LETTER TO THE EDITOR

As a member of my company's upper management, I am constantly promoting a positive attitude with our employees. It is important at their jobs and also in their lives. I was thinking about how I keep a positive attitude. I believe being a member of HARDI is the answer.

I attended the conference in Phoenix in October and had many conversations with my peers from across the country. The conversations were all positive. The theme of my conversations with everyone I talked was improving the efficiencies of their companies. There was no panic, no doom and gloom. A huge benefit of the conference is talking with friends in business about common problems and sharing ideas on how to get through these tough times.

We are very fortunate to be in the wholesale distribution business in these down times and will weather this cycle better than most.

I want to thank all of my friends and associates at HARDI for taking the time to talk with me and reinforcing my positive attitude. I am looking forward to an interesting and profitable 2009!
— Royce Henderson, Executive Vice President, Charles D. Jones Co. Inc.