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> ERA Announces Chapter Officer Leadership Training Program for 2018

May 11, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

Chapter Officers Leadership Training workshop on Nov. 9, 2017 in Rosemont, Ill.

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) has announced the 2018 dates for its long-standing Chapter Officers Leadership Training (COLT) program. The one-hour webinar portion of the program will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018, and the in-person meeting will be held in Chicago, Nov. 7-8, 2018, at the Double Tree Hilton O’Hare-Rosemont.

COLT is a hands-on instructional program focused on chapter management and planning tactics. The program is a vital tool in chapter planning for chapter managers, board members and anyone taking a chapter leadership role. The program offers a nationwide networking opportunity as well, with attendees coming from all over the country.

Every year, chapter officers, both current and future, come together for an intensive program teaching practical knowledge, tips and ERA insider information to help meet the challenges of serving as a volunteer leader. The program details how to effectively run a chapter including hosting events, chapter bylaws, member recruitment, educational programming and more.

COLT is coordinated by Bob Evans, president of EK Micro and chair of ERA’s Chapter Leadership Council, Stephanie Tierney, membership outreach coordinator for ERA, and Walter Tobin, ERA CEO.

“COLT is one of a kind training program designed specifically for chapter leaders. The program helps leaders get down to the details about running a chapter effectively. We are looking forward to another successful COLT session this year with a great group of candidates.” Tobin said.

Registration details will be announced soon. For more information on ERA’s COLT program, visit https://era.org/era-events/chapter-officers-leadership-training-colt/.

About ERA
The 83-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> ERA at EDS 2018 – ERA Business and Hospitality Center Open to all ERA Members!

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) invites all of its members – manufacturers’ reps, manufacturers and distributors – attending EDS 2018 to make the ERA Business and Hospitality Center their EDS headquarters. The Business Center is located in the Mirage Grand Ballroom, Booth #103.

ERA members can take advantage of free coffee service and space for small meetings during all EDS hours. Members also are encouraged to make the Business Center their first stop at the show to pick up their ERA ribbon and a copy of the EDS Lines Available Bulletin. ERA staff – including Walter Tobin, Erin Collins, Neda Simeonova and Katherine Green – will be available to answer any questions throughout the show.

All manufacturers who are seeking qualified professional manufacturers’ reps, and who have not already listed their products in the ERA Special Edition EDS Lines Available Bulletin, can still take advantage of this free service. Just stop by the Business Center to fill out a Lines Available form. While there, pick up many free publications designed specifically for manufacturers who sell through professional manufacturers’ reps.

Non-member reps and those new to the rep business also are urged to visit the ERA Business Center to request information on the association’s many membership benefits and to pick up many free resource materials. New members who join ERA during the show will receive a $100 discount on their first year annual dues.

Please note that due to heightened sense of security, no access will be given to EDS without a registration badge.

For more information, contact ERA at info@era.org.

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> ERA Announces 2019 Conference Committee

May 7, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) has announced the appointment of the chair, vice chair and members of the committee tasked with the development of its 50th Anniversary Management and Marketing Conference program, scheduled Feb. 24-26, 2019, at the AT&T Conference Center in Austin, Texas.

The chair of the committee is John Hutson, CPMR, of MacInnis Group and the vice chair is Mike Swenson, CPMR, of Mel Foster Company. Both Hutson and Swenson are returning committee members.

Hutson said, “It is an honor and a privilege to be chosen as the 2019 ERA Conference Chairperson. Although the incredible success of recent conferences, and the fact that the 2019 ERA Conference will be the 50th Anniversary Conference has set the bar exceptionally high, I am confident that delivering another gold medal performance will be possible with the outstanding conference planning committee that we have in place.”

The 2019 ERA Conference Committee is strategically made up of representatives, manufacturers and distributors with the goal of creating a diverse pool of experience and insight that result in the highest level of quality content to be shared at the ERA Conference.

In addition to Hutson and Swenson, other returning members of the ERA 2019 Conference Committee are: Ken Bellero of Schaffner EMC; Holly Myers, CPMR, of Wallace Electronic Sales; John O’Brien, CPMR, of Coakley Boyd and Abbett Inc., ERA Sr. VP/Education; and Bryan White, CPMR, of Catalyst Sales Inc.

New members of the committee are: Kingsland Coombs, CPMR, CSP, of Control Sales; Paul Dosser of DigiKey; Brian Flynn of Sager Electronics; Terri Straube of Straube Associates Inc.; and Tom Vanderheyden of TTI Inc.

Coombs and Dosser will serve as co-chairs of the Keynote Committee; Straube and Vanderheyden will serve as co-chairs of the General Session Committee; Flynn and Myers will serve as co-chairs of the Breakout Sessions Committee; and Bellero and White will serve as co-chairs of the Sponsorship Committee.

ERA staff members on the committee are: Walter Tobin, the association’s CEO; Erin Collins, the conference coordinator; and Neda Simeonova, the conference app coordinator.

