> Carolinas ERA Announces New Leadership

January 9, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Carolinas Chapter of the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) elected new chapter officers for the 2018-2019 term.

Chapter members cast their vote in December 2017 naming Greg Thompson, CPMR, of South Atlantic Component Sales as Chairman of the Board; Buzz Reynolds of Performance Technical Sales as President; Bob Ball of Aurora Technical Sales as Vice President/Finance; Ken Jacobson of Aurora Technical Sales as Vice President/Education; and Penny Hoglund of Alliance Electronics Marketing Group as Vice President/Membership.

New chapter directors for the 2018-2019 term are Bryan Teen of Tech Marketing; Peter Flores of TTI, Inc.; John Hurd, CPMR, of South Atlantic Component Sales; Bob Kirkland of Aurora Technical Sales; Annette Paden of South Atlantic Components Sales; Meara Hamlin of Digi-Key; and Brad Starr, CPMR, of Performance Technical Sales.

National Delegate Bruce Scoggin, CPMR, of Electro-Rep Associates will remain in the position until December 2018.

Chairman of the Board Greg Thompson expressed his thoughts about the new chapter leadership, “Carolinas ERA has two great additions to its leadership team with the recent election of Buzz Reynolds as President and Penny Hoglund as VP of Membership. Buzz was an obvious choice due to his natural leadership skills and his efforts as our VP of Membership. He comes into this new role with great credentials, including the White Pin Scholarship Award. Penny also has been extremely active since joining our board. She served as our DTAM chapter meeting leader among other duties. She is well respected in our industry and hard to say no to — a great fit for the VP of Membership role. The chapter is in great hands for the immediate future!”

About Carolinas ERA
The Carolinas Chapter of the Electronics Representatives Association is dedicated to promoting the representative concept within the Carolinas electronics marketplace. The Chapter hopes to be a resource for its members in establishing and maintaining their respective rep businesses through continuing education, training and interface with government agencies. The government interface in important in order to influence legislation in favor of the representative concept and defeat legislation detrimental to the rep business. For more information, visit www.carolinasera.com.

About ERA
The 82-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> ERA Welcomes Avnet as its Latest Global Distributor Member

December 22, 2017
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) announced that Avnet — a worldwide distributor with a comprehensive portfolio of design and supply chain services — has joined ERA as a global distributor member. Avnet is the latest addition to ERA’s fast-growing distributor membership.

Avnet supports companies of all sizes — from small startups to large multinational corporations — to move swiftly and seamlessly from idea and product concept to volume production. It helps customers and suppliers around the world navigate each phase of the product innovation and technology lifecycle and accelerate time to market, drive cost efficiency and manage technological complexity.

“ERA membership provides a foundation for Avnet to work with our rep partners to streamline processes and create programs that will drive maximum efficiency in our relationships,” said Chuck Delph, president of the Americas for Avnet. “Our participation also allows the reps to provide direct feedback to Avnet on current initiatives and performance that oftentimes can help us better serve our customers — which is invaluable.”

Delph added, “Avnet understands the rep model and how to best work within it to drive growth. ERA membership allows us to contribute to both optimizing today’s model for supplier and customer benefit and it also provides the forum to explore future models to drive even greater optimization and growth.”

ERA CEO Walter E. Tobin shared his thoughts on the importance of this partnership: “Avnet is well known for its commitment to helping customers find the optimal path for success. I am delighted to welcome Avnet as ERA’s latest global distributor member.”

About Avnet
From idea to design and from prototype to production, Avnet supports customers at each stage of a product’s lifecycle. A comprehensive portfolio of design and supply chain services makes Avnet the go-to guide for innovators who set the pace for technological change. For nearly a century, Avnet has helped its customers and suppliers around the world realize the transformative possibilities of technology. Learn more about Avnet at www.avnet.com.

