Our Greatest Takeaways from SHIFT 2026, The place Change Administration was Heart Stage

All images by NAW

The Nationwide Affiliation of Wholesaler-Distributors’ 2026 SHIFT Convention — held Could 12-14 on the Inverness Denver — supplied an amazing mix of peer group dialogue, foremost stage programming centered on wholesale distribution’s most urgent subjects and networking alternatives for attendees and repair suppliers of every kind.

I travelled house from Denver with quite a few conversations and speaker factors of emphasis replaying in my head, which compelled me to seize them in writing throughout my flight. There was far an excessive amount of to suit into one article, however right here, I needed to seize what caught with me most. 

Change Administration Drives Cohort Discussions

Our 2025 SHIFT occasion was the primary one which integrated small group roundtable discussions throughout 4 cohort subjects — Hybrid Gross sales, Digital Transformation, Knowledge Analytics and Tradition. It’s one thing NAW has seen unbelievable success with for years, and it has taken SHIFT’s networking to the following stage. 

I facilitated the discussions for this 12 months’s Knowledge Analytics cohort. To no shock, information governance was probably the most generally cited wrestle amongst distributors within the room, alongside information cleanliness to allow AI functions.

The purpose of these roundtable classes just isn’t essentially to discover a good repair to the issues attendees voice. As an alternative, the purpose is to encourage non-competitive attendees to share distinguished organizational challenges, talk about what has and hasn’t labored up to now on that entrance, and brainstorm potential options. Odds are, a minimum of one in every of their cohort tablemates has handled that very same problem up to now or has experience on potential cures, and it resulted in glorious constructive dialog throughout SHIFT’s three days.

This led to our Knowledge Analytics cohorts recommending particular service suppliers and alter administration strategies for others to contemplate. It was nice to see attendees jotting down so many notes as their friends shared mini case research that led to numerous “that’s fascinating, inform me extra” of their conversations.

Whereas Knowledge Analytics was the overarching subject at-hand, desk discussions naturally centered across the change administration of individuals — defining who ought to personal what obligations; the best way to get them to embrace know-how; cross-functional management; and quite a few cultural parts. Workers and attendees from the opposite cohorts echoed that sentiment.

Perspective Cross-Pollination

Together with that work in the direction of problem-solving, these cohort discussions — and SHIFT total —  foster a cross-pollination of views that’s distinctive within the trade. Whereas many industrial associations likewise supply group discussions at their conferences, they are typically made up of distributors representing one foremost product vertical or intently adjoining ones. SHIFT, in the meantime, brings collectively attendees who characterize quite a few completely different product verticals and firm demographics. Whether or not one is a $2 billion income constructing supplies distributor or a $50 million JanSan distributor, there’s a superb probability they’re dealing with related change administration points throughout these aforementioned cohort subjects.

Considered one of our Knowledge Analytics cohort attendees was from a $36 million industrial provides distributor, and the remainder of his roundtable was comprised of attendees from distributors with $1 billion, $500 million, $200 million and $100 million. He stated it was just a little intimidating when his desk was making introductions and he realized these income figures, however as soon as they began sharing challenges, it put him comfy to know they have been the identical ones his firm is dealing with. 

We heard that sentiment again and again all through SHIFT, together with how a lot attendees appreciated getting outdoors of their market bubble and sharing views with attendees from verticals they usually don’t cross paths with all year long.

A Highly effective Displaying for Girls in Distribution 

NAW acquired MDM firstly of 2024, and top-of-the-line issues we’ve since achieved on the content material aspect is our Girls in Distribution function, which debuted in 2021 however had lapsed till 2025. Our 2026 model was printed all through April and showcased 20 honorees of girls leaders within the trade, and we have been thrilled to have about half of them attend SHIFT this 12 months.

