The first Earth Day was in April 1970. Since then a lot of changes have been made in regards to EPA standards, environmental issues and just cleaning up the earth in general. What did you do yesterday to celebrate Earth Day? I actually didn't do a whole lot - I did repot some plants to put on my patio and I loaded my recycling into my car. I'm not one of the lucky ones who has their recycling picked up in a nice rolling trash can every week. I actually have to separate mine, load it up and drive it to the recycling center. But...I really don't mind...it's me doing my very small part to keep things "green".

Those of you in the salvage business spend every day recycling in one way or the other which is a great business for you and helps your end user get a good part at a good price. We're proud to have an association that supports the used, new and rebuilt tractor industry.

Since it's Friday - I'll wish all of you a good weekend.

Remember that the NTPDA is YOUR Association for used, rebuilt and new agricultural and industrial repair parts.

Until next time. . . 

I'm honored to have the opportunity to let you know about one of your fellow NTPDA members and what is going on in their life.  I recently received an email from Scott Schelling at Rock Valley Tractor Parts.  He wanted to let us know that as of April 1, Gene & Dee Vander Giesen are RETIRED!  They have sold their remaining stake in RVTP to Scott and are going to step into retirement.  They will be volunteering at local missions, their church, and numerous other charities.  Gene also has a few “farmer” friends that he will help out, and Dee will continue to do speaking engagements about their life after the tragedy of their daughter’s murder.  They will also continue to help RVTP with a few shows, swap meets and auctions. 

I remember visitng at RVTP many years ago for a training we were hosting.  I happened to mention to Gene that I wanted to learn to weld and make funky art.  Well, the next thing I know he loads me up in his truck and we start gathering items for my "someday welding experience"!  Gene offered to host my first show at RVTP!!!  Unfortunately, I must admit....I never learned to weld but I still have all of the found objects Gene gave me in case I ever get motivated! 

Remember that the NTPDA is YOUR Association for used, rebuilt, and new agricultural and industrial repair parts.

I imagine many of you...like me...are watching the Winter Olympics.  From a personal standpoint I am amazed at what these athletes can do.  I mean...I can't even touch my toes so when I see what these young people can do and the dedication they have for their sport I am in awe of them.  It shows not only dedication but what hard work and perseverance can result in.  So, even if we aren't Olympic athletes or any type of athlete we can apply the dedication, perserverance and hard work into our daily life both on a personal level and in our businesses.   So...go out there and sell tractor parts like an Olympian...and win a gold medal!

Remember that the NTPDA is YOUR Association for used, rebuilt, and new agricultural and industrial repair parts.

Flakes were falling — or threatened — Friday from Texas to the Florida Panhandle and then up along the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina, bringing a rare white landscape to spots that haven’t seen snow in a decade or longer. The storm was crawling east out of Texas, where it left the Dallas area with more than a foot of snow, nearly 200 traffic accidents, thousands without power and hundreds of canceled flights.

Remember that the NTPDA is YOUR Association for used, rebuilt, and new agricultural and industrial repair parts.

A big THANKS to all of you who attended, displayed, sponsored, presented and made the trade show a huge success.  Kim and I are thrilled to be a part of such a great Association!  There would be no trade show without your participation and we appreciate each and every one of you.  Good feedback from some of you and we appreciate that as well.  We had over 200 attendees and there was plenty of time to visit the booths and network with your fellow NTPDA members.  We elected the new officers for 2010 and after attending the board meeting on Saturday morning I'm pleased to say that we have a great board this year and I think they will be involved and attentive to the needs of the Association.  Watch your next Bulletin for highlights of the trade show. 

Our next trade show is schedule for January 2011 in Orlando , Florida .  We will start planning that event in the next few weeks.  I've already been asked to put a golf tournament together for the attendees and also get information regarding Disney World.  If any of you have any suggestions, please let me know as soon as possible.  It takes about 18 months from start to finish to put a trade show together.  I look forward to hearing from you.

I hope your year has started off on the right foot and I hope all of you much health and prosperity in the year 2010.

Remember that the NTPDA is YOUR Association for used, rebuilt, and new agricultural and industrial repair parts.

Thank you to all displayers and attendees for making the Conference & Trade Show for 2010 a great week!  We appreciate you!   Photos from the week will be available soon on our Member Photos page.  Go ahead and mark your calendars now for January 19 - 23, 2011, to join us in Orlando, FL, at the Doubletree Resort Orlando - International Drive for our 27th Annual Conference & Trade Show!  For those of you who did not get to make it to Nashville, we hope to see you in Orlando!

