Editor's Note
Editorial Staff Executive Editor and Director of Programs Kim Phelan kphelan@aednet.org Art Director heather jarmusz hjarmusz@aednet.org Marketing/Advertising Coordinator jaclyn Bovio jbovio@aednet.org Contributing Editors joanne costin Costin Custom Creations Garry BartecKi BDO Seidman and AED Vice President of Finance christian Klein AED Vice President of Government Affairs and Washington Counsel eli lustGarten ESL Consultants Bill & chris sitter Jordan-Sitter Associates ron slee R.J. Slee & Associates Sales Representatives Vice PresidentSales/ Publisher DaviD W. GorDon 800-388-0650 ext. 334 dgordon@aednet.org Advertising Sales Manager alBert j. ramirez 800-388-0650 ext. 311 aramirez@aednet.org 615 W. 22nd St. Oak Brook, IL 60523 630-574-0650 fax 630-574-0132 www.aednet.org November 2009 Construction Equipment Distribution www.cedmag.com 7 By Kim Phelan More networking, strong manufacturing presence, business planning content all in a spiffy new format. You're Not Getting What You Expect This Time remember watching Peanuts cartoons around the holidays? For some reason when I was recently contemplating the plight of construction equipment distributors, I recalled the image of Lucy's cardboard help-desk advertising Psychiatric Help 5¢. Maybe it's because I recognize how crazy dealers must be feeling trying to hold their businesses together, many operating in a month-to-month survival mode. Or maybe I thought of Lucy because of the second half of her sign: The Doctor Is In. Without being too trite or schmaltzy here, I'd like to put forward the idea that your association is not only but in stark In contrast to Lucy's bored grimace is super-focused on reviving the construction equip-ment industry, and is extremely Involved with providing solutions and support to dealer companies: Powerful Washington lobbying, top shelf continuing education, a variety of news and industry publishing venues, E-commerce services, consultative financial help and referrals, and more. But the pinnacle resource that AED has provided to its construction equipment dealer constituency for nine decades is really what I would define as the ultimate service for this reason: Not only is everything AED offers smack in front of you for three days, but it's a valuable opportunity to talk to a whole bunch of other dealers and manufacturers and service suppliers face to face, solidifying relationships and beginning new ones. But guess what AED isn't just having another Annual Meeting on Jan. 20-22, 2010. Instead, we wiped the slate clean and determined what you guys need is some-thing utterly and outrageously different and meaningful. We listened attentively to a focus group of dealer executives and learned that the format must be fresh, the networking must be pronounced everywhere, and the presentation content must be more relevant than ever before. It's a tall order, but we are delivering on a commitment to you to make the new AED Summit an unforgettable, vibrant busi-ness conference extraordinaire. The Special Supplement in this issue (right after Industry Beat) will give you a taste of what we're preparing for you the entire AED team is popping with anticipation to welcome you when we all meet up in San Antonio. May I be so bold as to offer a recom-mended checklist for your participation? n Review what's new and expect an AED convention unlike whatever stereotype may be in your mind. n Get signed up at . www.aednet.org/summit Affordable price packages offer you the ability to bring as many from your manage-ment team as possible. Position-specific seminars and networking for sales, rental, parts and service departments are well worth the investment for your key personnel. n Get on or your airline of southwest.com preference, and grab one of the flight deals available right now. We're locking in at about $200 per person round trip from Chicago. n Secure your lodging online before Dec. 12 when the Marriott rate jumps up $20 a night. n Keep tabs on our lists of exhibitors, hospitality suites, and dealer attendees, and begin plotting your schedule of meet-ings around the major headline events. n Don't forget your golf clubs! Sponsored by Sentry Insurance, The AED Foundation's golf outing at The Quarry Golf Club is the very first networking event of the Summit's wide range of connecting opportunities. The price is now just a wee little $125, so grab your foursome and come out swinging! Food, drinks, camaraderie, laughs and prizes are a great way to kick off your experience at AED Summit. (www.golf.aedevents.com/) Thanks for giving AED Summit the fresh consideration it merits. And thanks for reading. Editor's Note Kim Phelan () is the kphelan@aednet.org executive editor of Construction Equipment Distribution and Director of Programs for AED.