WASHINGTON - The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) will launch its 2005 Executive Summit, Jan. 24-26, in Washington. This year's event, "Exploring Value: Real Tools for Success" will provide attendees with a variety of speakers and sessions focusing on the future of the wholesale-distribution industry.

Neil Gholson, global segment leader for Deloitte, will lead the business portion of the program. NAW forged a strategic relationship with Deloitte and developed strategies and techniques to assist wholesale-distributors. Gholson will introduce the "Distribution Value Map," a set of planning tools created to help distributors increase their market share and reduce costs.

The business segment of the summit will continue with two other representatives from Deloitte, Carl E. Steidtmann, chief economist, and Michael E. Raynor, director of Deloitte research. Both will present commentary on current events shaping the wholesale-distribution industry.