Atlanta, GA – The Electronic Component Industry Association (ECIA) announces a structural reorganization reflecting input from a series of interviews and an extensive member survey. ECIA’s primary mission, to promote and improve the business environment for the authorized sale of electronic components by manufacturers, their reps and distributors, hasn’t changed. But the new structure creates forums for each of the Association’s constituents to both discuss the unique challenges they face as well as develop potential solutions to common industry issues. The outputs from these forums enhance the broader discussions through working groups like the Global Industry Practices Committee (GIPC) wherein ECIA brings industry leading companies together to address the opportunities and challenges within the authorized channel. 

Implemented at the fall Board of Directors meeting held in Monterey, California, the new structure comprises a streamlined Board of nine Directors and three Councils made up of component manufacturers, distributors and manufacturers' representatives, respectively. These three Councils report directly to the Board of Directors. The Distributor, Manufacturer and Manufacturer Representative Councils are each made up of 12 executives from member companies with responsibility for suggesting Association priorities, while setting and overseeing their Council’s specific agenda and initiatives. 

Each council has elected representatives to the ECIA board of directors, which now consists of four from the Distributor Council, four from the Manufacturer Council and one from the Manufacturer Representative Council. The new Board and Councils will meet in person twice a year, with an opportunity for the Councils to meet individually and in a joint council session wherein common issues can be aired and discussed. 

All ECIA members are invited to attend the appropriate Council meeting to provide their inputs. In addition to the structural changes, the new Board of Directors was pleased to announce that Jeff Thomson, VP of Global Channel Sales with ON Semiconductor was elected as the Board chair, and that the new chair-elect is Lynn Torrel, President of Avnet United and Velocity at Avnet.  The full listing of the board and council members can be found on the ECIA website https://www.ecianow.org/about-ecia/.