Our Story
Four Decades of Excellence
Professional Association for Industrial Distribution provides a forum for students, faculty, former students, and companies who manufacture and distribute goods and services. What began as a student-faculty initiative has grown into a nationally recognized recruiting pipeline.
1983
PAID is Founded
Dr. Demo A. Stavros, Mr. Gerald A. Stone, and Dr. Mike Workman establish PAID as a coordinated effort between ID students and faculty.
Early Years
Building the Foundation
Faculty arranged scholarships, internships, field trips, and job placement services — creating a pipeline between students and industry.
First Banquet
Industry Takes Notice
Houston Industrial Distributors Association and North Texas Distributors Association chartered buses to campus for the inaugural senior banquet.
Growth
From Banquet to Weekly Events
PAID evolves from annual celebrations to weekly industry networking events, career fairs, and professional development programming.
2025
Largest PAID Has Ever Been
With over 1,500 active members, PAID reaches its highest membership in history — one of the largest student-run organizations at Texas A&M University.
PAID's Four Goals
- 1 Develop the character of students pursuing a career in Industrial Distribution
- 2 Develop and refine students’ skills preparing them for industry careers
- 3 Coordinate services and activities for students in the ID Program
- 4 Act as a liaison between students, faculty, and industry companies