Electronics Representatives Association

> Chicagoland-Wisconsin ERA Hosts Its First 2019 Educational Event

February 6, 2019
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Chicagoland-Wisconsin Chapter of the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) kicked off 2019 with an informative educational event held on Jan. 18, 2019, at the Rose Garden Cafe in Elk Grove Village, Ill. Nearly 30 chapter members attended the event.

The program featured guest speaker, Byron Holloway, sales engineer at Fralia Company & Associates, who presented, “X-Ray Sales: How to See Through Complex Systems to Understand What You have to Offer.” In his presentation, Holloway demonstrated how to break apart a system into manageable groups to help salespeople better understand what has to be sold based on those groupings.

“The Chicagoland-Wisconsin ERA Chapter is indebted to Fralia Company & Associates (Texas-based rep) for offering Bryon’s time to present his X-Ray Sales session at our recent event. As an application engineer and account manager, Byron used his years of practical experience to create a sales development tool that offers technical reference for any level of salesperson. This tool, using a type of Mindmap software, breaks down complex OEM products to the component level. At various points within the sub-system view, the functionality of that item is described in detail. By referencing this tool prior to meeting with a customer, the salesperson can get an idea of what types of products from his line card he can propose as a solution in advance,” said Chapter VP/ Fiscal & Legal Kingsland Coombs of Control Sales Inc., who helped organize the event.

“Byron’s easy-going presentation style allowed the audience to engage at will, yet he was still able to move forward with his focused content. ERA is fortunate to have members like Bryon who are willing to offer their time and insight,” Coombs added. “The tool will be posted on the ERA website soon and will be available to all ERA members. I recommend that Byron be considered as a breakout session presenter at the 2020 ERA Conference.”

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 chiwisera.com.

About ERA
The 84-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. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> ERA Welcomes the Genie Group as a New Distributor Member

February 5, 2019
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) announced that the Genie Group has joined ERA as its latest global distributor member.

Genie Group has served distributors and suppliers as a buying group, master distributor and fulfillment center since 1984. Areas of focus include electronic components, wire and cable, security products, thermal imaging products, electrical and MRO supplies. Genie sells only to distributors, creating a partnership rather than competition. Distributor benefits include access to authorized product lines, blind drop-ships, low minimums, rebate options and a pallet program.

“ERA brings a special value to our business and to the industry through both educational opportunities and networking events. Educational offerings such as the ERA Conference, provide for and promote professional growth. We feel networking events will enhance and expand our relationships within the industry,” said Genie Group Vice President Holly Myers.

ERA CEO Walter E. Tobin added, “With 35 years in business, the Genie Group is an integral part of the electronics industry who prides itself in providing high-quality customer service with a knowledgeable and experienced staff. ERA is excited to welcome the Genie Group as its latest distributor member.”

About Genie Group
From its founding in 1984, the Genie Group has evolved into a worldwide fulfillment center selling electronic products and components exclusively to distributors. The Genie Group offers a broad range of products through our logistics facility including: connectors, fuses, cleaning chemicals, wire & cable, sound/security, test equipment including thermal imaging cameras, switches, wire management products and accessories. In addition to traditional master distribution services, Genie Group offers suppliers a fulfillment program through Genie Supplier Services (GSS). With this program, Genie supports manufacturers in managing a portion of their channel partners. This reduces touch points for the supplier and brings added value to a tier of the distribution base driving revenue for both parties. The Genie Group sales offices and distribution warehouse are based in the Nashville, Tenn., area. For more information, visit geniegroup.com.

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> Peerless Electronics Expands in USA/International Industrial Marketplace

Jan 29, 2019
Source: Peerless Electronics

Peerless Electronics Inc., a leading stocking distributor of switches, relays and circuit breaker products, has added Allied Moulded Products, CBI Electric, EXM, Picker Components and Mechatronics to its extensive industrial sector product offering.

Peerless Electronics President Bill Gallucci stated, “Adding such well known and in-demand lines is a key strategy for Peerless in 2019. Our industrial market sector presence is growing rapidly, and we have dedicated resources in terms of inventory, expertise and manpower to support the effort in the same quality manner we support all our customers. I believe 2019 will be an exciting year for Peerless and for the industrial segment.”

Todd Schlott, Peerless industrial sales manager, added, “We have dramatically expanded our industrial product line offering with proven, first quality providers.”

Allied Moulded Products: Renowned for nonmetallic enclosures and electrical boxes, Allied Moulded has become a benchmark of quality. Its full-service molding operation incorporates compression and injection molding, thermoset and thermoplastic materials, and unique resin transfer molding process.

CBI Electric: CBI is a leading supplier of quality low voltage power supplies, electrical distribution, protection and control equipment including circuit breakers, residual current devices, surge protection, wiring accessories and metering products.

EXM: With over 29,000 standard products for virtually any electrical requirements, EXM is a recognized field leader. The company also offers custom enclosures for a wide variety of market applications in any material that satisfies and complies with the most stringent electrical standards.