“This year’s ERA Conference Committee is made up of industry leaders who exceed all the criteria necessary for the making of a successful conference, and I am excited to watch them collectively work their magic,” Hutson said. “The right conference planning committee is vital to a successful conference, but so too is the commitment of the attendees. I hope that the industry shows its support for our Golden 50th Jubilee, and our industry as a whole, by supporting the conference through record-breaking attendance and sponsorship.”

ERA CEO Walter E. Tobin added, “ERA is thrilled to be hosting its 50th Golden Jubilee Conference at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center in Austin, Texas. This will be the fourth year in a row that we have held our conference at this great venue in such a great city. Following on the success of our last conference, which drew a record number of attendees, the 2019 Conference Committee is tasked with the mission of developing another outstanding program. I am confident that the 2019 50th Anniversary Conference will be a success!”

For more information about the 2019 ERA Conference, go to era.org.

About ERA
The 83-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> From the Top – Bringing value and resources are key to customer access and engagement

by David Norris
Norris & Associates, Inc.
ERA President
dnorris@norrisrep.com

More and more are either outsourced or consolidated to shrinking internal resources. It is the classic story of being asked to do more with less, and in many instances, for less!
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There’s lots of talk these days about the extinction of the field salesperson. The premise for this argument rests on the customers’ apparent ability to find everything they need on the internet, eliminating the need for a salesperson to call on them.

Most field salespeople would likely agree that customers can be “less accessible” than they once were, but that’s not because they don’t “need” us any more. The voice of the customer will suggest something quite the contrary, in fact. We just need to listen in order to understand the key to customer access and engagement.

Talk to your customers, and most will agree that the internal resources available to them at their companies have been reduced. With consolidations, restructuring and the incessant drive for bottom-line numbers, everyone is feeling the pinch. Where once OEMs were quite vertically integrated and staffed across the disciplines needed to design and produce their products, today’s model is quite different. More and more are either outsourced or consolidated to shrinking internal resources. It is the classic story of being asked to do more with less, and in many instances, for less!

It’s no wonder that our customers are more discriminating as to how they use their time and how much, or little, of it they make available to salespeople. That said, they are desperate for resources to help them achieve their goals and objectives. Where once those resources were internal and readily available, in today’s world of more with less for less, those who bring resources to the table have ready access to their customers as they are seen more as collaborators than simply salespeople.

It’s difficult to establish that type of relationship with the customer because you must have some access to get the audience, to understand the customers’ needs, and offer your resources and solutions to those needs.

Manufacturers’ representatives have a unique advantage as they can engage with the customers’ design teams on many levels with a variety of resources from their principals that apply to the customers’ needs. Once the connection is established based on delivering real value to the customer, the rep can build on that access as a collaborative resource.

There is a caveat, however, and one we all need to remember as customers grant us access based on a sense of perceived value. It is critical that we take the time to understand their needs and bring real resources to the table each and every time we meet.

As we plan our customer visits with that next principal coming to town, we all need to keep that in mind. Our customers will welcome us back, and in fact, pull us in, as long as we do just that! They need outside resources to make those bottom-line numbers, and the field salesperson is the one who can deliver those resources. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!

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> Executive Commentary – The rock is back at the door!

 

by Walter E. Tobin, ERA CEO
ERA CEO
wtobin@era.org
T: 617-901-4088

 

When I was wearing a young(er) man’s clothes and was on the road selling electronic components, I would work hard all month to hit my budget. I would track my progress each week with my sales manager to assess my progress and get his/her advice as to what I needed to do better to hit my goal and achieve success for the month.

The month would end and, voila! I hit my budget (OK, sometimes I missed it but work with me here!) … Whew! Success! I can relax and bask in the glory of success!

However, I had this one sales manager who would review my performance for the month, hand me my sales budget for the next month, and tell me: “The rock is back at the door.”

All of my hard work and pushing that rock (my sales budget) up the hill for a month and achieving success, now meant little if anything. It was a new month and a new budget — another new, and perhaps, larger rock to push up the hill! I was allowed no more than a day to relax and bask in my success before I had to get back to work.

I never forgot this analogy. Success is fleeting, and there will always be new and bigger rocks that need pushing up new and steeper hills!

ERA just completed a GREAT conference in Austin. It was a HUGE success! Our many conference volunteers and sub-committees, under the leadership of the Conference Chair Rick LaPiana, rocked the house! They owned that rock and drove it up a huge hill …

So … what’s next?

The rock is back at the door!

We have already begun to plan for 2019! ERA has renewed its contract for the AT&T Conference Center in Austin, Texas, for Feb. 24-26, 2019. Mark it down. Write It Now (WIN). We want to make 2019 an even better conference with YOUR help and involvement … BUT we will need your help to push this bigger rock up a steeper hill!

Our membership expects a world-class event for sure.

