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Plans are under way for our biggest and most informative User Conference
ever! Over the years, our attendees have reported that this event has provided
them with invaluable educational and networking opportunities. The breakout
sessions provide useful information regarding the latest development of VAI's
software products and specific topics to help customers improve their distribution,
manufacturing and retail operations. In addition, dynamic industry speakers,
IBM hardware experts, and third party software vendors can help you unlock
the potential of your existing investment and discover the keys to your success.
We invite all of our customers to join us September 30th - October 2nd at Caesars
Palace in Las Vegas, NV for this not to be missed event!
Jack Shaw |
VAI is pleased to present Jack Shaw as this year's Keynote
Speaker. Jack is an internationally recognized business speaker,
author and authority on leveraging technology to enable winning
business strategies. In this powerful keynote session, Shaw
will reveal how we can gain key insights on implementing the
right business practices, increase revenue, cut costs, improve
customer service and maximize productivity. Jack will show
us how to shake off the cobwebs of traditional business thinking
and understand the critical difference between "doing
the best we can under the circumstances" and "owning
the business." Having met CEO's and senior executives
at leading businesses of all sizes and industries across the
country, Shaw has seen first-hand just how these companies
are not merely surviving, but thriving -- even in this difficult
economy.
On Thursday evening, VAI will host our annual Customer Appreciation
Dinner. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with the
VAI team and network with other System 2000 customers and
third-party software vendors.
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2004 NAED Annual Meeting
Join us at NAED's Champion Expo, May 17th at the San Francisco Marriott,
San Francisco, CA. Meet and greet with Major League baseball players and pose
for autographed photos. Stop by our booth and learn how companies in the electrical
industry have used IBM and VAI solutions to reduce costs, gain customer loyalty,
and increase profits.
American Lighting Association Annual Conference
Visit our booth at the annual ALA Conference May 15th-18th at the Westin
La Poloma Resort & Spa in Tucson, AZ. Find out how our customers in the
lighting industry have utilized IBM and VAI solutions to increase productivity,
experience greater flexibility and improve customer service.
ISMA ISCON Industrial Supply Convention
Join us at the ISMA / I.D.A. Spring Convention, May 23rd-24th at the Gaylord
Palms Resort & Convention Center in Orlando, FL. Stop by our booth and
find out how IBM and VAI solutions have benefited our companies in the manufacturing
and distribution industries.
VAI Extends Service Offerings
New for 2004 are a variety of services offered by the VAI Technical support
team. Bob Giustino, Vice President of Operations stated, "Our customers
are demanding a one stop shop for services in addition to the need for a completely
integrated Enterprise system. They want a total solution including hardware,
software and services from one supplier. Considering that all of these technology
components need real time integration, this makes the most sense."
As Web related activities such as e-business, and Portal and Java Portlet
Development continue to evolve, the trend is to integrate these applications
into the enterprise system, and to have a technology team that can seamlessly
provide support throughout the enterprise. Other technical support requirements
are also in demand in areas including web support, network support, communications,
security, software compliance, virus protection, disaster recovery, warehouse
management, customer relationship management and iSeries performance and tuning.
From humble beginnings, Pfister Hybrids has grown to become one of the top
seed corn companies today. Located in El Paso, Il, Pfister has representatives
throughout the corn belt and continues its role as a leader in the field, in
testing and innovation. From Lester's first hybrids to today's top genetics,
Pfister is a company dedicated to serving its customers and earning customer
loyalty.
Pfister Hybrids began using System 2000's warehousing software (Warehouse
Pro) earlier this year to address existing challenges they were facing. Perhaps
their biggest challenge was getting orders picked, packaged, and shipped in
a timely manner. Previously, orders were picked and packaged for next day shipping,
and everything was manual. Because of System 2000's warehouse automation, picking
is more effective, and Pfister is typically prepared to ship their product
the night prior to delivery. In addition to timelines, the warehouse automation
enables Pfister to improve their order accuracy.
John Tutle, Controller at Pfister Hybrids stated, "Warehouse Pro's wireless
hand held capabilities dramatically improved both efficiency and accuracy throughout
the warehouse. What our customers order is what our customers get. We are winning
over our biggest competitors."