Picker Components: Picker’s extensive product range includes automotive relays, power and signal relays, solid state relays as well as general purpose relays. The product line ranges from tiny fractional current rated signal relays to powerful 30 and 40 amp power relays.

Mechatronics: The Mechatronics Fan Group has been an industry leader in AC and DC cooling fans, blowers, value-added assemblies and cooling solutions since 1985. Mechatronics cooling products are RoHS compliant and designed to meet the toughest standards of UL, CSA, TUV and VCE.

Peerless offers more than 50 value added services from its Bethpage Value Added Assembly Center, including such specialties as military packaging, custom circuit breaker panels, and custom cable assemblies. In addition, Peerless’ quality system is certified to AS9100 inclusive of value added services.

For more information, contact Ed Combs of Peerless Electronics at ecombs@peerlesselectronics.com.

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> 2018 Jess Spoonts – ERA White Pin Scholarship Awarded

Jan. 22, 2019
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) White Pin Group has announced that Ellen Coan, CPMR, of the Indianapolis-based C C Electro Sales Inc. is the 2018 recipient of the Jess Spoonts – ERA White Pin Scholarship Award. Coan will receive a $1,000 grant that can be used to fund her continuing education as a professional field sales representative. Ellen was nominated for the honor by White Pin member Matt Cohen, CPMR, of C C Electro Sales Inc.

To qualify for this award, nominees must be from an ERA member rep firm; must have been involved in ERA activities and leadership roles on the local and/or national levels for a minimum of two years; and must be willing to devote significant volunteer time to ERA in the foreseeable future.

“I am so pleased that Ellen Coan is being awarded the Jess Spoonts Scholarship this year,” said Mark Motsinger, CPMR, of Wallace Electronic Sales, a past president of ERA and the coordinator of the White Pin Group. “As a second-generation ERA rep and long-time volunteer on the board of our Indiana-Kentucky Chapter, her recognition is well-deserved. Ellen has a passion for our industry and is always ready to help our association and her fellow reps in any way that she can. Her spirit of volunteerism represents the essence of the Jess Spoonts Award.”

When notified of the award, Coan commented, “I was honored and shocked when Mark called me about this award and further shocked to hear my brother Matt had nominated me. As he knows, I prefer to work without any special attention, keeping my head down and doing my job, but I learned to give back from Carol Cohen [president of C C Electro] and the others of the ERA ‘Brat Pack’ — Bob Infanger, Bob Trinkle, Tim Coakley, many others and, of course, Jess Spoonts. I can still hear his booming, deep Texas voice and remember being mesmerized by his dedication to our industry and our mission. With great thanks, I will use my scholarship to continue the mission and find the next generation to carry on this honorable occupation.”

Coan will receive her award at the 2019 White Pin Group Reunion, to be held on Feb. 24 at the 2019 ERA Conference in Austin, Texas.

The ERA White Pin Group was formed in 1960 and is comprised of member reps who have held volunteer leadership positions at the national level of ERA for at least two years and have given extraordinary amounts of time and talent to ERA. The group established the Jess Spoonts – ERA White Pin Scholarship in 2006 to honor its long-time coordinator, the late E. Jess Spoonts of Dallas, Texas. Spoonts, a half-century veteran of the electronics industry, was a past president and chairman of ERA, a mentor to countless reps and other business associates, and one of only 23 members of the association’s Hall of Fame. He passed away in 2008.

This year’s judging panel for the award was comprised of these previous award recipients: Dave Dasson, CPMR, CSP, of Net Sales Company; Bob Evans, CPMR, of EK Micro; Richard A. Hobby, CPMR, of RAH Associates; Jeff Huntsinger of Huntsinger Associates LLC; Holly Myers, CPMR, of Genie Group; Buzz Reynolds of Performance Technical Sales; Bruce Scoggin, CPMR, of Electro-Rep Associates; and Chuck Tanzola, CPMR, of the Fusion Sourcing Group.

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> In memoriam of Meara Eileen Hamlin

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) mourns the loss of Meara Eileen Hamlin, regional business coordinator at Digi-Key Corporation and distributor board member for Carolinas ERA. Hamlin passed away on Jan. 1, 2019, at her home surrounded by her family. She was 47.

Hamlin was born in Riverside, Calif., on Sept. 15, 1971, to Florence Paula Dye and the late Michael Edward Larralde. She is survived by her daughters, Shelby Hamlin of Youngsville, N.C., and Karsten Hamlin and fiancé Andrew Love of Youngsville; mother, Paula Dye of Raleigh; boyfriend, Bill Case of North Redington Beach, Fla.; siblings, Kama Tucker and spouse Kristy Norton of Wilmington, N.C., Kyle Davis and spouse Hannah of Sacramento, Calif., Matt Larralde of Los Angeles, Katie Anderson of Raleigh, N.C., and Bren Anderson of Durham, N.C.: grandparents, Bill and Kitty Brenneman of Wake Forest, N.C.

Memorial contributions can be made to UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Head & Neck Cancer, CB #7295, UNC-CH, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7295.