It is show time! This week we are off to Nashville for our 26^th Annual Conference and Trade Show. The week will be filled with social events and networking with people in the industry of selling new, used and rebuilt agricultural and industrial repair parts. We all look forward to seeing each other at this time of year and reuniting. It is a time to see familiar faces as well as meet new members who are new to the Association. It is a time to visit exhibitors who attend our show and display their products. It is a time to get to know others in the Association on a different level. This will be my 9^th trade show to attend and I can tell you this group has become a family to me. I talk to members throughout the year but it is in January that I look forward to seeing those who get to attend face to face. We have members who have been with us since the conception of the Association to those who have just joined. We are a diverse group in age but all who are in the business of selling agricultural and/or industrial repair parts. If you are reading this and are a member attending the show, I will see you in a few days. If you are a member but not attending the show this year, you will be missed!  I hope you will consider joining us in Orlando next year. If you are reading this and you sell new, used or rebuilt ag or industrial repair parts, drop me a line at kim@ntpda.com and I’ll send you information how you can become a part of this amazing group of people. 

The NTPDA office has been busy putting the finishing touches on the registrations for our upcoming conference and trade show.  If you've provided us with an email address, you received the registrations via email.  If not you can go to www.ntpda.com and download them or you can find them in the 3rd quarter issue of the Bulletin.  This has worked really well for the office and we hope it's worked well for all of you.  Our displayers and attendees are signing up.  We're also hearing from a lot of you that want to Host/Sponsor this event.  The Host/Sponsor money is more important than ever during this recession.  Because of the recession we are keeping a close eye on our budget and are having to make a few changes in regard to the conference and trade show.  But...not to worry...we have great speakers lined up for you as well as some great events.  From going to see the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Auditorium to taking the Nash Trash tour and lots of networking time - everyone will have a great time.

This morning I was up early walking my dog downtown.  It's always interesting to just look around at people, buildings...sites in general.  But sometimes things happen that make you stop and think.  As I was walking I heard a siren...wasn't sure if it was the police or an ambulance or a fire truck so I stopped and watched where the sound was coming from.  I saw the police car speed toward the intersection and then he had to brake for a car coming across the intersection paying no attention to the siren....the police had to brake for the other car.  People are just not paying attention anymore and I blame it on cell phones and texting while driving as well as everyone just being caught up in their own world.  I admit I'm guilty of talking on the phone while I'm driving....and I've texted while driving.  But...after the online video about what can happen to you while texting I've cut that out of my life.  Are you playing it safe when you drive...are you watching out for the other guy...are you talking on your phone with a hands free device and are you NOT texting?  Just some thoughts because I want all of you to be safe.  

Remember that the NTPDA is YOUR Association for used, rebuilt and new agricultural and industrial repair parts.

 

 

Until next time....play it safe.....

Has the summer flown by for all of you as fast as it has for me?  Seems like just a few weeks ago we were enjoying the nice weather in Texas at our conference and trade show.  But, that's been about 8 months ago and we are working fast and furious getting ready for our 26th annual conference and trade show in Nashville.  And I hope you've marked your calendars for January 13-17, 2010.  We've got another great show planned for all of you.  It's a great time for everyone within the association to get together to socialize and network with one another.  So...we hope to see you there!  We have some great speakers lined up along with a returning keynote speaker - Karen McCullough.  In the next issue of the Bulletin we will include the Program at a Glance and information regarding the speakers, the spouse program and our Saturday night planned activities.  You won't want to miss this opportunity to visit with your fellow members involved in the tractor parts industry.  See you there!

Kim and I attended the National Farm Machinery Show last week in Louisville.  In spite of the economy it seemed to be a great show with record attendance.  We use the time to promote our regular members by passing out a flyer that lists all the regular members and their contact information. I asked one gentleman if he ever needed tractor parts, and he said  "No,  never!" - with a smile.  So, I'm sure that he along with many of the other attendees will use the information we provided them to contact you for a new, used or rebuilt tractor part.  We handed out over 1000 brochures and 1000 calendars so we feel like it was a huge success.  We also have about 18 member companies that display at the show and there are other members that attend the show to look around and see what's new!  It was great seeing you and hope the time you spent in Louisville was worthwhile. 

Remember that the NTPDA is YOUR Association for used, rebuilt and new agricultural and industrial repair parts.

Until next time....

It's a new week and I'm sure there is a lot on your "To Do" list.  And, most of you can't check things off that list unless you have people to help you.  I guess I started thinking about this yesterday during the Super Bowl.  And, whether or not your team won you know that there are a lot of elements involved in playing the game.  And, the one word that came to mind was TEAMWORK!  Even though the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association is a relatively small association - Kim and I work as a team.  I couldn't do what I do without her help, inspiration and support - and visa versa!  We both have our strengths....and, yes, our weaknesses...but together we can accomplish the goals we set out to do on a weekly, monthly and yearly basis.  I hope that you have that kind of team at your businesses, that you have a great month and you accomplish the goals you set out for. . . not only your business but also your personal goals!

Remember that the NTPDA is YOUR Association for used, rebuilt and new agricultural and industrial repair parts.

