2025 ERA Conference Speaker Line-Up
Biographies are listed alphabetically by last name and include the session(s) in which each speaker participates. Click on the session name to link to its description.
Alan Ahern
President, Crowley Associates
Session: AI Digital Tools and Implementation at the Rep Level
Alan Ahern joined Crowley Associates in 1992 and has been the president of Crowley Associates since 1997. In 1994, Ahern relocated from New England to expand Crowley Associates’ presence into the Metro NY/NJ territory. Three years later, along with the managing partners, he acquired Crowley Associates and assumed the role of president. Through organic growth and multiple acquisitions, Ahern continued expansion of the firm’s operations throughout the Northeast to its current footprint of five ERA territories with 29 employees. He has designed a tool utilizing an advanced analytic platform (AAP) which combines hardware, cloud solutions, ETL, CRM and digital transformation methodology. Ahern is chairman of multiple manufacturer’s Rep councils and distribution councils, the chair of the ECIA Independent Manufacturers’ Rep Council and on the Board of Directors, and is actively involved within ERA.
Ricky Allen
Vice President of Cybersolutions, CyberOne Security
Session: Securing the Supply Chain in a Digital Age
Ricky Allen is the vice president of solutions and field CISO for CyberOne Security. During his 24 years in Houston, Ricky has worked extensively with energy companies and has volunteered with the South Texas ISSA chapter, where he held positions such as president and vice president of programs. He holds certifications such as SABSA Security Architecture, CISSP, CISA and Six Sigma. At CyberOne, Ricky provides security architecture design and leadership management for customers across the country. Ricky previously held roles at Critical Start leading services, Accenture as an executive in their strategic information security consulting practice and at HP Enterprise Security Products developing global security operations centers.
Nikolas Badminton
Futurist Speaker, Advisor and Best-Selling Author
General Session: Facing our Futures: How Foresight, Futures Design and Strategy Creates Prosperity and Growth
Nikolas Badminton is a futurist speaker who mentors top executives and the highest levels of government to create bold visions by exploring desirable futures, anticipating opportunities and risks and strengthening strategic planning. He has spent 30+ years working with leadership at over 400 leading organizations at the frontline of futures, strategy and disruption, including NASA, Disney, Google, Microsoft, Intel, IBM, WM, JP Morgan, Verizon, VISA, TD Bank, American Express, BISCI, ISACA, Rolls Royce, Procter & Gamble, US Department of State, UK Home Office, United Nations, and many more.
Rob Brunson
Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Wallace Electronic Sales
Session: AI Digital Tools and Implementation at the Rep Level
Rob Brunson is the vice president of sales & marketing at Wallace Electronic Sales. With an interest and curiosity in AI, blockchain and other systems, Rob is always exploring new was to implement new technology in order to become more efficient in his day to day and to bring value to Wallace Electronic Sales, our customers, principals and distribution partners.
Nick Clark
CEO, Publitek
Session: Marketing to Engineers in an Increasingly Complex Buying Environment
Nick Clark is CEO of Publitek, overseeing a team of technical marketing specialists working with some of the biggest global brands in electronics and industrial engineering. Publitek operates globally with offices in the U.S., U.K., Germany and Japan.
Nick has more than 20 years’ experience of working with market-leading, challenger and high growth technology businesses. In that time he has helped clients develop UK, pan-European and global communications and marketing programs designed to build awareness, drive sales and enhance brand reputation.
Melissa Dailey Fairbanks
Vice President, Equity Research at Raymond James
General Session: From Tariffs to Taiwan: Key Economic & Geopolitical Challenges Shaping our Industry
Melissa Dailey Fairbanks joined Raymond James in 2000 as a research associate covering the communications equipment industry, subsequently working with the healthcare services and semiconductors teams. She became an associate analyst in 2018, and is now an analyst covering the semiconductors and IT supply chain sectors. Dailey Fairbanks graduated cum laude from the University of Michigan with a bachelor of business administration degree.
Ian Ord
Founder and CEO, The Fifth Ring
Session: Own The Space in Today’s Crowded Marketing World
Ian is a founding director of Fifth Ring and has played an instrumental role in the company’s growth and global success since it was established in 1991 in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Ian began his career in the advertising business and has since worked in design, public relations and strategic planning. He has amassed extensive international experience and in-depth knowledge of a diverse variety of industries including, property, leisure, financial and professional services and the public sector, but it is the energy industry that has played the biggest part in his career.
Working internationally within multiple industries, Ian has advised on everything from strategic planning, predictive marketing, and tactical marketing communications. A keen observer of the industry, Ian brings a wealth of experience and an international perspective to every project.
