Fall 2025 – ERA XCOM Digest

COLT 2025 is a must-attend

By Cameron English, CPMR, ERA SVP of Industry

To all ERA members, chapter leaders and future leaders of ERA:

Are you ready to strengthen your leadership skills and take your ERA chapter to the next level? Join myself, Eddie Smith, ERA CEO and Ama Derringer, ERA Membership Coordinator, for COLT 2025 (Chapter Officers Leadership Training) — a dynamic, virtual program designed to equip ERA chapter leaders with the tools, ideas and inspiration they need to thrive. COLT is a virtual program that will take place Nov. 11-13 from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. each day.

If your chapter wants to thrive, grow and prosper, this is a must-attend. Whether you’re already serving in a leadership role or considering stepping into one, COLT offers valuable insights to help elevate chapter activities and enhance member engagement.

A few things to know:

• All chapters in attendance can select one person from their chapter to receive a complimentary registration to the 2026 ERA Conference in Austin, Feb. 22-24.

• You will find the program a highly collaborative, highly interactive experience!

• We will all leave COLT as new partners in the success of your chapter!

• This is an opportunity to get to know the new CEO of ERA, Eddie Smith.

Attendance is free to the chapter and is perfect for all volunteers, board members, rising star chapter members and the newly initiated to your chapter. This program blends practical knowledge with real-world strategies shared by experienced leaders.

Through COLT, you will gain: Proven recruitment strategies to grow membership; creative ideas for hosting engaging events that drive participation; hands-on guidance in using the ERA website’s tools and resources; best practices for organizing impactful educational sessions and networking opportunities to exchange ideas with other chapter leaders.

Talk to your chapter board about attending this year’s COLT. Don’t miss this opportunity to sharpen your leadership skills, expand your network and contribute to the continued success of ERA chapters nationwide. For more information, visit era.org/event/colt.

Don’t miss out on important ERA benefits

By Lori Bruno, CPMR

Of all the benefits that come with an ERA membership, the most valuable for me is the opportunity to network with my industry peers. There’s nothing quite like being able to swap “war stories” and share experiences with people who truly understand the challenges and triumphs of our field. These connections are the bedrock of my professional life, and keeping them strong—especially by meeting up at ERA events—is something I prioritize.

ERA membership unlocks a variety of benefits. Members gain entry to our annual conference held every February in Austin, and exclusive access to powerful resources such as the highly sought-after Hover Map® and Searchlink.ai. ERA provides extensive educational opportunities to support your ongoing development.

With Ed Smith now leading the charge as our new president and CEO, I fully anticipate a significant increase in new members. His leadership is bound to attract more people to our ranks. When it comes to being part of this community, there’s a real sense of FOMO, and for good reason— you simply don’t want to miss out on the relationships and professional growth that ERA provides.

Start at ERA.org!

Supplier-rep alignment is paramount in marketing and brand strategy

Marketing and all the activities, resources and strategies it entails has taken on an increasingly central role over the past five years. Customer research and buying patterns were already shifting rapidly, and the pandemic accelerated the move toward digital engagement and self-directed buying. According to industry studies, buyers now complete more than two-thirds of their decision-making process before speaking to a sales rep, underscoring the critical role of marketing in shaping perceptions early.

Marketing has long been a part of supplier sales strategies, but more recently it has gained focus within the rep network. Some larger rep groups have added marketing personnel to manage social media, email campaigns, video content and lead nurturing. Reps are recognizing the power and importance of professional marketing in driving visibility and engagement, particularly as customers increasingly research products online before interacting with a salesperson.

The most effective approach today blends supplier resources with a rep’s local access and execution. Alignment between supplier and rep — in messaging, content and goals — is critical to ensure accurate information is shared and target customers are reached. Without this alignment, even small inconsistencies can create confusion or dilute brand perception.