John Hutson, CPMR, president of MacInnis Group, is the 2019 conference chair. He is putting together a team for the various committee chairs and subcommittees. Raise your hand up and let me or John know that you want to help us “push the rock.”

In addition to the conference, ERA is heavily involved with ECIA in planning the EDS Connects Leadership Summit 2019 event in Las Vegas on May 15-18. We have booked an exciting speaker for the ECIA/ERA breakfast session on Thursday, May 17, at 6:45 a.m.

Elizabeth Laderman, senior outreach economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, will deliver a presentation entitled “Recent U.S. Economic and Financial Developments and the Outlook.” I am confident that her presentation will prove to be most timely and very helpful for all attendees.

EDS is a great venue for all of us to meet with our rep, manufacturer and distributor partners to share best practices, make new friends and reconnect with old ones. The Mirage Hotel is a great venue for this event — exciting, fast-paced and lively for sure.

Stop by the ERA pavilion to meet our great staff, have a coffee and use our area as your base of operations. We would love to see you!

All of us at ERA will look forward to seeing you there … And remember: The rock is back at the door!

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> From the Floor – Productive paranoia: Understanding what customers value

by Tom Wichert
Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing
TDK-Lambda Americas

Tom Wichert, executive vice president of sales and marketing at TDK-Lambda Americas, has extensive experience in managing a complex multi-tiered sales channel, as well as executive experience in international and domestic sales. He specializes in strategic relationships, business plans and new product development.

Wichert enjoys managing and mentoring people to perform to the best of their abilities. He has an MBA in marketing from Hofstra University and a B.S.E.E. from West Virginia University. You can reach Tom Wichert at tom.wichert@us.tdk-lambda.com.

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The phrase “trusted advisor” has been used frequently. It takes the value of a salesperson well beyond just selling products and makes him or her indispensable.

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“Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure. Only the paranoid survive.” It’s a famous quote by Andy Grove, one of the founders of Intel Corporation. He described “inflection points,” the key points when your business model changes. These transitions could be driven by technical shifts, social forces, economic conditions or service disruptions. This voice of paranoia was extended and evangelized by author Jim Collins, described as “productive paranoia” in his book, “Great by Choice.”

Both authors emphasized a productive paranoia approach, where awareness, preparation and proactive activity helped their companies not only stay ahead of the changes, but gain a better position for their companies as a result of them.

For sales representatives, to truly understand the value they bring to customers has been an area of continuous change over the last 30+ years. These changes have been driven by the market inflection points Grove described in his 1996 book, “Only the Paranoid Survive.”

For evidence, one only needs to consider the shifts in the way we communicate and interface with customers. Frequent and welcome in-person visits have morphed into text messages. Friendly lunch-and-learn visits with engineers have dwindled in favor of independent surfing of the web, scouring the sites of high-service partners late in the evening to discover new products and study their specifications. Product cost has become the top priority, with product design features second, and supplier credibility lagging behind, a distant third.

Furthermore, larger customers often employ a team of supplier commodity managers, many of whom hide behind “strategy”and create barriers. These impediments block technical experts and supplier advocates from engaging directly with suppliers. This behavior causes these relationships to become transactional and impede the one attribute all good salespeople bring to a customer — trust.

This weakened bond between sales and end user has its drawbacks for customers as well. A lack of commercial and technical support may strike during times of crisis, reduced expediting and delivery support may materialize when markets swing from down to up, and there may be a failure to adequately share detailed product roadmaps or collaborate to identify and support technology trends.

So how do salespeople manage to stay in front of their customers and demonstrate their value? The need to do so is great, but the challenge is formidable.

Design engineers, huddled in their cubicles, are hard at work. Management requirements for blazing speed and minimal cost can cause engineers to miss essential specifications, cut design and testing corners, and choose lowest cost solutions without fully factoring in end environments or product life cycles. An engineer in a pressure cooker environment will not make time for a sales call, but he or she will make time for a trusted advisor.

The phrase “trusted advisor” has been used frequently. It takes the value of a salesperson well beyond just selling products and makes him or her indispensable.

For sales representatives to build customer trust, they must expect and prepare for change (technical, social, economic or service). Salespeople must adopt a “productive paranoia” approach and embrace change by monitoring and adjusting their traditional ways of doing business. It is crucial for representatives to address key elements within their control: collect cell phone numbers of key contacts; support engineers outside of core business hours; highlight only those products relevant to the engineers’ needs; demonstrate the ability to pull in the second wave of field application engineers, suppliers’ design engineers, quality group or other reinforcements as needed, to solve a problem; provide facts and quantitative data regarding the value of longer-life components and cost of ownership; ensure your sales team is trained and highly knowledgeable on products; understand your supplier’s escalation procedure; and communicate the status of your project to your key contacts.

Finally, anticipate your customer’s engineering development and production needs based on your history with the customer!

The last item is essential and highlights one of the bigger benefits of the sales representative model: a local relationship with knowledge of the customer. Your commitment can and will help them be successful.

