Episode #106 – Choose Your Weapon

In the battle for fastener industry success, it’s important to make the right choices, which are sometimes not the same for everyone. Reluctant industry legend and 2016 Fastener Hall of Fame inductee, Bruce Wheeler of Star Stainless makes this case during a landmark interview (1:12:42). The FDI ticks up, and Mike McNulty explores the reasons why, along with BB&T Capital Markets analyst, Charles Redding on the Fastener News Report (50:54). The MWFA table top show and golf outing were great successes again this year, as described by Bob “GQ” Baer, Nancy Rich, Ruth Dowling, Steve Greenberg and more (14:12). Plus, Beacon Fasteners sales manager, Kameron Dorsey drops in with updates from the FIC (39:43). Also, fastener guru Carmen Vertullo presents the Fastener Training Minute (103:43). Brian and Eric discuss a glitch with FCH SourceFinder and 3-D printed airplane parts, then choose to spend the rest of the month on the lake. Run time: 01:47:28

About the Hosts

Brian Musker

Brian Musker

Known as the “hardest working man in the online thread game”, Brian Musker earned his advanced engineering degree with a thesis on fastening technology many years before entering the fastener industry with the launch of the FCH Sourcing Network in 2006. Today, he is known as the developer of the industry renowned “FCH Scrubber” software that cleans and cross-matches fastener inventory for distributors across the industry. He is also a strong advocate for his beloved breakfast spread, Vegemite.

Eric Dudas

Eric Dudas

Eric Dudas got the idea of launching Fully Threaded Radio in the early days of podcasting as he pondered how to promote the FCH Sourcing Network to an industry that wasn’t doing much with traditional social media. Fifteen years later, the show has a life of its own and has opened more doors than he could have imagined. More recently, he’s been working to build the NFBBQA (National Fastener BBQ Association) to help fastener professionals better enjoy cooking meat over fire. He also enjoys chicken ranching at his small farm in semi-rural northeast Ohio.