Bob Evans

The Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) has announced that Bob Evans, CPMR, president of EK Associates, Inc., Palatine, Illinois, is the most recent recipient of the Ray Hall Spirit of ERA Award. Evans has served as the chair of ERA’s Chapter Leadership Council (CLC) since 2011, is closely involved in developing the member and industry surveys conducted by the association, and also serves on the committee now searching for a new ERA CEO.

In addition to his national leadership roles, Evans has held many offices in ERA’s Chicagoland-Wisconsin Chapter over the past 12 years, including as president and chairman of the board. He’s also served a three-year term as the chapter’s delegate to the ERA National Board of Directors and has developed and moderated many chapter educational programs. Bob’s firm is also a Manufacturers’ Agents National Association (MANA) member.

“Because ERA and MANA often collaborate, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting with Bob from time to time,” says MANA CEO Charles Cohon. “He is an articulate, passionate spokesman for representative system of selling, and he has been unstinting in his support for both ERA and MANA. Our industry and both of our associations are lucky to have him.”

The Ray Hall Spirit of ERA Award was established in 2004 to honor the now-retired CEO who had served ERA for more than 40 years. Hall asked that the award recognize individuals who exemplify the spirit of ERA through their commitment to serving and advancing the professional field sales (manufacturers’ representative) function.

Evans was nominated for the award by Kathie Cahill, CPMR, president of Net Sales Company, Victor, New York. She is ERA’s senior vice president of education and the 2009 recipient of the Ray Hall Award. In addition to listing his many volunteer roles and accomplishments, Cahill says of Evans’ reputation in the rep community, “Bob is a resource for others in this business. People who know Bob feel comfortable calling him to get his opinion on a topic, and they feel equally comfortable giving his contact information to those who do not know him to bounce ideas off him.”

When notified of the award, Evans commented. “My surprise in being chosen for this award was only exceeded by my being humbled by this honor. To have my name associated with a true legend in our industry is truly overwhelming. There are a great many of my colleagues here in Chicagoland-Wisconsin and across the country who certainly warrant this more than me, so I accept it respectfully.”

The Ray Hall Spirit of ERA Award will be presented at the association’s 47th Management and Marketing Conference, running February 28–March 1, 2016, at the AT&T Conference Center in Austin, Texas. As the award recipient, Evans receives a full conference attendance package covering his airfare, registration fee and hotel costs.

Previous recipients of the award are:

• Bob Walsh, CPMR, Coakley, Boyd and Abbett, Inc., Framingham, Massachusetts (2013).
• Bill Herold, Conquest Technical Sales, Thousand Oaks, California (2012).
• Carol Cohen, CC Electro Sales, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana (2011).
• Kathie Cahill, CPMR, of Net Sales Company, Victor, New York (2009).
• Paul Nielsen, CPMR, of Brainard-Nielsen Marketing, Elk Grove Village, Illinois (2008).
• Bruce Scoggin, CPMR, of Electro-Rep Associates, Charlotte, North Carolina (2007).
• Mark Conley of O’Donnell Associates North, San Jose, California (2006).
• Mark Motsinger, CPMR, of Wallace Electronic Sales, Kernersville, North Carolina (2005).