The Summer Board Meeting

We're getting things set for our Summer Board Meeting coming up July 14 - 16 in beautiful Scottsboro, Alabama. Our host will be President Trey Russell and his Bride, Erica and we'll also have the opportunity to catch up with Pat Russell a former NTPDA President and founder of Russell's Tractor Parts.    From our early registrations we're looking about thirty folks coming to the event. Now, so you know, this is not only about a meeting but it's also a social gathering.  There will be fishing, a hospitality room and a great tour of Russell's Tractor Parts.

And, yes, we'll be posting photos on our social media sites where you can follow along.  Find us @NTPDA on Twitter and our Facebook Page is here.

We're so looking forward to seeing our Board Members and several other Members who will be joining us in Scottsboro!

See you all soon and safe travels! 

NTPDA Leadership with Scott Schelling and Trey Russell

Over 40 years ago a group of agriculture equipment recyclers got together and formed the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association (NTPDA). The group was small and mostly confined to the United States. Today the association has members not only in the U.S. but also Canada, Italy, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom and Malaysia. Here I sit down with Scott Schelling the Immediate Past President and owner of Rock Valley Tractor Parts of Iowa and Trey Russell the incoming President and second generation to Russell's Tractor Parts of Alabama during our time at our Annual Conference and Trade Show. We talk about what they've gotten out of the association and what may be coming in the future.  Plus a "Shout Out" about the Summer Mixer coming in July. 

Thanks for listening!

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.

Oh My!!! NTPDA22 in Kansas City

OMG! This is going to be amazing! Your Board just got back from our NTPDA Summer Board Meeting and facility review of our host hotel for our Annual Conference and Trade Show as we return to Kansas City in January. What a fantastic location and it's already promising to be a huge event.

As you know we were unable to go to Nashville in 2021. Since then we've been working on putting together an amazing event for 2022. We've already been on the phone getting companies to commit to attending, some for the first time in years. And, we've got plenty of surprises in the works that will make this Annual Conference and Trade Show one of the best we've had in a very long time. 

The Facility

We'll be at Harrah's Hotel & Casino in North Kansas City. Even for those of you who are not into gambling this is a fantastic location and facility. The gaming rooms are separate from much of the hotel...but there if you wish. The hotel is just minutes from Downtown Kansas City but, because we're not directly in the city center, our room rates are really quite low. But, that's not all. We're working on setting up a credit for each night you stay with us on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It's called motivation.

And you'll be just steps away from the very famous Gordon Ramsay Steakhouse located in the facility. Your Board (see above photo) had dinner there and we promise you that it will be an amazing experience. Even though it serves some fantastic steaks you've got to try the sea bass. No, really...it is stunning!

We also checked out the Trade Show Floor and that too has room for plenty of our Associate Members to show off their products and services. Plus we've been working on several new ways to help you better engage with our displayers and actually...win some $. Our goal is to make this Trade Show Event one of the best we've ever had and really make it worth the time and effort for our Regular and Associate Members.

Registration & Pricing

The Board, during our Summer Meeting, has set the pricing for registration and booth space and that link will soon be on our website. Don't worry, we'll share as soon as we go live.  However, just so you might start planning, registration is $300 per person through the end of October, $375 per person through the end of November and $450 per person if you're going to drag your heels and wait to register. 

Booth space is set at $500, a bargain if you've been seeing the rates for other trade shows, and we're working on a Site Visit that will take place at Cook's Tractor Parts of Clinton, Missouri. Transportation is included...and Richard tells us so is lunch...and more. There will be a Spouse Event that will be "over the moon" and of course we'll continue our tradition of fund raising for St. Jude.

Save The Date!

So you can plan to be with us make sure you save the date!  Many will be arriving on Thursday January 20th as we get the party started and we'll be active with tours, the Trade Show, Annual Meeting, St. Jude Auction and Dinner ending on Saturday night, January 22.  Again, full registration details and our event details will soon be posted on the NTPDA website. Our goal here is to get you in the mood for what is promising to be an outstanding event for business and for a great social experience. Photo: Gordon Ramsay Streak Restaurant. 

Stay tuned...we'll continue to tease you.

 

Our First Ever Virtual Annual Membership Meeting

Because we couldn't have our Annual Meeting and Trade Show this past January and because we've got some business to take care of the Board of Directors of NTPDA have decided to hold our Annual Membership Meeting on Friday the 26th of March at 11:00AM Central.  A meeting notice along with directions on how to join us on ZOOM along with a brief agenda has already been sent out.

If you're a member of our association make sure you also check our "spam" folder. It could be tucked away there.

We look forward to seeing you as we elect new Board Members and discuss the future events we've got planned.

