ERA Talks

On this episode of the ERA Talks podcast, Walter Tobin chats with Tim Kilfoil, President of JF Kilfoil Co., about the benefits of today’s bevy of digital marketing tools that are available for low to no-cost to manufacturers’ sales reps and the advantages of implementing these tools. Tim offers useful insights on how to get started on a digital marketing path and why sales reps today should be embracing this way of selling and connecting. Plus, Tim provides a realistic digital marketing action plan that can be implemented with ease. 

Tune into the latest episode of ERA Talks which explores in-depth how and why manufacturers’ reps are a perfect and immediate solution to a manufacturer’s need for territory coverage and new customer acquisition in light of the shortage of qualified sales professionals. These reps are “hiding in plain sight.”  Don’t miss out on this important discussion, hosted by ERA’s CEO, Walter Tobin, and featuring guests Cameron English, President of English Technical Sales and Senior VP Industry of the ERA Executive Committee, and Cesare Giammarco, of Sales Management Consulting LLC and a long-time expert ERA consultant, who have authored a recent ERA White Paper, and soon to be published article titled, “The Solution to Cost Effective Sales Coverage is Hiding in Plain Sight.” Learn more about why the manufacturers’ sales rep model continues to thrive as a go-to market strategy for multiple industries, and why reps provide an ideal sales coverage solution both from a cost and growth perspective.  The White Paper mentioned above is accessible to ERA members here.

Tune into the latest ERA Talks podcast, hosted by Walter Tobin, ERA CEO, and featuring a discussion with Holly Good of Cornell Dubilier Electronics, Holly Myers, CPRM of Genie Group, and Chris Straube, of Straube Associates Inc., to get a sneak peek of the 2022 ERA Virtual Sales Training – an online educational initiative to be hosted live Oct. 4 – 6.  In this episode, you will learn more about the Virtual Sales Training event, it’s benefits and goals. The group will provide answers to such questions as: what audience is this training targeting, how will the program differ from the 2021 training, what are the sessions that will be presented, what takeaways will the sessions provide, who is presenting the training, and how this training is different than other industry training being offered? On the fence about attending this event? Interested in learning more of what this ERA educational opportunity has to offer? Tune in today to get more info! And we hope to see you online at the event in October.  Learn much more about the ERA Virtual Sales Training, and easily register online, here. 

ERA recently launched its newest initiative, the Mark Motsinger White Pin Internship Program, as a way to help the rep community attract, hire and retain college graduates into the rep model to bring new talent into the industry. This is an opportunity for college juniors or seniors to  work for a manufacturers’ representative firm over the summer months to gain a better understanding and hands-on experience of the electronic components industry. In this episode, ERA's SVP of Education, Ellen Coan, CPMR of CC Electro Sales, talks with Cameron English, CPMR, of English Technical Sales, and Aparna Sproelich, CPMR, of Aurora Technical Group, whose companies were recipients of the two inaugural internships awarded in 2022. Cameron and Aparna share their insights regarding how they found their interns, along with how they are training their interns, and how their interns have already helped to benefit and contribute to their businesses.  Listen in to learn more! Or visit era.org. 

The 2022 ERA Conference will be its 53rd Conference, and our first time meeting in person since the 2020 Conference. The 55 ERA member volunteers have been diligently working over the past nine months to prepare a dynamic and engaging program. In this episode, you can get a sneak peek at what you can expect at this year’s event including information about the conference theme, speakers, sessions and new things attendees can expect!  Listen in to get an in-depth update as Erin Collins, ERA’s Events Director, interviews 2022 Conference Committee Chair Bryan White, CPMR, Vice President of Sales at Catalyst Unity Solutions, and Conference Committee Vice Chair, Lori Bruno, Vice President and Distribution Sales Manager at Luscombe Engineering of San Francisco.

This episode of ERA Talks features ERA CEO Walter Tobin  and special guests Cam English, CPMR, President of English Technical Sales / ERA Sr. VP Industry, and Bob Evans who recently retired as President of EK Micro and who has supported ERA for over 20 years at the chapter and national levels including as former chair of the ERA Chapter Leadership Council. Cam and Bob provide an update of the upcoming ERA Chapter Officers Leadership Training (COLT) which will be held virtually from Nov. 3 – 5, 2021. 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.  For more information about COLT or to register to attend, visit https://era.org/era-events/chapter-officers-leadership-training-colt-2/.

On this episode of ERA Talks, Walter Tobin, CEO of ERA, Erin Collins, Events Coordinator of ERA and special guest Ellen Coan, Vice President Operations at C C Electro Sales, a second generation Electronics rep in the Midwest, and Sr. Vice President/Education of the ERA Board discuss the upcoming ERA Virtual Sales Training Event. This premier event will be hosted online,  Sept. 21-23, 2021, and is specifically designed for frontline sales professionals. The program offers nine robust 75-minute educational sales training modules covering an array of topics for 11 total hours of training. Tune in for a sneak peek of the event program, sessions and speakers. For more information or to register, visit ERA Sales Training. 

