Session Descriptions, Files and Audio Library
All sessions are listed alphabetically by title under these sections: General Sessions; Breakout Sessions and Other Presentations.
Click on any participant’s name to link to their biography. Links are provided for audio and downloadable files after each session, if available.
General Sessions
Keynote – Can I Have Your Attention? Reach the Distracted Customer
Curt Steinhorst, Founder, Focuswise
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. Their attention drives their decision-making, and that attention is ever more divided. To effectively reach customers, we must radically alter our strategies.
In this intensely practical and informative speech, 2019 ERA Conference Keynote Speaker, Curt Steinhorst, distraction expert and bestselling author of the book “Can I Have Your Attention? Inspiring Better Work Habits, Focusing Your Team, and Getting Stuff Done in the Constantly Connected Workplace,” discusses the great challenges we face in a constantly-connected world. Steinhorst pulls back the curtain to reveal: How did we get here? What counterintuitive communication methods can we use to surprise and delight customers who have had everything thrown at them? What shifts in behavior and expectations must we conform to before we have any chance of reaching them? How can we leverage our customers’ distracted state to communicate more effectively with them?
I See What You Are Thinking: The Power of Nonverbal Communication
Linda Clemons, CEO, Sisterpreneur Inc.
Eighty percent of communication is expressed nonverbally. This highly interactive presentation will focus on how to master nonverbal communications skills to maximize leaders’ and business owners’ effectiveness, and increase sales. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn tools and moves to establish trust and communicate authority; develop a “body blueprint” plan of action to implement in their business; and learn little-known techniques that can increase sales.
Our Disruptive Future Economy – An Economic, Financial, and Technology Outlook
Jason Schenker, President of Prestige Economics, Chairman of The Futurist Institute
This general session will discuss how the future of the economy, markets and technology impact people’s professional, personal and investing lives. The presentation will include a mix of short-term economic and financial market dynamics, as well as a discussion of longer-term technological factors that present disruptive risks. This presentation will help executives and senior leaders plan for financial market volatility in the immediate term, whether from central bank and Fed policy, fiscal and tax policy, energy prices, equity markets, mortgage and interest rates, or digital currencies, and help attendees develop a vision for the risks and opportunities from markets and technology.
TECHNOLOGY IN THE ROARING 20s: How the tech party rages on in the 2020s
Michael Knight, President, TTI Semiconductor Group (TSG) and Senior Vice President Corporate Business Development, TTI Inc.
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.
The Constant Client: Building Relationships Your Competition Can’t Steal!
Tim Wackel, Founder and President, The Wackel Group
Everyone knows that when the relationship is strong, clients rarely let any detail get in the way of doing business. Unfortunately, when the relationship is weak, any detail can (and will) get in the way. Building great relationships isn’t about chemistry, timing or luck. It’s about knowledge, commitment and process. This general session will offer attendees a simple three-step process for building better relationships; tips for creating more success with people – even the ones you just don’t like; how to focus more on being interested, and worry less about being interesting; new ways to stand out and become someone who is memorable; and six principles for taking existing relationships from good to great.
Breakout Sessions
Delivering a Powerful Supply Chain Customer Experience in Today’s Complex Environment
Presenter: Ross Valentine, Senior Director and Architect of Product & Services, Arrow Electronics Supply Chain Services Company
High-tech supply chains have become incredibly complex and difficult to control particularly in multi-tiered models consisting of the OEM, EMS providers, manufacturers’ reps, electronics distributors and component manufacturers. Two megatrends which have driven change across supply chains are globalization and digitalization, both of which have led customer expectation to go beyond customer service and toward an overall customer experience. This session will present the structure of an effective supply chain and the role technology and ecosystems will play to deliver an unparalleled supply chain experience for the customer.
Design Registration Tune Up
Moderator: John Simari, Simari Consulting, ERA Consultant
Panelists: Lori Bruno, Vice President/Distribution Sales Manager, Luscombe Engineering of San Francisco, Mike Calabria, CEO and President, Abracon, Chris Reginato, Manager, Business Analytics and Operations, Avnet Inc.