About ERA
The 82-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> 2017 Jess Spoonts – ERA White Pin Scholarship Awarded

Dec. 19, 2017
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) White Pin Group has announced that John Hutson, CPMR of the Massachusetts-based MacInnis Group is the 2017 recipient of the Jess Spoonts – ERA White Pin Scholarship Award. Hutson will receive a $1,000 grant that can be used to fund his continuing education as a professional field sales representative. He was nominated for the honor by White Pin member Tobi Cornell, CPMR, of Kruvand Associates.

To qualify for this award, nominees: must be from an ERA member rep firm; must have been involved in ERA activities and leadership roles on the local and/or national levels for a minimum of two years; and must be willing to devote significant volunteer time to ERA in the foreseeable future.

“John Hutson is a passionate, creative volunteer who epitomizes the new generation of rep firm owners involved in ERA,” said Mark Motsinger, CPMR, of Wallace Electronic Sales, a past president of ERA and the coordinator of the White Pin Group. “His accomplishments include serving on the current and several past ERA Conference Committees, many leadership roles in his New England ERA Chapter, assisting with ERA’s participation in the Electronica trade shows in Munich and supporting the Women in Electronics event held earlier this year. He is the ultimate volunteer whom Jess Spoonts had in mind when this award was created.“

When notified of the award, Hutson commented: “I am privileged and honored to have been selected as this year’s Jess Spoonts Award recipient. Although I met Jess early in my career, it is unfortunate that I never really had the opportunity to get to know him. Nonetheless, his reputation as a man of integrity and a visionary was well known among his peers, and his volunteerism within our industry was extraordinary. My mentors, Norman and Ronald MacInnis, instilled in me the same sense of responsibility to give back to our industry in the ethical and profession manner that Jess exemplified. Receiving this award reminds me how important it is to continually strive to be like Jess, and I encourage everyone in our industry to do the same.”

Hutson will receive his award at the 2018 White Pin Group Reunion, to be held on Feb. 25 at the ERA Conference in Austin, Texas.

The ERA White Pin Group was formed in 1960 and is comprised of member reps who have held volunteer leadership positions at the national level of ERA for at least two years and have given extraordinary amounts of time and talent to ERA. The group established the Jess Spoonts – ERA White Pin Scholarship in 2006 to honor its long-time coordinator, the late E. Jess Spoonts of Dallas, Texas. Spoonts, a half-century veteran of the electronics industry, was a past president and chairman of ERA, a mentor to countless reps and other business associates, and one of only 23 members of the association’s Hall of Fame. He passed away in 2008.

This year’s judging panel for the award was comprised of these previous award recipients: Dave Dasson, CPMR, CSP, of Net Sales Company; Bob Evans, CPMR, of EK Micro; Richard A. Hobby, CPMR, of RAH Associates; Jeff Huntsinger of Huntsinger Associates, LLC; Holly Myers, CPMR, of Wallace Electronics Sales; Buzz Reynolds of Performance Technical Sales; Bruce Scoggin, CPMR, of Electro-Rep Associates; and Chuck Tanzola, CPMR, of the Fusion Sourcing Group.

About ERA
The 82-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> Metro NY Chapter Hosts an Informative Holiday Dinner and Networking Event

Dec. 19, 2017
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Metro New York Chapter of the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) held its annual end-of-year holiday dinner and networking event on Dec. 7, 2017.

More than 35 people attended the event, which featured guest speaker Robert (Bob) Wild, Senior Vice President of Intelligent Product Solutions (IPS), an engineering consulting firm located in Hauppauge, N.Y.

Wild discussed his career path. He started at Symbol Technologies, continued on to BAE Systems and eventually wound up at IPS. He discussed the timeliness of the engineering consulting business based on recent manpower and resource shortages. Wild also indicated that many businesses anticipated to become more reliant on outsourced engineering resources, which could lead to their continued rapid business growth. The discussion followed with an interactive conversation between the attendees and speaker about the impact on business for traceability of designs that involve consultants.

Chapter President Steve Alford of Superior Technical Solutions Corp. shared his thoughts about the event, “This was great networking event. The discussion with Bob Wild brought up many thought-provoking questions. Based on some of the concerns raised by the rep community, Wild said that IPS would look into the possibility of adding a resource to help reps and distributors to identify which parts have recently been purchased or sampled with the goal to assist both their end customer and the rep/distributor community with tracking.”

