Mark Motsinger, CPMR, gratefully acknowledges his ERA Hall of Fame Award

by Mark Motsinger, CPMR

At my first Carolinas ERA Chapter meeting more than 40 years ago, Bruce Scoggin and Tommy Adams approached me. They asked if I would volunteer as the chapter’s vice president. I said yes—and I haven’t said no to ERA since.

Just one word launched a relationship with ERA that would define so much of my career. As I process the great honor of my induction into the Hall of Fame this year, I keep returning to the relationships that anchor so many of my professional opportunities.

There are so many people like Bruce and Tommy who encouraged and supported all of my involvement with ERA. But I have to first acknowledge the most important people in my life—my family. The work of a field sales representative takes us away from home. (My daughter once told her first-grade teacher that I worked in hotels.) And it always seemed that the water pipes only broke and children stayed home sick from school when I was on the road. I am lucky that I got to come home to my wife, Patsy, who managed our household, the broken pipes and the sick children with love, humor and gumption.

My family also led me to ERA. Our company, Wallace Electronic Sales—then helmed by my father, Morris—joined ERA in 1951. All these years later, active participation in ERA is a foundation for our company and is critical to our continued growth and success. I am also indebted to all the national and regional reps that I’ve met along the way. Their commitment to ERA’s mission ensured that I succeeded as an association leader. When I became the person asking the new rep to volunteer to help, the answer was almost always “yes.” You have also become some of my closest friends.

Ultimately, there are too many people and not enough words to express the depth of my gratitude. Please know that my interactions with each and every one of you established ERA as the most professional and dedicated group I have ever worked with.

I am also so optimistic about the future and the new generation of energetic reps who will be tomorrow’s leaders. Reps are, by nature, adaptable and quick, driven by passion and creativity. It is exciting to imagine where we will go next. I am confident that ERA’s efforts to advance the industry standards of excellence are essential to the continued success of companies like Wallace Electronic Sales.

I believe that the greatest threat to our model isn’t competition from our fellow reps; it’s a lack of competition. If there aren’t enough good reps in the territory, manufacturers will be forced to find an alternative method for field sales. We may compete on specific sales opportunities, but we are all on the same team, working side by side to make the rep model the winning choice for field sales.

We thrive together because we ask each other for help—and when we can, we say “yes.”

Mark’s industry peers give praise

Walter Tobin, CEO of ERA

“In trying to learn as much as I could when I joined ERA, I was told, ‘Reach out to Mark Motsinger: he can guide you on all things ERA!’ Boy, were they right! Mark told me about his 16-year involvement in the ERA White Pin initiative, the educational arm of ERA, and his participation at electronica in Germany to help educate EMEA manufacturers on the Americas’ non-stocking rep model and to help expand ERA into a global organization. Mark’s mentorship has meant so much to me. His passion for our industry and his willingness to ‘give back and then give back some more’ is a model for us to follow. I am blessed to have met Mark and count him as one of the biggest influencers and mentors to me and to so many others.”

Tess Hill, Former Operations Director, ERA

“It was an incredible joy to have worked with Mark over his several decades in ERA leadership. Starting in the early 1990s and extending to the 2010s, he was the engine that drove so many accomplishments as they moved from ‘just an idea’ to concrete reality. In addition to being a savvy entrepreneur, Mark also exemplified the heart and wisdom of an educator, always aiming to help others learn. It would be impossible to count how many lives he has touched in significant ways, including mine. What an honor it is to call him my friend and to congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition!”

Tom Griffin, CEO, Catalyst Unity Solutions & ERA Board President/SVP of Finance

“I met Mark at my first sales meeting in the rep business in the late 1980s with Erni Components. His presentation that day inspired me, and he has continued to inspire me ever since.”

Karin Derkacz, Operations Director, ERA

“Like his father, Morris, who was the epitome of a professional and a gentleman, Mark has filled his dad’s shoes. Once Mark became the chair of the White Pin Group, it was our phone conversations that brought me the joy of knowing him both professionally and personally. Congratulations, Mark, on joining the ERA Hall of Fame! You earned it.”

Ellen Coan, CPMR, VP Operations, C C Electro Sales, Inc. & ERA SVP of Education

“Mark and I worked together for years on the ERA internship program and we just finished our third year of awarding rep internships for the summer of 2024. Mark’s passion for this program never waned. It is appropriately called the ERA White Pin Mark Motsinger Internship Program. Through the years we researched sales degrees and certifications at colleges. We visited our alma maters (his is Duke and mine is Purdue) to learn about technical sales degrees so we could share where you might find new talent and share the rep business model. Today there are more tools like Handshake and LinkedIn to market our rep job! He was one of the many rep mentors I have had through the years who shared table knowledge at the ERA Conference year after year. He encouraged me to buy my team laptops and use CRMs to keep efficient and productive…now we are in the cloud and using AI! The world is moving fast around us and Mark has always been at the front of the pack leading us through it all!”

Holly Myers, Director of Supplier Marketing and Management, Sager Electronics

“Congratulations on earning this well-deserved award, Mark! When I joined the industry, your mentoring and encouragement convinced me to get actively involved with ERA. This decision has positively impacted my life, personally and professionally. Your dedication to ERA and the industry as a whole is inspiring.”