just branding and sloganeering.  Made in the USA is actually a federally protected designation from the Federal Trade Commission.  According to the…

Praxair Distribution, Inc. has named Roch Monahan Associate Director of M&A – Business Development, U.S., reporting to Mark Herrington, Director of M&A. In his new role, Monahan will play an instrumental role in identifying and investigating potential acquisition targets. “Roch’s extensive knowledge of the business, industry experience and commitment make him a great fit for the role and a valuable addition to the M&A team in support of PDI’s strategic growth initiatives,” Herrington said. Monahan has more than 30 years of experience in the Industrial Gas Industry serving as Chief Operating Officer & VP of Sales and Marketing for OKI…

EspriGas, a technology and data-driven gas management company, announces today its expanded partnership with Panda Express®, the largest family-owned and operated Asian dining concept in the U.S., to include nearly 2,000 locations. As the exclusive supplier of beverage grade CO2 for Panda restaurants, EspriGas facilitates the management and delivery of both cylinders and bulk CO2 through its extensive and experienced network of local gas suppliers. EspriGas began working with Panda in 2019 as a supplier for 300 of its locations. After experiencing a better model to supply CO2 used to carbonate Coca-Cola products from the beverage fountains, Panda expanded the relationship to include…

The need for welders has reached a critical point, and the American Welding Society (AWS) Foundation, in partnership with Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, is bringing the welding experience back to high school with the Light a Spark Grant. “The AWS Foundation is extremely pleased to offer these grants to high schools that do not currently offer a welding program, thus providing hundreds of students the opportunity to experience welding for the first time and consider the possibility of welding as a career,” said Monica Pfarr, AWS Foundation Executive Director. The Light a Spark Grant is a turnkey package designed to…

The 2021 Morris Gold Award was presented to Ella Sinkovits of Messer Canada, during the CGA Canada 2021 Annual Meeting Kick-off held virtually on Tuesday, September 14, 2021. The award was presented in recognition of Ella’s outstanding and long-term contribution to, and leadership on behalf of, the compressed gas industry and CGA Canada. Since 2012, Ella has been participating and actively contributing to many CGA Committees including the Canadian Cylinder Specifications Committee (Chair 2021-present; 2015-2017); the Cylinder Valve Committee; and the Cylinder Specifications Committee. She is currently a member of 18 work items and has led and been a key…

ITR Economics is excited to announce its new partnership with investment banking firm ButcherJoseph & Co. ButcherJoseph & Co. specializes in ESOPs, mergers and acquisitions, private capital sourcing, and valuation advisory services for middle-market companies. Their industry-recognized team of professionals has executed 200-plus transactions, exceeding $15 billion in total value. ButcherJoseph is headquartered in St. Louis, Mo., with a presence in Washington, D.C., and offices in Chicago; Charlotte, N.C.; Scottsdale, Ariz.; and Nashville, Tenn. This partnership will help ITR Economics expand into the M&A space, where we will provide valuable economic insights to those looking to acquire or sell a…

The Women of Gases and Welding (WGW), GAWDA’s newest committee, continues to promote our mission “to enhance the success of women in the gases and welding industry” as well as “foster a more diverse and inclusive environment for women” in our GAWDA membership.  Several WGW members will be in Colorado Springs participating in this year’s GAWDA Annual events. Look for our purple ribbon on our badge. We would love to talk with you. The Women of Gases and Welding would like to thank all those who have signed up for our upcoming GAWDA Annual WGW Lunch & Hiking Networking event!…

Rather than selling to another company, many members are selling to their employees Across all industries, companies are facing a generational shift that is impacting their entire organizations. As C-suite executives and owners reach retirement age, they are faced with a question of what to do with the business. At the Seven Springs Regional Meeting, Meritus Vice Chairman Rob D’Allesandro laid out what he describes as the five alternatives to selling the business outright, ranking them on a spectrum from staying independent to an outright sale. Those options included an Enhanced Supply Relationship, a Joint Venture with another Distributor, an…