As director of business development, Ian has a global remit; to generate growth in the Fifth Ring offices in Aberdeen, Houston and Singapore, with a specific focus on ensuring these offices cooperate effectively on client’s international assignments.
Alex Gabbi
Assistant Professor, Business, Government & Society, Marketing, McCombs School of Business – University of Texas at Austin
Session: The CHIPS Act and its Effect at the University of Texas at Austin
During his 25-plus-year career, Alex Gabbi has planned, funded and successfully launched five startups in the consulting, enterprise software, hardware and consumer product spaces. He has also led a major corporate transformation project at a Fortune 150 company. In all his companies, Gabbi was known for recruiting and leading sales and marketing organizations that were recognized for best-in-class performance spanning multiple years. He has provided marketing consulting services to a wide variety of industries, including electronics, consumer products and medical technology.
In addition to his extensive business experience, Gabbi also has more than 10 years of instructional experience in entrepreneurship, business operations, strategy and marketing at the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin, a top 10 business program in the USA.
He is also a published author (The Journey, November 2014), avid world traveler and proud father of three. Gabbi lives in Austin, Texas and has a B.B.A. in International Business/Finance and MBA in Information Management/Technology Strategy, all from The University of Texas at Austin.
Emma Gaedeke
Partner, G&G Creative Services
Session: Level Up Your Digital Marketing Strategy
Emma Gaedeke is a content marketing expert and partner at G&G Creative, focusing on data-driven strategies to amplify digital presence. Passionate about benevolent technology, Emma works with small to mid-sized businesses to implement practical, future-forward marketing initiatives.
Danielle Gaglioti
Partner, G&G Creative Services
Session: Level Up Your Digital Marketing Strategy
Danielle Gaglioti is a creative strategist and partner at G&G Creative, where she leads projects in design, branding, and digital strategy. With a background in social impact, Danielle thrives on helping small to mid-sized businesses innovate and grow through thoughtful, creative solutions.
Adam Glazer, Esq.
Managing Partner, Schoenberg Finkel Beederman Bell Glazer LLC
Session: Mitigating Legal Risks for Manufacturers’ Reps
Adam J. Glazer, Esq., maintains a national litigation practice, which features the representation of sales representatives in the electronics and other industries. He is the managing partner of the law firm Schoenberg Finkel Beederman Bell Glazer LLC (SFBBG) in Chicago, known as the “go-to” firm for sales reps. SFBBG is a national leader in providing legal services to reps concerning the sale or acquisition of a rep firm, estate and succession planning, contract drafting and negotiation, and particularly the recovery of unpaid commissions.
Glazer has litigated sales rep claims of every stripe, including breach of contract actions, bad faith claims, actions under state Sales Representative Acts, and common law claims. He has successfully arbitrated and tried cases to verdict resulting in the recovery of millions of dollars in rep commissions, and awards of punitive damages, attorney’s fees and interest.
A frequent consultant to sales rep associations, including ERA, Glazer is also a regular speaker at rep conferences, and authors articles on sales rep law for rep publications.
Glazer graduated from the Northwestern University School of Law, where he served on the National Trial Team, and now serves as an adjunct professor.
Before joining SFBBG, Glazer worked for two of Chicago’s largest law firms and in-house for an international insurance group. He has tried cases across the country, and maintains a general commercial litigation practice, but one with a special focus on protecting the rights of independent reps.
Dr. Mary Kelly, Ph.D., CSP, CDR, US Navy (Ret.), CPAE
Author, International Speaker
General Session: FutureNomics: Navigating Economic Trends and Strategic Leadership for the Electronics Industry
Breakout Session: Master Your World: 10 Leadership Tactics for Productivity, Profits and Communication
From Dr. Mary C. Kelly’s days as a naval intelligence officer to her role as one of today’s most influential economists, Commander/Dr. Mary C. Kelly has carved out an unforgettable career in leadership. Former chief of police, professor, realtor and HR Director, Mary has spent over 25 years teaching and training more than 40,000 military and civilian personnel. Mary is now on a mission to spread and communicate her message of success with audiences worldwide, sharing with them the secrets to being a true leader in today’s workplace.
A high-energy keynote speaker, Mary is focused on using research, laughter and experience to show professionals how to excel. Mary’s relatable, no-nonsense approach inspires audiences to embrace their roles, surpass their goals – and plan for the future.
Mary is the author of 13 books on business growth, leadership, and today’s economy. She is a speaker, coach and trainer who has worked with hundreds of organizations and companies across the globe.