About ERA
The 82-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

About Metro New York ERA
ERA Metro New York was the founding chapter of the Electronics Representatives Association in 1935. For more than 75 years, the chapter has served its members and the electronics industry in the metro New York and northern New Jersey region with educational programs, local trade events and other activities that benefit the professional field sales function and the business partnerships of rep firms, their manufacturer principals, distributors and their mutual customers. For more information, visit www.erametrony.org.

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> Chicagoland-Wisconsin ERA Chapter Hosts Supply Chain Breakfast Panel

Dec. 7, 2017
Contact: Neda Simeonova / ERA Communications Director / nsimeonova@era.org

The Chicagoland-Wisconsin Chapter of the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) held an informative round table discussion on Nov. 17, 2017, in Elk Grove Village, Ill.

The discussion featured an expert panel, which consisted of a commodity manager from Shure Electronics, a purchasing manager from Doran Scales and a buyer from SPX Genfare.

The experts offered insights about how to work more effectively with supply chain professionals and provided answers to key questions, including: When and how do you decide that you need support from a field sales representative; how can a field sales representative better engage with you; and how has your process for component/supplier selection changed over the last five years?

Tom Trzeciak of ALT Technical Sales and president of the Chicagoland-Wisconsin Chapter moderated the discussion. More than 25 chapter members attended the event.

“It is always important to do “reality checks” and we had that opportunity at the November chapter event with the three supply chain professionals and their candid comments on how they engage with representatives,” Trzeciak said. “For example, there is always a lot of discussion when reps gather of whether or not social media has an increasing influence in how we contact and interface with them. The answer came back pretty firm: ‘not so much.’”

About ERA
The 82-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

About Chicagoland-Wisconsin ERA
Chicagoland – Wisconsin ERA is a local resource for continuing education programs, networking opportunities, peer discussion groups and an array of services designed to help improve professionalism and profitability. For more information, visit www.chiwisera.com.

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> ERA Announces 2018 Teleforum Schedule

Dec. 5, 2017
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) announces the 2018 schedule for its long-standing Teleforum program. 2018 marks the 10th year anniversary of ERA’s educational Teleforum program offered to members.

All Teleforums are presented by Nicki Weiss of Saleswise, sales columnist in The Representor, and are co-facilitated by one or more ERA member manufacturer reps, manufacturers, distributors and/or consultants.

The Teleforums are much like a live broadcast with an interactive element. Attendees can dial in from anywhere while they listen and learn. Members can submit questions to the presenters via email, making the Teleforums very interactive. All registrants receive a recording of the Teleforum audio file that can be used as an educational reference.

The program offers educational topics in a variety of areas that meet the needs of rep, distributor and manufacturer members. The audio files of all past Teleforums are available to members via ERA’s Teleforum Library at era.org.

Below is the 2018 Teleforum Outline:

• Feb. 15  Your Digital Image in Today’s Selling Environment
• April 19  How Do You Find Customers in New Markets?
• June 21  Reviewing Your 2018 Goals
• Aug. 2  Effective Professional Development
• Oct. 11  Evaluating Your Product Offering
• Dec. 6  Topic to be determined.

ERA CEO Walter Tobin shares his thoughts about the long-standing Teleforum program, “One of the main training programs that ERA provides are the bimonthly Teleforums. One of the many benefits of ERA’s membership is having access to the Teleforums and Teleforum Library on our website. Members can sort through various educational topics held in the library. It truly offers a wealth of knowledge on industry related topics.”

“ERA members are hungry for intelligent and interesting conversation. Members are committed to continuous improvement. Teleforums provide an easy way to continuously learn and grow as a leader. Our topics help members stay sharp and relevant in today’s ever changing business world. Please join us in the conversation. You will love what you will learn.” Weiss adds.

The Teleforums are eligible for CEU credit to maintain professional certifications for CPMRs and CSPs.

