Showing Gratitude

It's November and we're coming up on the American holiday of Thanksgiving. It's a time when family and friends gather to express our combined gratitude for all that we have and reflect a bit on the past year. It's also the start of the busy holiday season. It's...all good.

At the same time we're gearing up for our Annual Conference and Trade Show that will happen in Southern California. San Diego is not only beautiful but also warm this time of year.  You should know that your staff has been working on this for months and the early indication is we're going to have many new faces with us. If you're on the fence when it comes to attending consider the benefits of joining us.

• Face Time - You'll have the opportunity to visit with the decision makers of our association and that gets business done;
• Learning Time - Our speaker is an expert on "generational differences" in the workplace. You've got to hear this;
• Social Time - Our group is not afraid of having a good time and we spread that cheer all around;
• Marketing Time - How can you better market your products and services? We're here to help;
• Giving Time - Once again we'll be raising funds for St. Jude's Hospital and Clinic. A worthy cause.

Today it's time to make that decision and join us. Here is a link for the agenda as well as the registration link. This is truly the time to act.

Finally your Board and Staff are so very grateful you are an NTPDA Member. Our group has grown over the past sixteen months and you've been most generous in renewing your membership fee. In addition many of you have made a contribution to this years event. We thank you and we'll be sharing that message of gratitude in the weeks to follow and also make a big splash in California come January.

Thank you for being a member...it does matter! 

The 2020 NTPDA Scholarship Winners

The National Tractor Parts Dealer Association (NTPDA) Scholarship Committee has released the names of the 2020 NTPDA Scholarship Winners. The committee, made up of NTPDA members, met several times to rank the blind applications. Congratulations to the following individuals and their sponsors:

Tate Blankespoor, son of Harvey and Cheryl Blankespoor, was recently awarded a $2,000.00 scholarship from the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association.  Tate is attending Iowa State University pursuing a degree in Biology. His sponsor is A & I Products in Rock Valley, IA.

Alicia Dennie, daughter of Cory and Teresa Dennie, recently was awarded a $2,000.00 scholarship from the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association.  Alicia is attending Purdue University pursuing a degree in Pre-Dentistry.  Her sponsor is Bates Corporation in Bourbon, IN.

Addie Dickerhoff, daughter of Doug and Kelly Dickerhoff, was recently awarded a $2,000.00 scholarship from the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association.  Addie is currently attending Purdue University pursuing a degree in Nursing. Her sponsor is TTP – Diesel Power and Machine in Pierceton, IN.

Madison Koresh, daughter of Jeffrey Koresh and Stacy Roach, was recently awarded a $2,000.00 scholarship from the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association.  Madison is currently attending Western Michigan University pursuing a degree in Psychology – Behavior Science.  Her sponsor is Steiner Tractor Parts in Lennon, MI.

Sophia Luu, daughter of Binh and Melanie Luu, was recently awarded a $2,000.00 scholarship from the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association.  Sophia is currently attending Iowa State University pursuing a degree in Apparel, Merchandising, and Design; Emphasis: Creative & Technical Design.  Her sponsor is Hy-Capacity in Humboldt, IA.

Ty Joseph Neldon, son of Jamie and Jessica Neldon, was recently awarded a $2,000.00 scholarship from the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association.  Ty is currently attending Southeast Missouri State University pursuing a degree in Business Administration. His sponsor is Worthington Ag Parts in Sikeston, MO.  

Emily Smith, daughter of Pete and Cindy Smith, was recently awarded a $2,000.00 scholarship from the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association.  Emily plans to attend California Polytechnic State University to pursue a degree in Agricultural Business.  Her sponsor is F.P. Smith Parts & Equipment Company in Fairfield, CA.

Jadelynn Vopat, daughter of Ray and Sara Vopat, was recently awarded a $2,000.00 scholarship from the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association.  Jadelynn plans to attend Washburn University to pursue a degree in Biology.  Her sponsor is Abilene Machine, LLC in Abilene, KS.

Morgan Wood, daughter of Brian and Jenny Wood, was recently awarded a $2,000.00 scholarship from the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association.  Morgan plans to attend Lancaster Career and Technology Center to pursue a degree in Veterinarian Technician.  Her sponsor is Wengers of Myerstown in Myerstown, PA.

The National Tractor Parts Dealer Association (NTPDA) is a trade association serving the agricultural and industrial industries with members throughout the United States, Canada, U.K., and India.  The NTPDA awards scholarships yearly to members, members’ employees and their families based on academic achievement, extra-curricular and community activities, and leadership abilities.  Each of our scholarship recipients has demonstrated outstanding qualities in each of these areas, and the NTPDA is very pleased to have presented them with this scholarship. 

Merry Christmas Images

We took some time to scan as many of our member Facebook Pages to see how they were wishing their customers a Merry Christmas and found a bunch. Have a look and see if you can identify who is who. It was a fun adventure seeing how you are using Facebook to lift up the holiday season. If you click on the image it will get larger for you.

All of us at NTPDA wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year. Thank you all for what you do!

 

National Small Business Week

All this week, in the United States, there is a celebration of National Small Business Week. Since 1963 the federal government has set aside a week for a celebration that is critical to our economy.  A few Small Business Facts:

• There are roughly 29 million small businesses in the U.S. which account for 54% of all sales in this country;
• Small businesses provide 55% of all jobs in the U.S. and 66% of all net new jobs;
• There are 600,000 franchise operations here that employ over 8 million people;
• The American small business sector occupies nearly 50% of all commercial space up to 34 billion square feet.