For more information on Pfister Hybrids visit their website at www.pfisterhybrid.com.
Turtle Wax, a Chicago based manufacturer of automotive car products, has
joined the growing list of System 2000 users. After a 3-year search for an
integrated ERP application, Turtle Wax selected System 2000 because of its
ease of implementation, world class integration, outstanding application functionality,
and industry leading support. Turtle Wax will be implementing the financials,
distribution, warehousing, customer relationship management, and manufacturing
modules. In addition to their automotive car care products, Turtle Wax manufactures
a line of automotive performance products including Marvel Mystery Oil. Turtle
Wax also owns a number of car wash/automotive appearance centers in the US.
For more information on Turtle Wax, visit their website at www.turtlewax.com.
Ray and Donna Shuhet |
Ray Shuhet is retiring after 30 years of outstanding service
with IBM and 12 years with VAI. In 1962, Ray began his career
with IBM as office products salesman in the IBM Products Division.
In 1972, Ray joined the Computer Division selling IBM computers.
In 1992, Ray joined VAI as a Marketing Representative, and
has been responsible for the sale of all IBM hardware systems
to VAI customers. VAI thanks Ray for his hardwork and dedication
through the years. Best wishes to Ray and Donna for a great
retirement. Congratulations Ray! |
In order to keep up with the increased demand in the Midwest, VAI has relocated
to a larger office to accommodate three additional programmers, Brian Shaw,
Mike Kardas and Kim Schunke. Bob Giustino, Vice President of Operations, stated, "We
welcome our new VAI teammates and look forward to working with them. With their
collective skills, they represent the best technology workers available in
the marketplace to support our extensive and growing population of System 2000
customers. I'd like to extend my best wishes for their success in the future."
Joe Dimora Becomes VAI's New Inside Marketing Representative
Joe Dimora has joined the VAI sales team as an inside marketing representative
in the New York office. With 21 years of experience in the wholesale distribution,
retail and automotive industries, his focus will be on inside sales support
and assisting in the development of quality leads for the sales team. Joe Scioscia,
Vice President of Sales commented, "We're happy to have Joe on board,
his industry experience enables him to provide an immediate impact in our lead
generation capabilities."
John Muoio Becomes VAI's New Hardware Sales Representative
John Muoio will be replacing Ray Shuhet, who is retiring, as VAI's Hardware
Sales Representative. John's background includes 10 years with IBM and 10 years
experience with IBM Business Partner firms. He will be reaching out to VAI
customers with up to date IBM offerings in addition to the latest VAI software
product information and will focus on the current and future hardware requirements
of VAI customers. Joe Scioscia, Vice President of Sales stated, "John
is a great addition to the VAI sales team, his IBM background and in-depth
hardware knowledge will be a great asset to our customers in helping them get
the most out of their technology investment."
Lois Inquanta Joins VAI Sales Support Team
Lois Inquanta has joined VAI's sales support team and will provide administrative
assistance to execute and track VAI marketing campaigns and events. Vince Taravella,
Director of Channel Sales & Marketing, stated, "As part of IBM's ISV
Advantage Program, it has become increasingly important to report all our sales
and marketing activities to IBM. Lois will be a big asset in helping us achieve
that goal."
Ariana Tolins Named Sales Support Representative
Ariana Tolins has recently been promoted to Sales Support Representative
at VAI. As a sales support team member, Ariana will provide administrative
support to the sales team, help with marketing activities and conferences,
and provide database management assistance to ensure the proper tracking of
customers and leads. Congratulations and best wishes Ariana!
If your company is like many others today, the amount of downtime that you
can afford is rapidly shrinking - perhaps it's down to zero - making the job
of keeping mission-critical data available to users increasingly difficult.
An essential weapon in today's battle against downtime is a full-featured high
availability solution. One that replicates critical objects to single or multiple
remote nodes in order to prevent downtime during unplanned events such as system
failures and disasters, as well as during planned downtime events like daily
backups, hardware upgrades, and OS upgrades.
To learn more about what High Availability can do for your organization,
contact John Muoio at 1.800.385.7535.
