Embracing the Future Podcast

Season 1, Episode 5: In this episode, ASA’s Nils Swenson sits down with Charlie Parham, CEO of Pepco Sales, and Scott Stockham, CRO at RepFabric, to explore what CRM implementation really looks like inside distribution organizations.Drawing from firsthand implementation experience and broader industry visibility, Charlie and Scott discuss why CRM initiatives begin, where adoption struggles emerge, and how process design, data quality, leadership alignment, and change management ultimately determine success or failure.The conversation explores sales adoption challenges, implementation pitfalls, organizational readiness, and the operational realities of building a CRM strategy that sales teams will actually use.This is a candid, experience-driven conversation for distributors evaluating CRM, customer intelligence, and broader digital transformation initiatives.Have a question or topic? Listen to our latest episode and join the conversation!

Season 1, Episode 4: In this episode, ASA’s Nils Swenson sits down with Steve Baer, Chief Logistics Officer at First Supply, to examine what robotics really looks like inside a working distribution operation.Drawing from his experience leading a multi-year implementation, Steve explains how automation requires disciplined process design, clean data, and strong integration — and how robotics is fundamentally reshaping labor inside the warehouse.The discussion explores ROI expectations, operational complexity, cybersecurity risk, change management, and the realities of scaling automation across facilities.This is a candid, experience-driven conversation for distributors evaluating how robotics may alter their workforce model and long-term operating strategy.

In this episode, ASA’s Nils Swenson sits down with Rachel Wilson - Head of Wealth Management Data Security & Infrastructure Risk at Morgan Stanley and former senior executive at the NSA - to unpack the real cyber threats facing PHCP and PVF distributors today. Rachel offers clear, practical steps every business can take now, from employee training and patching discipline to ransomware readiness, incident response playbooks, and navigating insurance gaps. She also breaks down emerging risks like AI-driven scams and the coming impact of quantum computing. This is an essential conversation for any leader looking to strengthen their organization’s cyber resilience.

Season 1, Episode 2: Join Jeremy Fuller of Texas Plumbing Supply as he moderates a candid panel discussion with Christopher Schrameck (WinSupply), Travis Slone (NIBCO), and Michael Maloney (Coburn Supply). Together, they share firsthand experiences and lessons learned from real-world cyber incidents across the PHCP and PVF industry.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why no business is “too small” to be a cyber targetHow ransomware, email fraud, and AI-driven attacks are impacting distributors and manufacturersWhat steps companies are taking to train employees, strengthen defenses, and build response plansHow cross-functional teams and third-party partnerships can improve resilienceThis conversation highlights the evolving cybersecurity threats facing our industry and practical actions every business can take to prepare.Have a question or topic? Listen to our latest episode and join the conversation

Season 1, Episode 1: Join ASA CEO Mike Adelizzi and Jeremy Fuller of Texas Plumbing Supply for an insightful conversation on the launch of ASA’s new Product Data Standard. As the PHCP and PVF industry faces growing pressure to streamline and unify product data, this episode explores how real collaboration is driving progress.In this episode, you’ll learn:How ASA’s Embracing the Future Council is developing a product data standardWhy the need for a national data standard and benefits to the industryHow streamlined data can reduce time-to-market and improve efficiencyHow you can benefit, gain access, and adopt the standardThis conversation sets the stage for smarter, more connected data practices across the industry.Have a question or topic? Listen to our latest episode and join the conversation!