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> Chicagoland-Wisconsin ERA Hosts First Annual Charity Toy Drive

ERA PRESS RELEASE

Dec. 17, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Chicagoland-Wisconsin Chapter of the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) completed its first annual charity toy drive during its member holiday networking event held on Dec. 6, 2018, at Miller’s Ale House in Schaumburg, Ill.

More than 25 chapter members participated in the event. The toy drive collected 35 toys for the Marine Toys for Tots Program whose mission is to help bring the joy of Christmas and send a message of hope to America’s less fortunate children through the gift of a new toy.

Chapter President Rick Lapiana of Cain-Forlaw Company said, “I was proud to see the Chicagoland-Wisconsin Chapter join forces on behalf of an incredible cause. We believe that the Toys for Tots charity drive is second to none in bringing holiday cheer to those in need. A very strong showing in both generosity and a true holiday spirit. We all had a great time at this event.”

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. For more information about ERA, visit era.org.

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> Global Semiconductor Sales Increase 12.7% Year-to-Year in October

Source: Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA)

The Semiconductor Industry Association announced that worldwide sales of semiconductors reached $41.8 billion for the month of October 2018, an increase of 12.7 percent from the October 2017 total of $37.1 billion and 1 percent more than last month’s total of $41.4 billion. Monthly sales numbers are compiled by the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization and represent a three-month moving average. Additionally, a newly released WSTS industry forecast was revised upward and now projects annual global market growth of 15.9 percent in 2018 and 2.6 percent in 2019.

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> ERA Announces 2018 Chapter Officers Leadership Training Graduates

Nov. 26, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) is excited to announce the latest graduates of its 2018 Chapter Officers Leadership Training (COLT) program. Following a one-hour webinar in October, ERA hosted 11 members and chapter leaders for the in-person portion of the COLT program, held in Chicagoland, Nov. 7-8, 2018, at the Double Tree Hilton O’Hare-Rosemont.

Chapter Officers Leadership Training workshop on Nov. 8, 2018 in Rosemont, Ill.

The 2018 COLT graduates participated in an intensive educational program and had the opportunity to gain practical knowledge, tips and ERA insider information about how to effectively run a chapter. This year’s COLT graduates also learned about chapter bylaws, member recruitment, hosting events, organizing educational programming and more. With attendees coming from all over the country, the program also offered a great networking opportunity.

ERA congratulates the following ERA members and chapter leaders on successfully completing the 2018 COLT program:

Fiona Biggins of English Technical Sales, Arizona ERA
Matt Cohen, CPMR, of CC Electro Sales, Michigan ERA
Erin Collins, ERA National
Zachary DeVillers, CPMR, CSP, of Brainard-Nielsen Marketing, Chicagoland-Wisconsin ERA
Cameron English, CPMR, of English Technical Sales, Arizona ERA
Adam Grigor of Tech-Trek Ltd., Canada ERA
Peter Flores of TTI, Carolinas ERA
Rick LaPiana of Cain-Forlaw Company, Chicagoland-Wisconsin ERA
Paul Parenti of DEG Components, Northern California ERA
Chris Robertson of Heartland Electronics, Spirit of St. Louis ERA
Greg Warren of Brandel Stephens & Co LLC, Florida-Sunshine ERA

This year, the COLT program was condensed to one webinar and a one-day in-person workshop to best suit the schedule of the participating chapter leaders.

“Each year we continue to tweak the COLT program to provide the best experience for the attendees,” said Stephanie Tierney, membership outreach coordinator for ERA. “We are very proud to have a manual that is completely electronic now. The online manual acts as a reference for chapter leaders who can download documents such as sample financial documents, sample board agendas and more.”

Bob Evans, CPMR, president of EK Micro and chair of the Chapter Leadership Council expressed his thoughts about the 2018 COLT training program, “We just wrapped up the most well attended COLT session in recent history. Eleven ERA members and chapter officers from across the U.S. and Canada participated. During the one-day, in-person event we conducted chapter officer training and a chapter planning session that included lively discussions spawning creative ideas that will enhance all of participating chapters. Kudos to everyone who attended COLT 2018.”

ERA CEO Walter E. Tobin added, “The strength of ERA comes from the unique chapter structure of the organization. All of our 20+ chapters work tirelessly to develop programs and services that are specifically tailored to the needs to their members. By participating in COLT, chapters leaders gain the knowledge and creative ideas that will continue to elevate their chapter activities and member programs.”

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

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> ERA Announces Passing of Retired CEO Ray Hall

Nov. 15, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) has announced that its retired executive vice president and CEO, Raymond J. Hall, passed away on Nov. 13 in Findlay, Ohio. He was 80 and had recently undergone surgery to set a broken femur suffered in a fall.

Mr. Hall was ERA’s longest-serving management executive and a member of the association’s Hall of Fame. His tenure at the helm of the 83-year-old organization began in 1969 and extended to 2004 when he started transitioning into retirement.

He was a native of Somerville, Mass., a Marine Corps veteran and alumnus of the University of Illinois. In his early working years, he owned and operated the Raymond J. Hall Company of Chicago, a management services provider for many trade associations, including ERA and manufacturers’ representative associations in other industries. He became heavily involved in the operations of ERA in the early 1960s and eventually turned his full attention to ERA in 1969. He also served as administrator of the ERA Insurance Trust (later called RepCare) for more than 40 years.

