Spring 2026 – News Beat

SAVE THE DATE FOR STEP AND COLT IN FALL 2026

ERA’s STEP (Sales Training for Electronics Professionals) will return this fall for its fifth year. It will take place Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2026. This live, virtual training, sponsored by TTI Family of Specialists, will include an array of useful topics and be conducted by a mix of professional sales trainers and electronics industry experts. Stay tuned for information throughout the summer regarding registration information and a program agenda.

COLT (Chapter Officer Leadership Training) will also take place virtually once again this fall, Dec. 1-3. Open to all ERA chapter leaders and potential leaders, COLT is a virtual training series that is fun and collaborative, focused on effective chapter management and planning tactics. COLT is your opportunity to: connect with other chapter leaders; gain creative ideas and practical knowledge about member recruitment; learn how to successfully host different types of chapter events; and leverage ERA National resources to enhance your chapter.

Whether you’re currently in a chapter leadership role or aspiring to one, don’t miss this valuable training. ERA National offers this program free of charge to our members! Registration will open in August.

ERA ANNOUNCES RECIPIENTS OF 2026 WHITE PIN INTERNSHIPS

The ERA White Pin Group is pleased to announce six Mark Motsinger White Pin summer internships for 2026. They are: Maya Gabbi, Chapman University – Ion Associates (Texas); Olivia Burchstead, University of Kansas – Cover 2 Sales (Maryland); Taedra Tsecaris, University of Connecticut- John E. Boeing Co. (New Hampshire); Mary Coakley, University of Massachusetts at Amherst-Coakley Boyd & Abbett (Massachusetts); Erik Timbo, University of St. Thomas- Cain-Forlaw Co. (Illinois) and Gabrielle Tully, Milwaukee School of Engineering – Brainard-Nielsen Marketing (Illinois).

“We are excited to welcome this cohort of summer 2026 interns and congratulate the rep firm recipients,” said Kingsland Coombs, CPMR, CSP, chair of the ERA White Pin Group. “These interns will bring a wealth of new ideas and raw potential that will spark innovation within our rep firms. I look forward to seeing the growth and valuable insights that will come from this collaboration.”

ERA launched the White Pin internship program in 2022 as a way to help the rep community introduce the rep model to college students and attract, hire and retain young people to keep the electronics industry fresh and relevant. The program allows rising college juniors or seniors to work for a manufacturers’ representative firm over the summer months to gain a better understanding and hands-on experience of the electronic components industry.

ERA AWARDS LIFE MEMBER RECOGNITION TO FIVE ERA MEMBERS

In February 2026 at the national ERA Conference, ERA awarded Life Membership recognition to Carol Cohen (Indiana-Kentucky), George DeVoe (Indiana-Kentucky), John Latimer (Northern California), Mark Conley (Northern California) and Clark Moulthrop (Northern California).

RA congratulates these five individuals on their Life Member status and recognizes the extraordinary time, talent and effort they have dedicated to ERA and the manufacturers’ rep function within the electronics industry.

ERA Life Members are individuals who have been employed by or associated with one or more firms as members in good standing of the association (regular, at-large or international) during a 20-year period, and are nominated by fellow chapter members at biannual ERA Board meetings.

IN MEMORIAM: CAMERON ENGLISH, CPMR

With profound sadness, ERA must announce the sudden passing of Cameron English, CPMR, Senior Vice President of Industry on the ERA Executive Committee, and President of English Technical Sales. Cam served ERA and this industry faithfully for many years. He has served on the ERA Executive Committee since 2019 and was the “dean” of ERA’s Chapter Officer Leadership Training (COLT) initiative for the past 5 years. He was the recipient of the 2024 Jess Spoonts White Pin Award and Scholarship.

Cam was known to the Board, staff and members as a positive and passionate advocate for manufacturers’ reps and the rep model in this industry. He was also passionate about ERA Chapter activity, training new chapter leadership and growing chapter presence globally.

Cam was a graduate of California State University at Fullerton and was the president and CEO of English Technical Sales for more than 40 years. He will be greatly missed.