An interesting example from another industry where local customer knowledge helped a small company achieve success against a large company, can be found in True Value Hardware’s comeback against Home Depot and Lowes. Home Depot and Lowes are big-box retailers focusing on cost. True Value Hardware made a conscious effort to focus on service. It hired employees who deeply understood their products, had local customer knowledge and relationships which allowed them to anticipate their customers’ needs. True Value Hardware used this model to out-service the large chain stores and achieve success.

The visionary ability to prepare for the unexpected is what separates a great selling organization from the mundane. What never changes are the two essential characteristics found at the core of every successful selling relationship — trust and commitment.

For the representative sales model, a rapidly changing environment of technology, service and social disruptions will continue to occur with little warning. Grove’s and Collins’ messages still prevail and offer up this great business advice: Beware. Only the productive paranoid will survive!

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> Off The Shelf – Our industry is transforming. Are you?

by Phil Gallagher
President, Core Distribution Business,
Avnet

Phil Gallagher is president of the core distribution business for Avnet. He leads the company’s broadline distribution business globally with three regional presidents reporting to him — spanning the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Gallagher began his career with Avnet in 1983 and has held executive leadership positions in sales, marketing and operations during his 30-year career with the company. He has served as president of both of Avnet’s business operations, the electronics component business for the Americas from 2004 to 2009, and the IT business globally from 2009 to 2014.

A past president of the National Electronic Distributors’ Association (NEDA), now part of the Electronic Components Industry Association, Gallagher received one of the organization’s highest honors, the Gail S. Carter Award, in 2009.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Drexel University.

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… the Internet of Things and the multitude of innovative capabilities born of “computing at the edge” will be the key to generating the kind of disruptive transformation needed to drive long-term business growth and deliver truly differentiated customer experiences.

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In our fast-moving industry with consolidation, margin compression, shifting line cards and expanding customer demands, companies that stand still get left behind. Fortunately, new opportunities are everywhere — from the power of digitization, predictive analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to low-cost support models and value-add solutions for customers of all sizes.

When you consider this burgeoning environment in the context of the current global economic landscape, with growth in 2017 estimated at 3.7 percent and 2018-19 forecasts of 3.9 percent, there are plenty of reasons for optimism in the global electronics industry. While everyone wants to take advantage of these brighter economic times, the question that we frequently hear is where do we invest to stay competitive and relevant as the requirements of existing and emerging customers continue to evolve?

At Avnet, we believe that the Internet of Things (IoT) and the multitude of innovative capabilities born of “computing at the edge” will be the key to generating the kind of disruptive transformation needed to drive long-term business growth and deliver truly differentiated customer experiences.

A trillion reasons to get excited

To appreciate the magnitude of these opportunities, let’s look back at some major technology shifts that have changed the course of the tech sector and, by extension, the global economy.

During the 1970s, IBM and other mainframe vendors sold tens of thousands of units each year. In the 1980s and 1990s, the market became saturated with personal computer manufacturers selling hundreds of millions annually. With the launch of Apple’s iPhone in 2007 and the first Android phone in 2008, we saw a billion-plus smartphones shipped globally each year.

Today, we are in a very exciting era with the global IoT market forecasted to grow from $2.99 trillion in 2014 to $8.9 trillion in 2020. Walking through CES 2018 earlier this year, we saw all kinds of amazing new IoT gadgets, and nearly every category of device got “smarter” thanks to AI and voice assistants such as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. We saw wall-sized televisions, razor thin laptops, autonomous electric cars and the world’s first smartphone with an in-display finger scanner.

The number of electronic components in these smart devices is increasing dramatically, creating a whole new ecosystem for our industry. Each and every one of us has an opportunity to stake our claim. I feel fortunate to have a front row seat to all the innovation and transformation taking place.

From top supplier partner to fast-growing global customer

One thing has become abundantly clear — the traditional “swim lanes” that once separated the various players of the technology supply chain are defunct. A great example of the blurring of lines within the technology ecosystem is illustrated by one of our longtime supplier partners, Molex. Acquired in 2014 by Koch Industries, Molex’s new parent company transformed the business to extend a solution strategy in 12 industries. Today, with 72 factories worldwide, Molex is one of Avnet’s fastest growing customers. As a global provider of electronic solutions that are integral to a diverse range of end products — from smartphones and electric cars to robotic surgery tools and the Mars Rover — Molex seized IoT and computing at the edge opportunity to form a new value proposition and propel business growth worldwide.

Taking ideas from kitchen table to market

The latest technology innovations also have served as a powerful enabler of a new legion of emerging customers in the maker community. Some of today’s most innovative and disruptive concepts are being developed by “recreational” designers in garages, dorm rooms and the kitchen table. We are also seeing new revenue streams for our industry coming from organizations that have not previously employed electronics, but are now seeking to remotely measure, monitor or control something. Farmers, for example, who have seen the technology in their tractors and equipment evolve, are now increasingly leveraging IoT, using low-cost sensors, drones and machine learning algorithms to improve farm productivity, reduce spoilage, monitor supply chains, manage water and much more.