The Design Registration (DR) program was a transformational tool when introduced more than 35 years ago. Following the 2018 ERA Conference, a task force consisting of manufacturers’ reps, manufacturers and distributors was created to look at the DR program with the goal to review the legacy program against today’s business realities. During this session, the taskforce will share a list of “things to consider” to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of DR programs for the future.
Diversity in the Workplace: What Men and Women Leaders Need to Know!
Presenters: Cecilia Gorman, Women in Electronics and Holly Good, National Distribution Manager, Cornell Dubilier Electronics, Inc.
Creating a diverse work environment is a conscious decision. Research and data have proven that profits increase when we have a more diverse work environment, especially when we have equal representation of male and female leaders in decision making positions. Making important decisions based on facts, rather than personal feelings, is a mindful choice. Raising awareness around commonly held workplace biases is where it all starts. In this session, you will learn how to increase diversity and work productivity by both recognizing and overcoming the unconscious bias ingrained in today’s modern-day workplace environment.
Presentation handout pdf
Presentation pdf
Download Women in Electronics overview pdf
A Dose of (Immersive – Virtual/Augmented/Mixed) Reality: The New Paradigm – What You Need to Know Now Before It Is Too Late
Moderator: Steve Cholas, Vice President of Business Development, BigZeta
Panelists: Vibhu Bhutani, Chief Strategy Officer, Softweb Solutions, Adam Carlson, Advanced Lead Engineer, GE, Paul Golata, Senior Technology Specialist, Mouser Electronics
When you look at things differently, the things you behold, appear differently. Tomorrow’s technology includes the coming of immersive reality (IR). IR will not only redefine how we see things, but it will also completely change and transform the electronics industry. In order to be successful in the future, present companies will need to adjust their processes in order to implement and execute IR with excellence. Find out how to successfully welcome and embrace IR as tomorrow’s technology tool. Come and learn how to adapt and change to be ready for what tomorrow brings.
Fundamentals of Blockchain and Its Impact on the Electronics Industry
Presenter: Lalit Wadhwa, Vice President of Advanced Analytics, Avnet Inc.
You might have heard that blockchain is going to revolutionize how we do business in the future, but do you understand what it is, and what changes it is going to bring? If not, you’ll want to attend this “Blockchain for Dummies” breakout session that will help you to:
• Learn about the fundamentals of blockchain technology and associated benefits related to trust, efficiency and risk;
• Understand how the permissioned blockchain technology can be applied to businesses across multiple industries;
• Identify potential use cases in the electronics industry and possible paths to value-creation and full scale commercialization; and
• Understand challenges such as throughput, control, privacy and maintenance.
Getting Your Message to the Customer
Moderator: Tony Roybal, Regional President, Americas, Avnet Inc.
Panelists: Geoff Annesi, Corporate Vice President, Future Electronics, Sam Read, Global Sales Manager, Cornell Dubilier Electronics, Bryan White, CPMR, Vice President of Sales, Catalyst Sales Inc.
There are many ways for a manufacturer to communicate a message to the market, and their manufacturers’ rep and distributor are two proven channels to communicate their message through. But as a manufacturer, are you collaborating with your channel partners on the development of your message? What roles should each party play in the creation and delivery of a message, and what best practices exist in this process. This message is traditionally shared through training. Therefore, how professional is your training material, what makes for professional training material, and what role do the manufacturer, manufacturers’ rep and distributor alike play in its development and delivery?
How Manufacturers’ Reps, Manufacturers and Distributors Can Implement a Joint Strategy to Produce Sales Qualified Leads Every Month
Presenters: Ellen Albright, Director, Marketing & Communications, E-T-A Circuit Breakers, Graham Kilshaw, CEO, ITEM Media
The traditional marketing roles of the manufacturers’ rep, distributor and manufacturer have changed. Content has replaced cold-calling; the buyer is now in charge of the sales process, and education and data rule. Therefore, in order to connect with today’s buyers, manufacturers should be driving the lead generation campaigns for their brands, but reps and distributors can also harness those campaigns to drive even more leads. The purpose of this breakout is to present you with the basic theory, practical examples and some free tools for quickly developing channel-wide monthly campaigns that will provide a steady stream of sales qualified leads for all. Also, watch how we generate a live lead in real time!
