The story
In 1924, 50 radio manufacturers in Chicago formed a trade group called the Associated Radio Manufacturers. This organization was designed to control the licensing of the large number of radio patents so that each member could have access to all the relevant patents necessary to build radio transmitters, antennas and receivers. Over time, new electronic technologies brought new members, non-manufacturer members, and name changes.
Names in chronological order:
1924 – Associated Radio Manufacturers
1924 – Radio Manufacturers Association (RMA)
1950 – Radio Television Manufacturers Association (RTMA)
1953 – Radio Electronics Television Manufacturers Association (RETMA)
1957 – Electronic Industries Association (EIA)
1997 – Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA)
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The organization's headquarters were in Arlington, Virginia. The EIA divided its activities into the following sectors:
ECA – Electronic Components, Assemblies, Equipment & Supplies Association
JEDEC – JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, former Joint Electron Device Engineering Council
GEIA – (now part of TechAmerica), Government Electronics and Information Technology Association
TIA – Telecommunications Industry Association
CEA – Consumer Electronics Association
The EIA announced in 2007 that it would be dissolved into its constituent divisions, and transferred operations soon after. The Alliance formally ceased to exist on February 11, 2011. EIA designated ECA to continue to develop standards for interconnect, passive and electro-mechanical (IP&E) electronic components under the ANSI-designation of EIA standards. All other electronic components standards will be managed by their respective sectors.
The ECA merged with the National Electronic Distributors Association (NEDA) in 2011 to form the Electronic Components Industry Association (ECIA). However, the EIA standards brand will continue for IP&E standards within ECIA.
From Wikipedia’s article on Electronic Industries Alliance, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3