As ERA CEO, Mr. Hall started working on and promoting the concept of a manufacturers’ representative council of rep associations in the early 1970s. Through his efforts, the Alliance of Manufacturers’ Representatives Associations (AMRA) and the Manufacturers Representatives Educational Research Foundation (MRERF) were eventually established, and MRERF developed the rep certification (Certified Manufacturers’ Professional Representative or CPMR) program that Mr. Hall had long envisioned.

For ERA, Mr. Hall developed and/or oversaw dozens of milestones, including:

• ERAs publication of many electronics industry standards, guidelines and white papers;
• the 1987 launching of the Chapter Officers Leadership Training (COLT) program, which has trained hundreds of volunteers from 20+ local chapters;
• the primary planning of ERA’s national management and marketing conferences from the 1960s through the early 2000s and the opening of the conferences to manufacturer attendees;
• the conversion of ERA’s flagship publication, The Representor, from a newsletter to a four-color magazine;
• the addition of manufacturers to ERA membership; and
• the creation of ERA’s first website.

Throughout his career, Mr. Hall served as an officer and board member of many organizations including the American Society of Association Executives, the Association Forum, the Small Business Legislative Council, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100 and the Center for Exhibition Industry Research. He served on the advisory boards of ITT Sheraton, Sonesta Hotels, Associated Luxury Hotels International, Buena Vista Hotels, Walt Disney World, Disneyland, American Airlines and Meeting News. He was a founding member of Meeting Planners International and a member of its Hall of Fame. The additional awards he received over the years are too many to list.

In 2004, ERA saluted Mr. Hall upon his pending retirement by creating the Ray Hall Spirit of ERA Award. This award honors recipients for their individual contributions to promoting, protecting and improving the outsourced professional field sales (rep) function.

Mr. Hall is survived by his wife of 32 years, Patricia, his daughters, Kathy Green and Tracey Stewart, his son, Christopher Kosch, his brother, Robert, and eight grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, Raymond J. Hall, Jr.

In keeping with Mr. Hall’s love of springtime, and especially St. Patrick’s Day, a memorial service will be held in the spring of 2019. In the interim, messages of condolence and memorial donations for the family can be addressed to Patricia Hall, 15343 S. Watermark Dr., Findlay, OH 45840. Memorial donations can also be directed to the City Mission of Findlay, 510 W. Main Cross St., Findlay, OH 45840.

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> Arizona ERA to Host the Sonoran Technology Show and Gathering in December

Nov. 13, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Associations

The Arizona Chapter of ERA is hosting a tabletop show, “Sonoran Technology Show and Gathering,” on Dec. 6, 2018, from 2:30 – 8:00 p.m., at the Hilton Phoenix Chandler, in Chandler, Ariz.

The event will feature a special presentation by ERA CEO Walter E. Tobin and various engineering seminars from leading semiconductor companies.

Attendees will have the opportunity to network and participate in a special raffle prizes from suppliers, enjoy a hosted cocktail bar and hors d’oeuvres, as well as live music entertainment from the Irish band “Paddy Punch.”

All electronics industry professionals are invited to attend the show.

For more information or to register, contact ERA Event Coordinator Erin Collins at ecollins@era.org.

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> Northern California ERA Hosts Women in Leadership Panel Discussion

Nov. 6, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Northern California Chapter of the Electronics Representatives Association (NCALERA) held a Women in Leadership panel discussion and networking event in October at the Hilton Santa Clara Hotel in Santa Clara, Calif.

The panel consisted of five extraordinary women who hold a wide range of positions in the industry, including Kelly Britt, senior director of business development, Flextronics; Mary Cain, operations director, Lexar; Monica Highfill, vice president sales-Americas, KEMET Electronics Corporation; Joan Huser, vice president, Americas sales, InvenSense Inc.; and Sharon Woo, CEO, Peak Technology Enterprises Inc.

The goal of this event was to empower women in the workforce by offering attendees the opportunity to listen to an esteemed group of panelists about day-to-day experiences with business challenges, successes and professional growth.

“The subject matter was very timely to the interests of our members as was shown by the excellent turnout and the addition of many non-members of NCALERA who had not experienced an ERA meeting in the past,” said Chapter President Dennis Gagne of ES West. “We had many positive comments on the panel, which featured insightful questions about the panelists’ experiences and their suggestions to help bring women currently in the work force more success in the future. We will definitely be doing more meetings like this!”

A percentage of the registration proceeds will benefit the American Breast Cancer Society.

For more information about upcoming NCALERA events, visit http://ncalera.org/.

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> ERA Conference Committee Announces Conference General Sessions Topics and Speakers

Oct. 26, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) Conference Committee has announced the three General Sessions topics and speakers at the upcoming 50th Anniversary Conference, slated Feb. 24-26, 2019, at the AT&T Conference Center in Austin, Texas. The topics and speakers were carefully selected to reflect the event theme, “Celebrate the Past, Embrace Tomorrow.”