Catch you on The Zoom!

Nashville 2021 Annual Meeting - Cancelled

In what was a tough decision by the NTPDA Board of Directors the 2021 Nashville Annual Meeting has been cancelled. Over the past several weeks it was becoming more clear that the vast majority of our membership had made the decision to skip the event. This past weekend President Scott and Vice President Trey had some discussions about the numbers and, of course, the bombing which happened just blocks from our hotel. 

President Scott sent a note to each Board Member asking for their input and the group voted 8 to 2 to cancel. President Scott did not vote and would have only done so if there had been a tie.  We will be holding a Board Meeting Conference Call during the time that we had been scheduled for Nashville to accomplish the business of the Association. 

In addition if you had pre-paid your registration we'll be making reimbursements as soon as Kim gets back in the office.  If you made room reservations we urge you to call and cancel as soon as possible.

What's Next?

Now your staff is working to make sure we connect with each member who had indicated they were going to go to Nashville. We are also connecting with the hotel, the restaurant, transportation, the Jack Daniel's Distillery and others involved.  In addition we're also changing up The Bulletin and removing information about our 2021 event.  That issue should be in your hands in the next couple of days.

Now it's on to making plans for our 2021 Summer Meeting which is scheduled for Portland and our 2022 Annual Meeting and Trade Show which is scheduled for California. Our focus will be to create some outstanding events that will help each of our members and their businesses.

On a personal note you need to know that we worked hard to make this happen but in the end it was not to be.  You should also know that NTPDA Leadership took on the task to, behind the scenes, continue to keep everybody in the loop. We've had near daily phone calls and text messages.  Our thanks to President Scott and the entire Board of Directors for their input and work.  Thank you too for being an NTPDA Member...it matters.

Annual Meeting Agenda - Nashville 2021

National Tractor Parts Dealer Association

37th National Conference 

January 14 - 17, 2021

Renaissance Nashville Hotel

The NTPDA office staff has been working on the 2021 National Conference (#NTPDA21) in the face of the coronavirus and made several changes for next year. We've been able to get the program approved by President Scott and this is what we've got planned. Watch this space for the Registration Information. 

Thursday, January 14, 2021

    All Day Arrivals

    Noon                            Registration

    3:00PM - 6:00PM           Depart for Top Golf

    7:00PM                         Early Arrival Party - The Bridge - Hotel 2nd Floor

Friday, January 15, 2021

    8:00AM                           Breakfast

    9:00AM                           Depart for Site Visit - Russell's Tractor Parts - Scottsboro, AL

    Noon                               Lunch & Retirement Party for Pat at Russell's Tractor Parts*

    2:00PM                            Depart for Jack Daniels Distillery Tour - Lynchburg, TN

    5:00PM                            Depart Lynchburg for return to Nashville

    7:30PM                            Dinner - Renaissance Nashville Hotel

Saturday, January 16, 2021

    8:00AM - 9:00AM               Networking - "Coffee & Conversation" Breakfast Served

    9:00AM - Noon                   NTPDA Member Presentations - In Person & Videos

    12:00PM                            Lunch/General Session/Election of Officers

    1:30PM                              NTPDA Board Meeting

    6:30PM                              Meet for Cocktails/Dinner/St. Jude Silent Auction

Sunday, January 17, 2021

All Day Departures

Please use your Sunday Breakfast Voucher

Have a safe trip home! 

* If you are in the area but not registered for the conference you are invited to attend the Pat Russell Retirement Party/Luncheon on Friday. To make       sure you have a reserved place contact Trey Russell at 256-259-6059 or send Phyllis an email Phyllis@NTPDA.com 

 

 

 

 

Should I Stay or Should I GO...

You're no doubt wondering if the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association (NTPDA) is moving forward with our Annual Meeting scheduled to take place in January, on site, in Nashville. The Board of Directors have been polled by our president and the overwhelming response is, "Let's Go to Nashville!" 

Now, to be sure, we're working on implementing the wishes of the Board right now. We're not exactly sure what this will look like or how it will all come together in four months. But we've got several options and those are being considered and there, as we're sure you can imagine, lots of logistics included.  Some time ago it was decided that the group wanted less speakers and more time to network and socialize...so there is that. The Trade Show portion of the meeting is still up in the air and depends on what our Associate Members wish to do.

While lots of work has already been underway we've had to change some things up due to COVID19. So, while we're still four months out you need to know we're doing what we can to be able to present our members with an event they will enjoy.

And, finally a little music from The Clash. Why not...it's 2020!

Thank you for being loyal members of the NTPDA! 

