Kevin Davis
President
Techni-Source Corporation
Someone You Should Know – Kevin Davis
With so many ERA members, it is not easy to get to know every rep, manufacturer and distributor in the business.“Someone You Should Know” is The Representor department that gives readers the chance to learn about fellow ERA members, including how their time is spent both in and out of the office.
Meet Kevin Davis, president of Techni-Source Corporation, located in Mesa, Ariz.
The Representor asked Kevin a few questions about his time in the electronics manufacturing business and his experiences with ERA. Here is what he had to say.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I live in Scottsdale, Ariz., and I am 52 years young. I am one of the few Arizona natives. I live with my wife, Jennifer, and our two children Katelyn (age 7) and Chase (age 5). I have four children with two of the four living with us. Ryanne (age 24) lives in Brookings, S.D., and Rhett (age 22) works as a line man for our power company in Chandler, Ariz. Both older children are from my first marriage. I have run Techni-Source Corporation as President since 1996 when I took over for my father at the age of 31. Last year, I celebrated 30 years in the rep business. Prior to that, I worked for Motorola from 1984-1988 while attending college at Arizona State University where I earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Marketing.
What are some things you enjoy outside of the workplace?
I play hockey three times a week. I like to ski, hike and golf. I also enjoy doing things with the family like attending events, festivals and vacations. I like to cook at home, but also enjoy dining out and listening to music, as well as watching sports.
How long have you been an ERA member and how long in the rep business?
Techni-Source has been in business since 1987 when my father, Ken Davis, founded the company. He was western regional manager of Sprague Electric company (Acquired by Vishay around 1990). Sprague made a decision in 1987 to go rep and my father hired all the reps in the Southwest and then put himself on in Arizona. I left Motorola and came on board in 1988. I made the decision to join ERA in 2017 and I am happy that I did. I became vice president of the Arizona Chapter of ERA shortly after joining, and since then our chapter has been recognized with Chapters of The Year awards for its activities.
How did you become interested in being a rep in the electronics industry?
My father got me interested when I was in college. He taught me a lot about the rep business.
What have you found to be most rewarding about the rep business?
I like the fact that I have the freedom to go out every day and make my own schedule and meet lots of different people. It is freedom over most jobs which makes the business so enjoyable and successful. I believe that if you are pulling into the same parking space every day and are told what time you have lunch and breaks, or told what to do every second of every work day, job satisfaction will not be there and you will watch the clock to get out of there. I found that at Techni-Source I am always trying to slow the clock down during the day to get more done, while at Motorola, I was looking to speed things up.
Briefly describe your rep firm.
Techni-Source is a highly respected manufacturers’ representative firm celebrating 30 years in business. We represent select electronics component and connector manufacturers, and are responsible for the sale of their products in Arizona; Clark County, Nevada; New Mexico; El Paso, Texas; and the Mexico border areas of Nogales and Juarez.
What recent innovations, best practices and/or changes has your firm made?
Our CRM system has really helped us do more with less. We have eight people on staff, but we can accomplish the work of a 12- to 14-person firm. We don’t hold staff meetings on Mondays anymore. We used to spend from half to a full day every Monday getting organized, but now everything is done on the fly and paperless through the CRM. This gives us up to 20 percent more time with customers.
What have you learned and/or what contacts have you made through ERA that have had the greatest positive impacts on you and/or your business?
I have met a lot of great people in my local market as vice president of the Arizona Chapter that I would not have met normally. I feel more comfortable reaching out to them. Also, I have met a lot of great people all over the country through ERA National. People feel more comfortable referring new lines to you if they know you. You really can’t have enough friends in this business.
Are you active on social media? Do you follow ERA? Have ERA updates via social media been helpful to you?
I try to keep up with LinkedIn and Facebook and I have Techni-Source sites on both. I think they are great tools for the trade.
What is one interesting fact that people may not know about you?
I enjoy doing IT work and fixing things. I have learned that as soon as you fix someone’s computer one time, you are now their IT person for life!
I also have dabbled in beer making!