Nations earns BSA Lifetime Achievement Award
The Bearing Specialists Association (BSA) presented its Lifetime Achievement Award to Andy Nations, president and CEO of B&D Industrial.
The presentation was made at the association’s 2013 Annual Convention May 4-7 at the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort and Spa on Hilton Head Island, S.C. Nations is the first second-generation Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. His father, John Nations, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.
B&D Industrial (known to most of BSA as Bearings & Drives) was founded in 1947, when Nations’ father, John, purchased Travis Belting & Supply in Griffin, Ga. The company started as a “mom and pop” industrial distributorship. Nations literally grew up in the company, learning the ropes by working in various positions starting with shipping and delivery for Bearings and Drives before he graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in finance in 1971. From implementing the company’s first computer system in 1975 to managing various acquisitions and record growth in the 1990s, Nations has brought B&D to a new level.
Today B&D Industrial is an independent distributor and solutions provider to original equipment manufacturers and companies with maintenance, repair and operations needs in both heavy and light manufacturing. The original company is now part of a bigger family of divisions. B&D Industrial is parent to four specialty companies: Bearings and Drives, Scale Systems, B&D Service and Simco Technologies. The company operates in over 30 facilities in Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama, has around 350 employees and produces over $90 million in annual revenue. B&D provides high-tech, engineered offerings, with applied mechanical expertise and preventative-maintenance field services.
Nations has been an active BSA participant, beginning in 1974 as a member of the Young Executives Committee and then later serving on the Long Range Convention Planning, Public Relations and Data Processing Committees. He chaired the Data Processing Committee from 1987 to 1989 and also served on the 1990 Convention Planning Committee. He was BSA’s Treasurer for three terms, 1980 – 1983 and was elected Second Vice President in 1990, moving through the chairs to serve as President 1992-93. But he didn’t disappear after serving as President. He continued to serve on the Information Technology & Supply Chain Committee 1993 – 2001 and currently serves on the Distributor/Manufacturer Relations Committee. B&D Industrial participated in the 2006 Inside Sales Pilot project and Andy served on the Board of Directors again from 1996 – 1999. He is this year’s 2013 Convention Committee Chairman and has involved many people from B&D Industrial in BSA activities.
To be eligible for BSA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, a recipient must have been a member or participating manufacturer of BSA for at least 25 years, attended BSA events, been actively involved in the affairs of the association and demonstrated a leadership role within the industry. Previous recipients of this award include: Wendy McDonald, BC Bearing Engineers; Jim Fitzpatrick Sr., Bearings Specialty Company; John D. Nations, Bearings & Drives; Jamie Martin, The Timken Corporation; Denny Clark, SKF ; Dick Gipson, Gipson Bearing; Hal Allen, Allied Bearing Company; Bill Ives, BSA Legal Counsel; and Peter Negri, Jamaica Bearings.
INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY MAGAZINE
The March/April issue of Industrial Supply magazine features an in-depth cover story about Joyce Lansdale and Vallen. Plus, we're featuring articles by contributing writers Dirk Beveridge, Frank Hurtte, and David Kahle, as well as interviews with numerous product and distribution industry experts.
