Summer 2020 – News Beat

ERA CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES 2021 THEME

The ERA Conference Committee revealed the theme — “Stronger Together: Reconnecting & Reinventing for Success” — of the 2021 ERA Conference, scheduled Feb. 28 – March 2 at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center in Austin, Texas.

The committee, which has been tasked with the planning and development of the ERA Conference, aims to build a 2021 conference program that echoes the theme of reconnecting and reinventing, while providing invaluable content that reflects the needs of electronics reps, distributors and manufacturers to come together during the current business environment.

“The 2021 ERA Conference could possibly be the first time when reps, distributors and manufacturers are together again,” said 2021 Committee Chair Craig Anderson, CPMR, President of Sumer Inc. “The theme, ‘Stronger Together: Reconnecting and Reinventing for Success,’ will focus on how reps, distributors and manufacturers can re-tool to bring value to our customers as the sales role is transformed. As such, the conference committee is crafting a conference that will be beneficial to any firm operating a sales team in the electronics market today.”

ERA CEO Walter Tobin added, “This year’s committee comprises more than 60 volunteers who hold various senior rep, manufacturer and distributor roles. We are excited to announce the theme for our 2021 conference, which captures our commitment to deliver an event that brings the industry together for three consecutive days of reconnecting and reinventing for success. The world will most certainly look different, but we encourage you to attend and help our industry be ready for the ‘new abnormal’ in 2021!

GLOBAL SEMICONDUCTOR SALES INCREASE 5.8% YEAR-TO-YEAR IN MAY

Worldwide sales of semiconductors reached $35 billion in May 2020, an increase of 5.8 percent from the May 2019 total of $33 billion and 1.5 percent more than the April 2020 total of $34.4 billion, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reported.

“The global semiconductor market in May remained largely resistant to the widespread economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but there is still significant uncertainty for the months ahead,” said John Neuffer, SIA president and CEO.

SMARTPHONE SHIPMENTS WILL NOT RETURN TO GROWTH UNTIL 2021

The global smartphone market will experience an overall decline of 11.9 percent year over year in 2020, with shipments totaling 1.2 billion units, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC).

However, according to Sangeetika Srivastava, senior research analyst with IDC’s Worldwide Mobile Device Tracker, despite the dismal outlook, 5G is still being viewed as the catalyst throughout the forecast period, which she said “will play a vital role in worldwide smartphone market recovery in 2021.”

IN MEMORIAM OF ELDON W. KLEINSCHMIDT

It is with great sadness that ERA must report the passing on Jan. 2, 2020, of Eldon W. Kleinschmidt. He was 88.

In 1973, he and his wife Doris Sturm founded, owned and operated KMG Sales for many years. He was a member of Wisconsin Chapter before it merged as Chicagoland-Wisconsin ERA and served as a chapter delegate. He was inducted as a White Pin member in 1986.

He is survived by his wife Doris; daughters, Debbie (Dave) Petersen of Racine, Susan (Michael) Knitter of Schaumburg, Ill.; grandchildren, Sarah (Jason) Strommen, Christopher (Kayla) Petersen, Jonathan Knitter, Stephen Knitter; great-grandchildren, Braden, Dylan, Aubrey, and Charlotte; brother and sister-in-law, Ralph (Rosemary) Sturm of Merrill, Wisc.; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many dear friends.

IN MEMORIAM OF PAT D’ANNA

ERA is saddened to report the passing of Pat D’Anna on June 27, 2020. He was 80.

D’Anna spent 48 years in the electronics industry in his beloved home state of Michigan. His tenure included positions at Intel, Arrow, and finally as a manufacturers’ rep with Catalyst Sales, where he worked for the past 11 years before retiring in January 2020. Pat was highly respected and trusted by his principals, customers and distributors.

A beloved father of Gina (Billy) Pauley. Loving grandfather of Brianna, Sophia and Rose Patrick and step-grandfather of Sydni and Selene Pauley. Dearest brother of Tony (Geri) D’Anna, Tina (the late Jim) Hoch and his sister-in-law Clarlene D’Anna. Dear uncle to many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.