- > Hope is not a strategy
FROM THE TOP
By Tom Griffin, CPMR – ERA President
As we enter our third year of hope that our businesses will begin recovery in Q4, we remember that “hope is not a strategy.” We wonder how much excess inventory could have been purchased in 2020 and 2021, and will it really … - > Out of change and chaos comes opportunity
EXECUTIVE COMMENTARY
by Walter E. Tobin, ERA CEOWalter Tobin, ERA CEO
Whew! So much to unpack as I sit down to pen this article. Our industry is facing so many challenges — some may say chaos — on so many fronts. Others may look at the glass being half full and adopt …
- > Caveat emptor…Buyer beware!
EXECUTIVE COMMENTARY
Caveat emptor…Buyer beware!Walter Tobin, ERA CEO
by Walter E. Tobin, ERA CEO
Look at the main ballroom here at the 2025 ERA Conference, packed full: 650 of our manufacturers’ reps, manufacturers and distribution partners, all working together to introduce the latest technologies to our customers and to keep them up …
- > What does recovery look like?
FROM THE TOP
What does recovery look like?by John O’Brien, CPMR
ERA Chairman of the BoardHow many of us are asked in meetings, “What do you see for recovery of the electronics industry?” Let’s face it, everyone is skeptical about when a recovery will occur, most people not venturing out more than …
- > A few Fall musings
EXECUTIVE COMMENTARY
A few Fall musingsWalter Tobin, ERA CEO
by Walter E. Tobin, ERA CEO
So, here comes the fall and the dreaded Q4 in our sales/fiscal year cycle. It’s probably chock full of requests of, “How will you finish the year?” and ”I need your budget for 2025,”etc.
We also anticipate the … - > Our prices come with parts
EXECUTIVE COMMENTARY
Our prices come with partsWalter Tobin, ERA CEO
by Walter E. Tobin, ERA CEO
At EDS, there were a lot of questions around the state of the union of our industry. When are things going to turn around? When is business going to get better? When is the excess inventory …
- > Accessing the customer
FROM THE TOP
by John O’Brien, CPMR
ERA Chairman of the Board
Sometimes, it gets difficult to come up with ideas for my articles, so I’ll reach out to others in the industry to see what’s on their minds. Two early career professionals gave me inspiration for this article’s timely topic. I broached … - > What gets measured, gets done
EXECUTIVE COMMENTARY
Walter Tobin, ERA CEO
by Walter E. Tobin, ERA CEO
So, here we all are in our new and different venue at EDS — Resorts World! It is such a wonderful property, shiny and bright, with plenty of outside light and windows — a rarity in Vegas, I am told, where …
- > A peek back and a look ahead
EXECUTIVE COMMENTARY
Walter Tobin, ERA CEO
by Walter E. Tobin, ERA CEO
My remembrance of Chuck Tanzola is his leadership, friendship and passion to always do the right thing. I would be remiss in not mentioning him and letting you know how much I respected and admired him. He was a man of …
- > Lessons from a friend…
VIEWPOINTS
by John O’Brien, CPMRJohn O’Brien, CPMR,
ERA Chairman of the BoardAs I initially set out to write this article, I was flooded time and again with a flurry of emotions. What could I say about Chuck Tanzola that would capture his essence? How could I put into words a way to …
- > The hurrier I go – the behinder I get!
EXECUTIVE COMMENTARY
Walter Tobin, ERA CEO
by Walter E. Tobin, ERA CEO
This time a year ago, many of us were asking our partners (and were also asked by them), “How’s business?”
We then may have listed a litany of challenges that we were dealing with: long and uncertain lead times, unclear/inaccurate forecasts from … - > The false narrative of mutual exclusivity
FROM THE TOP
by Chuck Tanzola, CPMR
Every day we are presented with choices of how we spend our time: Coke or Pepsi, Democrat or Republican, Giants or Jets, Yankees or Mets, (oh, okay Cubs or White Sox), etc. However, sometimes we make these choices “either/or” decisions when in fact, the options …
- > Best practices for travel season
VIEWPOINTS
by John O’Brien, CPMR
As the days shorten, the nights start to get cooler and leaves begin to change colors, it can only mean one thing — fall is right around the corner. In our industry though, fall is usually that time of resurgence. Everyone has worked through their summer vacations … - > A riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma
FROM THE TOP
by Chuck Tanzola, CPMR
“It’s a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma…” In an October 1939 radio speech, Winston Churchill used this phrase to describe a situation that was difficult to comprehend. (At the time, he was analyzing the early events of the second war to end …
- > Recovery or reset?