Linda Clemons, CEO of Sisterpreneur Inc., will present “I See What You Are Thinking: The Power of Nonverbal Communication.” According to Clemons, 80 percent of communication is expressed non-verbally. Her presentation will focus on how to master nonverbal communication skills to maximize leaders’ and business owners’ effectiveness and increase sales. Clemons is an award-winning, record-setting sales producer, as well as one of the top sales trainers in the world in the resort/timeshare industry where clients have generated over two billion in sales.

Jason Schenker, president of Prestige Economics and chairman of the Futurist Institute will present “Our Disruptive Future Economy – An Economic, Financial, and Technology Outlook.” In his session, Schenker, will focus on how the future of the economy, markets and technology will impact people’s professional, personal and investing lives, and provide a mix of short-term economic and financial market dynamics. Schenker has been ranked one of the most accurate financial forecasters and futurists in the world.

Tim Wackel, one of today’s most popular sales speakers who has mastered the ability to make information entertaining, memorable and easy to understand, will present “The Constant Client — Building Relationships your Competition Can’t Steal!” Wackel combines more than 30 years of successful sales leadership with specific client research to deliver high-impact programs that go beyond today’s best practices. His session will offer attendees a simple three-step process for building better relationships, new ways to stand out and become someone who is memorable and much more.

Terri Straube of Straube Associates, co-chair of the Conference General Sessions Sub-Committee, said, “We are delighted to introduce a vibrant, exciting and accomplished group of General Session speakers, including the highly regarded Tim Wackel, an expert in sales relationship building; Linda Clemons, an expert in understanding body language; and Jason Schenker, a highly ranked economic forecaster. We are extremely pleased to have three industry leaders in their respective fields who combined will provide sales building tools needed to maximize returns in this strong economy and build a solid foundation to excel in the future.”

Conference Committee Chair John Hutson, CPMR, of MacInnis Group, added, “I could not be more excited with the General Session speakers, and the topics that they will be presenting at our upcoming conference. Under the leadership of the General Sessions Sub-Committee Co-Chairs, Terri Straube of Straube Associates and Tom Vanderheyden of TTI Inc., their incredibly talented team identified and booked world-class experts who will be speaking on topics that I am confident everyone will find informative and rewarding in multiple ways. There are many aspects of an ERA Conference that determines the degree of its success, but the quality of the content that is shared is certainly a key to success. The content needs to be educational, practical and inspirational alike, and the sub-committee hit the mark in these areas with their docket of presenters. It is only appropriate that we have Gold Standard General Session speakers for a Golden Anniversary Conference.”

For more information about the 2019 ERA 50th Anniversary Conference, visit https://era.org/era-events/era-conference/.

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> Carolinas ERA Hosts 15th Annual Dick Paden Memorial Golf Tournament

Oct. 18, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Carolinas Chapter of ERA (CERA) recently concluded another successful scholarship fundraiser. The chapter’s 15th Annual Dick Paden Memorial Golf Tournament was held on Oct. 8, 2018, at the Crossings Golf Club in Durham, N.C. The event was attended by 104 golfers, including reps, distributors, manufacturers and customers.

From left to right: Julie Huang, Sanyo Denki; Jim Reiser, Sager; John Corn, Sager; Laura Miceli, Sager.

This event helps fund three $1,000 college scholarships to dependents of CERA member reps & DTAM participating distributors, as well as a generous donation to the American Diabetes Association.

This year’s winners include:

First place gross (Jim Davis, Kevin Bouziden, Larry Travers and Mark Craige)
Second place gross (Rick Vairo, Dennis Toothman, Rob Mahoney and Aparna Sproelich)
First place net (Bob Kirkland, Billy Case, Bob Ball and Cy Dallin)
Second place net (Steve Criscione, Jeff Schedel, Brian Rable and P.J. Strahl)
Closest to the pin: Brian Rable (6), James Brantley (8), Teresa Parker (12) and Teresa Parker (15)
Longest drive women/men: Tracy Spooner and Barry Simo

CERA would like to thank everyone for making this event such a success by coming out to play golf, sponsoring a tee sign and/or a flag, and gift contributions for door prizes. A big thank you goes out to all our volunteers who were instrumental in making the event a success. We couldn’t do it without you!

Visit CERA’s Golf Tournament Gallery to view photos from the event.

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> TTI’s Michael Knight to Deliver Closing General Session at ERA’s 50th Anniversary Conference

Oct. 9, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) Conference Committee has announced that Michael Knight, president, TTI Semiconductor Group (TSG) and senior vice president Corporate Business Development, for TTI Inc., will close the 2019 ERA 50th Anniversary Conference with a general session titled, “TECHNOLOGY IN THE ROARING 20s: How the tech party rages on in the 2020s.” The conference runs Feb. 24-26 at the AT&T Conference Center in Austin, Texas. The event theme is “Celebrate the Past, Embrace Tomorrow.”

