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 of the Year entries due soon
All ERA chapter officers and managers: Your Chapter of the Year entries covering 2014 activities and projects will be due March 2, 2015. Please watch for the announcement in mid-January.
Chapters can submit as many entries as they wish for recognition in one of four judging categories: Education; Marketing Services; Membership and Member Services; and Special Projects. Judging of the entries will be conducted in mid-March, and award recipients will be announced later that month. Chapters selected for awards earn a full-tuition scholarship to ERA’s Chapter Officers Leadership Training (COLT) program.
For details, email Tess Hill at thill@era.org.
CAROLINAS
The chapter hosted a Dec. 8 free program event regarding social media. It was titled “Social Media ‘Swap Shop:’ How LinkedIn and Other Tools Are Being Used in Today’s Electronics Industry.” The program moderator was Bruce Scoggin, CPMR, of Electro-Rep Associates, Inc., who reviewed the results of ERA’s recent LinkedIn survey and led the discussion among attendees regarding all social media usage.
Carolinas also held its final networking breakfast of 2014 in Charlotte in mid-December. The breakfasts, for both reps and distributors, will continue throughout 2015 in both Raleigh and Charlotte.
CHICAGOLAND – WISCONSIN
Chicagoland-Wisconsin board members participated in a strategic planning workshop in late October. Bob Terwall, ERA’s association president, served as facilitator for that meeting which resulted in a plan for 2015 for both educational programming and membership development. The chapter is also already planning its fourth annual Cubs-Brewers baseball outing this August at Wrigley Field.
EMPIRE STATE
Reps, distributors and guests attended Empire State’s annual holiday party in mid-December at the Hilton Garden Inn in Pittsford, N.Y. Among the “gifts” given away in a drawing at the event were two tickets to the chapter’s annual Debbie Henry Memorial Golf Tournament.
NEW ENGLAND
As a result of New England ERA’s program that was co-sponsored with ECIA in May, the chapter is considering other joint activities. These include an all-industry charitable golf tournament, a joint DTAM data collection project and other educational events.
The chapter has also formed a rep-distributor committee to make recommendations to the board of directors regarding future activities and initiatives. A holiday gathering was held in December at which John Hutson, CPMR, of The MacInnis Company, shared his observations from his November visit to electronica, the world’s largest electronics trade show. The event is held in Munich every other year.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
The Northern California chapter hosted its 54th Electronics Industry Mixer and Charity Event in early December. Reps, distributors and manufacturers participated in the fund-raiser for the benefit of the Lucile Packard and Oakland Children’s Hospitals. This is the longest-running yearly event sponsored by any ERA chapter and has raised more than $100,000 for the two hospitals.
OHIO
Ohio ERA sponsored a program in mid-November at the Montgomery Inn in Cincinnati. The presentation was titled “Social Media Marketing for Businesses.” The guest speaker was Matt Plapp, president of the Driven Media Solutions marketing firm.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
A mid-November event featured a presentation focused on “The Affordable Care Act and Your Business.” The chapter’s annual planning meeting was conducted Dec. 10, and the regularly-scheduled business-social breakfasts are continuing every Friday in Orange County and every second Friday in Calabasas.
SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS
St. Louis members and guests attended a mid-November happy hour at the Trainwreck Saloon in Westport. The chapter also hosted a Christmas dinner on Dec. 16 at Paul Minneo’s in Westport Plaza.