VIEWPOINTS
by John O’Brien, CPMR
Looking back on my experiences at the 2023 EDS show in Las Vegas, I can’t help but wonder if we are in a time of recovery or a reset. Will we recover and reach sales levels we saw for 2020-2022? Were those years anomalies and the demand … - > Tighten your belt and continue to march
EXECUTIVE COMMENTARY
by Walter E. Tobin, ERA CEOSo, how was your EDS? I bet it seems like a lifetime ago…yet it was only in May! We all got home with a folder full of notes and new business cards or QR code-generated contacts. What did we talk about again? Was I …
- > Implementing big goals and ideas
VIEWPOINTS
by John O’Brien[caption id="attachment_28834" align="alignright" width="150"] John O’Brien, CPMRCoakley, Boyd and AbbettERA Chairman of the Boardjobrien@cbane.com[/caption]
Fresh off a record setting 2023 ERA Conference, I find myself wondering how I’m going to implement everything I learned and thought of at this year’s Conference. If you’re anything like me, I have more … - > A view from the top
EXECUTIVE COMMENTARY
By Walter Tobin, ERA CEO[caption id="attachment_36942" align="alignright" width="183"] Walter Tobin, ERA CEO[/caption]
We are back from the 2023 ERA Conference in Austin. It was a great three days. Here are some of my thoughts as I look back on all that went on.
Economy
The economy is strong and there is little, … - > Like déjà vu all over again
FROM THE TOP
by Chuck Tanzola, CPMRChuck Tanzola, CPMR
The Fusion Sourcing Group Inc.
ERA Board President
ctanzola@fusionsourcing.comAs I start writing, I am struck by the feeling that this is “like déjà vu all over again.” Just as I was four years ago, I am truly honored and humbled to have the distinction of …
- > There’s no place like home
VIEWPOINTS
by Chuck Tanzola, CPMRChuck Tanzola, CPMR
The Fusion Sourcing Group Inc.
ERA Chairman of the Board
ctanzola@fusionsourcing.comIn June of 2020, I wrote an article for The Representor entitled, “I Have a Feeling We’re not in Kansas Anymore” in which I chronicled the three periods I thought we would go through as the world faced an …
- > At ERA, it’s full steam ahead
FROM THE TOP
by John O’Brien[caption id="attachment_28834" align="alignright" width="150"] John O’Brien, CPMRCoakley, Boyd and AbbettERA Presidentjobrien@cbane.com[/caption]
With the changing of the calendar, we simultaneously look back on the year that was and forward to the year that will be. 2022 was an interesting year. Constrained supply chain continued to drive customer behaviors. … - > Welcome to the upside-down world!
EXECUTIVE COMMENTARY
By Walter Tobin, ERA CEO[caption id="attachment_34210" align="alignright" width="160"] Walter Tobin[/caption]
Did you watch the Netflix Series “Stranger Things”? (If not, I recommend it.) In this series a strange world called the “Upside Down” is the main theme and plot line – a world that seems to make no sense as … - > We’ve got this!
EXECUTIVE COMMENTARY
By Walter Tobin, ERA CEO[caption id="attachment_34210" align="alignright" width="160"] Walter Tobin[/caption]
Vacations are over and summer is winding down – at least for us in the northern half of North America. Business travel is picking up and customers are beginning to open back up, albeit slowly, as many still prefer video …
- > QBR vs. SPM
FROM THE TOP
by John O’Brien[caption id="attachment_28834" align="alignright" width="150"] John O’Brien, CPMRCoakley, Boyd and AbbettERA Presidentjobrien@cbane.com[/caption]
I’ve always believed you can never know where you’re going until you understand where you’ve been. Today, this is still true, but I also believe in Einstein’s theory: “The definition of insanity is doing the same … - > If I knew then what I know now…
VIEWPOINTS
by Chuck Tanzola, CPMRChuck Tanzola, CPMR
The Fusion Sourcing Group Inc.
ERA Chairman of the Board
ctanzola@fusionsourcing.comHindsight, people say, is 20/20. Two aspects of that statement stick out to me – hindsight (looking back) and 2020 – a year defined of course by the once in a lifetime pandemic that seemingly wouldn’t …
