Don Kudlak, president of Aerosmith Fastening Systems, will be the 2021 Specialty Tools & Fasteners Distributors Association general session associate state of the industry speaker.

The 45th annual STAFDA convention is set for October 24-26 in Orlando.

In 1983, Kudlak introduced builders, tradesmen and industrial fabricators to the benefits of using pneumatic nailers, staplers, and finishing tools over traditional hammer and nail technology.

After building a business in Florida for 12 years, he was recruited by Illinois Tool Works to head the construction division, working with national customers like WW Grainger, MSC Industrial and Fastenal. After five years Kudlak became national sales manager for ITW’s OEM accounts, Aerosmith Fastening Systems, to be their national sales manager. He is now president and minority owner.

Aerosmith is a specialty fastener company that has grown 500% since 2005 supplying commercial contractors and industrial fabricators unique fasteners to attach a variety of products to steel and concrete. They also supply the RV, Cargo, and Utility trailer manufacturers.

Kudlak holds one patent and has another patent pending. As director of product development at Aerosmith he developed four industry-changing fasteners.

Indiana-based Aerosmith recently expanded into the mechanical and adhesive anchoring marketplace. Web: AerosmithFastening.com

As the outgoing STAFDA president, Brian Gersten of On Time Supply, Suffern, NY. will give the State of the Industry address.

Author, entrepreneur and co-founder of Fast Company magazine Bill Taylor will give the keynote address.

The STAFDA convention was moved from November in Charlotte to Orlando due to pandemic restrictions on meetings in North Carolina.

STAFDA registration begins June 28 for the October convention. Web: STAFDA.org