Until next time...

Many of us that are a part of the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association recently returned from our 25th Annual Conference and Trade Show.  As "keeper of the trade show" I think that it went very well and that many of our attendees went away with new thoughts and ideas that will help their businesses.  It was suggested from one of the attendees that at our next trade show we have more speakers that can directly address issues that pertain to our Association, ie., the IRS and the EPA.  The NTPDA office will begin doing research on this in the very near future and always welcome your input. 

I'm not sure how many of our attendees or members read the blog but I do want to thank everyone that attended, displayed and sponsored an event.  Some of you did all of those things and however you contributed to our 25th Annual Conference and Trade Show your attendance and participation is what makes it successful.

As you know, we are always looking for ways to help each of you and I would welcome any feedback or suggestions you might have.

Remember that the NTPDA is YOUR Association for used, rebuilt and new agricultural and industrial repair parts.

Until next time....

Okay...there's only three shopping days until Christmas.  So, if you haven't gotten that special someone a Christmas present you might want to start thinking about it!  But, it's not all about what you give or what you receive - it's about spending time with family and friends.  I wish all of you Happy Holidays and a very Happy and Prosperous New Year.

And...now it's time for all of those New Year's resolutions.  Lose weight, eat healthier, exercise, curb those bad habits, be more positive...wait I think those are MY New Year's resolutions??  Anyway, there's always room for improvement in our lives - personally and professionally.  My New Year's resolution as it relates to the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association (NTPDA) is to blog on a more consistent level and to increase our membership!  So... every Wednesday I will be blogging.  I'm not exactly sure what the topics will be so stay tuned!  I do know that my purpose will be to promote the Association and educate others about our Association and what we have to offer potential members and the end user.  I'll also blog about our fellow members, what's going on in the world...just general thoughts as it relates to all of us.

Kim and I are looking forward to seeing many of you at our 25th Anniversary Conference and Trade Show in Frisco, Texas.  If you haven't made plans to attend - it's not too late.  There's still plenty of room for you and hotel accommodations are still available.  

Remember that the NTPDA is YOUR Association for used, rebuilt and new agricultural and industrial repair parts.

Until next time....

The Economy!  Seems like that's on everyone's minds these days.  We're worried about paying our mortgages, having healthcare, keeping our jobs and making our dollars stretch to handle all the expenses we have.  One of our members recently made me feel a little better in regards to the expense incurred when you attend our trade show.  He complimented the Association for having shows that were affordable and at affordable hotels.  This member recently attended a conference in Rome and the room rates were over $500 per night...not surprising with the way the economy is at this time.  The Association does work hard to secure contracts with hotels that are affordable and gives you as many added benefits as we can negotiate.  This is YOUR Association and we continue to work hard to bring you member benefits that work for you, a trade show with ample time to network with your fellow NTPDA members and a chance to attend workshops and trainings.  I hope to see many of you in January where we'll celebrate our 25th Annual Conference and Trade Show. 

Remember that the NTPDA is YOUR Association for used, rebuilt and new agricultural and industrial repair parts.

Until next time...

Happy November!  Hard to believe it's that time of year....the leaves are changing, the air is cooler and tomorrow is election day!  So, I encourage all of you to take time to get out and vote - if you haven't already.  It is your right and privilege to vote so I encourage all of you to take time out of your busy day tomorrow to exercise this right!

Speaking of busy days....Kim and I are experiencing very busy days....preparing for our 25th Annual Conference and Trade Show in Frisco, TX next January.  We are excited to see many of you and hope some of you are still considering joining us.  The NTPDA staff and board of directors have worked very hard to bring you another great show - so please make plans to attend.

Remember that the NTPDA is YOUR Association for used, rebuilt and new agricultural and industrial repair parts

If your weather is like ours in Texas...you probably did a double take when you saw on the calendar today that it's the first day of Autumn.  Hard to believe, isn't it?  I think most of us are ready for some nice, cool, calm weather.  I know some of you experienced some tough days during the hurricanes...and hope all of you are back up and running.  I talked to Conroe Truck & Tractor on Friday and their utilities had been restored about 10 minutes prior to my call.  So, I was glad to hear that! 

When the weather gets cooler...things start getting hectic in the NTPDA office...because for us it means that our conference and trade show is not far away...about 4 months to be exact.  The Early Bird registrations have been sent out and I hope you've sent yours back in.  If not...the deadline is September 30th.

I hope business has been good for all of you.  If any of you are interested in telling us about your summer and how your business fared and why you think it was a "good" summer....or maybe a "bad" summer - I'd love for you to be a guest blogger on the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association website.  Drop me an email or give me a call.

Remember that the NTPDA is YOUR Association for used, rebuilt and new agricultural and industrial repair parts!

"Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt.

