Episode 7: Clint Pulver

Episode 7: Clint Pulver

In this episode, NAW CEO Eric Hoplin sits down with Clint Pulver, keynote speaker, professional drummer, and the "Undercover Millennial," fresh off a show-stopping performance at NAW's SHIFT Conference in Denver. Drawing on six and a half years of undercover research across 698 organizations and more than 11,000 employee interviews, Clint shares what actually makes people stay and what drives them to walk out the door. He breaks down the difference between managers, buddies, controllers, and mentors, and makes the case that mentorship always wins. It's an energizing, deeply human conversation about the five C's of great leadership, the ripple effect of one right moment, and how a middle school teacher with a pair of drumsticks changed the course of one young man's life and thousands of others since.

Episode 6: Eva Heller

In this episode, NAW CEO Eric Hoplin sits down with Eva Heller, VP at ADI Global Distribution and one of Modern Distribution Management's Top Women in Distribution for 2026. Eva shares her unconventional path into the industry from planning floors at Bloomingdale's and Bed Bath & Beyond to leading operations, logistics, and real estate strategy at one of distribution's fastest-moving companies. She opens up about ADI's ambitious DC network transformation, the spinoff from Resideo, and what it really means to build a customer-first culture at scale. It's a candid, grounded conversation about earning respect in a historically male-dominated industry, the leadership lesson that changed everything for her, and why the best results come when you stop having all the answers (and start trusting your team).

Episode 5: Jim Derry

In this episode, NAW CEO Eric Hoplin sits down with Jim Dery, CEO of Field Fasteners,. Jim offers candid takes on navigating tariffs, managing the pace of AI adoption, and why family-owned distributors hold a real competitive edge over private equity when it comes to acquiring businesses and taking care of people. It's a grounded, honest conversation about building something that lasts, passing the torch to the next generation, and what it means to lead with purpose in the distribution industry.

Episode 4: Kathy Mazzarella

In this episode, NAW CEO Eric Hoplin sits down with Kathy Mazzarella, Chairman, President and CEO of Graybar and Chair of the NAW Board of Directors. Kathy shares her grounded, people-first leadership philosophy including her concept of "human augmented AI" and how Graybar is in the middle of a bold multi-year transformation to disrupt itself before someone else does. It's a wide-ranging, engaging conversation on navigating macro uncertainty, the rise of private equity, building trust in a skeptical world, and what it really means to lead in distribution today.

Episode 3: Liz Uihlein

In this episode, Host and NAW CEO Eric Hoplin sits down with Liz Uihlein, President of Uline. Liz shares the unfiltered story behind Uline's growth, from mailing flyers at the dining room table to mastering catalog marketing, and opens up about the culture, work ethic, and hands-on leadership style that have defined the company for 46 years. The conversation also celebrates Uline receiving the 2026 Distributors Deliver Award, a well-earned recognition of a true American business success story.