About ERA
The 82-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

About SalesWise
The SalesWise Academy helps leaders and members of their technical sales and sales support teams work together to get the results that make them proud. SalesWise members receive short, easy-to-apply lessons on strategically chosen topics. More information can be found at www.saleswise.ca.

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> ERA Welcomes New Events Coordinator

To All ERA Members and Industry Partners:

It is a pleasure to announce that Erin Collins has joined the ERA staff as our new events coordinator. Erin comes to us with extensive experience in the not-for-profit world in meeting planning for associations and in working with volunteers to produce many types of events.

Over the next few months, Erin will be working closely with Tess Hill to learn the details of managing our national conference, and she will, of course, be in Austin in February. If you are attending the conference, I urge you to meet and welcome Erin. I know you will quickly learn, as all her fellow staffer members have, that she is a marvelous addition to the ERA family and she brings outstanding expertise to our organization.

Once the post-conference activities are concluded, Tess will be fully retiring on or about April 1, and Erin will be taking over the conference responsibilities. She also will be working with many of our chapters on their events and on ERA’s involvement in both EDS and Electronica.

To contact Erin, please email her at ecollins@era.org.

As always, many thanks for your support, and remember … my phone is always on.

Warmest regards,

Walter Tobin, CEO
Electronics Representatives Association
wtobin@era.org
Cell: 617-901-4088

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> Action Alert – Time is running out to save your place at ERA’s 2018 Conference

To All ERA Members and Industry Partners:

ERA’s 49th Management and Marketing Conference, scheduled Feb. 25-27, 2018, in Austin, Texas, is quickly filling up, in terms of both hotel rooms and registration slots. We fully expect this event to sell out very soon, so please act NOW to register and book your room.

Also, SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES REMAIN AVAILABLE, and your support ensures that your organization will gain maximum promotional value. Plus … if you commit to sponsor by DEC. 8, your company will be listed in the conference ad in the Winter 2018 edition of The Representor magazine.

To access conference details, sponsorship information, the hotel reservation link and the attendance registration form, just go to https://era.org/era-events/era-2018-management-marketing-conference/.

We thank you for your support!

ERA 2018 Conference Committee:
Rick LaPiana, Cain-Forlaw Company, Committee Chair
John Hutson, CPMR, MacInnis Group, Committee Vice Chair
John Beaver, GSA Parallax
Ken Bellero, Schaffner EMC
David Foster, Sensata Technologies
Barbara Jorgensen, Electronic Purchasing Strategies (EPS)
Dawn Lowery, CSP, Sumer, Inc.
Todd McAtee, Mouser Electronics, Inc.
Holly Myers, CPMR, Wallace Electronic Sales, Inc.
John O’Brien, CPMR, Coakley, Boyd and Abbett, Inc.
Bryan White, CPMR, Catalyst Sales, Inc.
Cindy Williams, Vicor Corporation

ERA Staff:
Walter Tobin, CEO
Tess Hill, Conference Coordinator
Neda Simeonova, CrowdCompass Coordinator
Erin Collins, Events Coordinator

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> ERA Announces 2017 Chapter Officers Leadership Training Graduates

Nov. 21, 2017
Source: Electronics Representatives Association .

Chapter Officers Leadership Training workshop on Nov. 9, 2017 in Rosemont, Ill.

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) announced the graduates of its Chapter Officers Leadership Training (COLT) program for 2017. Seven chapter leaders gathered for an intensive educational program that offers practical knowledge, tips and ERA insider information about effectively running a chapter. COLT graduates learned about chapter bylaws, member recruitment, hosting events, organizing educational programming and more.

ERA congratulates the following chapter leaders on successfully completing the COLT program:

• Mark Bowers, Spirit of St. Louis Chapter
• Peter Conlan, Mid-Lantic Chapter
• Pat Ferry, Indiana-Kentucky Chapter
• Todd Ford, Dixie Chapter
• Robert Foertsch, Metro New York Chapter
• Mario Rossetti, Arizona Chapter
• Bryan Teen, Carolinas Chapter

The program consisted of a webinar on Oct. 24, 2017, followed by a in-person workshop in Rosemont, Ill., on Nov. 9, 2017.