Christopher Lins
Vice President and General Manager, Americas, Powerbox USA
Founder, Chris Lins Co.
Session: Customer Experience Excellence: Building Lasting Brand Recognition and Long-Term Customer Loyalty
“I am a 36-year high-tech industry sales, sales leadership and general management professional. I am also an entrepreneur and a passionate, lifelong student of differentiated excellence. I am one of you, trying to be better every day!” — Chris
Adam Maxwell, Esq.
Litigation Attorney, Schoenberg Finkel Beederman Bell Glazer LLC
Session: Mitigating Legal Risks for Manufacturers’ Reps
Adam Maxwell is a Chicago-based litigator who has successfully handled jury trials in courts across the nation. He has over a decade of employment-related litigation and advisory experience behind him, which is why companies and individuals regularly call on him to handle their contractual employment disputes. Maxwell is often the first call when a dispute erupts, and for good reason: he is a natural problem solver who leverages his business degree and experience to blend forward-thinking guidance with legal strategy to obtain exceptional outcomes.
Independent sales reps regularly call on Maxwell because he has recovered millions of dollars in unpaid commissions and other compensation from public and private companies. Among the employment, business and commercial disputes he handles are the defense of former employees against misappropriation and breach of fiduciary duties claims, the voiding or enforcing of post-employment non-compete and non-solicit obligations, and the obtaining of injunctions to stop unlawful conduct on an emergency basis.
Kerry McClenahan
Chief Strategy Officer, President, Publitek
Session: Marketing to Engineers in an Increasingly Complex Buying Environment
As the Chief Strategy Officer of Publitek, a global tech B2B marketing agency, Kerry leads the data and technology practice and planning functions. She identifies and co-lead acquisitions, architects new service offerings, and oversee the U.S. arm of the company. Kerry works with an amazing team of marketing and communications experts, creatives, data scientists and content creators to deliver value to Publitek’s clients across diverse industries such as electronics, industrial automation and climate tech.
Kaplan Mobray
Best-Selling Author / Motivational Speaker / Founder of Kaplan Mobray Leadership Institute
General Session: Growth Is A Choice: Amplifying Marketing Effectiveness to Elevate Your Personal Brand, Dominate Sales, and Expand Your Influence
Kaplan Mobray is globally acclaimed as one of the world’s most dynamic and inspirational business speakers and award-winning author of “The 10Ks of Personal Branding.” Educated at the Wharton School, he has been featured across global media outlets including CNN, Biz Asia, FOX Business, Businessweek, The Wall Street Journal, and shares his message to NFL players and fans annually at the Super Bowl. Kaplan has delivered keynote presentations and leadership development workshops on five continents, helping individuals globally to build their brand, grow their business, become better leaders, increase sales and advance their career. He continues to serve as a consultant to multinational companies working with global business leaders to elevate performance excellence, branding, business growth, innovation, leadership excellence, culture and engagement, inclusion and workforce transformation. All of his innovative presentations have been described as life-changing events. In his personal pursuits, Kaplan is a professional saxophone player. Kaplan resides in New York and serves as a frequent speaker across the Global Conferences and Events Circuit. Kaplan has been a frequent main platform speaker at the prestigious Million Dollar Roundtable (MDRT) national and global conferences.
Erik Qualman
Technology Speaker, Best-Selling Author, Futurist
Keynote Session: Digital Leadership: Future Proofing You and Your Business from Innovation to AI
Five-time #1 best-selling author and keynote speaker Erik Qualman has performed in over 55 countries and reached 50 million people. He was voted the 2nd “Most Likeable Author in the World” behind Harry Potter’s J.K. Rowling.
His Socialnomics work has been on 60 Minutes and in The Wall Street Journal and used by the National Guard and NASA. Qualman is a current professor of digital leadership at Northwestern University and his materials are used in more than 500 universities. Qualman’s animation studio works with some of the world’s leading brands including Disney, Oreo, Chase and Cartier.
He is a former sitting professor at MIT and Harvard’s edX labs and has received an honorary doctorate for his groundbreaking work. Qualman is also the inventor of the bestselling board game Kittycorn. Most importantly, he’s still trying to live up to the “World’s Greatest Dad” coffee mug he received from his wife and two daughters.
