Building Momentum for FEDA’s Next Chapter
Ashley Mueller and Emily Coveny are advancing FEDA’s strategic initiatives, educational programs, and conference development efforts.
By Tim O'Connor
Communications Manager and Editor
As FEDA completes its executive leadership transition this summer, with COO Joe Durham succeeding retiring CEO Tracy Mulqueen, the association also recently welcomed two new employees who are quickly making their contributions felt among members.
Ashley Mueller, director of industry programs and professional development, and Emily Coveny, operations and conference coordinator, joined FEDA in March. Both stepped into roles that are closely intertwined with FEDA’s ongoing programs and initiatives, but their leadership skills and attention to member priorities have allowed them to maintain the association’s momentum while readying the next phases of FEDA’s strategic work.
For Mueller, the early focus has been on FEDA’s Future of Distribution Council and the Emerging Distributors Council. The groups and the FDC subcommittees are working to build tools, materials, and standards that will strengthen distributor operations and enable more seamless data sharing across the end-to-end supply chain. Managing these councils and developing the strategic resources needed to drive meaningful industry-wide change is a complex responsibility, but Mueller’s background in education and manufacturing has been the perfect complement to their mission. She began her career working in point-of-purchase and retail display manufacturing, an industry that familiarized her with managing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, creating standards for accurate warehouse data, and working with less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers to roll out new products.
Each of those experiences corresponds directly to one of the core areas being examined by the FDC, but Mueller’s experiences as an educator are proving equally essential to helping FEDA members absorb the information. At previous organizations she directed education efforts, oversaw multi-day conferences, and developed certification programs that promoted best practices and industry standards. Beyond her work with the FDC and EDC, Mueller is tapping into those skills as she collaborates with FEDA conference speakers to develop their sessions.
Having earned an undergraduate degree in business administration from Valparaiso University, Mueller can relate to many of the concepts and challenges FEDA members encounter in the field. That understanding will only grow as she progresses toward a master’s degree in instructional design and learning technology. The degree is heavily focused on adult learning and understanding how people learn effectively in professional environments. “For me, those two areas complement each other well and reinforce the importance of creating learning experiences that are both practical and engaging,” Mueller said.
That combination is already being put to FEDA’s benefit. Working with presenter Will Quinn, known within the logistics industry as The Distribution Guy, Mueller developed and debuted the association’s second educational webinar series for 2026, which is focused on building critical skills for front-line distribution leaders (Editor’s note: See page 55).
Just as she’s helping move FEDA’s councils and educational offerings forward, Mueller is also overseeing the launch of the association’s Dealer Growth Accelerator Mentoring Program (DGAM), an executive leadership development initiative that connects emerging distribution leaders with experienced industry executives for meaningful peer-to-peer learning, practical business insight, and long-term professional relationship-building. Through these structured conversations, FEDA is ensuring that the operational knowledge, industry perspective, and practical experience built across decades of distribution leadership continue to be intentionally carried forward to the next generation of industry leaders. The project has been in development since 2025, but Mueller’s prior experience in designing a speaker mentorship program for young professionals has helped turn DGAM from a framework into a fully fleshed-out model that a founding cohort of mentors and mentees are ready to use.
“I really like being able to support our members,” Mueller said. “Being able to help others is something I’ve always liked about teaching. It’s gratifying to enrich the minds of others and help them toward their goals.”
As operations and conference coordinator, Coveny is taking a similar approach to breaking down FEDA’s programs to ensure they are operating effectively and maximizing their value to members. A graduate of DePaul University with a degree in history, Coveny is pursuing a master’s degree in project management and applying those skills to keep association projects on track. “Project management has helped me understand risks, think critically, and coordinate programs to better evaluate and assist with conference planning,” she said.
After just a few months in the role, Coveny has contributed to a wide range of FEDA initiatives, from overseeing deadlines and coordinating vendors to helping launch the new conference website and managing budgets. She’s established herself as a key link for the association’s work, connecting elements of programming and conference session details to member outreach and marketing — all while absorbing as much information about the industry as possible. This willingness to quickly grow into new areas and support both staff and members reflects FEDA’s mission of helping foodservice equipment and supplies distributors advance and grow their businesses.
One area of focus where Coveny is putting her project management expertise into action is the 2026 FEDA Annual Executive Leadership Conference. Those skills are proving invaluable as she coordinates logistics and event details with the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley resort, while keeping in mind the specific needs of each session and networking activity. In April, Coveny and Durham conducted a site visit of the property to further support the association’s conference planning. She returned confident that the resort will provide an exceptional setting for attendees to network and learn. “The resort is perfect for our annual conference as it balances a new and modern design with functional spaces and great views,” Coveny said.
Beyond the conference, Coveny’s project management background has made her a valuable resource for initiatives that help members operate more effectively. One example is the FEDA Data Portal, the industry-owned database that manufacturers and distributors use to maintain and disseminate uniform product data across their systems and operations. By providing behind-the-scenes assistance in using the data portal, Coveny ensures members have the tools and resources they need to provide up-to-date product information to operators.
“The data portal is a cornerstone of FEDA’s work,” she said. “I’m glad to be able to support members in managing their data so they can spend more time serving their customers and growing their businesses.”
In just a short time, Coveny and Mueller have demonstrated the emphasis on member support, operational excellence, and vision for industry collaboration that position FEDA as a best-in-class association. Whether developing educational programs, strengthening distributor resources, or planning a national conference, both are positioning FEDA and its members for sustained success in an increasingly complex business environment.