Some key points you will learn during this session include:
• How manufacturers can build lead generation campaigns, simply and quickly.
• How manufacturers’ reps can produce a simple audit of their line card to uncover lead-producing content.
• How distributors can get true ROI on their co-op dollars.
• The four-legged stool — manufacturers, reps, distributors and customers: here is how a content marketing strategy should work effectively across the sales channel.
• Two fast and simple ways that reps and distributors can repurpose manufacturer campaigns to create additional leads.
• An overview of the software and automation tools that support content marketing.
Increase Profitability by Selling EMS to Your Existing Customers
Moderator: Randy Elkins, Sales and Marketing Manager, EMLinQ
Panelists: Will Oliver, Vice President of Business Development & Strategic Alliances, Virtex, Rick Vairo, CPMR, President, Field Sales and Management, Aurora Group
This session is strongly recommended for reps only.
Why is it that some are very successful at selling/partnering with Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) while others might struggle? Which differentiators make a good EMS partner to align with from contracts to capabilities. Learn the advantages of having this solution for your OEM customers. If you are interested in diversifying your business or improving upon how you are doing it now, join the discussion on what best practices exists in this area!
Negotiate Like a Champion and Stop the Race to Zero
Presenter: Barry Wright, Director, Grosvenor Training and Consulting
How do you avoid mistakes that frequently impact the bottom line? Join this fast-paced, highly interactive training workshop guaranteed to improve commercial outcomes. Learn how to develop your interpersonal skills in ways that will make you better able to negotiate/manage /facilitate ongoing learning successfully at all levels within client and supplier organizations, as well as internally within the distributor, sales agency or manufacturer. This workshop format presented over a 75 minute window is perfect for leadership, sales management, buyers, senior operators and sales superstars.
The content for this training session is aimed to improve skills along with appropriate techniques for achieving those improvements. Just a few things that you will learn:
• Building loyalty with the less loyal clients
• Improving prices and partners mind share
• How to make concessions: tips and techniques for getting to yes at less cost.
• Understanding tactics: when to use & how to respond
• Power: not giving away yours and getting more of it
• Selling against low price competitors; think big box and online
• How to become your partners (vendors and customers) “go to” favorite #1 choice
The Profile of the Manufacturers’ Rep Company of the Future
Moderator: Cesare Giammarco, ERA Consultant
Panelists: Bill Gallucci, President, Peerless Electronics Inc., Mark Robinson, Vice President, Americas Sales, Finisar Corporation, Eric Pfaff, President, Allied Enterprises Inc. (Mon., Feb 25), Mike Swenson, CPMR, President, Mel Foster Company (Tue., Feb. 26)
The roles and responsibilities of the successful rep have changed considerably over time, and they certainly will continue to do so. Therefore, what will the successful manufacturers’ rep company of the future look like, and what can you do now to position yourself for success? ERA manufacturers’ rep, distributor and manufacturer members alike provided some insight as to what they foresee will make up tomorrow’s successful manufacturers’ rep company. The panelists for this breakout will present their findings and have an engaging conversation as to what the manufacturer, distributor and customer alike will expect of a successful rep firm.
The Profile of the Salesperson of the Future
Moderator: Holly Myers, CPMR, Vice President, Genie Group Inc.
Panelists: Frank Flynn, President, Sager Electronics, Bill O’Neill, Senior Sales Manager, America’s Industrial, Sensata Technologies, Bryan Teen, CPMR, Vice President of Sales, Tech Marketing
What will the salesperson of the future look like, be it manufacturers’ rep, distributor or manufacturer alike, and what skillsets are going to be essential for success? Your participation in this interactive breakout will include a brief retrospective look at what made yesterday’s salesperson successful, and which of these time-tested skills will carry over to tomorrow’s successful salesperson. It is the goal of this session to help you identify tomorrow’s skillsets today, in order that you may help develop them within your existing team, while also identifying them in future hires.