For suppliers, maintaining brand consistency is paramount. Technical accuracy, compliance and unified messaging are non-negotiable. The “wild west” of digital content, amplified by the capability of AI— where messaging and images can be created and shared widely—keeps many marketing directors on alert. Within our organization, we pay strict attention to sharing only approved content and images to protect both our brand and our customers.

A recent example illustrates the importance of alignment: one of our local reps shared AI-generated promotional content on LinkedIn that used an outdated company logo and a competitor’s product image. No harm was done, but it highlights the risk of inconsistent messaging and the need for close collaboration between supplier and rep. Simple mistakes like this can have outsized impact if left unchecked in today’s hyper-visible digital environment.

Suppliers generally have larger budgets and broader access to resources than their rep networks. We understand the full brand narrative and long-term positioning of our products and services. Centralized marketing ensures content quality, accuracy and professional presentation while providing reps with ready-to-use tools for their local campaigns.

The ideal model involves collaboration: the supplier acts as the content originator—developing the message, identifying the target audience and providing delivery platforms. The rep acts as the local amplifier— leveraging customer access and regional insights to maximize impact. Marketing is no longer just a support function for sales; it is a true revenue driver. Consider how many opportunities today are generated almost entirely through digital content—whether on your website, a distributor’s page or via search engines.

As customer buying habits continue to evolve, manufacturers’ reps are building marketing resources into their organizations. The most successful suppliers will maintain control over messaging and content while empowering reps to execute locally. When aligned, suppliers and reps present a single, powerful brand voice that customers can trust—one that educates, engages and drives results at every touchpoint

Using education, information and collective wisdom to hone our instincts

By Ellen Coan, CPMR

Instinct: a natural desire or tendency that makes you want to act in a particular way. How do we listen to our instincts in the electronics industry? Our instincts started with a will to survive and that survival looks different as we learn and grow and create our stories. Instinct is present at pivotal moments: choosing whether to sign or resign a line, making a hiring decision or looking at our strategy for the future.

As you follow this instinct, do you coach yourself through this process? Is there excitement for the opportunity? Is there fear? Experts Arthur Brooks and Dr. Thomas Sims say on their podcasts that instinct should have 80:20 of these two components. Does that sound familiar? That rule is everywhere. Eighty percent excitement for the opportunity but still 20 percent fear.

The process of analyzing the data has changed today with the influence of AI. Does that help automate the process or does it take away what you learn during that process? The rabbit holes that develop as you look at the data are critical for a well-rounded decision. We picture our company with a new line or person or strategy — does it fit? We need to be ready for it all.

Educating ourselves and our teams to triage the casualties, design for the curveballs and help solve the problem rather than find fault, propels us forward. We use our experiences to make the next move. We cannot assume the situation is the same every time. The struggle is where we learn. With ERA we provide education and peer networking to help share best practices through STEP, ERA LIVE and the national Conference with reps, distributors and manufacturers. That collective wisdom is the real secret to staying ready for whatever comes next. Together we are better.

2025 Mark Motsinger White Pin Internship highlights

By Kingsland Coombs, CPMR, CSP

The summer of 2025 marked another successful chapter for the ERA White Pin Group’s internship program. We extend our sincere appreciation to the interns and rep firms who participated. Six interns gained meaningful exposure to the manufacturers’ representative model and the broader electronics industry. The following are key insights from the committee’s check-in call.

Firm: Insight
Interns: Nicolas Ramirez, Mauricio Blanchet
Sponsor: Gerardo Martinez

Nicolas Ramirez and Mauricio Blanchet interned at Insight, a rep firm based in Mexico. Nicolas, pursuing a degree in financial engineering with expected graduation in May 2026, focused on database management and financial analysis. His responsibilities included order entry, commission uploads, cash flow tracking and total cost of ownership studies. Notably, his review of historical commission statements uncovered a significant number of missing commissions. Leveraging his financial engineering background, he also assisted in implementing the RepFabric CRM system.

Nicolas worked full-time in the office and appreciated the structured environment. He noted that the most challenging aspect of the role was gaining the attention of customer contacts.

