Shanahan takes charge

An Electronics Representatives Association product story

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Apr 18, 2006

The Electronics Representatives Association has appointed Thomas J Shanahan as its new Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer.

The board of directors of the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) has appointed Thomas J Shanahan as the organisation's new Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer.

Shanahan is a Chicago attorney who specialised in criminal and civil litigation at the federal level.

He has been affiliated with ERA for 28 years and in 2002 became the association's administrative director.

He was named interim CEO in 2005, during the transition in management necessitated by the retirement of Ray Hall, ERA's CEO for four decades.

Hall is now a consultant to the association.

Shanahan was already managing the association's day-to-day operations when his new appointment was formalised on 26th March 2006.

That action occurred during the ERA board's annual meeting in Tampa, Florida.

About his appointment to the post that was held so long by his close friend Hall, Shanahan says: "I've admired and enjoyed working with ERA members from my first encounter with them in 1978".

"I'm honoured and happy to be able to help the association advance some exciting new projects that will improve the value of ERA membership to both reps and manufacturers, and I'm looking forward to seeing many of our members at EDS in May".

ERA Chairman of the Board Mike Kunz, CPMR, of RW Kunz Associates, says of Shanahan: "He as been a loyal friend of ERA for the past 28 years, and I am extremely pleased that he has agreed to lead this association".

"I urge all our members and industry associates to welcome Tom, work with him and especially confide in him what we can all do to better this great organisation".

ERA President Dave Rossi of the Empire Technology Group adds: "Having been associated with ERA both as a chapter member and officer and a member of ERA's national board for 10 years, I have witnessed Tom's professionalism and dedication to our association for nearly three decades".

"Tom is the ideal professional to help take us to the next level, where identifying and implementing value propositions for our membership are our primary goals".