As everyone knows...it's an election year.  So, whether you're a Republican or a Democrat please exercise your right to vote.  It's your way of becoming involved and making a difference in the future of our country.

And...remember that you have that same right to vote at our upcoming conference and trade show in January.  If you are interested in running for the board as either an NTPDA director or associate director...we'd love to hear from you. 

Remember that the NTPDA is YOUR Association for used, rebuilt and new agricultural and industrial repair parts!

The dictionary defines the word networking as "the developing of contacts or exchanges of information."  And, all of us do that on a day to day basis with our employees and our customers.  The National Tractor Parts Dealer Association is a big proponent of networking.  We encourage our members to join us at the annual conference and trade show and the summer conference and engage yourselves in networking.  I recently attended the Used Parts Network Convention (UPN) in Bend, Oregon.  I had never been to that area and it was absolutely beautiful.  And, there were many networking opportunities at UPN.  There are several NTPDA members that attend and it is also a great time to meet new people and potential new members.  So, take every opportunity you can to network - there's a lot of great information floating around out there! 

Remember that the NTPDA is YOUR Association for used, rebuilt and new agricultural and industrial repair parts!

I know it's only July but the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association is in full swing planning our upcoming 25th Annual Conference & Trade Show in Frisco, Texas next January.  We will be mailing out Early Bird Registrations next month and hope many of you are planning to join us.  I also hope that some of you are planning to sponsor an event next year.  We will have our "normal" sponsorship opportunities but maybe you're one of those companies that are thinking out-of-the-box for sponsorship strategies. 

I was reading my "Successful Meetings" magazine and in an interview with IEG Vice President Dan Kowitz, he states, "We suggest they (sponsors) no longer go after tote bags and lanyards," Kowitz says.  "We believe that just adds a lot of clutter and isn't necessarily worth their time and efforts...we suggest that the creativity comes through sponsoring unique or creative services that they wouldn't normally have at the conference."  He adds, "The most effective sponsorship opportunities are those that provide memorable experiences.  These can run the gamut from enjoyable, quick experiences like a sponsored shoe-shine to relaxation areas or free massages.  "The idea is to create some sort of concierge space that wouldn't normally be there."

So, for those of you that will be displaying or sponsoring (or both) put your creative cap on and make our 25th Annual Conference & Trade show a very memorable experience for your business as well as for attendees!

Remember that the NTPDA is YOUR Association for used, rebuilt and new agricultural and industrial repair parts!

On Wednesday, Kim and I spent the day at the Five Star Speaker's Showcase.  This is where you are invited to hear a variety of speakers throughout the day to see if any of them are a "fit" for your group.  It's always very interesting and informative, and I have met a few of the speakers I've hired through them.  We had a good day (even though I had to work on my birthday!) and there were several speakers that we thought would work for our group.  In the next few weeks, I will be putting together my thoughts on speakers for our upcoming 25th Anniversary Conference and Trade Show.

Thanks to all of you that sent names of past members that you would like for us to invite to our 25th in January.  Feel free to send more names in as you think of them.  The NTPDA is a great group of people that promote the new, used and rebuilt tractor parts industry. 

Also, don't forget that our Summer Conference is right around the corner.  So think about joining us in Aurora, Ohio in July.  Another great way to promote your business and network with your fellow NTPDA members.

Until next time...

TGIF!  Hope everyone had a great week and you're looking forward to a fun weekend.  The NTPDA office has been busy this week.  We conducted the first of our teleconference board meetings for the year.  The board of directors meet face to face twice a year.  The first meeting is during our conference and trade show in January.  And the second is during our summer conference in July.  Then we also "meet" for a teleconference call in April and October.  That way we're able to stay in touch with each other and the office can keep the board updated on what's been going on. 

For those of you that are involved with the Association you know that the two times that we meet face to face is a great networking opportunity for all of you.  We will be sending out our Summer Conference itinerary and registration information next week.  We are also putting together a database of names of past members that might want to join us next year for our 25th Annual Conference & Trade Show in Texas.

These opportunities are just another way to promote the buying and selling of new, used and aftermarket tractor parts.  In addition, the NTPDA constantly strives for the betterment of the tractor parts and associated equipment industry by planning and implementing the conference and trade show and the summer conference.  Make plans to join us...you'll be glad you did!    

I'm sure you're all on pins and needles after reading my last blog.  What kind of bizarre shipping incident did I experience?  Well...let me tell you.  First...if you haven't been to the National Farm Machinery Show - you should.  It's amazing...from an end user point of view there are days and days of things to see and do.  I hear a lot of the attendees take their vacation during the farm show so that they can look around, network, attend the tractor pull and just relax.  From a displayers point of view it's totally different.  You come in early to set up - sometimes the week before depending on how much "stuff" you have.  Then from Wednesday - Saturday you are working your booth from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.  Very long days - but very productive days! 