Winners in our industry will adapt to customers of all sizes, supporting them with tools and resources needed to scale and take their products to market, including financing and infrastructure. Our customer, PNDULUM, is a fully integrated, consumer product development and innovation company. They came to us at the prototype stage with technology for a smart, self-cleaning duffle bag that deodorizes, sanitizes and “anti-bacterializes” clothes, shoes and accessories. Through our partnership, we helped them bring their product to market in just six months, versus the two years that they had originally projected.

Start your transformation journey

Ten years ago, I would never have dreamed that I’d be sharing customer stories like these. We are living in a time with so much innovation that it’s hard to know where to go next. But, go we must. The time is now for new partnerships and collaborations. Smart people everywhere are finding new ways to solve business challenges and improve how we live by leveraging technology to make products and services more efficient, cost effective and, perhaps most crucially, more valued.

While we talk about edge computing, AI and IoT today, who knows where the next technology shift might take us tomorrow? One thing is certain: I’ll be ready to adapt and embrace change so that Avnet can continue to serve as a trusted partner to our customers and suppliers. I encourage you to do the same.

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> In Memoriam of Deon D. Hendrickson

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) mourns the loss in late March of Deon D. Hendrickson, former owner of CBX Electronics, of Orlando, Fla. He was 80. Deon served as president and a long-time leader of the Florida-Sunshine Chapter of ERA. He was recognized for his dedication and contribution to the electronics industry and was inducted into the ERA White Pin Group in 2001. Memorial contributions may be made to: Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, National Processing Center, PO Box 1245, Albert Lea, MN, 56007-9976, or Warrick Humane Society, 5722 Vann Road, Newburgh, IN 47630.

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> ERA Welcomes PUI as its Latest Distributor Member

May 1, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) announced that PUI, an authorized distributor of electronic components, has joined ERA as a distributor member.

“PUI is pleased to announce that it has joined ERA as a new member,” said PUI Vice President of Marketing David Burgener. “The relationship with representatives is a critical one for distribution. We know the benefits of working closely with ERA and are looking forward to being an active member of this association.”

ERA CEO Walter E. Tobin shared his thoughts on the importance of this new partnership: “PUI has a reputation for high quality, and is a global partner who strives to deliver impeccable service and custom solutions to meet customers’ needs. I am excited to welcome PUI as ERA’s most recent distributor member.”

About PUI
Founded in 1980, PUI is an authorized distributor selling electronic components from manufacturers with a reputation for high quality. PUI is a privately held company that headquarters in Irvine, Calif., and has branch locations in Milpitas, Calif., and Billerica, Mass. Over the years, PUI has maintained a strong commitment to service and support of both customers and suppliers alike. Please visit our website at www.gopui.com or email us at sales@gopui.com.

About ERA
The 83-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> Northern California ERA Hosts Insightful Panel Discussion

April 24, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

Northern California ERA members and guests gathered at the Sheraton Sunnyvale Hotel for a informative panel discussion with valued customers in the industry.
(Photo copyright 2018 Phil Kipnis)

The Northern California Chapter of the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) held an informative event on April 10, 2018, in Sunnyvale, Calif.

The event featured an intriguing panel discussion hosted by ERA CEO Walter Tobin and panelists Bryn Davis of Lockheed Missiles and Space; Koti Ancha of Jabil; Drake Margiotta of CloudNav; and Sharon Woo of Peak Technologies. The panelists discussed how manufacturers’ representatives can bring more value to the customers and shared their insights on how attendees can improve their business.

Chapter President Dennis Gagné of Engineering Solutions – West shared his thoughts about the event, “We received some great insights into how our customers prefer to receive their product information, and their preferred methods of communications. They shared their goals with their own customers to speed things up and produce faster results, and how the speed of turning data into intelligence drives quicker outcomes.”

Gagné added, “We had a good turn out from our local distributors and member rep firms, and even a few non-members, who we hope to bring into our association. A big thank you goes out to Walter Tobin, and the Northern California ERA board for all their help in making this a successful event.”

The chapter continues to plan networking programs. Visit ncalera.org for upcoming events.

About Northern California ERA
The Northern California ERA Chapter is one of the largest in the ERA. Chapter activities encompass education, training and many networking opportunities to interface with reps, distributors and manufacturers to discuss issues and solve problems. Technical and managerial programs are offered as a benefit to member firms. Chapter programs have been recognized by the National Board of the ERA and have resulted in the prestigious Chapter of the Year award on a few occasions. For more information, visit ncalera.org.

About ERA
The 83-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> ERA honors Kathie Cahill, CPMR, of Net Sales Company with 2018 Tess Hill Award

April 16, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

Tess Hill of ERA (right) presents the 2nd Annual Tess Hill Award to Kathie Cahill, CPMR, of Net Sales Company (left) at the 2018 ERA Conference.

