Reflections on year one: Building a stronger foundation for ERA
It is incredible how fast time flies — it has been almost a year that I’ve joined ERA as CEO. It has been awesome for me to learn about ERA and manufacturers’ reps and what both do and how they do it. I have spent a lot of time visiting different markets to speak to the local reps and hear what’s on their mind and what they would like ERA to do going forward. I have now had one ERA conference and one EDS under my belt as ERA CEO.
The first new program that we have implemented is the new MentorUP program sponsored by Master Electronics. Let me first thank Master Electronics for stepping up and providing funding to build our mentorship online platform and professional design. I have personally had some of the best mentors in the business and still rely on them for guidance and support. I believe one of the greatest gifts someone can give is their time, guidance and support. The initial response and sign-up for the MentorUP program has been robust and extremely positive. The first cohort of mentors and mentees will meet July through December 2026. This program can be a game changer for our organization and membership!
The next new program that will be rolled out will be a Market TAM portal for ERA members only, hosted on ERA.org. This portal will show extensive market TAM data for U.S., Canada and Mexico by HTS codes and area. Data will be able to be sorted by area and product type. Mexico ERA started this program and then ERA National took it over and expanded this to cover all three regions. There is a lot more to come in this department, so stay tuned.
We have also spent time with distributors and helped them shape new programs for reps, in order to work arm-in-arm with them in the local markets. I’m pleased to say there is strong engagement in this area from both sides. Working with all “three legs of the stool” is fundamental to making for a stronger community to help the end customers get the best service possible. More information is coming on this in July and August.
On the manufacturer’s front: with the help of Mike Swenson and other people such as Cesare Giammarco, we have prepared three new presentations that show the value of reps to manufacturers, which we will post on ERA.org in the near future. The one that I am most excited about is a “Rep vs. Direct Calculator” that can be adjusted by marketplace or used as an overall look at across regions. We continue to show it and get feedback from our community and will continue to improve these value-add tools.
We have a busy summer at ERA National planning another fall STEP (Sales Training for Electronics Professionals), sponsored by TTI. This live, virtual sales training should be taken by all ERA members to sharpen sales skills and make you personally more valuable to your business and customers. Most professional industries have a mandated amount of continuing education; if we want to call ourselves professionals, we should continue to learn the latest and greatest tools and ways to go to market.
We have picked Julie Carr and Brooks Mattice as our 2027 ERA Conference Chair and Co-Chair, respectively, and I want to personally thank them for their time and effort. They have one of the most important roles in leading the ERA Conference. The number of volunteers in the committee is also very humbling and impressive, so thank you all for your time and effort.
Last but not least — the charity work being done by local ERA chapters in raising funds for local charities really humbles me when I visit the different regions and see the amount of effort and results in giving back to the local communities. We will continue to visit and support as many of these events as possible. Keep up the great work. The local chapters are what differentiates ERA from all others.
As you can see, there is a lot going on and I am excited about the future of ERA and our industry. We are in a super cycle so sit back and enjoy it.
> Reflections on year one: Building a stronger foundation for ERA
Reflections on year one: Building a stronger foundation for ERA
The first new program that we have implemented is the new MentorUP program sponsored by Master Electronics. Let me first thank Master Electronics for stepping up and providing funding to build our mentorship online platform and professional design. I have personally had some of the best mentors in the business and still rely on them for guidance and support. I believe one of the greatest gifts someone can give is their time, guidance and support. The initial response and sign-up for the MentorUP program has been robust and extremely positive. The first cohort of mentors and mentees will meet July through December 2026. This program can be a game changer for our organization and membership!
The next new program that will be rolled out will be a Market TAM portal for ERA members only, hosted on ERA.org. This portal will show extensive market TAM data for U.S., Canada and Mexico by HTS codes and area. Data will be able to be sorted by area and product type. Mexico ERA started this program and then ERA National took it over and expanded this to cover all three regions. There is a lot more to come in this department, so stay tuned.
We have also spent time with distributors and helped them shape new programs for reps, in order to work arm-in-arm with them in the local markets. I’m pleased to say there is strong engagement in this area from both sides. Working with all “three legs of the stool” is fundamental to making for a stronger community to help the end customers get the best service possible. More information is coming on this in July and August.
On the manufacturer’s front: with the help of Mike Swenson and other people such as Cesare Giammarco, we have prepared three new presentations that show the value of reps to manufacturers, which we will post on ERA.org in the near future. The one that I am most excited about is a “Rep vs. Direct Calculator” that can be adjusted by marketplace or used as an overall look at across regions. We continue to show it and get feedback from our community and will continue to improve these value-add tools.
We have a busy summer at ERA National planning another fall STEP (Sales Training for Electronics Professionals), sponsored by TTI. This live, virtual sales training should be taken by all ERA members to sharpen sales skills and make you personally more valuable to your business and customers. Most professional industries have a mandated amount of continuing education; if we want to call ourselves professionals, we should continue to learn the latest and greatest tools and ways to go to market.
We have picked Julie Carr and Brooks Mattice as our 2027 ERA Conference Chair and Co-Chair, respectively, and I want to personally thank them for their time and effort. They have one of the most important roles in leading the ERA Conference. The number of volunteers in the committee is also very humbling and impressive, so thank you all for your time and effort.
Last but not least — the charity work being done by local ERA chapters in raising funds for local charities really humbles me when I visit the different regions and see the amount of effort and results in giving back to the local communities. We will continue to visit and support as many of these events as possible. Keep up the great work. The local chapters are what differentiates ERA from all others.
As you can see, there is a lot going on and I am excited about the future of ERA and our industry. We are in a super cycle so sit back and enjoy it.