ERA CEO Walter E.Tobin expressed his thoughts about the COLT training program, “The strength of ERA lies in the differentiated chapter structure that exists throughout North America. These chapters work hard to develop programs tailored to the local markets incorporating the color and fiber that makes them unique. In alliance with their distribution partners, together they work hard to deliver best-in-class service to their customers on behalf of their common manufacturers.”

Tobin added, “Our chapters rely on strong chapter leaders to set the tone and direction for the chapter. COLT exposes the chapter leaders to a full array of programs and services that they can take back to the chapter to set the activities and events for the upcoming year. ERA National is grateful for the hard work and dedication exhibited by our chapter leaders: they are the true make up of ERA!”

COLT is coordinated by Bob Evans, CPMR, president of EK Micro and chair of the Chapter Leadership Council, Stephanie Tierney, membership outreach coordinator for ERA, and Walter Tobin, ERA CEO.

About ERA
The 82-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> ISM CEO Thomas Derry Will Be Guest Speaker at ERA Conference

November 21, 2017
Source: Electronics Representatives Association – www.era.org

Thomas W. Derry, CEO of the Institute for Supply Management® (ISM)

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) Conference Committee has announced that Thomas W. Derry, CEO of the Institute for Supply Management® (ISM), will be a guest speaker at its upcoming 49th Management and Marketing Conference, slated Feb. 25-27 at the AT&T Conference Center in Austin, Texas. Derry will present a general session program for all attendees that will focus on global and North American economic trends and projections, particularly in the electronics industry. In keeping with the conference theme, “Tools of Our Trade – Constructing a Successful Future.” Derry will also recommend financial and/or economic resources that attendees can use to make specific decisions about their own businesses.

Barbara Jorgensen, managing editor of EPS News, is the member of the ERA Conference Committee who arranged for Derry’s appearance. She says, “As a business journalist, I’ve been covering ISM’s Report on Business® for years. ISM’s leading index, the PMI®, is widely regarded as the gold standard for manufacturing activity in the United States. The ISM provides one-on-one access to its experts with the release of each report, and I know many major media outlets rely on the PMI® as a key element in their business coverage. Tom Derry and his colleagues are among the most knowledgeable, balanced and accessible experts in the industry, and ERA Conference attendees are sure to walk away with information they can use in their daily business activities.”

ERA Conference Committee Chair Rick LaPiana of the Cain-Forlaw Company adds, “Our committee is thrilled that Tom Derry will be our economic update speaker. His credentials are impeccable and impressive, including his frequent interviews on macroeconomic and business conditions by the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNBC, Bloomberg Television and other business media. We are also very pleased that he wants to network with our attendees to gain their insights about our industry and will be providing us with advice about tools we can tap to make informed decisions for our businesses.”

Further details about the ERA Conference, including sponsorship opportunities and the online registration form, are available at era.org. Registration is being capped this year at 250, and space is filling quickly, so prompt registration is encouraged.

About ERA
The 82-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> Southwest ERA Hosts a Successful Networking Event

Nov. 20, 2017
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

Southwest ERA Hosts a Successful Networking Event

Members of the Southwest Chapter of the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) gathered on Nov. 3, 2017, in Austin, Texas, for an informative networking luncheon. The event attracted 17 attendees and helped strengthen ERA participation in the area.

The program featured guest speaker Timothy L. Conlon, a senior executive and an Expert Access consultant for the Electronics Representatives Association with extensive experience in assembling and motivating dynamic successful management teams.

Conlon’s presentation “Start Up and Stand Out, Innovative Sales Techniques” broke down the evolution of start-up companies and how they progress through their phases of funding.

“Tim Conlon’s talk was the highlight of the event. It helped manufacturers’ representatives understand when to engage with start-up companies and ultimately see the best return on time invested in their sales efforts,” said Rob Curtiss, the Austin Director of the Southwest Chapter.