Selling More Through Data Analytics: Utilizing Today’s Tools and Recognizing Tomorrow’s
Presenters: Mike Budde Jr., Vice President, Budde Marketing, John Mitchell, CEO, Repfabric
The manufacturers’ rep, distributor and manufacturer all have more manageable data than ever before, but are you using today’s tools to analyze the data? What tools are developing that will help you analyze your data even further to sell more product and improve your overall value? This breakout session will present some best practices in analyzing your data, available tools, and what can be expected of how we process data in the future.
Standing Firm: Reps Deserve to Get Paid
Presenters: ERA Legal Counsels Gerald Newman and Adam Glazer, Schoenberg, Finkel, Newman & Rosenberg LLC
This session is strongly recommended for reps only.
Despite best efforts, most rep-principal relationships eventually end. When they do, and sometimes during the relationship, some principals find little motivation to fairly commission the rep. This session will review options available to the typically underfunded rep to recover all commission payments due, and perhaps more, even if the contract language is not always a rep’s best friend. Veteran rep attorneys Gerry Newman and Adam Glazer will share their many approaches to recovering unpaid and underpaid commissions to protect the interests of sales reps.
Stop Pitching, Start Solving: Helping Customers Discover What They Really Want
Presenter: Tim Wackel, President, The Wackel Group
Your team already has a number of “sales questions” they like to ask customers during a call. Maybe you recognize a few of these:
• “Do you have a budget?”
• “When are you looking to make a change?”
• “Who is involved in the decision-making process?”
• “What keeps you up at night?”
Your reps may benefit by asking these types of questions but your prospect gains little! These sales meetings typically end with the customer saying, “Why don’t you send me some info and then I can get back to you?”
“Stop Pitching, Start Solving” teaches you exactly what it takes to craft questions that ignite emotions, discover motivations and get customers to act. Here is a sample of what you will discover during this fun and interactive presentation.
• The #1 obstacle to asking great questions and how to eliminate it.
• How to ask hard questions in an easy way.
• Practical tips for learning how to ask thought-provoking (not mind-numbing) questions.
• How to beat a “hopeium” addiction by learning to go-for-no!
Supporting Your Team from Inside Out
Moderator: Bob Evans, CPMR, President, EK Micro
Panelists: Alan Ahern, President, Crowley Associates, Bob Gourdeau, Vice President of Sales for The Americas, AVX Corporation, Mark Simon, Vice President of Sales, Allied Electronics
Manufacturers’ reps, distributors and manufacturers all invest in people and systems to support the field sales function with inside salespeople. This breakout is designed to identify and discuss best practices in support of the sales function through inside staff at rep, distributor and manufacturing firms. The roles and expectations that each of us have in providing this support today will be examined, along with exploring foreseeable changes in those roles and future expectations.
What Got Me Here, Won’t Get Me There
Presenter: Nicki Weiss, President, Saleswise
The employees, businesses, customers, suppliers and relationships that all of us have to give up in order to move forward. This workshop style session is to help you make room for growth in your business. In your business, leadership, and perhaps your life, the future you desire and envision may never come to pass if you do not end some things you are doing today. In this practical, thought-provoking and creative workshop, you will walk away with two specific strategies, at least one clear idea and maybe even a solid game plan, for what should go away to open up space for your next phase of growth.
Other Presentations
SPARK Program (EDS Summit)
John O’Brien, Vice President Coakley, Boyd and Abbett, Inc.
John O’Brien, ERA’s current Senior Vice President of Education, will give a brief presentation on SPARK, a unique summit within the EDS Summit that was created to introduce new, talented people into EDS and give them tools to help grow their careers.
ERA Update & History of the ERA Conference
Presenters: Walter Tobin, ERA CEO and Kathie Cahill, CPMR, Net Sales Company
ERA Awards Presentations
Chapters of the Year
Education – Chicagoland-Wisconsin ERA
Membership and Member Services – Southwest ERA
Special Projects – Northern California ERA
Marketing Services – Arizona ERA
2018 Tess Hill Award – Bob Evans, CPMR, President, EK Micro
2018 Ray Hall Spirit Award – David Norris, president of Norris & Associates Inc.
Lifetime Achievement Award Presentation
Mark Larson, vice chairman of Digi-Key Electronics