What I found interesting is that when you arrive to set-up and during the show people are coming by hugging you and saying how good it is to see you.  "How do you think the farm show is going?"  "How is NTPDA doing?"  "How are YOU doing?"  But...at 6:01 p.m. on Saturday you don't see anyone or hear from anyone.  The whole place is packing up. . .trucks are coming in, pallets are delivered, forklifts are started up and everybody has their own agenda!  Very few people come by and say goodbye - unless they did that earlier in the day.  And, frankly,  you don't care...because you don't want to stand around chatting - you want to TEAR DOWN YOUR BOOTH.  So...that's what Kim and I did.  I won't go into the gory details but we're not the sharpest crayons in the box when it comes to tearing down the booth.  And, I take full responsibility because I've done it before and Kim hasn't.  But...we got it all down and all packed up neatly (sort of) with labels affixed and we left!  Hallelujah!  Another year behind us...but NO!

Kim gets a call from one of the head honchos at the farm show to say he was at our booth and sitting in it were our boxes  and our picture frame that we brought to show our power point on.  It was sitting on top of our other boxes, with the stand and the power adapter...but NO box!  He indicated that he thought we didn't pack it up - DUH!  Kim said it was in its original box within a box with peanuts!  All sealed up tight and label affixed!  Now...here's my question - was this just an honest jerk???  He was honest enough to leave an expensive photo picture frame BUT he was a total jerk to unpack it and take our boxes and our peanuts!  How bizarre is that?  So, there's an APB out on whoever that was - did any of you see anything?  He's wanted for questioning...that's for sure.  So, I started thinking....what kind of bizarre shipping experiences have you encountered?  Let me know and we'll blog about it and give your company a plug!

Take care...until next time...

Hope this finds all of you well...especially those of you who attended the National Farm Machinery Show either as a displayer or an attendee.  Pat Russell informed me that it is 27 (I think) acres of information under one roof!  It's an amazing place...Kim can attest to that!  She came in and helped me out in the booth Friday and Saturday.  She decided to trek over to the West Wing and visit with some of our guys that have booths over there.  When she returned she said she definitely didn't wear the right walking shoes!  She'll bring her comfy shoes next year...for sure! 

The National Tractor Parts Dealer Association attends the farm show to promote our members.  We're not necessarily there to acquire new members but we usually get a few leads while we're there.  We're mainly there to promote our Regular Members who sell used, rebuilt and new agricultural and industrial repair parts.  As an association we feel that we are providing you the tool to promote your company on an equal playing field.  We handed out almost 900 brochures promoting you and 1,000 calendars that promote our website - which in turn promotes you.  We hope that in handing out this information to the end-user that you will see an increase in calls and hits on your website.  We'd love to hear that you saw positive results from our time spent in Louisville.  

Something very bizarre happened in Louisville in regards to our shipment...I'll blog about that later in the week.  I know you can't wait!  

Remember that the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association is your connection to used, rebuilt and new agricultural and industrial repair parts.

Until next time.... 

Just wanted to touch base with all of you before heading out tomorrow to the
National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky.  The NTPDA has had a booth there and we look forward to seeing many of you there.  We will be in the
South Hall - Booth 100.  We will be there to promote our members and to get the word out that our members are your connection to "Used, Rebuilt and New Agricultural and Industrial Repair Parts".  Come by and pick up a brochure promoting our members, check out our slide show presentation and get a calendar.  We're always glad to see you.  And, for our members that will be there and any potential members remember we have a reception planned for Friday night.  I'll try to get by and drop off an invitation to you or if you're in the area just stop by our booth.  See you soon!

I hope you’re all having a good week.  We’re really busy in the office these days – getting out the scholarship packets as well as preparing for the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville next week.  I look forward to seeing many of you there.  In fact, the company I’m blogging about this week will be at the show as well.  The Mulder brothers and their associates seem to be one of the busiest booths at the show.  When I stop to visit with them I have to sneak in between all the customers they have waiting to ask questions or place an order. 

If you’re not familiar with K & M Manufacturing this company, which began as K & M Manufacturing and Repair, was founded in 1958. Their first products were simple tool boxes and steps designed to make a farmer's work easier and more productive in the field.  In the early 60´s K & M expanded the product line to include replacement tractor seats.  From there, the product line has continued to grow to more than 750 innovative products like seats, suspensions, steps, mirrors, floor mats, cab foam kits, warning light systems, tool boxes, weight boxes and many more items. Their products are custom built for Allis Chalmers, Case IH, David Brown, Ford, International Harvester, John Deere, Kubota, Massey Ferguson, Minneapolis Moline, New Holland, Oliver White, Steiger and Versatile tractors and mowers.

If you’re planning to attend the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville next week, stop by and visit them in the West Wing – Booth #767-773.  And, be sure to meet Larry Mulder’s son, Nick, who will be taking over the Iowa territory for K&M!