At its 49th Management and Marketing Conference, held in Austin, Texas, Feb. 25-27, the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) presented the second annual Tess Hill Award to Kathie Cahill, CPMR, of Net Sales Company in Victor, N.Y.

Cahill was recognized for her many years as an officer of Empire State ERA, her three-time chairmanship of the ERA Conference Committee and her current service on the ERA Executive Committee.

This award was created in 2017 to honor Tess Hill, a long-time ERA staff member who recently retired. The award recognizes individuals for their longevity of service to ERA, for inspiring volunteerism in its highest form and for their dedication to ERA’s educational mission.

“Receiving the Tess Hill Award was a complete surprise and quite humbling,” Cahill said. “Tess’ professionalism and attention to detail have been instrumental in creating and nurturing the culture of ERA. In an organization which relies heavily on volunteers, this award is a treasure.”

ERA CEO Walter E. Tobin said, “This prestigious award is a great tribute to both Tess and Kathie for their tireless work to strengthen the initiatives and spirit of ERA. Kathie’s can-do attitude and her commitment to serving ERA is what made her an outstanding choice as the recipient of the 2018 Tess Hill Award.”

About ERA
The 83-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries and manufacturers who go to market through representative firms. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives and the principals they represent. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> Renesas Electronics America Joins ERA

April 13, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) announced that Renesas Electronics America Inc., a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, has joined ERA as its latest manufacturer member.

Renesas delivers expertise, high-quality and comprehensive semiconductor solutions for a broad range of automotive, industrial, home electronics, office automation and information communication technology applications.

“Renesas is proud to become a new manufacturer member of ERA,” said Bill Hood, Vice President, Sales Division, Renesas Electronics America Inc. “Renesas has deep respect for the electronics sales representative model, and joining ERA provides us a path to better understand and strengthen those relationships in addition to collaborating with our distribution partners to maximize success in the Americas.”

ERA CEO Walter Tobin shared his thoughts on the importance of this partnership: “Renesas is a trusted brand and a global leader of advanced semiconductor solutions with the vision to create solutions that spark innovation for a connected world. ERA is proud to welcome Renesas as its newest manufacturer member.”

About ERA
The 83-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> ERA Welcomes WPG Americas Inc. as a Global Distributor Member

March 28, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) announced that WPG Americas Inc. (WPGA) — a member of WPG Holdings and worldwide distributor of semiconductors, passive, electro-mechanical and display products — has joined ERA as its latest global distributor member.

“WPGA is honored to become a member of the Electronics Representatives Association. ERA offers a forum for valuable peer connections and exclusive online resources keeping abreast of the latest electronics industry trends. The manufacturers’ rep network is vital to the success of WPGA now and in the future,” said Rich Davis, President of WPG Americas.

ERA CEO Walter E. Tobin commented on WPGA becoming ERA’s latest global distributor member: “WPG Americas has a reputation for excellence and providing superior services and solutions to its customers and suppliers. I am excited to welcome WPGA as an ERA global distributor member.”

About WPG Americas Inc.
Headquartered in San Jose, CA, WPG Americas Inc. is a member of WPG Holdings, a $17.5B worldwide distributor of semiconductors, passive, electro-mechanical and display products. Founded in November 2007, WPGA is a franchised partner for leading technology suppliers. As a member of WPG Holdings, WPGA is uniquely positioned to offer total solutions to its diverse customer base. WPGA continues to introduce new leading-edge technologies, quality service and design-in focus through its superior engineering programs. For more information, visit www.wpgamericas.com. You can also follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

About ERA
The 83-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> Alliance Memory Appoints Tom Gargan as Director of Sales

March 22, 2018
Source: Alliance Memory Inc.

Tom Gargan

Alliance Memory, a manufacturer of SRAM, DRAM, and SDRAM ICs, announced the appointment of Tom Gargan as director of sales. In his new role, Gargan is expanding Alliance Memory’s sales coverage in key areas of North America, including Canada, New England and upstate New York.

Prior to joining Alliance Memory, Gargan served in management roles at Future Electronics over the course of 18 years. Most recently, as global commodity manager, he was responsible for managing inventory worldwide, working closely with a Future Electronics purchasing team and manufacturers in Europe and Asia.

“Tom brings an invaluable, customer-focused perspective to his job at Alliance Memory that will play a key role in forging relationships with OEMs as well as strengthening our ties with distributors, whose business he knows so well,” said Alliance Memory President and CEO David Bagby.

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> EDS All-Industry Breakfast Program to Feature Guest Speaker Federal Reserve Bank Economist Elizabeth Laderman

March 21, 2018
Sources:
Electronic Components Industry Association
Electronics Representatives Association

The Electronic Components Industry Association (ECIA) and the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA), the co-sponsors of EDS, are pleased to announce Elizabeth Laderman as guest speaker for the EDS all-industry free breakfast program at the Mirage Event Center on Thursday, May 17, 2018, of EDS week in Las Vegas.