About ERA
The 82-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing)

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> Dixie Chapter of ERA Announces New Leadership

Nov. 3, 2017
Source: Neda Simeonova / Communications Director / nsimeonova@era.org

Dixie Chapter of ERA Announces New Leadership

The Dixie Chapter of the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) announced that it has appointed new officers.

The chapter held an informative meeting in September in Huntsville, Ala., where members named Todd Ford, CPMR, of SACS as Chapter President, James Brooks, CPMR, of SACS as Vice President, Greg Gilbert of Performance Technical Sales, Inc. as VP/Secretary and Amy Bailey of Wallace Electronic Sales as VP/Treasurer.

During the meeting, attendees had the opportunity to discuss current chapter initiatives, plan upcoming member activities and help reestablish the chapter’s interest, directives and leadership.
ERA CEO Water E. Tobin attended the meeting and provided an update on key challenges faced by the electronics industry today and the value ERA National brings during these times of change.

“The Dixie Chapter was excited to have Walter Tobin present to lead the charge in renewing the chapter,” said Chapter President Todd Ford. “We had about 15 people turn out for the meeting to enjoy fellowship and rekindle our mutual interest in the Dixie ERA Chapter. If you couldn’t make it this time, you missed some GREAT BBQ (Thank you, Greg!) and laughs. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the next meeting and to an active 2018.”

According to Ford, moving forward, the chapter will focus on real and tangible issues and challenges faced by principals and customers, and the changing landscape of being a rep.

Ford was selected to attend ERA’s Chapter Officer Leadership Training (COLT) in Chicago this November. This training will be very beneficial in guiding the Dixie Chapter.

About ERA
The 82-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> ERA Launches New Website

Nov. 10, 2017
Source: Neda Simeonova / Communications Director / nsimeonova@era.org

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) announces the unveiling of its new website, which offers users a streamlined and convenient browsing experience.

The fully redesigned homepage introduces new features such as ERA News, Industry News, Expert Commentaries and Videos, all designed to help keep members up-to-date on important industry information and upcoming ERA national and chapter events.

The new look, simplified site navigation and page menus ensure a smooth browsing experience, enabling users to access key information such as ERA’s comprehensive member resources section, Lines Available and Rep Locator services.

ERA members will continue to enjoy the benefits of member login/user accounts and access to ERA’s unlimited resources, industry experts and consultants, continuing education, surveys and much more. Members will receive detailed instructions guiding them how to gain login access to the new site. A complete archive of The Representor magazine and ERA’s bimonthly Teleforums are also a simple click away.

ERA CEO Walter E. Tobin said, “We are very excited about ERA’s new website and the robust information it provides to all three constituents of our membership — reps, manufacturers and distributors. We believe that the new site will allow our visitors to have a very informative experience and continue to strengthen ERA’s mission to support the professional field sales function.”

For more information, visit era.org.

About ERA
The 82-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> ERA Conference to Feature General Session on Work-Life Balance

November 2, 2017 
Source: Contact: Tess Hill, ERA Conference Coordinator, at 630-327-6498 / thill@era.org

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) Conference Committee has announced that work-life balance will be the subject of one of the general session programs at its upcoming 49th Management and Marketing Conference, slated Feb. 25-27 at the AT&T Conference Center in Austin, Texas. The event theme is “Tools of Our Trade – Constructing a Successful Future.”

The guest speaker for this program will be Jim Bird, CEO of WorkLifeBalance.com, the firm he founded in 1991. As a pioneer in the field of work-life balance, Bird describes himself as a “champion of both achievement and enjoyment in the four areas of life: work, family, friends and self.” His interactive session will provide conference attendees with specific take-away tools that will positively impact both them as individual leaders and their company teams.

John O’Brien, CPMR, of Coakley, Boyd and Abbett, Inc., chair of the Conference General Sessions Sub-Committee, says, “It’s a challenge these days to keep a balance in our everyday lives between the demands of our work and all our important personal responsibilities, especially when everything seems to move at lightning speed. Our committee felt strongly that this type of program would be highly valuable to, and valued by, all our attendees.”