Mauricio, working toward a mechatronics engineering degree with graduation planned for July 2026, served as an FAE intern. He spent most of his summer helping customers identify optimal solutions from a range of product options and participated in customer visits alongside Insight account managers.

Both interns are actively promoting the industry among their peers and classmates.

Firm: Josco Melius
Intern: Adam Pankow (son of Al Pankow, also from Josco)
Sponsor: James Duckless

Adam Pankow returned for his second summer internship with Josco, working 30–40 hours per week. He is pursuing a finance degree with a math minor, expected to graduate in May 2026. As a remote sales and marketing intern, Adam focused on customer research and provided account managers with product recommendations. He also supported outreach efforts targeting new leads and firsttime buyers.

Adam participated in numerous sales calls and plant tours. Sponsor James Duckless praised Adam’s initiative and independence. Adam plans to continue working with Josco during the academic year, dedicating 10-15 hours per week to the firm.

Firm: Logix Sales & Marketing
Intern: Liam Gordon
Sponsor: Jeff May

After an extensive interview process involving 25 candidates, Jeff May and his team selected Liam Gordon via Handshake. Liam is majoring in business-to-business marketing with concentrations in entrepreneurship and data analytics, and is set to graduate in May 2026.

Liam’s internship centered on data analytics, email marketing, content creation and branding. He successfully designed the company’s background banners and executed email campaigns that achieved a 34 percent open rate. His CRM work involved cleaning the contact database and identifying optimal targets for outreach. At the end of his internship, Liam delivered a comprehensive marketing summary and created a slide template now used in principal reporting.

Liam worked full-time in the office and appreciated the collaborative atmosphere fostered by Jeff and his team. He views himself as an entrepreneur focused on driving efficiency.

Firm: Spectrum Marketing
Intern: Seamus Carey
Sponsor: Michael Allen

Seamus Carey interned at Spectrum Marketing, working in-office four days a week for eight hours a day. He is pursuing a business communications degree at Arizona State University, with graduation expected in December 2025. He discovered the internship opportunity through a neighbor in California who is an industry executive—small world!

Seamus concentrated on marketing initiatives, including email campaigns using ERA’s Searchlink.ai, line card updates, data mining, market research and CRM cleanup. He also contributed to first-buy reports and related communications with account managers and customers. His favorite aspects of the role included learning about new products, military applications and observing interpersonal dynamics in the workplace.

He appreciated the relationship-driven culture at Spectrum and participated in various events, including one-on-one lunches with the sales team, distributor functions and principal meetings such as ABRs. Sponsor Michael Allen noted that the team closely followed ERA’s 10-week internship guidelines, contributing to a successful experience for Seamus.

Firm: MacInnis Company
Intern: Tommy Giudicianni
Sponsor: John Hutson

MacInnis Company welcomed Tommy Giudicianni, a junior at the University of Rhode Island, as a full-time summer intern through the White Pin Program. Tommy worked in the office every day, gaining hands-on experience across various business functions. He supported the sales team and helped tackle “important but not urgent” projects—many of which focused on enhancing CRM data for improved analytics, reporting and digital marketing.

His contributions delivered strong ROI and proved mutually rewarding. Reflecting on his experience, Tommy shared: “My summer internship was extremely rewarding, and I’m grateful for the opportunity. Being in the office daily exposed me to the core business practices that drive a small company’s success. I researched a wide range of companies and technologies in the electronics industry, and used the tools provided to engage with customers and ensure CRM accuracy. It was especially fulfilling when my outreach led to customer requests for assistance.”

Summary

The ERA White Pin Group, in collaboration with ERA National, remains committed to cultivating the next generation of talent for manufacturers’ representative firms across North America. Through the Mark Motsinger White Pin Scholarship Program, three to five prestigious internships are awarded annually, offering college students valuable opportunities to engage with the electronics industry— during the summer or throughout the academic year. We look forward to welcoming new applicants for the summer of 2026! For more information, visit era.org/white-pin-internship.