What Southern Wholesale Supply does

Southern Wholesalers Association (SWA) is a regional, member-driven nonprofit trade association founded in 1928 and headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee. It serves wholesale distributors of plumbing, heating, cooling, and piping (PHCP) products and industrial pipe, valves, and fittings (PVF) across 14 southeastern states plus the Bahamas/Caribbean, with more than 950 member locations. SWA is the largest regional association affiliated with the American Supply Association, operating as ASA's Region 6, and members receive dual SWA/ASA membership in a single dues payment.

SWA's core "products" are membership services rather than physical goods. Wholesale membership dues are tiered by annual sales volume from $785 (up to $1M) to $7,875 (over $250M); associate membership for manufacturers, reps, and service providers is $395 annually. The annual convention at JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort (June 27-30, 2026) drew a record 1,144 attendees in 2025 and is supported by a six-tier sponsorship program (Diamond $7,500 down to Bronze $1,500, plus golf packages) with bundled delegate registrations and priority business-meeting scheduling. Additional revenue comes from convention and event registration fees, which differentiate member versus non-member pricing. Programs include the SWA Profit Enhancement Institute (launched 1988), Selling from the Heart training, weekly sales podcasts, factory tours, an Annual Benchmarking Report, and a Cross-Industry Compensation Survey.

SWA operates three sub-brand councils (Leadership Development Council, Mechanical Products Council, and Women in Leadership Council) for leadership development and member engagement, and administers the Dottie Ramsey LDC Scholarship through The Winston-Salem Foundation. Distribution is direct via the association office, the southernwholesalers.org website, an online Member Hub, and the SWA & NCWA Association mobile app on iOS and Android. Governance is provided by a volunteer Board of Directors; leadership consists of Executive VP Terry Shafer plus a small staff of 1-10 handling operations.

Name

Southern Wholesale Supply

Legal name

Southern Wholesalers Association

Website

https://southernwholesalers.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Southern Wholesalers Association is a 97-year-old regional nonprofit trade association serving PHCP and industrial PVF wholesale distributors across 14 southeastern states via membership dues, conventions, benchmarking, and ASA dual-membership benefits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brentwood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Membership Dues: Annual dues for wholesale members based on annual sales volume, ranging from $785 (up to $1M) to $7,875 (over $250M)
2. Associate Membership Dues: Annual dues for associate members (manufacturers, reps, service providers) set at $395 per year
3. Convention Sponsorships: Convention sponsorship tiers including Diamond ($7,500), Platinum ($5,500), Gold ($3,500), Silver ($2,500), Bronze ($1,500), and Golf ($395-$695)
4. Convention Registration Fees: Registration fees for annual convention attendees, with different pricing for members vs non-members and different attendee types (wholesaler, manufacturer, rep)
5. Event Registration Fees: Registration fees for events such as MPC Sales and Engineering Boot Camp, regional meetings, and seminars

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Southern Wholesalers Association is a nonprofit regional trade association serving wholesale distributors, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, and service providers in the PHCP (plumbing, heating, cooling, piping) and industrial PVF (pipe, valve, fittings) industries across the southeastern United States. The association provides membership services including tiered membership dues (wholesale and associate), an annual convention, training programs such as the Profit Enhancement Institute and Selling from the Heart, benchmarking reports, compensation surveys, regional meetings, council activities, and scholarship programs.

Product overview

Southern Wholesalers Association (SWA) is a regional trade association serving the PHCP (plumbing, heating, cooling, piping) and industrial PVF (pipe, valve, fittings) industries. The organization is not a product company but rather an industry association that provides membership services including an annual convention (98th Annual Convention at Marco Island Beach Resort), training programs (SWA Profit Enhancement Institute since 1988, Selling from the Heart training, weekly sales podcasts), networking events, regional meetings, factory tours, and scholarship programs (Dottie Ramsey LDC Scholarship). SWA also offers benchmarking reports, compensation surveys, and operates councils including the Leadership Development Council (LDC), Mechanical Products Council (MPC), and Women in Leadership Council.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Leadership Development Council (LDC): Council focused on fostering future leaders of the plumbing and HVAC distribution industries through education, networking, and professional growth opportunities.
• Mechanical Products Council (MPC)
• Women In Leadership Council

Products and services

• Wholesale Membership Annual membership for wholesale distributors of PHCP and industrial PVF products in the 14-state southeastern region. Dues are volume-based, ranging from $785 (up to $1M in annual sales) to $7,875 (over $250M), and include dual membership in ASA, benchmarking reports, networking events, and educational programs.
• Associate Membership
• Annual Convention The flagship annual event of SWA, hosting over 1,200 industry professionals including distributors, manufacturers, and reps. The 2026 convention is scheduled for June 27-30 at JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort and includes business meetings, networking, educational sessions, and social events.
• SWA Profit Enhancement Institute Two-day intensive training program designed for branch and upper management professionals in the wholesale distribution industry, launched in 1988.
• Selling from the Heart Training Sales training program offered through SWA's educational curriculum, focused on relationship-based selling techniques for industry professionals.
• Dottie Ramsey LDC Scholarship Scholarship program established in 2015 to honor Dottie Ramsey, providing scholarships to dependent children of SWA members. Administered by The Winston-Salem Foundation.
• MPC Sales and Engineering Boot Camp Training event hosted by SWA's Mechanical Products Council, focused on sales and engineering topics for mechanical and industrial wholesale members and vendors.
• Annual Benchmarking Report Confidential benchmarking report providing SWA members with peer performance comparison data for the wholesale distribution industry.
• Cross-Industry Compensation Survey Compensation survey offered to SWA members, providing cross-industry salary and benefits benchmarking data.
• Monthly Sales and Market Analysis Monthly sales and market analysis provided to SWA members, tracking industry sales trends and market conditions.
• Convention Sponsorships Tiered sponsorship packages for the Annual Convention, including Diamond ($7,500), Platinum ($5,500), Gold ($3,500), Silver ($2,500), Bronze ($1,500), and Golf ($395–$695). Sponsors receive priority scheduling, free delegate registrations, and brand visibility benefits.
• SWA & NCWA Association Mobile App Mobile application (iOS and Android) for convention attendees, supporting networking, schedules, and engagement during SWA and NCWA events.
• Member Hub Online Portal Online member portal providing member directory access, payment processing, exclusive benefits, innovation station content, success stories, and the quarterly newsletter.

