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Hardlines Distribution Alliance

Distribution America and PRO Group Form Hardlines Distribution Alliance

Effective April 1, 2022, Distribution America (DA) and PRO Group (PRO) will be operating as Hardlines Distribution Alliance (HDA), a service management company representing over 65 member distributors nationwide. 

Shari Kalbach, who was serving as vice president and chief operating office of PRO Group, will be the president of HDA and direct the management team and staff. Under the new organization, HDA will be able to offer more robust programs and services to distributors, retailers and vendor partners. The enhanced programs will continue to allow independently owned hardware, farm and ag, lawn and garden and paint retailers to compete in today’s competitive retail environment.

In addition to merchandising, marketing and advertising services, HDA boasts over $7 billion in annual purchasing strength across its member distributors. With these robust services and purchasing power, HDA will strive to build a stronger hardware and home improvement channel for the benefit of all partners in the industry.

“This move is a natural evolution for DA and PRO, combining all of our core strengths for the benefit of distributors, retailers and vendors served by both organizations,” says Steve Synnott, President and CEO at PRO Group, Inc.

Another driving factor behind HDA was the already successful Executive Planning Conference that brings together DA and PRO members in one setting. With a combination of resources, vendor attendees are able to meet with distributor members from both groups while only traveling to one location. This same strategy is what makes the alliance between the two companies beneficial to members and partners of each group.

“The industry saw tremendous benefit when DA and PRO came together in 2003 to establish the annual Executive Planning Conference,” says Dave Christmas, CEO at Distribution America. “It is that same vision that will allow Hardlines Distribution Alliance to perform key advertising and merchandising services for all HDA members with a stronger platform than either entity could have achieved independently.”

About Lindsey Thompson

Lindsey joined the NHPA staff in 2021 as an associate editor for Hardware Retailing magazine. A native of Ohio, Lindsey earned a B.S. in journalism and minors in business and sociology from Ohio University. She loves spending time with her husband, two kids, two cats and one dog, as well as doing DIY projects around the house, going to concerts, boating and cheering on the Cleveland Indians.

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