Home → ERA Publications → The Representor – Current Issue → Representor Summer 2026 – News Beat

Summer 2026 – News Beat

STEP 2026 REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN

Registration is now open for 2026 ERA STEP! Mark your calendars for Sept. 29-Oct. 1, because ERA’s Sales Training for Electronics Professionals (STEP) is returning to elevate your sales game. Designed specifically for frontline electronics industry sales reps, manufacturers and distributors, STEP 2026 is live, virtual sales training in the comfort of your office or home.

This year’s program features nine robust, 75-minute educational sessions led by a mix of professional sales trainers and seasoned industry executives.

ERA ANNOUNCES 2027 ERA CONFERENCE CORE COMMITTEE

ERA is pleased to announce the 2027 ERA Conference Core Committee leaders responsible for leading the planning of next year’s Conference. Julie Carr, Vice President, MacInnis Group, will serve as Conference Committee Chair, while Brooks Mattice, Vice President of Sales, Mel Foster Group, will serve as Conference Co-Chair.

The remainder of the 2027 Conference Committee leaders are as follows:

Keynote/General Session Committee Chairs: Toby Lasley; Diana Nawrocki, CPMR; Maryellen Stack
Breakout Session Committee Chairs: Adam Anderson, CPMR; Scott Lindberg; Holly Myers
•Sponsorship Committee Chairs: Zach Anderson; Heather D’Amico, CPMR; Rob DeRose
Executive Committee Liaison: Lori Bruno, CPMR
Conference Advisor: Todd McAtee

“It is a privilege to serve as Chair of the 2027 ERA Conference,” said Carr. “Together with Brooks and our exceptional committee chairs, we are committed to delivering an unforgettable event that inspires, motivates and drives meaningful value for every attendee.” “With a committee of this caliber, we aren’t just planning another event—we are shaping a definitive industry experience that will resonate for years to come,” said Mattice.

The 2027 ERA Conference will be ERA’s 58th national conference and will take place at the Hilton Austin Downtown on February 21-23, 2027.

ERA ANNOUNCES 2027 ERA CONFERENCE THEME

The theme for the 2027 ERA Conference will be, “Adapt Today, Win Tomorrow: Igniting Our Future.” The Conference Committee selected a theme that is a call to immediate action, urging our members to embrace the emerging tools, digital transformations and market realities so we are in a great position to handle future challenges.

“In a market defined by rapid technological evolution, complacency is the greatest risk,” said Julie Carr, Vice President, MacInnis Group, and 2027 ERA Conference Chair. “This theme is critical because it reminds us that tomorrow’s victories are dependent on today’s agility. The companies that are willing to pivot their strategies, upskill their workforces and diversify their partnerships today are the ones that will dominate the market landscape tomorrow.”

“This conference theme is about passion, innovation and proactive growth,” said Brooks Mattice, Vice President of Sales, Mel Foster Group, and 2027 ERA Conference Co-Chair. “It means we aren’t just trying to survive market disruptions; we are using them as fuel to spark new opportunities, drive engineering breakthroughs and lead the global electronics supply chain into its next great era.”

ERA ANNOUNCES ZENODE AS NEWEST RECOGNIZED RESOURCE

ERA announces the addition of Zenode, an AI-driven component search platform, to its list of Recognized Resource vendor partners.

In an industry where speed is critical, electronics sales representatives often spend hours manually cross-referencing customer bills of materials (BOMs) against their represented lines. This complex evaluation—which involves comparing technical specifications, pinouts, footprints and functional differences—traditionally requires days of back-and-forth communication with engineers. Zenode is set to transform this workflow with its Alts tool, which performs comprehensive part comparisons in approximately one minute per component, providing sourced documentation for immediate engineering review.

“We’re confident our AI-driven tools can give reps the answers they need on parts quickly and accurately. Our tools don’t replace the rep’s relationships or judgment, it gives them a faster, more accurate way to show up with the answer,” said Brandon Bourn, CEO of Zenode.