Fixing the Data Problem: Building a Digital Supply Chain That Works
June 18, 2025, 9 PT/12 ET
Join us for a new episode of Wholesale Change, where we’ll sit down with Patrick Knight, President and CEO at IDEA (Industry Data Exchange Association), to explore the data infrastructure behind the electrical, HVAC, and plumbing industries, and where it’s headed next. This session addresses the core issues that manufacturers and distributors are wrestling with as they try to modernize data infrastructure in the face of rising customer expectations and AI-driven processes.
We’ll explore:
- How disconnected data systems are slowing down supply chain communication, and what can be done about it
- Why many companies struggle to make use of the product data available to them
- The impact of declining internal EDI capabilities and the shift toward outsourced, managed services
- Lessons from sectors like HVAC and plumbing that are tackling similar data challenges
- Why poor data quality is a major barrier to AI adoption and what steps can be taken to fix it
- Practical actions distributors can take to improve product and transactional data management today
Whether you're a distributor, manufacturer, or just trying to make sense of your data challenges, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Patrick brings deep industry knowledge and a practical perspective on what it takes to build a digital foundation that works — now and in the future.
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President & CEO, IDEA
Thank you to our sponsors:
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About our speaker:
Patrick Knight
President & CEO, IDEA
Patrick Knight is an experienced and outgoing leader with a track record of success across national accounts, GPOs, and value-driven industries. Currently the President & CEO of IDEA, he brings over 15 years of leadership in strategic planning, business development, and process improvement. His career spans executive roles at Rexel USA, IM Supply, and OMNIA Partners—where he's worked closely with C-level leaders from SMBs to global enterprises to drive innovation and growth. A natural problem solver and out-of-the-box thinker, he’s passionate about tackling big challenges, building strong relationships, and creating impact across evolving industries.
About our hosts:
Ian Heller
Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Distribution Strategy Group
Ian Heller is Founder & Senior Partner at Distribution Strategy Group, and has more than 30 years of experience executing marketing and e-business strategy in the wholesale distribution industry. He has written and spoken extensively on the impact of digital disruption on distributors.
Jonathan Bein, Ph.D.
Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Distribution Strategy Group
Jonathan Bein Ph.D. has worked with over 100 distributors to apply advanced analytics and AI to improve customer experience, define value proposition, estimate sales potential and create digital strategy.