Many of our members attended our 24^th Annual Conference & Trade Show in Kansas City last week.  All in all I feel it was a very successful meeting in many aspects.  Our members were able to spend time together networking and sharing ideas about their respective businesses.  We also heard some great speakers during our stay in KC. 
Mr. Richard Hawk enlightened us on safety in the workplace and stress management.  Mr. Jim Jacobus brought us information on how to be the “best of the best”.  Jim says, “Inside every human being a champion heart beats.”  Mr. Michael Libbie talked to us about customer retention and then introduced us to Mr. Dan Duffy who brought us some very interesting information in regards to a new customer base that is really growing – the hobby farmer.  If any of you want more information regarding these speakers, please let me know!  And, if you have time - post a comment on the blog and let us know what you thought about the show!

Kim has put some pictures of our week in KC on the website.  So…check out the Member Photos.  As most of you know we are now working on our upcoming Summer Conference in Aurora, Ohio and our 25^th Anniversary Conference & Trade Show in Frisco, Texas next January.  Be sure and watch the Blog and your mail for more information about both of these opportunities.

Remember that the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association is your source for “Used, Rebuilt and New Agricultural and Industrial Repair Parts”.  Search our website and find a member near you!

Hope this finds all of you doing well and experienceing some cooler weather.  Looks like I'm heading to a little cooler climate as I travel to Clevland today.  As most of you know, we meet each July for a board meeting and next year we're going to be in Aurora, Ohio.  So, I'm meeting with Ralph & Kathy Seymour and we're going to tour his town of Aurora and make plans for next year!  Mark your calendars to join us next July 17-20, 2008 and become involved in our Summer Conference (new name...same great people) in Aurora with a fun day planned in Cleveland.  Of course more information will be sent to you in the very near future.

We not only try to plan great opportunities for networking for all of our members but we also try to provide tools for you to use in your day to day businesses.  Mr. Michael Libbie at Insight, Advertising, Marketing and Communications asked if I would add a link to our website to promote the radio show he's on - Highway 6 - Rural Lifestyle Radio and of course I said YES!  The radio show is all about living the rural lifestyle.  There are 40 million households that live on 3-100 acres of land which is a huge potential for all of you. 

We are always interested in promoting a cause that can increase the potential for you as a dealer of used, rebuilt and new agricultural and industrial repair parts.  If you know of other opportunites of the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association, please contact me.  I always enjoy hearing from you.

Better get ready for Cleveland and get busy planning another great Summer Conference next July.

Until next time!

Hope all of you are doing good on this Thursday and only one more day to TGIF!  And, I'm sure many of you are getting ready for a long Labor Day weekend.  Hope you have a very safe and fun holiday.  I'm getting ready to head to the 1st Annual King Reunion...no it's not actually a real King and Queen thing.  King is my mom's maiden name and they have finally decided to start having an official family reunion!  I'm not big on this kind of thing but it's family and you just do these things! 

And, speaking of reunions and getting together...(what a segue...huh?)...it's time for all of the NTPDA members to put the 24th Annual Conference and Trade Show on their calendars.  The dates for this event are January 16 - 20, 2008.  This is sort of like our reunion....it's a time for all of us to gather in one place to visit with friends and customers, to network, to visit the display booths and attend the educational seminars we have planned.  We always have a great time and we learn something in the process!!!  Maybe you're reading this...and you're not a member...what a perfect time to join!  Just give us a call and we'll take care of sending you information about our Association.  Our members are the best and they continue to promote themselves by offering quality new, used and rebuilt tractor parts to a wide array of people.  I hope you've benefited from their expertise and knowledge. 

FYI - we sent out the Early Bird Registration and your Program at a Glance yesterday so you should be receiving it in the next day or two.  We are still working on some of the programs and we'll be sending you periodic updates and a packet of information in the very near future.  If you have any questions or suggestions please feel free to contact the NTPDA office.  We're always glad to hear from you.

Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Until next time! 

Good Morning Friends:

I'm up early working from home because as most of you know our office is not available to us at this time. Gainesville experienced a very damaging flood on Sunday night and our office has flood damage. But we were so pleased to show up Tuesday morning and our landlord already had people ripping up the carpet and taking care of things. Kim and I cleared out the office and moved to our home offices. Here are a few pictures.  The water got up to the bottom of the windows and the gravel from the adjacent lot washed up onto the grass.

I wanted to thank Michel Libbie for notifying you as to what is going on. Also, thanks for the calls from Terri Stevens at the Tractor Barn, Pat Russell at Russells Tractor Parts and David & Doris Eftink from Missouri Tractor Parts. I guess we made the national news so some of you heard what's going on.