Laderman is a Senior Outreach Economist in the Economic Education and Outreach Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. She speaks to outreach audiences on current economic conditions, the economic outlook, and monetary policy. Laderman also does research on household finance, small and new business finance, and small and new business formation and employment. She has published more than 50 research papers and articles. Laderman has a B.A. in mathematics from Grinnell College and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California at Berkeley.

“My presentation will focus on explaining the ‘dual mandate’ goals of maximum employment and stable prices that Congress has given the Fed for monetary policy and reporting on where the U.S. economy is with respect to those goals and where it’s headed,” Laderman explained. “We’ll look at the overall growth of the U.S. economy (GDP growth) and the implications of our forecasted growth rate for unemployment and inflation.”

The Thursday all-industry breakfast event is free to EDS attendees and starts at 6:45 a.m. in C1 of the Mirage Events Center. Attendees can register for the program at https://era.org/era-events/eds-all-industry-breakfast-meeting-registration/.

EDS is the premier annual event for the main players in the international electronics industry. Every year, the manufacturers of electronic components, instruments and accessories, as well as distributors and manufacturer’s representatives, come together to meet, make contacts and build their businesses. Suppliers of industry goods and services also are on hand to market their products.

The emphasis at EDS is on forging and maintaining business relationships through scheduled, one-on-one meetings, but the event is also filled with important product exhibits educational, educational programs and networking opportunities.

About ECIA
The Electronic Components Industry Association (ECIA) is made up of the leading electronic component manufacturers, their manufacturer representatives and authorized distributors. ECIA members share a common goal of promoting and improving the business environment for the authorized sale of electronic components to the end customer. Comprised of a broad array of leaders and professionals representing all phases of the electronics components supply chain, ECIA is where business optimization, product authentication and industry advocacy come together. ECIA members develop industry guidelines and technical standards, as well as generate critical business intelligence. For more information, visit www.ecianow.org or call 678-393-9990.

About ERA
The 83-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> ERA Hosts Inaugural Mexico Chapter Opening Discussion

March 15, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) held an inaugural event on Feb. 21, 2018, at the World Trade Center Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, to showcase ERA’s value proposition to manufacturers’ reps, distributors and manufacturers, and help decide on the formation of the Mexico ERA Chapter, its officers and its direction to support the greater Mexico marketplace.

ERA CEO Walter Tobin, center, posing with attendees at the ERA Mexico Chapter meeting on Feb. 21 in Guadalajara.

ERA is the largest electronic components representative trade association in the world. Many existing ERA members already support the greater Mexico market through their membership in the U.S.

The meeting, which attracted more than 50 people, featured networking opportunities, as well as a presentation about ERA with the goal of assessing the industry’s interest in opening an ERA chapter in Guadalajara to support all of Mexico. The event was a resounding success, with the formation of a Mexico chapter being agreed upon and nine local attendees expressing their interest in being part of the chapter leadership. The Mexico ERA Chapter will be responsible for appointing directors who will elect officers to run the chapter following the bylaws established by ERA National.

Attendees enjoyed networking at the ERA Mexico event.

ERA CEO Walter Tobin, who spoke at the meeting, shares his thoughts on the success of the event: “I was honored to have the opportunity to speak in front of so many leaders in the industry and present the benefits of ERA’s value proposition. The feedback from the group was overwhelmingly positive, and the interest to create a chapter is strong. We couldn’t be more excited to collaborate with the manufacturers’ reps, distributors and manufacturers on this initiative. We are ecstatic to see that the group recognized the value of ERA’s membership and are eager to take the next steps to form a chapter. This event was a huge success on all fronts!”

About ERA
The 83-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> ERA Makes Donation to Special Olympics of Texas

March 16, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) has announced that it has made a donation to the Special Olympics of Texas in gratitude to all the conference speakers and panelists who participated in the 49th Management and Marketing Conference.

The ERA Conference Committee felt the donation to this organization was fitting and timely as the 2018 Winter Olympics was wrapping up just as the conference was kicking off.

“It is important to give back to the Texas community that has graciously hosted the conference for several years,” said Committee Chair Rick LaPiana of Cain-Forlaw Company. “This tradition of making a contribution replacing the usual presentation of thank you gifts to conference speakers and panelists began in 2016, and ERA is thrilled to be continuing with this tradition.”

The Special Olympics of Texas provides year-round training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

For more information about Special Olympics of Texas, go to http://www.sotx.org.

About ERA
The 83-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> ERA Announces its Chapter of the Year Award Recipients for 2017 Activities and Projects

March 14, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

During its 49th Management and Marketing Conference in Austin, Texas, the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) announced that four chapters have been selected as the Chapter of the Year for their 2017 activities and projects. The award recipients and their entries, by category, are:

Education – Chicagoland-Wisconsin ERA;
Membership and Member Services – Carolinas ERA;
Marketing Services – Florida-Sunshine ERA; and
Special Projects – Arizona ERA.