Conference Committee Chair Rick LaPiana of the Cain-Forlaw Company, adds, “Jim Bird and his company are the recognized international leaders in the field of work-life balance education, and he is regularly featured in major media outlets. He has demonstrated a solid track record for improving the performance of his clients by providing tools for higher productivity, efficient time management and enhancing teamwork while reducing stress. I am really looking forward to his presentation.”

Further details about the 2018 ERA Conference, including sponsorship opportunities and the online registration form, are available at era.org. Registration is being capped this year at 250, so attendees are urged to register as soon as possible.

About ERA
The 82-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> TTI’s Michael Knight to Close ERA Conference with Focus on Tomorrow’s Customer

October 22, 2017 – Source: Electronics Representatives Association
Contact: Tess Hill, ERA Conference Coordinator, at thill@era.org / 630-327-6498

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) Conference Committee has announced that Michael Knight, senior vice president Americas of TTI, Inc., will close the 2018 conference with a general session focusing on the customer of tomorrow and the tools that will be needed to remain competitive in the supply chain of the future. ERA’s 49th Management and Marketing Conference runs Feb. 25-27 at the AT&T Conference Center in Austin, Texas. The event theme is “Tools of Our Trade – Constructing a Successful Future.”

Michael Knight
Senior VP Americas
TTI, Inc.

Knight, who also closed the 2017 ERA Conference, says of his upcoming presentation, “Technology is introducing new ways for people to interact, and with adoption, marginalizing traditional [in some cases, ancient] ways of interaction. This is not a new thing, but it is accelerating and has consequences for all business-to-business enterprises. The very nature of ‘doing business’ is evolving, and a key to staying relevant and successful with the business and customer of tomorrow is an understanding of how customers of the future will utilize technology to select components and suppliers, source product and engage with their supply chain.”

Through surveys, focus groups, one-on-one conversations and endless streams of questions with customers, reps, distributors and manufacturers, Knight has built a description of tomorrow’s customers and the attributes of the supply chain they will need. “If even a part of this vision materializes,” he predicts, “all of us will need to proactively adapt and re-tool to secure our link in the electronic component path-to-market of tomorrow. In the end, the objective of this presentation isn’t to provide answers, but rather to craft questions. Questions are the fundamental tool for learning, growing and prospering. The future is a product of the questions that get asked.”

Knight adds that he is formalizing a tool that conference attendees will be able to use to think critically and proactively about the future of the industry and the ramifications for their businesses.

John O’Brien, CPMR, of Coakley, Boyd and Abbett, Inc., chair of the Conference General Sessions Sub-Committee, says, “Michael has been one of the highest-rated presenters at past ERA conferences, and his subject matter is always insightful and thought-provoking. The 2018 closing session will showcase our ‘tools’ theme and provide a plan for attendees to re-tool their organizations for long-term sustainable success.”

Conference Committee Chair Rick LaPiana of the Cain-Forlaw Company, comments, “Michael is a leader in our industry in regard to strategic planning. He has motivated me to make several practical process and organizational changes in my company that have improved efficiency and enhanced customer relationships. I am really looking forward to his presentation.”

Further details about the 2018 ERA Conference, including sponsorship opportunities and the online registration form, are available at era.org.

About ERA
The 82-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

> Pacific Northwest ERA Hosts Successful Series of Chapter Events

August 9, 2017 – Source: Electronics Representatives Association
Contact: Contact: Neda Simeonova / Communications Director / nsimeonova@era.org

To help re-energize its members, the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) held a series of successful events at the beginning of October.

A happy hour meeting at the Mill Creek Country Club in Mill Creek, Wash., on Oct. 2, 2017, kicked off the chapter event series. The twenty-eight people who attended the Seattle-area event had the opportunity to network and chat with local industry professionals in distribution, fellow manufacturers’ reps and business owners.