Knight, who closed both the 2017 and 2018 ERA conferences, said of his upcoming presentation, “All around us we are witnessing the development of fundamentally new technology that is transforming the electronics that populate our world. In many cases, the new tech isn’t just the next increment of the current tech, it is an order of magnitude different and more capable … for example, 5G and quantum computing. This new tech, from materials to devices, is in the process of being commercialized and will begin showing up in the world in the 2020s, driving the next significant, long-term surge in our industry. This presentation will focus on a combination of 20 technologies and applications that will trigger a massive demand for upgrading and/or replacing the electronic systems and devices that populate our businesses and our personal lives. Collectively, this will drive the business for electronic components to record levels through the 2020s.”

Tom Vanderheyden of TTI Inc., co-chair of the Conference General Sessions Sub-Committee, said, “Back by popular demand, we’re delighted that Michael has accepted our invitation to close the 50th Anniversary ERA Conference. Michael is a respected and industry-recognized thought leader who balances the realities of today with the excitement of tomorrow. We’re anxious to learn about the near-term, technology advancements and upcoming launches that will fuel growth in the next decade.”

Terri Straube of Straube Associates, co-chair of the Conference General Sessions Sub-Committee, added, “As we celebrate the past 50 ERA conferences, Michael Knight is the visionary who will take us forward to the ROARING 2020s!”

ERA CEO Walter Tobin commented, “We are thrilled to welcome back Michael Knight to deliver the closing general session of ERA’s 50th Anniversary Conference. His presentations are always engaging and thought-provoking, and we look forward to his insights on how new technology developments will continue to transform and shape the future of our industry.”

For more information about the 2019 ERA 50th Anniversary Conference, visit https://era.org/era-events/era-conference/.

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> Distribution Agreement Unites Peerless Electronics and BEI Sensors North America

Sept. 25, 2018
Source: Peerless Electronics Inc.

Peerless Electronics Inc., a stocking distributor of switches, relays and circuit breaker products, has agreed to distribute the comprehensive line of encoder and sensor products from field leader BEI Sensors (Thousand Oaks, Calif.).

Specializing in speed and position sensors for extreme applications within the industrial, military, aerospace and off-highway marketplaces, the BEI product line is one of the most extensive in the industry. It includes optical and magnetic encoders, hall effect sensors, potentiometers (wirewound, conductive plastic and hybrid), electronic interface modules, wireless modules, and an extensive variety of product accessories.

Peerless will stock specialized and hard-to-find products for extreme applications, including for wash-down and corrosive environments, high shock and vibration, extended operating temperatures, wet and dirty operations, and products certified for hazardous area use.

William Gallucci, president of Peerless Electronics stated, “By combining Peerless’ distribution reach and expertise with BEI’s broad product lines on the same team, end user customers will have a far easier route to finding the right high-quality sensors and encoders for their specific applications. This union incorporates an extensive product range, from standard off-the-shelf items to completely customized solutions for just about every application, and promises to be a fast, efficient and cost-effective product acquisition alternative.”

For more information, contact Ed Combs at ecombs@peerlesselectronics.com or visit https://www.peerlesselectronics.com/.

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> ERA 2019 Conference Committee Announces Keynote Speaker

Sept. 19, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) 2019 Conference Committee has announced that Curt Steinhorst, bestselling author of “Can I Have Your Attention? Inspiring Better Work Habits, Focusing Your Team, and Getting Stuff Done in the Constantly Connected Workplace” will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming conference, scheduled Feb. 24-26, 2019, at the AT&T Center in Austin, Texas. Steinhorst will open ERA’s 50th Anniversary Conference program on Monday morning, Feb. 25, with a presentation titled, “Can I Have Your Attention? Reach the Distracted Customer.”

After years studying the impact of tech on human behavior, Steinhorst founded Focuswise, a consultancy that equips organizations to overcome the distinct challenges of the constantly-connected workplace. He has coached executives, TV personalities, and well-known professional athletes on how to effectively communicate and create focus when they speak to audiences, lead their employees, and engage their customers. His unique insight and entertaining speaking style have captured the attention of audiences worldwide.

For the first time in history, we live in a world without any barriers to connection or communication. This has fundamentally altered the way people work, engage, communicate and relate to one another. The same technology that simplifies processes, compromises our focus and makes it ever more difficult to reach increasingly distracted customers. Steinhorst is on a mission to rescue us from our distracted selves.

Conference Keynote Sub-Committee co-chairs Kingsland Coombs, CPMR, CSP, of Control Sales and Paul Dosser of Digi-Key Electronics commented on the sub-committee’s decision to invite Curt Steinhorst as ERA’s 50th Anniversary Conference keynote speaker.

“We are very happy to have Curt Steinhorst as the 2019 conference keynote speaker this coming February,” Kingsland said. “The Keynote Sub-Committee evaluated a significant number of candidates and unanimously chose Curt for his fundamental message and enthusiasm. In the days of constant distraction and work overload, we as salespeople have increasing difficulty obtaining our customers’ attention. Curt will present to us how to alter our sales tactics and strategies to filter out the noise and focus on what matters. In order to remain relevant in the future, we need new communication methods and shifts in our behavior to help keep in step with the ever-changing customer relationship dynamics.”

