Spring 2022 – In Memoriam

ERA MOURNS KATHY GREEN, STAFF MEMBER

Kathy Green

With profound sadness, ERA must announce the April passing of Katherine (Kathy) Green, a 32-year member of the ERA staff family. Kathy’s decade-long, valiant battle with cancer was mostly unknown outside of her immediate family and circle of close friends. This was her preference, and she was still handling her ERA responsibilities as usual up until early March. Those responsibilities were many. 

Her countless credits and accomplishments on behalf of ERA have reflected both her technological and artistic talents, including: the design, development, maintenance and updating of ERA’s website ever since its inception in 1995; the design, development and maintenance of websites for numerous ERA chapters and member firms; the development and maintenance of all ERA databases; the creation of all ERA conference logos, program brochures and other materials; and in recent years, the graphic designs of all covers of The Representor magazine. In addition to her work for ERA, Kathy was a mosaic artist, a musician (who played for years in a Chicago Irish band) and an entrepreneur who designed, manufactured and sold pet collars. 

Most ERA members knew Kathy from her staff work at national conferences and at the ERA booth at EDS. However, most do not know that Kathy was the proud daughter of the late Raymond J. Hall, the association’s longest-serving CEO. Kathy has described how she “grew up” in ERA and has said she considered ERA members and staff her “second family.” Her most recent comments to that effect came during her acceptance of ERA’s 2022 Tess Hill Award. COVID-19 concerns kept Kathy from attending the Conference as usual, so the presentation was made in advance by Karin Derkacz, the 2021 award recipient, and Tess Hill. A pre-recorded video of Kathy happily accepting the award was shown at the Conference. 

Kathy was preceded in death by her father and her brother, Raymond J. Hall, Jr. Her survivors include her husband Jeff, mother Anita (Annie) Roti, sister Tracey (Joel) Stewart, seven nieces and two nephews. A celebration of Kathy’s life will be held later this year. Memorial donations will be appreciated to the American Cancer Society (cancer.org). Messages of condolence can be addressed to: Jeff Green, 7120 N. Ashland Blvd., Chicago, Illinois 60626. 

ERA MOURNS HALL OF FAME MEMBER DAVID W. MCCOY

ERA announces the passing of W. David (Dave) McCoy, a member of ERA’s prestigious Hall of Fame and the decades-long owner of Cartwright & Bean, Inc., of Duluth, Ga. He was 87. Dave started as a salesperson at Cartwright & Bean in 1953 (at the age of 19) and eventually became the owner of the 70-year-old rep firm that he grew into one of the largest in the nation. Throughout his years in the rep business, he was an active volunteer in ERA, first with the Dixie Chapter and then on the national leadership level. Even before he was elected to ERA’s national executive committee, Dave earned the association’s Key Award and was inducted into the White Pin Group in 1986. He began his six-year tenure as an ERA national officer in 1989, was elected president in 1991 and completed his service as chairman of the board from 1993 to 1995. A year later, he was inducted into ERA’s Hall of Fame at the 1996 ERA National Conference on Monterey, Calif. Beyond his volunteer work for ERA, Dave held many executive positions with his church in Dunwoody, Ga., and was a founding father of Dunwoody Senior Baseball where thousands of young people have spent their summers. Dave’s survivors include Nona, his wife of 68 years, daughter Sherri McCoy Householder, son Jim, son Jeff and his wife Sharon. A memorial service will be held on April 11 at Kingswood Church, 4896 N. Peachtree Rd. Dunwoody, GA 30338. In lieu of flowers, donations to the church will be appreciated.

ERA MOURNS STEVE ROSS

ERA announces the passing of Steve Ross, a long-time northern California rep firm owner and past national officer of this association. He was 79. Steve earned a BSEE degree from Purdue University where he was four-year ROTC member. After graduation, he served as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army providing logistical support to the 82nd Airborne Division. In 1970, he joined the northern California rep firm that his father had founded in 1947 and spent the next 31 years in sales and management, eventually becoming the firm’s second generation owner. Throughout his career, he was an active volunteer in the electronics industry, including his tenures as president of the EDS Board and chairman of the WESCON trade show. For ERA, he held many offices in the Northern California Chapter, served on the national executive committee as senior vice president/membership and was an ERA trustee on the board of the MRERF. 

He was also inducted into the ERA White Pin Group in 1984, was among the first reps to earn the CPMR designation, and was awarded Life Membership in ERA upon his retirement from the rep business in 2001. Steve filled his later years with many types of volunteer work in educational and community settings as well as with the Palo Alto University Rotary Club. His survivors include his wife Karen, their two children and spouses, and two grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family will appreciate memorial donations to Child Advocates of Silicon Valley (https://childadvocatessv.org) or Mission Hospice (https://www.missionhospice.org).