Wengers of Myerstown - Meet Jake Walmer

Last month NTPDA held our Summer Board Meeting and Social in Lancaster County in Pennsylvania. It was an amazing trip. So much history and things to see and do. (Like dining at an inn that George Washington frequented.) Along with our Board we had a number of members join us for the weekend. Our host was Wengers of Myerstown a multi-generation company that is seriously crushing it when it comes to construction and agricultural parts. Here we sit down with family member Jake Walmer and talk about the past, present and future.  How this company has continued to expand, where their market is and how technology has made a huge difference in overall sales. Oh, one other thing the Wengers Foundation has given millions of dollars to local non-profits. It's part of their mission.  Here's Jake...

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 NTPDA Member Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.

Reach Every NTPDA Member!

You have a product or a service to sell; use The Bulletin to get your message out to our NTPDA Membership. Each quarter we produce a high quality magazine designed to inform, entertain and educate our membership about a host of issues like best marketing practices, highlighting member benefits, member news, member interviews, upcoming events, photo memories, articles from staff and elected officers of our association. 

We not only create the magazine but we also post each edition on our NTPDA website where advertisers get "hot links" directly to their latest offering or website. You can see a sample of that page here.

And cost? We haven't raised our prices in years. Because The Bulletin is created "in house" our only costs are publishing, printing and postage. You can find our rates and sizes here.

The deadline for the June 2023 Edition is May 18 and we'd love to get your message into our magazine.  So, if you are interested in promoting your products or services to our world-wide membership let's talk. You can send your articles and ads to [email protected] or give us a call at 877-668-0900.  

Thanks for being a Member...it matters.

 

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! 

The Summer Bulletin

We get it it's still Spring and we're talking about the Summer Edition of The Bulletin.  That's because we're already working on it and this is your reminder that our deadline for submission of news and advertising is May 18. While that might look like a "long way off" it's really not. In fact we've already received new ads for our summer issue. Thank you!

A reminder that a hard copy of The Bulletin goes to every Regular and Associate Member in the U.S. and Canada. It's a great way to let your fellow members know about you and what you offer. In addition the online issue (which you can see here) has links from your ad to your website so our online friends can visit you directly.  That's just one of the many new changes we've made during the past year.

Finally, we're always looking for news about you and your business. Our goal is to make The Bulletin a resource and a place where we can help tell your story. So, if you've got news let us know! Shoot me an email or call 877-668-0900 and let's talk.

And, as a "sneak peek" the image you see here is our Summer Edition cover.  

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

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.

Working For...Value!

One of the working committees of the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association is our Membership Committee. We meet on a regular basis with one goal, "What can we do to create real value for our members...existing or otherwise." Our president Scott Schelling from Rock Valley Tractor Parts chairs the meeting and when we get to Member Benefits with Stephen Haas from DLS Worldwide things get really interesting.

While we can't yet share all of the new member benefits, because the Board has to ratify them at their next meeting, they are, in a word AMAZING! Should a member take advantage of any of these existing or soon to be announced benefits your benefits will pay for your membership. That's right. Use the benefits and your annual membership to NTPDA is...well, covered.

One of the things we can share is that over the next several months members of this committee will be touching base with former and current members who operate near the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Our Summer Event (formerly known as The Summer Board Meeting and for a very short time Summer Smash) will be inviting business owners/managers to come and hang out with us in Minnesota. Get to know the members and leadership team and become more active.

The dates for our event are July 11 - 14. It's not to early to pencil the date in. We promise not only a good time but also information and ideas that will help move you and your business forward.  As always, should you have thoughts, ideas or suggestions make it a point to connect with us! Shoot us an email [email protected] or follow us on Twitter @NTPDA or here is our Facebook Page.

Bam!  Oh...one other thing for our friends up north.  We hear you got...snow...again. Could somebody please turn the calendar to April?

 

Membership Committee Update

Last month the reconstituted Membership Committee of NTPDA held a telephone meeting and lots of ideas were floated. The first being the decision to let our membership know that YOU are welcome to attend Summer Smash, the meeting formally known as the Summer Board Meeting.

Here’s the deal: For years the Summer Board Meeting has been open to any member of NTPDA but…the name alone…suggested it was only for leadership. We want to turn the event into a fun and educational effort open to everyone.

Currently the Committee and President Scott are working on the details and the agenda but please…mark down the dates: July 11 – 14 at the Embassy Suites in Minneapolis, MN. We’ll be sending out more details in the coming weeks so watch for it!

Other suggestions from the group:

· Enhance Benefits Package

· Include a Trial Membership Program

· Reactivate “concierge” (welcome wagon) program

· Incorporate Networking Exercises

· Build Up the Education Tracks for the Annual Meeting

· Develop New Member Outreach and Orientation Programs

And there were many more.

Our goal is to listen to the Membership and be proactive in presenting real value for your membership dollars. We think we can do that with what we already have as well as building in new programs that are a true positive return on your investment. The Summer Smash is just the start.

Hope to see you there!

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!