Astounding yes?

Many, if not all, of our NTPDA Regular Member Businesses would fall under 500 employees so, this week is also your week.  What can you do to take part in Small Business Week?  Some thoughts:

• Share Your Story - Contact the local newspaper, radio or television station. Let them know this is National Small Business Week and share your small business story. Take a moment and share what your small business means to your employees and customers and how money spent with you stays in your local community. Believe us, reporters are looking for stories they can use all week long;
• Get Social - Grab the National Small Business Logo from this post and share it on your social media channels...and tell your story there as well;
• Say Thank You - Remember your customers...they are the people that keep your business in business. Post a note on social media, send a note to customers, enclose a note in your shipping items...let people know how important they are to your small business;
• Email the Message - Send out a coupon or at least a thank you reminding your email list that this is National Small Business Week...many of your customers are also small businesses.

Happy National Small Business Week!

 

It's Like Family

One of the reasons the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association continues to grow is because members feel like family. Sure we do business with each other and yes, we are sometimes in competition but at the end of the day we really care about each other.

Maybe that's because NTPDA was started by small business people who knew and respected each other. And while today there may be some really large companies who are members of our group the vast majority of Regular Members are still represented by small business people. 

It's Thanksgiving Week in the U.S. and we would be remiss if we didn't wish all our American Members a Happy Thanksgiving. And, please know that if you are based in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and any number of nations where our members are located we are thankful for you and your people. 

May you all enjoy some quality family time and thank you for being a member of our larger family...

 

Dog Days of Summer

We've all heard the expression "Dog Days of Summer" but did you know that phrase comes from ancient times and not from Georgia? It seems that the hot, sultry weather around the Mediterranean Sea coincided with the rise of the star formation Orion's dog and the "dog star" Sirius. And, so it was that the hot days were recorded as the "Dog Days of Summer" in writings by the Greeks (Hesiod, Aratus, and Homer in The Iliad) and the later Romans.

Here is a piece from The Iliad:

Sirius rises late in the dark, liquid sky
On summer nights, star of stars,
Orion's Dog they call it, brightest
Of all, but an evil portent, bringing heat
And fevers to suffering humanity.

See what you learn when you're a member of the NTPDA?

Happy (and thank goodness for air conditioning!) Dog Days of Summer!

 

Wow! That Was Nice!

The long holiday weekend is over and all of us at NTPDA hope that you and your friends and family had an exceptional time honoring our great nation.  Now, it's back at it. (OK, we know...agriculture never really takes a holiday but, hope your customers took some time off.)

We would really be interested in how you spent your time away from the office. If you care to, hit us up on Facebook we'd love to see.

We're in the middle of planning for the upcoming Summer Board Meeting which will take place in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  If you've got some questions, comments or want to learn more about what the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association has coming up...feel free to shout (well not SHOUT) at us.  We're always listening!

We get it, you've got work to do and we're with you on that.  Once again, thanks for reading and for your membership in the NTPDA!

Oh Say, Can You See...

There are few holidays that truly speak to the soul. Thankfully Independence Day, as it was originally named, or the 4th of July is one of those. It's interesting that in a letter from John Adams to his wife Abigail dated the 3rd of July, 1776 he wrote about the vote by the Second Continental Congress to approve a resolution of independence that had been circulated in June of that year. 

"The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."

He missed it by...two days. The public wished to celebrate on the date on the more widely circulated document the Deceleration of Independence.

Coincidentally, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as Presidents of the United States, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Although not a signer of the Declaration of Independence, but another Founding Father who became a President, James Monroe, died on July 4, 1831, becoming the third President in a row who died on the holiday. Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President, was born on July 4, 1872, and, so far, is the only U.S. President to have been born on Independence Day.

Historical as it is the 4th of July is a treasured holiday for friends, family and for remembering the sacrifice of those who died to preserve our freedoms. It does not matter to what political party you belong; the commonality of celebrating the birth of our nation rings true for all.

May you, here in the United States, have a blessed, safe and joyful Independence Day!

 

Happy Father's Day!

All of us at NTPDA wish you and your family a Happy Father's Day!  We did a little looking around and the holiday had some starts and stops. 

On July 19, 1910, the governor of the U.S. state of Washington proclaimed the nation’s first “Father’s Day.” However, it was not until 1972, 58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official, that the day became a nationwide holiday in the United States.  If you want to read more about the history of the holiday, here is a link.

While the history is interesting, it's great that our nation celebrates Fathers and all it means to be a good Dad.  It's not as flashy as some holidays but by simply remembering the goodness of Fathers...the work, the caring, the love...we can set an example for the next set of Fathers who look to their Dads for guidance. 

Happy Father's Day!

 

Memorial Day Thoughts

As friends and families gather on this the "Official Start of Summer 2015" we're truly hoping you have a safe and happy weekend.  And, as you enjoy the cook-outs, boating, the Indy 500 take a moment and, perhaps, think of why we mark this date.

As we were preparing for the holiday weekend we were struck by how many families look on this day...differently. For some the day is a reminder of family members who didn't come home.  Of family members who are, even today, in harms way in an effort to allow the rest of us to enjoy our freedom.

There's nothing disrespectful of enjoying the weekend.  Not taking a moment to reflect on what this day really means would be a missed opportunity.

May you all have a safe and memorable Memorial Day.