The IWDC is pleased to announce that effective Monday, April 28, Chris Stout joined IWDC as Vice President & General Manager. Chris will lead the Sales and Vendor Management team responsible for driving profitable growth of key programs maximizing Members’ patronage dividends, Vendor partner brands, the Weldmark® brand, and our IWDC Distribution Centers.
Chris comes to IWDC having most recently held leadership roles in branch operations, purchasing and Vendor Management at an industry leading independent, Purity Cylinder Gases. Prior to his fifteen years at Purity, he worked at Praxair Distribution Inc. Chris is nearing completion of a BS in Business Administration from the University of Maine, December 2025.
Chris and his wife, Tami, and their children reside in Otsego, MI and will eventually relocate to the Indianapolis area.
The IWDC is a cooperative, formed in 1994, which leverages the strengths of its independent welding distributor Members across North America. IWDC Member companies collectively represent over $4.2B in sales, serving a wide range of industries. The common denominator is that these industries look to them for industrial, specialty, and medical gases as well as related equipment, welding hardgoods, and consumables. End-use customers served by IWDC Members benefit from having the unparalleled expertise of a local Member distributor who has access to national-scale purchasing and marketing programs. You can learn more about IWDC at www.iwdc.coop.