MEDIA CONTACT: Reina Munsch, (703) 562 4681
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 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, an consumer-packaged goods. IDEA is headquartered in Arlington, VA (idea4industry.com).