Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/134956
Inside AED It's The Do-ItYourself Recovery – And Forum Wants You to Take Control No one's going to build your opportunities or do you any favors, except AED. Grab your seat now. You're the consultant for a midsize equipment dealership and you've been given $1 million to make this company more profitable – what will you do to double the profits? Can it be done in this economy? In this industry? OK, what's racing through your mind as you contemplate the possibilities? Well make a note to self, because you'll have the opportunity for a little fun at Forum that will also generate some serious profitability strategies, perhaps on par with the kind of juice generated at a Dealer 20 meeting. It's all part of a three-pronged examination of the: Bottom of the Heap: The Truth About the Dealer Profitability Plight, and How to Change It. Distribution consultant Mike Marks tackles the subject through a keynote lecture, group exercise, and an expert panel from the private equity sector and CE industry, who together will dissect the best practices dealers must adopt to transform the profitability of their companies. And that's just one slice of the AED/Infor Executive Forum, which spans all of Thursday, Sept. 12 and wraps up at 10:30 Friday morning, Sept. 13. Forum returns to the Hilton Rosemont near O'Hare Airport with a provocative program designed to get dealer principals and senior management thinking differently – and even uncomfortably – about their companies' strategies. While concentrating on profit and opportunity early in the agenda, Forum takes a hard turn into the shadows after lunch. Shadows of business and personal risk, that is. More "group think" time will bring all those "keep-youawake-at-night" threats into the light, where they can be diffused – or at least managed. Sentry Attorney Joe Goldberg returns to the Executive Forum on Sept. 12 to discuss serious dealer liability threats occurring with greater frequency. Then attorney Joe Goldberg returns to Forum's stage to explore two controversial liability threats every dealer must be prepared for: (A) What happens when the dealer and manufacturer end up in conflict over a legal claim involving both product design and what the dealer "told" the customer; and (B) Used equipment product liability issues at a time when the used equipment business is very hot and perhaps more profitable than the new equipment side. Thursday ends like it has never ended before when we turn on the mic for threat-management expert Paul Michael Viollis, Sr., Ph.D. An author and CEO of Risk Control Strategies, Viollis is a captivating speaker who will change your thinking about the real and present dangers to your business, your finances, and your home and family. CED Editor Kim Phelan moderates this year's program, rolling in fresh speakers and twists, while also bringing back some of Forum's favorites, like market analyst Eli Lustgarten, who takes attendees on his perennial walk through the weeds and leads us to a clear view of the CE horizon. Come for eye-opening presentations, or come for the networking among owners and execs throughout North America – either way, you won't be disappointed. The value of Executive Forum is untouchable elsewhere at $895, which includes two continental breakfasts, sit-down luncheon featuring a keynote from syndicated radio personality Steve Cochran, and two evening receptions. Register at www.aednet.org/forum, and book your travel before you go on summer vacation. Bring your right-hand (wo)man and we'll knock $200 off the price of a second (third, fourth, etc.) registration. Proposed New Members ACT Construction Equipment Winston-Salem, N.C. Bell Trucks America, Inc. Houston, Texas Chicago Machinery Lynwood, Ill. Kobelco Construction Marlin Leasing Machinery USA Inc Corporation Houston, Texas Mt. Laurel, N.J. This list is published each month as required by AED bylaws. Comments on the applicants should be directed to AED President Toby Mack at 800-388-0650 ext. 326 or jtm@aednet.org. 8 | www.cedmag.com | Construction Equipment Distribution | June 2013 8_inside AED_KP.indd 8 5/31/13 11:52 AM