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VAI's announces the development of a new technical bulletin,
designed to provide our customers with the latest information
about System 2000 Enterprise Management Software; including
training offerings, answers to frequently asked questions,
product enhancements, documentation, and help desk services.
In addition, the bulletin will feature useful System 2000
hints and tips.
Knowledgeable VAI personnel in the hardware, research and
development, documentation, training, help desk and web development
sectors have teamed up to keep VAI customers informed of the
latest technical advancements. These team members had a goal
in mind, to share important information to ensure customer
success.
Watch for the debut of the System 2000 Technical Review
on the VAI website. Coming Soon!
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All VAI dealers are invited to Caesars Palace, Las Vegas on September 27th
- September 28th to attend the 2004 VAI Dealer Conference. In addition to previewing
the many new features in System 2000, our new format will include more in-depth
discussions on winning marketing strategies, beating the competition, and will
provide executive education on successful solution selling. In the past, this
event has been limitless in providing System 2000 Dealers with co-marketing
strategies they need to achieve long-term success.
Please mark your calendars for this exciting event. We look forward to seeing
all our Dealers at Caesars Palace in September.
Caesars Palace Las Vegas, NV
- IBM guest speakers will educate you about the NEW eServer i5 announcements
and the latest industry trends.
- VAI experts will take you through the myriad of new features in the
System 2000 Release 3.7.3 and review our future development plans.
- VAI will introduce our new System 2000 Portal offering that offers
user based content over the web to maximize productivity.
- Learn about the major enhancements in our Order Entry application
that offers a whole new look and increased functionality.
- View demonstrations from existing and new third party vendors that
can help you increase software and services revenue.
- Review competitive offerings and learn how to outshine the competition.
- Hear about new VAI success stories and our growth in the Distribution,
Manufacturing, and Retail markets.
- Learn powerful Solution Selling Techniques that can help you quickly
diagnose a prospect's business issues.
- Network with other VAI Resellers and discuss winning marketing strategies.
The American Lighting Association (ALA)
As a member of ALA, VAI is a vital part of a growing trade association that
is pro-actively working to build and strengthen the lighting industry. VAI
has been very active with lighting association members for years, and has a
significant user population of retail lighting stores and lighting distributors
/ manufacturers.
The American Supply Association (ASA)
VAI is active with ASA, a national organization serving the Plumbing, Heating,
Cooling and Piping (PHCP) and Industrial Pipes, Valves and Fittings (PVF) industry.
For over 30 years, ASA has provided the forum for PHCP & PVF wholesale
distributors and their vendors from around the country to discuss critical
issues facing them. Together, ASA members can influence the future success
of the PHCP/PVF channel, and develop new ways to improve profitability and
effectiveness. VAI has a large number of HVAC distributors using System 2000
very successfully. Bob Giustino, Vice President of Operations, commented, "The
features of System 2000 really fit the HVAC industry very effectively, from
our customer service through purchasing, warehousing and on-line ebusiness
applications, the results have been just fantastic."
The HIDA Educational Foundation
VAI is also active with the HIDA Foundation Associates Program. The Foundation
is dedicated to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of medical product
distributors and the healthcare supply chain through education and research.
VAI has been active in the medical distribution area for many years and has
had great success in this area.
The Industrial Supply Association (I.D.A.)
I.D.A. represents more than 1,000 distributor locations in North America
and Europe. I.D.A. has maintained a century-old supplier partnership with the
Industrial Supply Manufacturers Association (ISMA). This partnership brings
industrial distributors and a broad base of MRO manufacturers together to develop
solutions and provide assistance to help respond more effectively to the needs
of our customers. VAI supports industrial distributors worldwide with great
success.
American AGCO, Inc. a major supplier of feed ingredients and manufactured
feed products to the livestock market since 1936 has selected the IBM iSereis
platform and VAI's System 2000 Software to replace their HP3000 system. Every
business starts with a simple idea. At American AGCO, Inc., simple - is the
idea. With a solid tradition built on a dedication to excellence, and "anticipating" customer
needs, rather than merely responding to them. From the beginning, Tony Duclos,
Sr., founder of what is now American AGCO, Inc., knew the true value of a "customer-driven" organization.
