February 14, 2020
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Industry Data Exchange
Association, Inc. (IDEA) Board of Directors announced today they have selected
David R. Oldfather as the new IDEA President and Chief Executive Officer
effective February 18, 2020.
Oldfather
is a well-known electroindustry veteran having served in leadership roles at
Affiliated Distributors, Hagemeyer North America, and most recently Jigsaw
Systems. He and his wife Grayson have two recently married children.
“The
Board is delighted to see someone with significant industry experience take the
helm. David will ensure a successful new platform launch and drive execution of
user enhancements without a steep learning curve,” said Rick Gigliotti, IDEA
Board Chair.
“A good deal of progress has
been made since NEMA and NAED announced their partnership to develop a data
warehouse to promote the exchange of product information electronically through
a common interface point more than 20 years ago,” said Oldfather. “With the
demand of product content accelerating, I believe a focus on the fundamental
purpose of IDEA is as appropriate now as it was then: IDEA should continue to
offer an efficient, robust digital exchange between electrical trading
partners, with complete product information synchronization coming directly
from manufacturers through IDEA to their authorized distributors.”
He noted that this process is
made possible through IDEA commitment to Standards oversight and facilitation
with a strong focus on industry-wide priorities.
“I look forward to working with
the IDEA staff to provide complete, cost-effective data management solutions to
our distributor and manufacturer partners/customers,” said Oldfather.
IDEA,
Crystal City, Arlington, Va., enables digitized connectivity between
manufacturers and distributors of electrical products whereby high-quality
product data can be shared digitally, quickly, and accurately across this
channel of business.
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About
IDEA: The
Industry Data Exchange Association, Inc. (IDEA) is the official technology
service provider and eBusiness Standards body of the electrical industry. The
company helps thousands of manufacturers and distributors find the most
cost-effective methods for running the day-to-day business. IDEA applications
help connect the supply chain and make business processes efficient, easy and
enjoyable for people every day. IDEA was founded in 1998 through a partnership
rooted in the collective leadership of the National Electrical Manufacturers
Association (NEMA) and the National Association of Electrical Distributors
(NAED) members. Their applications also bring value to vertical markets such as
industrial, retail, and consumer-packaged goods. IDEA is headquartered in
Arlington, VA (idea4industry.com).
IDEA Press
Contact:
Reina Munsch
(703) 562 4681