Community Forum : Point of View
Welcome Guest   
 
 Subject : Birth of WAFD, by Dave Kendall.. 10/27/2011 03:29:39 PM 
Pac-West

Guest
Birth of the Western Fastener Distributor’s Assn. - 1995

The idea of a West Coast Fastener Association was conceived sometime during 1981. Discussions along this line had been carried on between Larry Stanley, Bob Lehman, and myself on several occasions. Having been involved with the National Fastener Distributor’s Association for several years, we felt that a more localized association would be beneficial to West Coast fastener companies.

Early in 1982, an invitation from the Los Angeles Fastener Assn. invited us to attend a meeting at Steven’s Steak House in the City of Commerce, along with other fastener company representatives, to discuss the feasibility of this idea. The Los Angeles Assn. wanted to help promote a West Coast association, but wanted to keep its own identity.

As I recall, 20 or 25 companies showed up, so we proceeded to think (and drink) over this proposal. I believe either Mel Kirsner or Martin Calfee piped up, “We could sit here and argue all day; why not form a steering committee to come up with an agenda?” Sure enough, by early evening we came up with some basic rules (by-laws) and goals for our new organization.

We devised a complicated formula for board member qualification: a minimum of six distributor members, no more than four board members from the Los Angeles area, equal voting rights for supplier members, and we established some new-membership guidelines. Martin Calfee’s request that only one member be allowed from Arizona was unanimously denied.

Picking a name for our new association produced some interesting choices:
F A W S — Fastener Association of the Western States
W I F D A — Western Industrial Fastener Distributor’s Association
W E R F D A — Western Regional Fastener Distributor’s Association

The steering committee wisely selected W.A.F.D. for a name and wisely appointed Larry Stanley to be our first president. Within two years, WAFD was recognized as one of the best run and most productive associations in the country.

We still are.

- Dave Kendall
Last Edited On: 10/27/2011 03:42:10 PM By P
 
# of Topics per Page