Dosser added, “We are very excited to announce the 2019 ERA Conference Keynote Speaker, Curt Steinhorst. As we look to the conference theme, “Celebrate the Past, Embrace Tomorrow,” the Keynote Sub-Committee found Curt’s expertise in focusing your team and business in a high-tech world full of distractions that will only grow as we embrace tomorrow, to be very fitting for all. Curt believes that organizations who will be best at creating new ideas and navigating setbacks will be those that are disciplined in communication technology both internal and external, driving success with your customer and capturing their attention. We look forward to listening to, learning from and applying Curt’s message.”

ERA 2019 Conference Committee Chair John Hutson, CPMR, of MacInnis Group, said, “A big thank you to our devoted Keynote Sub-Committee members who volunteered a great deal of their time and expertise to research the 2019 conference keynote speaker. Based on the talent pool of world-class speakers that they came up with, it is no surprise that they found a keynote candidate as impressive as Curt Steinhorst to kick-off the 50th Anniversary Conference. During the selection process, the sub-committee constantly kept at the front of their minds the need to have a keynote speaker who would offer conference attendees real tangible takeaways, and Curt fits the bill. His presentation will help attendees understand how to communicate with customers effectively and spark ideas about how to work smarter in this age of digital distraction. I am confident that Curt’s humor, energy and insight will keep everyone engaged and entertained.”

For more information about the 2019 ERA 50th Anniversary Conference, visit https://era.org/era-events/era-conference/.

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> Southwest ERA Hosts Informative Lunch Event

Sept. 10, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Southwest Chapter of the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) held an informative session on Aug. 24, 2018, in Austin, Texas. The event featured guest speaker Roland Peña, vice president of economic development for the Austin Chamber of Commerce, who has nearly 30 years of experience in economic development and serves as a member of both the Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC) and the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).

Peña’s presentation, “Look Who’s Coming to Town! Future Thoughts on Austin Technology,” touched on how the city markets itself to attract companies from other parts of Texas, other states and other countries to move to Austin. The presentation also discussed that the current growth rate is expected to continue over the next few years with an emphasis on software, IT, manufacturing and medical business development.

Other topics included Austin and Dallas’ bid for Amazon’s new headquarters and the U.S. Army’s decision that its new Futures Command will be headquartered in Austin.

Southwest Chapter Austin Director Rob Curtiss of Kruvand Associates Inc. shared his thoughts about the event, “Roland Peña provided valuable insight into the areas of economic development in Austin that sales reps and distributors will see emerging in the next few years. As a result, we all have a clearer idea of the types of new customers to expect.”

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> electronica 2018 – Connecting everything—smart, safe, and secure

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 23, 2018
Munich, electronica.de

Smart, reliable, and secure networking at all levels is the focus for this year’s edition of the world’s leading trade fair and conference for electronics, to be held on November 13–16, 2018, in Munich, Germany. This time round, electronica will be going way beyond the presentation of relevant components, systems, applications, and solutions. In addition to 17 halls, 13 forums, and four conferences, there will be a wide range of innovations on show. Exhibitors, visitors, established industry players and start-ups, not to mention employers and new talents, will therefore have extensive opportunities for making contacts and networking.

Over 3000 companies from more than 50 countries will be present to provide a glimpse of the future with their products and solutions.

More Space and New Hall Layout
electronica 2018 will be larger than the previous event, with more than 180,000 square meters of space spread across four halls. Visitors to the trade fair will benefit from four additional halls, which means there will now be a new hall layout. Five entrances, color-coding in the halls, expressways, and the visitor shuttle together with indoor navigation via the electronica app will aid navigation.

Networking, Inspiration, and Experience
There will be four conferences and 13 forums at the trade fair to facilitate networking and knowledge exchange. Digital support for further networking between exhibitors and visitors, as well as among visitors, will also be provided in the form of the classic electronica Matchmaking and the new electronica Connect tool.

electronica Experience and IMPACT – Design for a Cause
There will also be even more opportunities for networking, inspiration, and experience thanks to the new formats, electronica Experience and IMPACT – Design for a Cause.

The new hall C6 will give visitors the opportunity to get to grips with electronics, as well as showcasing career opportunities within the electronics branch. electronica Experience will feature live demos, applications, and presentations, as well as a job market, to facilitate networking between exhibitors, students, and school pupils.

IMPACT – Design for a Cause will also be taking place as part of electronica Experience. The event, which will feature engineering associations Hackster and Element14 among others, will look at the future influence of electronics on communication, the environment and medicine in pitches, presentations, and discussion panels.

Networking Visionary to Open electronica 2018
In his works “The End of Work,” “The Third Industrial Revolution” and “The Zero Marginal Cost Society,” US social theorist, Jeremy Rifkin, not only identified current developments in the economy and society at an early stage, he also touched on the global networking of industrial and social processes in the “Supergrid.” Jeremy Rifkin will open electronica with a keynote speech on the evening of Monday, November 12, before opening the new electronica Experience with a talk on Tuesday, November 13.