Three of these honorees — International Industrial CEO Anesa Chaibi, Galco President & CEO Allison Sabia and Marshall Wolf Automation President & CEO Tina Hueppe — comprised a panel moderated by MDM Senior Editor Vesna Brajkovic throughout a Girls in Distribution discussion board on SHIFT’s opening night time. It was a robust dialog wherein that trio mentioned key moments of their profession trajectory, the best way to increase visibility of girls within the trade and the necessity for colleague sponsors — not simply mentors — to assist stage the taking part in area for ladies striving to climb the company ladder and “ship the elevator again down” for others.

The discussion board was open to each men and women attendees, and at one level, the panel requested for a present of palms for what number of ladies have ever been the one girl in an organization assembly. Nearly each girl within the room instantly raised their hand. It was a hanging second that males within the trade can’t collectively relate to, however can acknowledge and respect the problem it represents. The panel acknowledged the appreciable progress that has been made for ladies’s illustration in distribution, alongside loads of runway for extra.

NAW’s 2026 Girls in Distribution have been later acknowledged on the principle stage to start SHIFT’s third day.

Tech Success Depends on Profitable Hearts & Minds

We knew AI change administration could be prime of thoughts for all SHIFT attendees, and the occasion’s content material was constructed to ship on that. To kick off SHIFT’s second day on the principle stage, NAW’s Analysis Director, Patti Rausch and myself introduced the outcomes of our main trade analysis research “In Pursuit of Worth: The place 400+ Distributors are Investing in AI Right now” that recognized the highest AI software areas the trade is concentrating on, and what the ROI — or lack thereof up to now — has seemed like. 

Our key takeaways from that analysis have been amplified by the panel of consultants from McKinsey who shared what success with AI and broader know-how seems like in distribution. The important thing message I took away from their dialogue was that success relies upon equally upon successful the hearts and minds of the individuals within the group utilizing know-how because it relies upon upon the standard of the know-how itself. That begins with prime management — not as dictators, however by their skill to determine different leaders additional down the org chart to champion that tech to those utilizing it day in and day trip. A CEO telling frontline workers to make use of AI as a result of the corporate must be extra productive isn’t almost as more likely to resonate as having the direct managers of these frontline workers drive house why it’s going to make their job simpler.

Graybar CEO Offers Motivational SHIFT Closing

NAW’s in-person occasions have all the time achieved an important job of delivering a powerful closing session, and SHIFT 2026 completely delivered. It featured a dialog between NAW CEO Eric Hoplin and Graybar Chairman, President and CEO Kathy Mazzarella — who additionally chairs NAW’s Board of Administrators. Mazzarella exudes an inspirational speaker-type power that’s uncommon amongst massive firm CEOs, and she or he channeled it into discussing pivotal moments in her profession — which made loads of attendees misty-eyed within the course of. She shared her perspective on AI’s function in distribution; how leaders navigate change whereas preserving workers, prospects and monetary efficiency in concord; and why distribution is constructed to stay a completely vital a part of the U.S. and international provide chain and economic system.

NAW’s newest “Distributors Ship” podcast episode likewise offered an important dialog between Hoplin and Mazzarella.

Be a part of Us at SHIFT Subsequent Yr

I departed the convention just a little exhausted from my workers obligations and with a drained voice, however on the similar time energized concerning the many conversations I had with attendees representing distributors of every kind and sizes. It’s a giant elevate to plan and host such a profitable govt convention like SHIFT, so main kudos to NAW’s occasions crew for producing such a invaluable three days for its attendees.

SHIFT 2026 closed by saying the dates and placement for subsequent 12 months’s occasion: SHIFT 2027 can be held Could 18-20 on the Inverness Denver. Whether or not you’ve attended up to now or have been curious to, I extremely suggest it. We all know that the occasion has been significantly efficient for corporations that ship a number of representatives, as groups usually tend to take motion on what they realized from the occasion slightly than people reporting again solo. SHIFT is all about turning strategic ideas into change administration, and we would like extra of the trade to learn from it.