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship, core and major.

• The Winston-Salem FoundationminorOthers · 1 January 2015The Dottie Ramsey LDC Scholarship is administered by The Winston-Salem Foundation, which manages the scholarship fund and selection process for recipients who are dependent children of SWA members.
• American Supply Association (ASA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWA represents the Southeastern Region of ASA (Region 6) and is a proud partner providing service to the PHCP and Industrial PVF industries. Dual membership in SWA automatically includes full membership in ASA at one low price. ASA provides national trade association representation, ASA Education Foundation with over 175 courses, industry events including NETWORK2025, business intelligence and data services.
• ASA Education FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASA Education Foundation provides comprehensive training programs via ASA University, offering over 175 courses across five colleges in sales, operations, leadership, and general business. SWA members benefit from access to these programs.
• 2026 Convention Diamond Sponsors (A.O. Smith, American Standard, Bradford White, GE Appliances, Noritz, Rheem, Rinnai, Speakman, Taco)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond sponsors at $7,500 level receive FREE 1st and 2nd delegate registrations, TOP PRIORITY business meeting scheduling, EXTRA banners, and logo on Event T-shirt.
• 2026 Convention Platinum Sponsors (Ace Apparel, American Bath Group, Caliber Steel, Distro, Everflow Supplies, Gastite, HydraPro, Intellihot, Kohler, Milwaukee Tool, NIBCO, Savance Enterprise, and others)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsors at $5,500 level receive FREE 1st delegate registration and HIGH PRIORITY scheduling for business meetings.
• 2026 Convention Gold Sponsors (A.Y. McDonald, Bonomi, Caleffi, Canals, Charlotte Pipe, Equipment Controls, Fluidmaster, Jomar, Legend Valve, Liberty Pump, Mansfield, Midland, MIFAB, Moen, Niagara, Oatey, Uponor, Viega, Watts, and others)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsors at $3,500 level receive FREE delegate registration and Annual Breakfast and Keynote Address sponsorship.
• 2026 Convention Silver SponsorsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsors at $2,500 level can sponsor Opening Reception, Convention App, Business Meeting Program, Closing Party, or Golf Tournament.
• 2026 Convention Bronze SponsorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze sponsors at $1,500 level can sponsor Family Program, Industry Forum, Continental Breakfast, Beach Event, Sunday Seminar, Prayer Breakfast, and other events.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ASA West: Regional ASA affiliate serving western U.S. PHCP/PVF distributors, hosting the ASA WEST SUMMIT — a direct functional peer in membership structure, events, and ASA affiliation.
• AIM/R (Association of Industry Manufacturers' Representatives): National trade association for manufacturer representatives in the PHCP/PVF channel — directly comparable membership model (reps, distributors, manufacturers), annual convention, and ASA-adjacent programming.
• Northern Central Wholesalers Association: Sister regional ASA affiliate covering the north-central U.S.; SWA and NCWA jointly operate the 'SWA & NCWA Association' mobile app and run aligned annual conventions — the most structurally comparable peer.
• ASA Northeast: Regional ASA affiliate for the northeastern U.S.; mirrors SWA's membership-dues-plus-convention model and provides the same ASA-affiliated programs to PHCP/PVF distributors.
• ASA Central: Regional ASA affiliate covering central U.S. states; runs the ASA CENTRAL SUMMIT and serves the same wholesale distributor/manufacturer rep membership base as SWA.

Others

• National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW): Broad-based U.S. trade association representing the wholesale distribution industry across all verticals; thematically related as an industry-association peer but not PHCP/PVF-specific.
• PHCC (Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association): National trade association for PHCP contractors (the downstream buyer of SWA's distributor members); adjacent rather than directly comparable, but co-locates educational and legislative programming with ASA.

Broad incumbents

• American Supply Association (ASA): National umbrella trade association for PHCP distributors and manufacturers; SWA is its Region 6 affiliate and SWA membership automatically includes ASA membership — a parent/incumbent peer relationship.
• IMARK Group: Member-owned cooperative buying group for PHCP and LPG distributors; runs its own annual expo and member programs, overlapping SWA's sponsor and member ecosystem at the distributor level.
• AD PHCP (Affiliated Distributors): Buying and marketing group for PHCP distributors that runs its own network meetings; competes with SWA for the attention and sponsorship dollars of the same distributor/manufacturer audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SWA
• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsouthernwholesalers.org%2Fsafety-housekeeping%2F
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southern-wholesale-supply

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southern Wholesale Supply