Chapter News reports the local activities of the 22 chapters of ERA.
The chapters sponsor educational and training workshops, local trade shows, legislative and industry projects to enhance the professionalism of individual members and to advance the goals and mission of the national association.
Chapter leaders: It’s not too early …
… to begin pulling together your entries to submit for 2015 Chapter of the Year honors. The online entry form will be released in January, and all chapter programs, activities and projects conducted during this year will be eligible for award consideration.
All Chapter of the Year award recipients in each of four categories — Education, Membership/Member Services, Marketing Services and Special Projects — receive a full-tuition scholarship for a volunteer leader to attend the Chapter Officers Leadership Training (COLT) program in 2016. Questions about the Chapter of the Year program and/or COLT can be directed to Tess Hill at thill@era.org.
CAROLINAS
Carolinas ERA held networking breakfasts both in August in Charlotte and in September in Raleigh. The next networking breakfast is Oct. 9 in Charlotte. Also in September, the chapter sponsored a program titled, “What You Should Know about NCSU’s ASSIST Nanosystems Center.”
Th e fourth annual Chicagoland-Wisconsin ERA Baseball Outing brought out 110 reps, distributors, manufacturers and customers to a rooftop at Chicago’s Wrigley Field to socialize, network and watch a Cubs-Brewers game.
CHICAGOLAND – WISCONSIN
Chicagoland-Wisconsin hosted its fourth annual all-industry baseball outing in August at Chicago’s Wrigley Field. More than 100 reps, distributors, manufacturers, customers and other guests attended.
EMPIRE STATE
Members and guests teed off in Empire State’s 11th annual Debbie Henry Memorial Scholarship Golf Tournament in August. More than 80 golfers and 100 total attendees participated. At the event, the chapter raised funds for cancer research and awarded two scholarships to college students who are dependents of members reps and distributors. The group also honored Dave Modafferi of L. D. Allen for his many years of service as a chapter officer.
At the Indiana-Kentucky ERA annual golf outing in August, (l. to r.) Gary Bridwell of Arrow Electronics, Donna Infanger of Electro Reps, Chuck Ridgeway of Horner Electric and Mike Knieser of Rheem “tried doing the YMCA thing,” quipped Infanger, a chapter board member who helped planned the event.
INDIANA – KENTUCKY
The chapter hosted its annual industry golf outing at the Golf Club of Indiana in August. The tournament drew more than 60 golfers.
NEW YORK
In early June, a New York ERA dinner program featured an industry panel composed of a contract manufacturer, a distributor and a rep. Their discussion covered the changing playing field for component sales, how to work together to improve profitability and predictions for the future.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
On Sept. 10, a joint event was slated for members of both the Manufacturers’ Agents National Association (MANA) and Northern California ERA. The program topic was “Stop Wasting Your Time and Your Money on Your Worst Lines.” The speaker was Charles Cohon, CPMR, the CEO of MANA.
OHIO
Ohio ERA’s most recent event was held Sept. 11 at the Montgomery Inn in Cincinnati. The program was co-sponsored with the Manufacturers’ Agents of Cincinnati (MAC).
PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Pacific Northwest members came together in mid-September for a charity golf tournament in Aloha, Ore. The money raised was used to purchase a computer for a college-bound foster child through Project Lemonade.
At the third annual Southern California ERA Charity Golf Tournament to benefit Operation Homefront California, (l. to r.) George and Sandy Gibbons of O’Donnell Associates South, Dan Walker, the head golf pro at the Aliso Viejo Country Club, and Bryan Shirley, the event master of ceremonies, gathered for the opening ceremonies.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Southern Cal ERA had a busy summer, starting with the 12th Annual Summer Social, held at the Sagebrush Cantina in Calabasas. There was record attendance with more than 165 guests and 19 rep, distributor and manufacturer sponsors. Shortly after the Summer Social, the chapter held its third annual Charity Golf Tournament to benefit U.S. service men and women via Operation Homefront. The attendance totaled 140.
Among the reps, engineers and buyers attending the Southern California ERA annual Summer Social were : (l. to r.) Jenny Forneer of Aerovironment, Harvey Magidow of HM Technical Sales, Brandon Quintana of Aerovironment. Sepi Karandish of HM Technical Sales, Andrew Jamora of Aerovironment, Maggie Valdivia of Crane and Raquel Asperas of Flextronics.
Starting this fall, the chapter’s table top shows are returning. The next shows are in Goleta/Santa Barbara on Oct. 28, in Camarillo on Oct. 29, in South Bay on Jan. 27 and at Panasonic Avionics in Orange County on Feb. 24. Additional dates in 2016 will be announced in December. Southern Cal began hosting its table top events in the 1960s, so they are now 50+ years old.
SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS
The Spirit of St. Louis chapter has scheduled a golf tournament at Old Hickory Golf Course in St. Peters, Missouri, on Oct. 2. A happy hour event was also held in mid-June at the Trainwreck Saloon in Westport. About 20 attendees turned out to honor retiree John Murphy of Siemens Manufacturing.