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More than 600 members of the National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) converged on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, to kick off the Association’s Annual Meeting in Aventura, Florida. The event brings together chemical distribution industry leaders and their suppliers, customers and colleagues to discuss ways to improve business performance, management skills, safety, security and more.

This year marks 50 years since the formation of NACD in 1971 and 30 years since the creation of NACD’s Responsible Distribution program in 1991. The Annual Meeting provides an opportunity for the association and its members to celebrate these milestones.

NACD was honored to be joined this year by 43rd U.S. President George W. Bush, who discussed the challenges facing our nation and the power of freedom to fuel opportunity and security at home and abroad. Additional sessions of note from an impressive lineup of speakers and panelists providing insights on issues facing the chemical distribution industry include:

 • Your Ship Will Come In…Someday! The Shipping Crisis and Impacts on the Manufacturing Sector after Harvey, Ida and More, Eric Byer of NACD and Chris Jahn of American Chemistry Council (ACC). From impacts on refining and manufacturing post-Harvey and Ida hurricanes, to the deep freeze in Texas, Byer and Jahn discuss how these disruptions along with Covid and now the shipping crisis of 2021 have ripple effect and what the Associations are doing to help.
 • Leading Through Uncertainty, Nadja West, Lt. General (RET.). Providing effective leadership tactics during difficult times requires strategic thinking, confidence and connection. Sharing her career lessons-learned, West demonstrates that good leadership and a loyal team come from strong communication, truly understanding your people, treating them with respect, and leading with empathy, particularly through hard times.
 • Planning and Navigating with Assurance, Alan Beaulieu, ITR Economics. As distributors begin to prepare for the challenges and ongoing uncertainties in 2022, Beaulieu will explore opportunities and risks ahead in terms of government initiatives, consumer trends, market opportunities, labor issues and production costs.