Representor Winter 2025 - Feature Article

CONFERENCE PREVIEW

Let’s elevate, expand and evolve as an industry


By Jeff May, 2025 ERA Conference Chair

The 2025 ERA Conference, themed “Power of Influence—Elevate, Expand, Evolve” is focused on how we can develop a common thread to our marketing strategies. Our annual event unites electronics industry sales representative firms, manufacturers and distributors to share practical, proven best practices in electronic sales and marketing.

The Conference kicks off with an opening cocktail reception on Sunday, February 23, at 5 p.m., at the state-of-the-art AT&T Hotel & Conference Center, located on the University of Texas campus in Austin, Texas.

Conference theme and focus

The chosen theme underscores the industry’s commitment to enhancing digital marketing efforts, leveraging artificial intelligence, managing data effectively and building quality marketing programs. As chair of the 2025 ERA Conference, it is my goal for this conference to focus on elevating our sales and marketing efforts, expanding our reach and continuing to evolve cohesively to effectively provide increased value to each other and our customers.

Educational program and sessions

Attendees can anticipate a dynamic and interactive educational program curated by a committee of industry experts. The Conference features two full days of educational programming, including sessions led by new speakers who bring a diverse array of expertise and experience. The program is designed to provide useful tools, actionable takeaways and inspiring messages tailored to the current trends and challenges in the electronics industry.

Keynote and general session speakers

The Conference will feature many distinguished speakers including:

– Erik Qualman, five-time best-selling author and motivational speaker, has performed in 55 countries and reached over 50 million people. Qualman was voted the “2nd Most Likeable Author in the World” behind Harry Potter’s J.K. Rowling. He will prepare us to be digital leaders in an evolutionary not revolutionary process. We cannot replace face-to-face meetings, just like we cannot replace the ERA Conference with a Teams meeting. Will AI take our jobs? No! Will someone that knows AI take our job? Yes!

– Melissa Fairbanks, vice president of equity research at Raymond James, has spent the last 12 years on Wall Street analyzing the semiconductor industry. She will provide an overview of the financial situation, geopolitical implications and benchmarks that will help us understand the health of our industry. She has a candid ability to relate the overall economic market conditions to our world today. Melissa will provide a fresh new perspective, since she is a financial analyst focused on publicly-traded electronics industry titans such as Avnet, Arrow, Jabil and Flex.

– Dr. Mary Kelly, former Navy intelligence officer, author and Hall of Fame speaker and trained economist. Her expertise is expected to offer valuable perspectives on macro and microeconomic trends shaping the global electronics market, including supply chains, trade policies and emerging technology. Mary will examine geopolitical challenges and how they relate to our industry. –

Kaplan Mobray, previously a marketing executive at Deloitte for 10 years and a Wharton school of Business graduate, will present,through the power of consistency, how to build relationships from a data-driven marketing plan. You will be inspired to shift your mindset to nurture your personal brand, industry credibility and business results. Kaplan will share insights on how to leverage emerging trends, digital platforms and client-focused marketing strategies to nurture leads effectively and close high-value contracts.

– Nikolas Badminton, a world-renowned futurist speaker who mentors top executives to explore desirable futures, anticipate unforeseen risks, foresee megatrends and strengthen strategic planning to drive growth. His goals are to inspire people to think differently as curiosity fuels our vison. He is an optimist that will help us plan and identify signals of change and trends that will propel our growth.

Breakout session highlights

Breakout sessions are unique to the ERA Conference. This year we decided to reach out beyond our members and employ industry professionals for the majority of our sessions. We also condensed the topics from 16 to 12 so that we could amplify the content. The Breakout Sessions planning committee worked hard to identify professional speakers that align their content to match our goals. Attendees will choose six of the 12 industry topics. Marketing sessions will be the highlight as the sales representatives, distributors and manufacturers look for ways to complement each other and create effective marketing plans.

Marketing is not putting a logo on a golf ball—we are better than that. Let’s put a plan in place to utilize marcom dollars effectively to reach and educate our customers.

Engineers want to learn about new technologies. The procurement journey has changed such that now anywhere from six to 11 people influence the purchasing decision. How do we reach all these people in an efficient manner?

We invited a few of our favorite speakers from last year, such as Sam Richter, Alex Gabbi and Jordan Yates. We are hosting many new speakers as well, including one of our general session speakers, Dr. Mary Kelly. The inclusion of professional speakers will elevate our educational experience. Focusing on digital marketing, AI utilization and data analytics will provide us key takeaways for enhancing our business plans.

Networking opportunities

Beyond the sessions, the Conference offers unparalleled networking opportunities. Attendees can connect with peers, share experiences and build relationships that foster collaboration and business growth. The event’s design encourages interaction among attendees in a collaborative and energetic environment. I encourage you to schedule a meeting with any of the ERA reps attending the Conference. (There are many great reasons why the sales rep model, compared to the direct sales model, is superior.) Watch this video

Why the excitement?

The 2025 ERA Conference represents a convergence of innovation, education and networking within the electronics industry. The emphasis on the “Power of Influence” aligns with the industry’s trajectory towards evolving our digital marketing, elevating our collaborative content and expanding the reach to our customers. The introduction of new speakers and venues adds a fresh dynamic, ensuring that attendees gain contemporary insights and experiences.

The opportunity to engage with thought leaders, participate in forward-thinking sessions and connect with industry peers makes this Conference a pivotal event for professionals dedicated to elevating their influence and expanding their impact in the electronics sector. Many thanks to the Conference planning committee which consists of 91 volunteers (a record high!) from our distributors, manufacturers and sales representatives. The committee has worked hard to incorporate a marketing theme into this year’s keynote, general and breakout sessions. The ERA staff’s hard work, dedication and countless hours enables us to enjoy a world-class event —thank you!