Emerging Leaders Division nearly doubles in size in two years

Here’s an interesting fun fact: Did you know the ASA Emerging Leaders Division is now more than two decades old? How time flies.

In checking old ASA headquarters files, Mike Miazga’s sleuthing unearthed a 2003 Young Executives (EL’s former moniker) Winter Forum flier for the division’s gathering in Breckenridge, Colorado.

The event consisted of Brad Zarbock, then with Northwest/Ferguson out of Sandy, Utah, and now with Utah-based Standard Plumbing Supply, leading a two-seminar session that dove into the popular Jim Collins “From Good to Great” book.

Those Young Executives back in the day didn’t mess around. Education sessions started at 6:30 a.m. each day and wrapped up by 8:30 a.m., to allow for ample skiing time in that famous ski resort town.

In scanning the flier further, it said Breckenridge is the “ideal location to create great memories, meet some wonderful people and attend a first-class educational seminar.”

Some 22 years later, the mission of this division has a similar ring to it where the annual Emerging Leaders EMERGE conference is the ideal place for up-and-coming high-potential employees in ASA member companies to gather for two days of nonstop great educational sessions, best practices sharing and plenty of opportunities to expand professional networks.

This year’s EMERGE (May 13-15) in Las Vegas will be a doozy and will put the division in a position to where it has nearly doubled in size since the 2023 event in Savannah, Georgia. Last year’s EMERGE conference in Boston set a new all-time attendance mark and the Vegas version in May will threaten it.

“The networking is the most important reason to attend EMERGE,” says Watts Water Technologies’ Doug Fuller, who has been involved with the EL group dating back to its previous Young Executives incarnation. “While the speaker and educational opportunities are very informative, creating that connection with individuals from different parts of the U.S. is how we will move the industry to the future.”

This year’s EMERGE in Las Vegas will be the first for Hajoca’s Ryan Fantham. “There are so many paths to success in the industry,” he says. “Emerging Leaders connects future leaders to innovative people and ideas that accelerate growth and help shape our industry. It’s a great way to learn, build relationships and engage with the people that make this industry so special.”

Cody Ulfers, of DSG (Dakota Supply Group), says the EMERGE event has also played a significant role in helping him strengthen and expand his connections within the industry.

“It has pushed me to think outside the box, embrace new ideas and challenge myself in ways I hadn’t anticipated,” he says. “Most importantly, EMERGE has given me the opportunity to bring many fresh ideas back to my company and team, which I am excited to continue exploring.”

Bradford White’s Jack Brody, who will be in Vegas attending his third EMERGE event, is a fan of an Emerging Leaders staple, the best practices roundtable sessions where tables of 10 gather for a 90-minute period and discuss industry common challenges and solutions. The roundtable sessions you now see at almost all ASA events trace their roots back to this division.

“Another great exercise I enjoy is the roundtable discussions because it allows everyone to communicate how they would navigate certain situations we regularly deal with,” Brody explains.

Current EL Advisory Council Chairman Bryce Moore from Southern California-based Hirsch Pipe & Supply also is a fan of the knowledge-exchange roundtable back and forth. “Learning from my peers has been very useful in tweaking and implementing new strategies at the company I work for,” he says. “I get to raise and discuss problems I am facing and get different perspectives on how to approach those problems.”

Preferred Sales’ Matt Guidish, who will be the Emerging Leaders Advisory Council chairman in 2027, started attending EMERGE events back in 2017 because leadership at his Sharon, Pennsylvania-based rep firm brought him along.

“I made so many great relationships during my initial events that I decided to get more involved in recent years,” he says. “The No. 1 thing is building relationships across the industry and across the country. Sure, the speakers are always great, but what brings me back each year is hearing how others are executing their strategies within their business and continuing to build those relationships I have made over the years.”

Alex Porter, from suburban-Chicago-based Porter Pipe and Supply, also got involved with Emerging Leaders as an opportunity offered for professional development by the distributor.

“It’s a form of training investment from the company, but really helped me see the industry as a whole, and get a feel outside the four walls,” he says. “For me, the biggest thing is networking, getting to know people in our industry and see what others are up to as we all navigate the same kinds of challenges and opportunities available.”

For Laura Mustee Hendricks, another EL veteran from Cleveland-based manufacturer E.L. Mustee & Sons, says over the years EMERGE has been an extremely valuable part of her professional development journey.

“It’s an event where relationships are built and ideas are exchanged. I continue to attend for the opportunity to connect with industry peers,” she says. “Some of my most meaningful professional relationships started with a conversation at a networking dinner or a chance meeting between speaker sessions. These connections have led to collaborations and friendships that continue to enrich my career.”

EL relative newcomer Michael Dupuis of Everflow Supplies, adds: “Attending EMERGE provides an invaluable opportunity to collaborate with industry peers, enhancing our field not only for ourselves, but also for the next generation of leaders.”

T.J. Onstott, from rep firm P-M and Associates in Indianapolis, said his EMERGE involvement started out as a tool to grow, learn and network as a young professional getting his feet under him in the industry. Today, he adds, it has transitioned into a way to give back to the industry as a member of the EL Advisory Council.

“While we may have different roles, experiences, markets or what have you, we are all looking to see the industry grow and prosper,” he says.

This year’s EMERGE event ramps up the education aspect with three dynamite sales-oriented sessions in Vegas on negotiating skills, how to read body language in the sales process and growing market share/outselling your competition.

If you are still deciding whether to attend or send some people from your company, what are you waiting for? If you have never attended or never sent someone to EMERGE, now is the time to help your up-and-coming, high-ceiling employees grow in their careers and expand their professional networks. (Registration link is here at www.asa.net/EMERGE).

“I would recommend this conference to anyone in our industry who wants to learn from people in similar roles, and how they navigate daily business challenges and situations,” Bradford White’s Brody says. “Another reason why this group is so important is because of the networking ability it allows. And the lessons we learn from two full days in the conference are well worth the time and investment.”

Guidish says if this is going to be your first time at EMERGE, show up and see if you can meet a few new people.

“There are so many smart people working in this industry, and I always learn something new to bring back to our business when I attend ASA events,” he says.

Mustee Hendricks adds: “What makes EMERGE special is its ability to bring together people who are passionate about what they do. Every year, I walk away with not only new knowledge but also renewed excitement for the work we do. If you are new to this industry, new to your position or new to your company, this event is a great opportunity.”