More information: www.electronica.de
Link for press accreditation: https://electronica.de/press/services/accreditation

About electronica
electronica is the world’s leading trade fair and conference for electronics. The trade fair is the most important meeting point for the electronics industry and also features a supporting program with forums and conferences, such as the electronica Automotive Conference (eAC), the electronica Embedded Platforms Conference (eEPC), the electronica Medical Electronics Conference (eMEC), and the Wireless Congress. electronica Experience will be debuting in 2018 with live demos and applications in Hall C6. The electronica Fast Forward Award has been presented since 2016. Around 73,000 visitors and more than 2,900 exhibitors took part in electronica 2016. electronica was founded in 1964 and has taken place every two years in Munich ever since. The next event will be held from November 13 to 16, 2018.

electronica worldwide
In addition to electronica, the world-leading trade fair, Messe München also has plenty of experience in organizing other electronics trade fairs, such as electronica China and electronica India. The network of electronics trade fairs also includes productronica in Munich, productronica China, productronica South China under the umbrella of LEAP, productronica India, the Smart Cards Expo and eAsia in association with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

Messe München
Messe München is one of the world’s leading trade fair companies. It organizes over 50 exhibitions for capital and consumer goods and new technologies. Each year, more than 50,000 exhibitors and some three million visitors take part in over 200 events held at the trade fair center in Munich, the ICM—Internationales Congress Center München, the MOC Veranstaltungscenter München, and abroad. Together with its subsidiaries, Messe München organizes exhibitions in China, India, Brazil, Russia, Turkey, South Africa, Nigeria, Vietnam, and Iran. Messe München has a global presence with a network of affiliates in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America and around 70 representative offices abroad serving more than 100 countries.

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> Chicagoland-Wisconsin ERA Hosts Educational Program

Aug. 10, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Chicagoland-Wisconsin Chapter of the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) held an educational presentation and lunch on June 1, 2018, at Avnet Inc., in Hoffman Estates, Ill.

The event featured guest speaker Richard Greaves, senior partner at Empowering Systems. Greaves’ presentation, “Leverage the Latest Collaboration Tools,” discussed the latest collaboration tools and why Office 365 is a great platform for rep firms and all salespeople.

Chapter President Rick LaPiana of Cain-Forlaw Company said, “I am a strong believer that collaboration is key to efficiency and success in component sales, but I was not aware of all the tools, tips and tricks that Office 365 provides. Rich Greaves did a nice job illustrating the benefits at our June 1 chapter event. In fact, this meeting convinced me to move the entire company over to Microsoft 365. Everyone who attended, was pleased with the interaction and discussion at the event.”

Chapter Vice President, Fiscal & Legal, Kingsland Coombs, CPMR, CSP, of Control Sales Inc., who helped organize the event, added: “Rich was tasked with explaining and demonstrating for us the latest in collaboration software tools. He did a very fine job showing us the benefits of the Office 365 suite of products including the Microsoft Teams application. Since the presentation, our company has started to use Teams for file sharing, chatting and screen sharing. We are pleased with the results so far and thank Rich for the nudge we needed to get started!”

The chapter is planning more networking and educational events for the remainder of 2018. For more information, visit www.chiwisera.com.

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> Carolinas ERA Hosts a Networking Program

Aug. 7, 2018
Source: Electronics Representatives Association

The Carolinas Chapter of the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) held an informative networking program on May 21, 2018, at the Morrisville Commerce Center, in Morrisville, N.C.

The program featured guest speaker Joel Kaczmarek, a sales and management trainer, coach, consultant and keynote speaker from Greensboro/Winston-Salem, N.C. Kaczmarek’s presentation, “Four Secrets to Leveraging LinkedIn as a Selling Tool,” focused on the importance of strengthening one’s LinkedIn presence and the key steps in prospecting with LinkedIn.

He also offered attendees tips on how to find and connect with decision makers on LinkedIn and the do’s and don’ts for making connections. “When creating your LinkedIn summary, think of it as a 30 second commercial. Who are you, specifically what you do, what problems do you help your clients solve,” Kaczmarek explained.

Chapter Vice President, Membership, Penny Hoglund of AEM Group said, “Creating a LinkedIn profile can seem a daunting task, and Joel Kaczmarek provided a simplified approach. The importance of using your LinkedIn profile as a sales tool shouldn’t be underestimated.”

The chapter is planning two more events in 2018 — a Networking Breakfast in Raleigh on Aug. 10 and the 15th Annual Dick Paden Memorial Golf Tournament on Oct. 8 at in Durham, N.C. Visit www.carolinasera.com for more details.

About Carolinas ERA
The Carolinas Chapter of the Electronics Representatives Association is dedicated to promoting the representative concept within the Carolinas electronics marketplace. The Chapter hopes to be a resource for its members in establishing and maintaining their respective rep businesses through continuing education, training and interface with government agencies. The government interface in important in order to influence legislation in favor of the representative concept and defeat legislation detrimental to the rep business. For more information, visit www.carolinasera.com.

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