On Oct. 3, the chapter held a second happy hour meeting at the Stockpot Restaurant in Beaverton, Ore. More than 30 people attended the Portland-area event in an effort to reorganize this section of the chapter so it can become more active.

The event series culminated in the Northwest Electronics Design & Manufacturing Expo (NEDME), held on Oct. 4 at the Tektronix Campus. NEDME is designed to bring together members of the local high-tech industry in a fun atmosphere. This year’s event was attended by Oregon Secretary of State Dennis Richardson.

ERA CEO Walter E Tobin was a guest speaker at all three chapter events. At the Seattle and Oregon areas events, Tobin conducted short presentations on the electronics industry and what ERA is doing to increase its networking ability and position in the industry. At NEDME, Tobin reported on the current state of the electronics industry and provided a brief economic update.

“Walter Tobin has not only brought his youthful enthusiasm to the Pacific Northwest Chapter of ERA but to all the chapters nationally. To have him between Seattle and Portland for an entire week has had such an impact on our chapter. Membership is up, participation is up, and creativity for new ideas and functions is at an all-time high,” said Pacific Northwest Chapter President Dave Fitzgerald of WESCO Sales Group, Inc.

“We truly appreciate Walter Tobin visiting the Northwest to promote ERA’s mission and to share his industry perspectives with our Seattle and Portland membership. He has helped reignite enthusiasm and interest in the Pacific Northwest Chapter,” added Chapter Vice President Tim Doran, CPMR, of Doran Associates, Inc.

About ERA
The 82-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

About Pacific Northwest ERA
The Pacific Northwest Chapter of ERA territory consists of the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Western Montana. Two provinces of Canada, Alberta and British Columbia, are also within the responsibility of the chapter’s representatives. Fore more information about Pacific Northwest ERA, visit http://www.era-pnw.org/.

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> ERA 2018 Conference Committee Announces Keynote Speaker

October 13, 2017 – Source: Electronics Representatives Association
Contact: Tess Hill, ERA Conference Coordinator, at 630-327-6498 / thill@era.org

ERA 2018 Conference Committee Announces Keynote Speaker

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) 2018 Conference Committee has announced that former engineer, self-described “technology geek” and humorist Wayne Cotter will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming conference, scheduled Feb. 25-27 at the AT&T Center in Austin, Texas. Cotter will open ERA’s 49th Management and Marketing Conference program on Monday morning, Feb. 26, with a presentation tied to the event theme, “Tools of Our Trade — Constructing a Successful Future.”

After studying electrical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania and beginning his career asa design engineer with a New Jersey computer company, Cotter began moonlighting as a Philadelphia comedian. He continued this double life for some time, until he ultimately concluded that the computer industry “was going nowhere” and left town to pursue show business full time. Almost immediately, he became a frequent guest of Jay Leno and David Letterman and a fixture on the national comedy circuit. Cotter became a familiar face on television and, eventually, the host of his own shows for both the Discovery Channel and The Fox Network.

Ken Bellero, president of Schaffner EMC, and chair of the Conference Keynote Sub-Committee says, “The committee did an excellent job finding the right fit for this year’s theme. Wayne’s background as an electrical engineer and his long experience as a humorist and keynote speaker for many high-profile businesses make him the right choice. I am confident he will bring the ‘tools’ we need to kick off a very well-planned and successful event.”

New this year, the conference keynoter will conduct and videotape “man on the street” interviews with conference attendees at the Sunday Welcome Reception and incorporate those interviews into his program. Rick LaPiana, president of the Cain-Forlaw Company and chair of the 2018 Conference Committee, notes, “Wayne is uniquely qualified to provide both insights and entertainment based on his background and lifelong interest in emerging technologies. He is the ‘man on the street’ you want to run into!”

To view Cotter’s personal video invitation to the ERA Conference, click here. Further details about the conference, including sponsorship opportunities and the online registration form, are available at era.org.

About ERA
The 82-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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ERA Conference Keynoter Wayne Cotter

Young Wayne Cotter with his first Heath Kit

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