On this episode of ERA Talks ERA CEO Walter Tobin discusses "The Value of the Rep Model for Manufacturers" with ERA Consultants Cesare Giammarco and John Simari. Giammarco and Simari offer insights into the seven key attributes of the Rep Model value proposition to manufacturers, including Expertise, Flexibility, Advocacy, Control, Market Coverage, Affordability and Demand Creation.  

This episode of ERA Talks features Walter Tobin, CEO of ERA, and special guest Phil Gallagher, CEO of Avnet, who discuss "How Avnet Helps Its Customers and Suppliers Navigate Disruption."

In this episode of ERA Talks, Walter Tobin, CEO of ERA and special guest John Drabik, Senior Vice President Sales and Product Marketing - Americas at TTI, discuss TTI’s initiatives in 2021 and beyond. 

Tune in to learn more about increasing productivity with tools you likely already have!  This episode features Patrick Knoelke, Partner and Founder of Spyre Group. Spyre Group, a digital design and technology company, and Silver-level Microsoft Partner.  In this episode, Patrick discusses the unique features of Microsoft 365 and properly using the applications that many are already paying for but not fully utilizing. Utilizing the applications' full potential helps create a more organized and timely system for daily tasks.

Tune in to learn more about increasing productivity with tools you likely already have!  This episode features Patrick Knoelke, Partner and Founder of Spyre Group. Spyre Group is a digital design and technology company and Silver-level Microsoft Partner.  In this episode, Patrick discusses the many features of Microsoft 365 and properly using the applications that many are already paying for. By doing this, it creates a more organized and timely system for daily tasks.

 The Spark Pro­fes­sion­al Devel­op­ment Pro­gram is designed to help up-and-com­ing professionals grow their abil­i­ties and advance their careers in the elec­tron­ics com­po­nents indus­try.  This episode features John O'Brien, VP at Coakley, Boyd and Abbett and a member of the Spark Planning Committee as well as Jennifer Smith, President of JMS Syngery and the Spark Director. Tune in to learn more about the history, program growth, curriculum, and how to attend.  

Planned by more than 50 hardworking ERA member volunteers, the 2021 ERA Virtual Conference will be the 52nd conference and the first virtual conference in the history of ERA. This episode of ERA Talks focuses on the new virtual platform of the conference, what to expect, the committee make-up, takeaways, and more.  Tune in and get a peek behind the curtain as Stephanie Tierney, Membership Director for ERA, interviews Erin Collins, Event Coordinator for ERA, as well as Conference Committee Chair Craig Anderson, President and Owner of Sumer Inc., and Conference Vice-Chair Bryan White, VP of Catalyst Unity Solutions. All ERA Talks podcasts are currently available on the ERA website. You can also subscribe to our podcast channel on one of the following podcast networks — Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Amazon Music. 

The 2021 ERA Conference is going virtual. The conference will be the 52nd conference planned by over 50 hardworking ERA member volunteers! This episode focuses on the virtual platform, what to expect, the committee make-up, takeaways, and more.  Get a peek behind the curtain from the conference leaders and tune in as Stephanie Tierney, Membership Director for ERA, interviews Erin Collins, ERA’s Event Coordinator along with Craig Anderson, President and Owner of Sumer Inc.,– AND this year’s Conference Committee Chair as well as Bryan White, VP of Catalyst Unity Solutions – AND this year’s Conference Vice-Chair. All ERA Talks podcasts are currently available on the ERA website. You can also subscribe to our podcast channel on one of the following podcast networks — Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Amazon Music. 

In this episode of ERA Talks, Stephanie Tierney, ERA membership director, interviews Jackie Mattox, founder and president of Women in Electronics (WE). Tune in to learn more about WE's gender parity efforts, goals, expansion, history, and the collaboration with industry leaders and associations to better the electronics industry.

In this episode of ERA Talks, ERA Membership Director Stephanie Tierney, interviews Moe Elghrawi, Senior Electrical Engineer for Aptiv, and Chad Bryner, Senior Hardware Engineer for Sentient Energy. This lively discussion focuses on the answers to what customers want and need from a manufacturers’ rep in this new abnormal. Tune in to learn more about what customers really want from the rep community.

In this episode of ERA Talks, ERA's CEO, Walter Tobin, interviews Dr. George John, Professor and General Mills-Gerot Chair in Marketing for the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. This lively discussion focuses on the academic view of the rep model. Tune in to learn more about the benefits of the rep model, sales trends, digital transformations, the channel structure, and more.    

In this episode of ERA Talks, ERA's Membership Director, Stephanie Tierney, interviews ERA’s Consultant Cesare Giammarco. Cesare’s white paper “Line Conflicts: Navigating to a Mutually Beneficial Resolution” was featured in the summer issue of The Representor magazine and can be found on the ERA website as well. This episode dives deeper into the topic! 

The world has seen a great deal of transformation in the last couple of months and our industry is no different. In this episode, Alan Ahern, President of Crowley Associates and Mike Swenson, President at Mel Foster Company, discuss the transformation of the rep role and their plans to better business in the future.