This is just another way that shows the friendships that we have developed within the Association. I know that if we needed any kind of help or assistance any number of you would be there for us. I think that when "non-members" hear about us the first thing that they are told is what a great group of people we have within our Association and that any number of you would assist them in getting to know the group and help them feel comfortable.

An example of getting to know "non-members" was experienced by myself and several other NTPDA members. We recently attended the UPN Convention in Billings, MT and it's a mix of agricultural and industrial companies and potential members for our Association. The networking we all did will help to educate potential members as to what the NTPDA is all about. A number of the companies attending meet the criteria for becoming a member - Regular Members shall be those corporations, partnerships, and individual businesses whose main business includes the distribution of recycled tractor and equipment parts and Associate Members shall be manufacturers and wholesale suppliers and those who provide products and/or services to the Regular Members.

Our membership numbers are higher than they've been in a number of years so if you know anyone that would be an asset to our Association please give us a call and we'll get in touch with them.

Until next time...

The NTPDA office has been busy during the month of May, and I know a lot of you have been as well.  With May being the end of the school year for many of your children there are always a lot of assemblies, play dates, graduations, and field trips to attend.  And, if you have a graduating Senior you're also visiting college campuses and trying to get your finances in order for college tuition.  I've been there (and still am) and that can be a daunting undertaking. I'm sure you feel like there are not enough hours in the day to accomplish everything you need to do.  The NTPDA hopes that they have been able to assist some of you with your financial obligations towards higher education for your child by awarding the NTPDA scholarships each year.

We are proud to award up to 35 scholarships each year to children (and some employees) of NTPDA members - both regular and associate. The names of these recipients for 2007 are posted on the NTPDA website for our members to view.  Kim has been really busy getting all the letters out to the recipients so that they can be recognized at their different assemblies that take place at the end of the year.  Congratulations to all the recipients and keep up the good work!

We have also designated May as Membership Month and a letter was sent out to a list of prospects in an attempt to have them join the Association.  If you are reading this, and you're not a member, and you feel you meet the criteria for membership, please give the NTPDA office a call at 877-668-0900 or send us an email at phyllis@ntpda.com.

I'll probably be seeing some of you next month at the Used Parts Network (UPN) Convention in Billings, Montana.  This is a great time for you to network with individuals that work in the used, rebuilt and new agricultural and industrial industry.  If you would like more information on UPN, please visit www.upc2007.com.  I look forward to seeing you there!

Until next time....

Hope this finds all of my Blog readers doing well.  It was a crazy night last night for me.  We had flash floods and tornado warnings and my flamingo rain gauge reported over 9" of rain!  Of course this meant that the electricity went out several times and didn't come back on until 3:30 a.m.  I had my spot picked out to take cover in...but realized there are so many things that I didn't have.  No flash light, no radio equipped with a battery...all the things I might need to keep me and my little dog, Scout, safe and sound in a "worse case" scenario.

Speaking of being safe....are you safe in your workplace?  Do you have regular safety meetings?  Are there safety issues you have questions about?  If so, you've come to the right place...or you'll be in the right place when you attend our 23rd Annual Conference and Trade Show in Kansas City next January.  Joining us will be Richard Hawk who is the number one speaker and authority on improving workplace safety by making safety fun.  If you want to check him out before January go to www.MakeSafetyFun.com.  Richard will not only talk to us about safety but he will bring us information on stress and how to reduce it in the workplace and at home!

So, for all of you involved in the "used, rebuilt and new agricultural and industrial repair parts" industry you'll want to mark your calendars now for our conference and trade show - January 16-20, 2008! 

Until next time...

I know my "Blog Guru" - M. P. Libbie would remind me that the purpose of this Blog is to bring more awareness to the used tractor parts industry as well as aftermarket and new parts but today I want to get off track a bit.

Personally, what's been on my mind the past few days is the horrible and terribly sad incident at Virginia Tech and our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone!  I think that the reason it's hitting so close to home for me is that I have a daughter at Texas Tech in Lubbock.  You want to always be there for your children and protect them.  But on the other hand you have to let your children go out into the world and make a life for themselves. You just realize how short life is and that you have no idea what's coming your way.  So, it reminds us to live life to the fullest.

I hope today finds you living that type of life and keeping your family and friends close.  We are blessed that within the NTPDA we not only have business associates but we also have good friends that are there to help us if we need them.

Have a wonderful day!

Until next time...

I'm not sure how you all feel...but personally for me...TGIF!  I hope everyone's had a productive week.  Kim and I had a good week and got several things accomplished. 

One accomplishment was mailing out our Bulletin...NTPDA's quarterly publication.  I hope you all enjoy this issue as it highlights our 23rd Annual Conference and Trade Show that was held in January in Panama City Beach, FL.  The Bulletin is a way to continue to promote the used tractor parts industry and our members.  Be sure and check out my article, the President's Pen and Greetings from Greasy Girl. Also, let me take this opportunity to thank all of our members that advertise in our Bulletin.  Your continued support is greatly appreciated!

