> ERA Quick Connections – March 2026, Vol. 1
March 2026, Vol. 1
MANUFACTURING DATA REPORT
Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in February for the second straight month but only the third time in 40 months, says the latest ISM® Manufacturing PMI® Report.
The computer and electronic products sector, and the electrical equipment, appliances & components sector, reported growth. Read the full report.
INDUSTRY NEWS
> After the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 last month that the Trump tariffs were illegal, the White House is now opening trade investigations spanning 60 countries, in an effort to find other avenues to impose tariffs. Read more.
> How the closure of the Strait of Hormuz could affect global supply chains. Read more.
> Middle managers are the most likely to experience burnout, and the first on the “chopping block” when layoffs occur. But investing in and nurturing managers can result in strengthening your workplace culture and improving employee engagement. Read more.
INDUSTRY SURVEY RESULTS
The March 2026 ERA Electronic Components Industry Trend Survey is now live! Check your email inbox.
ERA NEWS
> Once again, a huge thank you to all 2026 ERA Conference attendees, sponsors and volunteers for making the event truly one to remember! It was a great 3 days of collaborating, networking, learning and sharing proven best practices.
View this great ERA Conference recap video, made by Zenode.ai!
> Congratulations to all the award winners from the 2026 ERA Conference!
- Lifetime Achievement Award — Walter Tobin
- Tobin Bridge Award — Scott Lindberg
- Tess Hill Award — Lori Bruno, CPMR
- Jess Spoonts White Pin Award & Scholarship — Jeff May
- Ray Hall Spirit of ERA — John Hutson, CPMR
- ERA Hall of Fame — Dave Norris
These individuals were all recognized for their many years of leadership, professionalism and integrity in fulfilling ERA’s mission of advancing the manufacturers’ representative function in this industry. Thank you for your time, dedication and passion.
> ERA is proud to announce the 2025 Cameron English Chapters of the Year award recipients! The awards were based on four categories: Education, Networking, Membership and Special Projects.
The award recipients are:
Education — Minnesota ERA, for its 3-hour generative AI “deep dive” educational session with Sam Richter
Networking — ERA Canada, for its tremendously successful “November 2 Remember” event
Membership — Southern California ERA for its participation in the Anaheim Electronics & Manufacturing Show and the Del Mar Electronics & Manufacturing Show
Special Projects — ERA Metro NY for its successful golf event, held annually in memory of Steve Alford
Congratulations to all of the recipients and to all of the chapters who submitted events for judging!
> The EDS Summit in Las Vegas is about 10 weeks away!
Download the app, watch the pre-EDS webinar and book your meeting space.
CHAPTER EVENTS & NEWS
ERA’s many regional chapters in the U.S., Europe and Mexico host many important events during the year. We encourage you to attend a local ERA chapter event soon! View entire ERA events calendar.
- Carolinas ERA Annual DTAM Presentation — Friday, March 20
- New England ERA Mastering Productivity with Microsoft 365 and Copilot – (Open to all chapters!) — Wednesday, March 25
- Indiana/Kentucky ERA Lunch and Learn In-Person — MacroFlo – a new CRM that streamlines workflow with AI — Tuesday, March 31
- Arizona ERA Industry Networking Event featuring Guest Speakers — Thursday, April 2
