Winter 2025 – Chapter News
Chapter News reports the local activities of the 22 chapters of ERA. The chapters sponsor educational and training workshops, local trade shows, legislative and industry projects to enhance the professionalism of individual members and to advance the goals and mission of the national association.
CANADA

Canada ERA’s holiday toy donation to the Make- A-Wish Foundation.
In November, ERA Canada hosted the “November 2 Remember” event. It was an industry networking event and toy drive benefitting Children’s Make- A-Wish Foundation. More than 200+ unwrapped toys were donated and delivered the next morning to the Make-AWish Foundation head office.
Make-A-Wish Canada works with communities across the country to provide children with critical illnesses the opportunity to realize their most heartfelt wish. These wishes are more than just moments of happiness; they are crucial in improving medical outcomes and enhancing the quality of life for both the children and their families.
CAROLINAS
In October, Carolinas ERA hosted its 21st Annual Memorial Golf Tournament at Wildwood Green Golf Club in Raleigh, N.C. On behalf of CERA, we extend our overwhelming appreciation for our manufacturer, representative and distributor sponsors, as well as numerous volunteers. Proceeds benefited the American Cancer Society, with some funds going to help families in Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. As always, there will be two $1,500 scholarships for college students that are dependents of CERA reps and distributors in the Carolinas. CERA’s 22nd Annual Golf Tournament will take place once again at Wildwood Green Golf Club in Raleigh. The date is yet to be determined. We plan to make it even better in 2025!
CHICAGOLAND-WISCONSIN

Chicagoland-Wisconsin ERA having fun at Finn McCool’s at its holiday happy hour and toy drive.
Despite a last-minute change in venue, the Chicagoland- Wisconsin ERA Holiday Happy Hour and Toys for Tots Drive was a resounding success, drawing an impressive turnout of 40 attendees! This annual event is a great opportunity for networking and spreading holiday cheer. Being able to help so many children through Toys for Tots exemplified the spirit of the season and highlighted the strength and generosity of the Chicagoland- Wisconsin ERA.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Southern California ERA is busy at work on its 2025 calendar and will have more exciting announcements coming soon. Please save the date for these confirmed events: Microsoft Office 365 Virtual All Access Pass Training Open to ALL ERA members; March 13 – Sip, Share, & Spotlight National Conference Highlights, venue TBA; September 8 – Annual Southern California ERA Golf Tournament at the Alta Vista Country Club; and October 9 – Sagebrush Summer Social at the Sagebrush Cantina Calabasas. And, we have more on the way!
OHIO

Ohio ERA mixed and mingled at Topgolf while raising money for the Salvation Army of Greater Cleveland.
Many thanks to all who came out for the Ohio ERA’s Topgolf event benefiting The Salvation Army in Greater Cleveland in late December! Specifically, the chapter’s goal was to collect 12,000 toys for 6,000 children. Attendees brought a $25 toy to the event as a donation, played golf and had a delicious meal. It was a great networking event, despite the rain, and there was a table overflowing with toys to bring to little faces for the holiday season.
NEW ENGLAND
The New England ERA Chapter was once again proud to partner with Molex in hosting the annual holiday event and Toys for Tots drive in Wakefield, Massachusetts on December 12. This event has become a popular tradition for the New England electronic sales community to celebrate the holiday season and raise money for a great cause.
PACIFIC-NORTHWEST ERA
Pacific Northwest ERA was a major sponsor of the NEDME SHOW (Northwest Electronics Design and Manufacturing Expo) in October. Fifty-three exhibitor booths were sold and over 300 people attended. The chapter provided a dinner party the night before the show for exhibitors and speakers at the show. In addition, the chapter provided the coffee service and lunch boxes for all of the show attendees.
The chapter organized a panel program on “The State of the Supply Chain in 2024” which included Mike Schindele, an established purchasing manager as the facilitator, Pat Duggan with Temco Northwest, a long-time ERA/PNW Board Member, Alexis Canfield, regional vice president of TTI, Inc., Chris Pulone, purchasing and strategic sourcing at A-Dec Dental, and Rob Rowland, director of engineering at Axiom Electronics.
The chapter is still trying to build the show to its prominence prior to the COVID-19 shutdown. The 2024 show was in a new location that proved to be a better fit than previous venues. The chapter wants to expand the show for this fall, scheduled for October 22, 2025.
MEXICO

Mexico ERA hosted a Christmas dinner and gifts for the girls at Emmanuel Guadalajara A.C. (Faces are blurred for privacy.)
Mexico ERA worked together in December on a toy drive for a foundation called Emmanuel Guadalajara A.C., a group that serves as a shelter exclusively for girls ranging in ages from 5 to 16 years old whose parents are incarcerated and have no immediate family that can look after them. This foundation provides housing, food, education and protection for this highly vulnerable group of girls.
Jorge Rodriguez Vidrio, Mexico ERA chapter treasurer, who had supported this foundation in the past, made the connection and served as the lead as the chapter gathered the electronics community who quickly responded, helping fund Christmas gifts for the girls currently living under the Foundation’s supervision. The response was so quick that the chapter quickly filled the list of gifts for the girls and, since more still wanted to contribute, the chapter was able to also fund a simple dinner/ dessert for the shelter’s Christmas party, where the girls received their gifts gathered by the chapter volunteers.
The chapter intends to make this event a yearly tradition!