This week we also held our 2nd quarterly board meeting - but this one was a teleconference.  The NTPDA board meets face to face twice a year - at our January meeting and again in the summer.  In fact, we will be holding our Summer Board Meeting in July in Breckenridge, CO.  Be sure and watch your mail next week for information regarding this and remember everyone is invited to join us!

One of the topics we discussed was to research the possibility of presenting a "webinar" to all of our members.  This would be an on-line training that would touch on topics of interest to our members.  Why don't you help us out?  Give us a call or drop us an e-mail and let us know what subjects you are interested in.  This would be another way to offer a member benefit to all of you and a way to bring educational opportunities to you and your employees without having to travel and take time away from work!

I hope you have a great weekend.

Until next time...

It seems that I use that phrase a lot when I'm talking on the phone.  I didn't realize how much I said it until one of our members called my attention to it. And...she's right...and when I'm talking to her I'm very aware that I say it but it's now become sort of a joke between us. She says whenever she hears someone say..."You know what?" she thinks about me. I take it as a compliment that she thinks about me and then I realize how nice it is to have her for a friend. And it's a friendship that's developed over the years as me being Executive Director of NTPDA and "she" is Terri Stevens, NTPDA Board Secretary and a great friend. She and her husband, Russ (here they are at our summer board meeting in Corpus Christi) are always fun to be around and are both an asset to the Association. Terri is also the owner/operator of The Tractor Barn in Brookline, MO. Yep, a woman owner/operator...not that common in this field but she is very knowledgeable and is always out there trying to improve her business and be the best she can be. I guess that's all any of us can do...try to be the best we can be. Whether that's selling used tractor parts, going to training to improve our skills or taking care of our ourselves and our families. I think that's what is so great about this Association...the friendships that we've developed over the years. And those friendships continue to develop and we look forward to the time we can spend together.

Be sure and check out the website periodically for information regarding upcoming network opportunities. And if you're interested in becoming a member send us an email or give us a call. We're always glad to hear from you.

In a previous Blog, I mentioned the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville. We were there a few weeks ago promoting our member dealers and also visiting with several of our members that attend and display at this show.   We also talked to farmers.aka."end users" about the value in buying used tractor parts or replacement tractor parts from our member dealers. It was a long week but very beneficial to our Association as well as our members.  We thoroughly enjoy meeting new people and supporting our members that attend the show.

Every January the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association holds their annual conference and trade show. This past January it was held in Panama City Beach at the Bay Point Marriott. It was well attended and according to the surveys we received everyone had a great time. We are a very social group and we always enjoy networking with one another and talking about used tractor parts, replacement parts and how to promote our member dealers!  We function in a very relaxed atmosphere and a lot of business is conducted during the trade show and even "after hours".  Everyone has a chance to catch up with business associates and friends that they don't get to see on a regular basis. Our show is considered a "closed show" so you must be a member dealer or a potential member dealer to attend. If you think you might be interested in membership information just give us a call!

One of the surveys the NTPDA received was from Jerry Schaefer, Schaefer Enterprises. Jerry (THE Rock Star) stated, "The purpose of the NTPDA convention is to provide value to its attendees. I think the speakers, trade show and member interaction accomplished this." Thanks, Jerry...we like to hear good things about what we do! Sharon, his "better-half" stated, "The Panama City Beach convention had it all - information, training, trade show and good healthy humor. Great times was had by all of our group."

Keep those good thoughts and messages coming in. We strive to meet the needs of all of our association members. We would love to hear from any of you so feel free to give us a call or send us an email!

Good morning…it’s a special day today…my first blog on the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association website.  We’re based in Gainesville, Texas – 60 miles north of Dallas and just a few miles from the Oklahoma border.  My name is Phyllis and I’ve been the Executive Director of NTPDA for about nine years.  Also, working in the office is Kim, Administrative Assistant, and someone I could not get along without.  We make a great team!  It’s nice to meet all of you and hope you’ll visit often!

So…you may be wondering what we do and why?  That was a question that was posed to me yesterday when UPS delivered my freight from the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville.  The UPS guy asked what kind of show had I been to….”a fashion show?”….I guess I was looking exceptionally good that day!…and I told him no…I had been to a farm show where I was promoting our member dealers.  He was still curious so I told him that our member dealers sell used tractor parts, replacement tractor parts, combine/agricultural parts and heavy equipment to farmer, builders, acreage owners, hobby farmers, construction companies and people who restore antique farm equipment!  He was impressed…I think he went out and bought a tractor! 

We hope that you are impressed and you will continue to check out our website and our blog on a regular basis.  Thanks for reading and we’ll visit again very soon.  If Kim or I can help answer a question or point you in the right direction….call us or drop us an e-mail at ntpda@ntpda.com.