Exclusive Leadership Dinner Is
Annual’s Must-attend Event

By Tomiyo Turner

This year for our annual leadership dinner on September 21, we are trying something a bit different. The great networking will be the same, but we hope to increase participation in the event. In fact, we hope to double attendance. We have booked the exclusive House of Blues Foundation Room on the top floor of Mandalay Bay. This is one of the few truly members-only venues in Las Vegas. Only invited guests receive elevator access to the 43rd floor. Here guests will be free to mingle while sampling delicious Southern cuisine and sipping blues-inspired libations. Guests will also have access to the stunning patio area overlooking the Las Vegas Strip. This year, in order to maximize the networking potential of the event, we have chosen not to do a plated dinner. This way guests can mingle freely and enjoy the chic décor.

This is not only an exclusive venue, it is an exclusive group and a fantastic opportunity for guests to network with some of the most interesting and influential players in the industry. The dinner will be hosted by previous ERA chairs, Greg Renker, Jeff Giordano, Jack Kirby, Linda Goldstein, Dan Danielson, Jeff Knowles, Rick Petry, Ed Garrubbo, and incoming chair Nathan Fagre. It will also be attended by representatives of our Platinum Membership. Year after year, this event attracts the best of the best. The event provides a great atmosphere for the exchange of ideas and an opportunity to learn about the latest trends in the industry. High-profile networking like this leads to great business rewards.

But this is more than a great networking event, this is the primary way we can strengthen the voice of the industry in Washington. This is a chance for you to share your views on the laws that affect you most with our staff and to help ERA work better for you. It is also a chance for you to contribute to the right kind of change in Washington. ERA is not allowed to use corporate funds or membership dues for many of the things we do to advocate for the industry. For this reason, ERA has formed a political action committee (PAC). This is basically a way of pooling resources to give the industry a strong, unified and non-partisan voice. For example, it is important to support candidates who understand the concerns of the industry. When we make a donation to a campaign using our PAC, we show that the industry stands behind lawmakers who help maintain a favorable business climate. When we support candidates as an industry, we are also more effective because lawmakers know what policies are most popular. Several individual donors may support a particular candidate, but that candidate may not know exactly why he or she has received their support. It could be any of the hundreds of issues from that year. However, when ERA supports a candidate, we demonstrate the strength and importance of the electronic retailing community.

We are also able to monitor hundreds of proposed laws, which allows us to effectively identify supporters of a business environment that is fair to electronic retailers. By being a strong, but fair, advocate for the industry, we have become a trusted source of information for lawmakers. To maintain and increase the influence of the industry, we need your support.

So do not pass up this opportunity for great fun, networking and the chance to support this dynamic industry!

Tomiyo Turner works in ERA’s government affairs department. She can be reached at (703) 908-1022, or via e-mail at [email protected].