The Industrial Supply Association named Don Ruggles, chairman of Martin Supply, winner of the 2016 John J. Buckley Lifetime Achievement Award at its annual convention in Rosemont, Illinois.
Ruggles has spent his entire 55-year career with Martin Supply, working his way up through the ranks to become president and eventually chairman of the board. During that time, he led the company from a small, one-branch operation to become one of the top 50 industrial distributors in the U.S.
In the early 1990s, along with several other independent distributors, Ruggles was instrumental in approaching Affiliated Distributors about forming the Industrial Supply Division of AD. Ruggles went on to serve on the board of AD for two years.
Ruggles has held numerous leadership roles within the industry. He served on the board of the Southern Industrial Distributors Association (SIDA) when the decision was made to merge with the National Industrial Distributors Association (NIDA) and form the Industrial Distribution Association (I.D.A). He worked his way through the chairs and eventually served as president of I.D.A. from 1992 to 1993. He also served as temporary executive director of I.D.A. after the death of executive director Gary Buffington. During his one year tenure as interim director, Ruggles was part of the leadership team that made the decision to merge I.D.A. and the American Supply and Machinery Manufacturers Association (ASMMA) to form the Industrial Supply Association (ISA).
Ruggles is also active in his local community, serving on many charitable boards and civic organizations in North Alabama. He has been an active leader in the First Presbyterian Church for 50 years and served one term as police commissioner for the city of Sheffield, Ala.
