Eric Hoplin took the helm of NAW on Monday as its new CEO. In a video message to members from a distribution warehouse, Hoplin said, "It's an incredible honor to serve the entire wholesale distribution industry as the new CEO of NAW. I've long admired this industry and am eager to partner with all of you to ensure you have the resources and support you need to help your business succeed in these ever-changing and complex political, cultural, and economic times." Watch the video message.

AmerisourceBergen has been able to successfully maintain pharmaceutical supply chains during the coronavirus pandemic thanks in part to its "purpose-driven" culture, says Robert Mauch, executive vice president and group president. He also discusses supply chain innovation at AmerisourceBergen and how the company is striving to further diversity and inclusion by having "uncomfortable conversations."

Optimas Solutions has named Americas business unit leader Marc Strandquist as CEO. He succeeds TJ Rosengarth, who becomes chairman. Strandquist joined the company in January.

While electric vehicles are gaining traction as passenger vehicles, experts say electrification faces some hurdles for larger vehicles. These challenges include torque, battery weight and cooling systems for the motors and components.

Successful distributors know they sometimes need to disregard conventional thinking regarding sales, customer relationships and technology, writes consultant Robert Sabath. He writes that companies should rethink exclusively focusing on costs, copying leading competitors and offering free shipping when it's no longer useful.

Selling is a proactive activity while customer service tends to be more reactive, but both functions are vital for attracting and retaining customers, writes Colleen Francis. Avoid using customer service as a sales channel and use profit-center thinking to optimize customer service operations, Francis advises.

Optimizing a company website for local search can help distributors attract customers in their immediate geographic area, writes Dean Mueller of Distribution Strategy Group. He explains how to use Google My Business and online directories to appear higher in search results.

Companies should move beyond a scarcity mindset and realize that serving all stakeholders as a responsible business will ultimately benefit investors, too, argues London Business School professor Alex Edmans. "There is a role for regulation, but there is a limit to what you can achieve with it, because it only leads to compliance, not commitment," he says.

Register for today's 2 p.m. Eastern webinar: "Distributor Suppliers Speak Out on Disruption, New Channels and Who Will Win," and find out how manufacturers view the emerging technologies that are transforming distribution channels. On this 60-minute webinar, which is based on original research with manufacturers during COVID-19, Ian Heller and Jonathan Bein will share the fascinating insights that manufacturers shared -- some of which are alarming for distributors. Even if you can't attend live, register anyway so you receive the webinar recording. Sponsored by Unilog.

NAW Institute Fellow Mark Dancer writes that "distributors have the opportunity to break free of the chains that bind them to meager margins and feeble brands. But, there is a problem. The prevailing distribution mindset is that the forces of disruption and digital transformation highlight the weaknesses in the distributor's business model. Distribution is threatened, but distributors can do more. The forces of change that are enabling disruption are also available to distributors. Breaking free requires a new mindset: Distributors can dominate!" Read more.

Designed for C-suite executives, these virtual roundtables provide actionable strategies that will help put your COVID-19 recovery plan in place! Companies belonging to this community are from distribution firms between $100 million and up to a billion in annual sales. You'll engage in robust conversations with your peers and hear from industry experts on topics to help your business transition to the new normal -- all in the comfort of your own office/home! Register today.