An Abundance of Caution - Summer Board Meeting

All of us here at the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association (NTPDA) hope this finds you and your family well. Over the past month we've been reaching out to our current and potential members and the bottom line seems to be that you are having a superior season.  We are grateful...stay safe and well.

That "safe and well" comment leads us into sharing that the Board recently voted on if we should move forward with our Summer Board Meeting in Portland or if we should not travel and do our Board Meeting remotely. The overwhelming response from the Board was to cancel our trip to Portland and hold our July meeting "on-line". This decision was not made lightly. President Scott polled each board member for their input and at the end of the day he made that decision.  You should know the hotel and staff have been great to work with and they totally understand and are working with us for next year.

The good news is that we hope to be in Portland in July of 2021 and all systems are "GO" for that adventure. 

What About Nashville 2021

We're still looking forward to holding our Annual Conference and Trade Show in Nashville in January of next year. Phyllis has been working with the venue and considering speakers and topics.  If you've got a "hot button issue" you might like us to consider get with President Scott, Phyllis or Michael and let us know. As always, we love hearing from our members.

Speaking of Members

It took a bit of time but we can now announce that Granit Parts has been officially welcomed as an Associate Member.  We've had extensive conversation with members who may have taken issue with admitting Granit and in the end it was decided to bring Timm Mueller and his company in. We look forward to having them join us in January.  Many of our current members have already met Timm and for those of you who have not we hope to fix that next year.

Stay in Touch

While we're making phone calls every day to our current and potential members we remind you to stay in touch with us. If you have new, news about your company please share it with us and we'll do our best to share it with the world.  Follow us on Facebook and if you use Twitter you'll find us here: @NTPDA.

Thanks for reading...and...stay well!

 

Time For NTPDA Scholarships!

Each year the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association presents scholarships to deserving students wishing to advance their education. The NTPDA Scholarship Program is open to NTPDA members, employees of members or dependents of members or employees.  Students must enroll full-time (12 or more credit hours) at an accredited college or university for the 2020 - 2021 academic year.

Due to the rising cost of education, our Board of Directors voted last year to raise the amount of the annual scholarship. 

NTPDA contributes $1,500 and the sponsoring company of the recipient is to contribute $500 for a total of $2,000 award per recipient.

Scholarship awards are based on academic achievement, extra-curricular/community activities, evidence of leadership, work experience, short- and long-term career goals, and the applicant's overall response to each of the questions on the application.  Financial need is not considered in the review process and there is no distinction made on race, religion or gender of the applicant.

OK!  So let's send you to the NTPDA Scholarship Page on our website that has all the details and the application. 

Remember, applications must be complete and received in the Texas office by Tuesday, March 17, 2020.  That address is: 

NTPDA - Post Office Box 1181 - Gainesville, Texas 76241

Once again, here is a link to our NTPDA Scholarship Page.

2020 Annual Trade Show & Conference

It's here!  Registration is NOW OPEN for the NTPDA 36th Annual Conference and Trade Show January 16 - 18. And if you register before the end of business day on November 1 you'll get one FREE Registration. How cool is that? Oh, you want a LINK to Register...here you go!

We'll be at the wonderful Harrah's AK-Chin Casino & Resort. (You wanna look...right?) Room rates are very reasonable and here is your link to book rooms.

So, what can you expect this year?

Thursday we will kick off our conference and trade show with our Early Arrival Party. If you've never been it is a BLAST!

Then on Friday we will offer presentations sure to enhance your day to day operations:

• How to Achieve the Impossible with Billy Riggs
• Confronting the Chaos of State Taxes with George Isaacson
• Current State of Freight with Steven Haas

The NTPDA Spouse Program is going to be wonderful!  We'll be going to the Queen Creek Olive Mill it will be a true experience. Go ahead, click through to learn more but...come back!  Remember Mobile? (You can click on the images to enlarge!)

We'll take a break on Friday afternoon and do some bowling with your fellow NTPDA members. It is just another way to get to know each other and network. This should be a great time...we've done this years ago and bringing it back.

Register Here!

Also on Friday Evening we'll open up our Trade Show/Marketplace so members can mingle with displayers, make some friends and some deals. And, yes...we're still in "Reception Mode"!

On Saturday our Trade Show/Marketplace opens and we'll have breakfast there. Also on Saturday we'll hold our election, have a displayers meeting and our Board Meeting.

Then, on Saturday night we'll wind down with Cocktails and Dinner along with our Live Auction to benefit St. Judes. Something that YOU our members have been so happy to support!

Every day will be a day for you to enjoy the sunshine and the companionship of your fellow NTPDA Members and Guests. 

Don't delay!  Make your reservations TODAY and BEFORE November 1 and you'll save on an additional registration. 

See you in Arizona!