Each award recipient will receive a full-tuition scholarship to ERA’s Chapter Officer Leadership Training (COLT) program that can be used in 2018 or 2019.

There were 20 entries this year from 11 chapters. The Chapter of the Year judges, who reviewed all entries and selected award recipients, are: Todd Ford, Dixie Chapter, of South Atlantic Components; David Gassman, Ohio Chapter, of CC Electro; Mike Long, Spirit of St. Louis Chapter, of Seltec Sales; and ERA CEO Walter Tobin.

About ERA
The 83-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> Peerless Electronics Joins ERA as a Distributor Member

March 8, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

 

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) announced that Peerless Electronics Inc. — a solutions provider and distributor of electromechanical, passive and interconnect products — has joined ERA as its latest distributor member.

Peerless Electronics offers comprehensive technical support, advanced customer stocking programs and more than 50 different value added customer-tailored assembly services. It is an authorized stocking distributor for many leading manufacturers, including Sensata Technologies, Honeywell Sensing and Control Eaton Aerospace, Eaton Vehicle Controls, TE Connectivity, Dialight, Eaton Cooper Bussmann, Switchcraft, Danfoss, OTTO Controls, Grayhill, Marathon Special Products (Kulka), Pentair and more.

“Our decision to join the ERA was both strategic and tactical,” said William Gallucci, president of Peerless Electronics. “We were impressed with the ERA’s focus on the pulse of the industry, as well as its commitment to continuing education as a means to provide advantages for its membership. We felt it was time for Peerless Electronics to be a part of it. We also were influenced by ‘The Representor’ as a vehicle, the incisiveness of the annual Industry Forecast, as well as availability of topical white papers. We feel that membership in ERA brings us closer to the forces that energize the marketplace, and we look forward to being active in the organization.”

ERA CEO Walter E. Tobin shared his thoughts on this new partnership: “Peerless Electronics is a highly respected distributor in the industry and known for delivering a comprehensive portfolio of products, services and solutions to its customers. I am delighted to welcome Peerless Electronics as ERA’s latest distributor member.”

About Peerless
Peerless Electronics Inc. is broad line stocking distributor of electromechanical, passive and interconnect products, as well as a provider of Value Added solutions. An industry leader since our founding in 1945, we are guided by an unwavering commitment to total customer satisfaction, a cultural principle that characterizes our organization from top to bottom. Our customers depend on Peerless for fast delivery of products ranging from switches, relays, circuit breakers, thermostats and sensors, to terminal blocks, contactors, connectors, and fuses, to indicator lights, LEDs, lamps, terminals, splices and ejectors. For more information about Peerless Electronics, visit peerlesselectronics.com.

About ERA
The 83-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> Chicagoland-Wisconsin ERA Hosts Networking Program at Chicago’s Manufacturing Innovation Center – mHub

February 22, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

Chicagoland-Wisconsin members gather at the mHUB facility in Chicago for a networking program on January 19, 2018.

Chicagoland-Wisconsin ERA hosted an event at mHub, Chicago’s New Manufacturing Innovation Center, on Jan. 19, 2018. mHUB is Chicago’s first innovation center focused on physical product development and manufacturing. It is a co-working community of product designers, developers, entrepreneurs, engineers and manufacturers.

There were 23 people in attendance, and the program included a luncheon and tour of the facilities. mHUB offers a variety of events, workshops, classes, seminars and other programs. This program proved to be both educational and a great way to network.

“We had a fantastic tour at the new mHUB innovation center in Chicago. This is a large facility where start-up companies can rent space and prototype their new designs, then collaborate with other companies. mHUB should help many start-up companies introduce new technologies into the Chicagoland market,” stated Eric Sagendorph, owner of Select Technology Group and committee chair for this chapter program.

The 63,000 square-foot facility contains 10 fabrication labs, including electronics, plastic fabrication, metals, textiles and rapid prototyping, as well as a micro-factory for small production runs. Learn more about mHub at mhubchicago.com.

About Chicagoland-Wisconsin ERA
Chicagoland – Wisconsin ERA is a local resource for continuing education programs, networking opportunities, peer discussion groups and an array of services designed to help improve professionalism and profitability. For more information, visit www.chiwisera.com.

About ERA
The 83-year-old Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is the international trade organization for professional field sales companies in the global electronics industries, manufacturers who go to market through representative firms and global distributors. It is the mission of ERA to support the professional field sales function through programs and activities that educate, inform and advocate for manufacturers’ representatives, the principals they represent and the distributors who are reps’ partners in local territories. ERA member representative firms (often called “reps”) provide field sales services on an exclusive basis to manufacturers of related (but non-competing) products in a defined territory. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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