ECIA Launches New Partner Award at Executive Conference
This new honor acknowledges individuals outside the ECIA that help advance the industry.
Atlanta - ECIA announced the recipient of the newly created Partner Award at its annual Executive Conference held last month in Rosemont, Illinois.
The ECIA Partner Award is a new honor that helps to recognize special companies and individuals outside of ECIA that work to advance the industry. These include service partners, other trade organizations and standards bodies. This year, Walter Tobin, who is retiring from the ERA, was the recipient of this new award.
“This first year, we want to honor a cherished leader of another organization with which we share many of the same values, priorities, and a large number of mutual members,” commented ECIA CEO and President David Loftus at the ceremony. “Coincidentally, this individual also played a leadership role for several years in ECIA and our predecessor organization NEDA, having received: the Distinguished Service Award from NEDA in 2001 and the Distinguished Service Award from ECIA in 2017..."
“For the past 10 years Walter has built the ERA brand and value to an unprecedented level. As a strong partner to ECIA in putting on our annual joint industry event EDS, I have personally valued his wisdom, courage, and leadership qualities, and greatly appreciated his great advice as a peer association CEO. As he winds down his career to spend more time with his beloved wife Janice and their stable of grandchildren, we are very proud to present the first annual ECIA Partner Award to our dear friend, Walter Tobin.”
The ECIA Executive Conference is the premier event for industry executives. The conference is specifically tailored for senior management and executives in the industry's leading companies. The date for the 2026 Executive Conference is October 19-21, 2026, at the Westin O’Hare Hotel.
About ECIA
The Electronic Components Industry Association (ECIA) is made up of the leading electronic component manufacturers, their independent manufacturer representatives and authorized distributors. ECIA members share a common goal of promoting and improving the business environment for the authorized sale of electronic components. Comprised of a broad array of leaders and professionals representing all phases of the electronics components supply chain, ECIA is where business optimization, product authentication and industry advocacy come together. ECIA members develop industry guidelines and technical standards, as well as generate critical business intelligence. For more information, visit www.ecianow.org or call 678-393-9990.