In 1936, he created the South St. Paul Feed & Oil Company. Strategically
located between the livestock yards and local rail transit lines, this predecessor
to American AGCO, Inc. provided just what the agricultural community needed:
a convenient and affordable distribution and supply center. We are delighted
to add American AGCO, Inc. to our growing list of VAI customers. For more information
on American AGCO, Inc. visit their website at www.ameragco.com.
VAI is expanding operations with new hires, office expansions and more product
offerings. VAI's Orlando office has increased in size with the addition of
two technical support personnel. The Chicago office is also expanding with
the recent hiring of three additional programmers. And VAI's New York corporate
offices have also increased in size with the expansion of the marketing department
plus a separate new area designated for web related development and support.
Bob Giustino, Vice President of Operations, stated, "First quarter total
activity is brisk. We've become a one-stop shop for many of our customers worldwide.
Our technical support team provides services for enterprise software support
and help desk, e-business, web development, and portal integration, warehouse
management, customer relationship management and sales force automation. In
addition, our technical support team provides network support, communications
and iSeries performance tuning. Other services include software compliance,
virus protection and disaster recovery. These important services are available
at our customer's location or remotely through VAI's web based support option."
Giustino continued, "Our customers are utilizing technology more than
ever before to improve efficiencies and customer service, and we definitely
see this trend continuing. Most importantly, the VAI research and development
team is hard at work updating our family of System 2000 products and developing
new and exciting web based portal and java based web applications that will
be unveiled at our VAI user conference, being held in Las Vegas, September
30th - October 2nd."
In a recent photo taken in
Ar Ramadi, Iraq fellow officer
Major David Menegon
and Major Rob Jones |
Major Robert Jones, military reservist for the U.S. Army and
VAI project manager, left for active duty January 2003. Rob
was initially stationed in Fort Bragg, North Carolina before
his deployment to Iraq in April 2003. Major Jones stated, "It's
great to be home, although I miss my buddies who are still
on active duty in Iraq". Jones continued, "It seems
like I never left VAI, and my work schedule is keeping me busier
than ever before". Bob Vormittag, President of VAI and
a member of the Employees Support of The Guard and Reserves,
(ESGR) commented, "We missed Rob and it's just great to
see him home safe and sound. We're all proud of his service
and we're happy to be working with him again". |
IBM announced a new line of eServers this week. New for 2004 is the powerful
i5 series boasting the latest Power5 architecture. The i5 offers a dramatic
improvement in price / performance while taking advantage of the latest trends.
Now, you can run i5/OS, Linux, AIX 5L and Windows in a single server. This
new environment can be integrated with IBM's WebSphere Portal and provides
the option of activating Capacity On Demand. All of this plus much more with
a starting price of just $11,000.00.
Vince Taravella
VAI Director of Sales & Marketing
Cruise recipient |
VAI is pleased to announce that it has won the coveted iSeries
Sales contest being sponsored by IBM for 2003. Joe Scioscia,
Vice President of Sales stated, "Our commitment to IBM
and the iSeries has really provided our customers with a world
class solution. We're keeping pace with what our customers
really want, a totally integrated Enterprise Solution with
support from one vendor."
Joe Rueda, Business Unit Executive for IBM stated, "We
are pleased to announce that VAI has won the iSeries New Customer
Challenge for the second half of 2003. iSeries and VAI have
a long history of helping new customers manage their toughest
business challenges with an easy to manage, proven solution.
With the announcement of i5, the next generation iSeries,
and our partnership with VAI, we plan to once again significantly
expand the number of net new customers in 2004."
The contest winner receives a 7-day all expenses paid trip
to the Mediterranean aboard the Radisson cruise ship Seven
Seas Voyager. Ports of call include Nice, Monaco, Rome, Sicily,
the Greek Islands, Turkey and Athens. Scioscia (VAI) continued, "We're
delighted to be a winner of this challenging contest. Our
Director of Channel Sales and Marketing, Vince Taravella,
will be taking the Mediterranean cruise. He was nominated
by the entire sales team based on his contributions to the
VAI sales effort throughout 2003." VAI is already hard
at work marketing the new i5 with IBM and looks forward to
another great year of activity.
Radisson Seven Seas Voyager
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