Dennis Reed
Senior Analyst, Edgewater Research
Session: Economic Update: Electronics Components Industry
Dennis Reed is a senior research analyst in technology. Dennis started in the industry in 2005 at FTN Midwest Research on the technology & semiconductor team. In 2006, he was a founding member of Cleveland Research Company and continued to develop and extensive network of technology industry professionals in the semiconductor, distribution, memory and HDD industries throughout the world. Dennis worked at KeyBanc Capital markets in New York, on teams covering consumer staples and paper & packing companies. Dennis also brings wide level of experience working in various roles with Travelers Insurance, including market research and various product roles supporting business unit growth in targeted end markets. Dennis is a 2002 graduate of Ohio University with a major in Sports Management.
Sam Richter, CSP, CSAE
Founder and CEO of SBR Worldwide/KnowMore
Session: The Ever-Changing World of AI
Considered a leading authority on sales intelligence and digital reputation management, bestselling author and Hall of Fame speaker Sam Richter, CSP, CPAE, delivers his top-rated, incredibly dynamic, highly entertaining, and extremely high-content keynote presentations and workshop sessions to audiences worldwide. Sam was named one of the World’s Top 50 Sales Keynote Speakers, one of the Top 15 Virtual Presenters, and one of the Top 25 Most Influential Sales Leaders. Learn more at www.samrichter.com.
Bryan Shirley, CPMR
Consultant
Session: TRUE Strategic Partnerships
Bryan is a seasoned professional with extensive experience as a former ERA representative and CEO of MANA. He has provided consulting services to hundreds of representatives, manufacturers, and distributors, specializing in sales, marketing, and business planning. Renowned for his innovative and impactful strategies, Bryan consistently delivers methods designed to achieve the ultimate goal: increasing sales. A graduate of Virginia Tech, Bryan serves as a visiting professor at the University of Texas at Austin where he teaches Motivational Compensation for Outside Sales through the Certified Professional Manufacturers’ Representatives (CPMR) program. He also facilitates the MBP (Manufacturers’ Best Practices- Grow Sales with Reps) program for MRERF.
Bryan has shared his expertise with thousands of sales professionals as a sought-after speaker at association conferences and sales meetings. His thought leadership is widely recognized, with published articles in various sales and trade journals across multiple industries. Bryan has held numerous leadership roles, including serving on Boards of Directors and Executive Committees. He is the former President and CEO of MANA, the former Executive Director of AIM/R, and for 22 years led the COLRUD Corporation, a premier ERA manufacturers’ representative organization based in Philadelphia. Outside of work, Bryan enjoys golf, snow skiing, fine dining, wine, and, above all, building connections with people.
Mike Swenson, CPMR
President, The Mel Foster Co.
Session: AI Digital Tools and Implementation at the Rep Level
Mike Swenson, CPMR, is president of MFC Group (Mel Foster Co.), a manufacturers’ representative firm for electronic components and embedded solutions with a focus on demand creation and customer relationships to create sales growth in the Midwest.
Swenson is an active member of ERA, RMA and ECIA. He has held various roles on the ERA Conference Committee, and most recently served as the conference committee chair in 2020 and co-chair in 2019. He is also a frequent ERA Conference speaker on various rep topics, including “Best-in-Class Practices with Reps, Distributors and Manufacturers,” “The Value of Representative Councils” , “Manufacturers Assessment of ROI with Reps and Distributors” “Rep Value” and “Successfully Managing and Motivating Your Remote Sales Team.” Swenson was also Chair of the ERA Rep Contract update committee.
Awarded an ECIA Distinguished Services Award in 2022, Swenson is also a member of the ECIA Independent Manufacturer Rep Council.
He has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
Stephen Turner
CEO and Founder, Turner Time Management
Session: Leverage Technology to Work Smarter, Not Harder
With a background in technology and over 35 year of business experience, Stephen has shared technology and time management tools, techniques, and tips with thousands of professionals across the country. His speaking, training and coaching has helped many organizations increase their employees’ “Technology IQ” and supercharge individual business performance. He has worked in collaboration with over 175 manufacturer sales agencies as well as many manufacturers of over the past seventeen years. His proven ability to leverage technology (including apps, desktops, laptops and mobile devices) is of great value to anyone in need of greater sales, marketing and/or productivity results.
Jordan Yates
Marketing Engineer + Content Creator, Technical Solutions Manager at Noble Corp.
Session: Own The Space in Today’s Crowded Marketing World
Jordan Yates is a marketing engineer known for creating “fun and relatable” content that resonates with technical buyers and engineers. Through her untraditional approach, she helps industrial businesses bridge the gap between technical expertise and impactful marketing. Jordan leverages her 24,000+ LinkedIn followers and her podcast, “Failing For You” to drive engagement and foster meaningful industry connections. She also continues to sharpen her skills as the Technical Solutions Manager at Noble Corporation, a leading offshore drilling contractor.