Thank you for attending the CPPA Winter Expo! | |
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We had a great time "Getting In The Game" at our 2024 Winter Expo!
Four cities, four awesome regional associations and one very fun theme!
From Connecticut to Chesapeake and NYC to Drexel Hill, we had you covered!
Chesapeake Promotional Products Association (CPPA), New England Promotional Products Association (NEPPA), Philadelphia Area Promotional Products Association (PAPPA), and Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York (SAAGNY) are proud to announce the success of our third annual Power of District “1” Show collaboration which was held January 29 - February 1 with over 650 combined distributor attendees.
CPPA, NEPPA, PAPPA, and SAAGNY, all members of District 1’s regional association community, have worked together to foster communication and cooperation between our associations and our community of members which allows us to connect and share best practices amongst the Northeast geographical region of our industry. This year a common theme of "Get In The Game" was shared to create a fun experience for all. Exhibitors and attendees were encouraged to wear their favorite football team jersey/apparel which added to the fun!
To start the day, CPPA hosted a "VIP Forum" which was a fast moving, hot topic education session presented by six of our Supplier/Multi-line partners. The session was packed with standing room only! Those attending the CPPA education session were entered into a drawing to win a Keurig machine complete with K-cups.
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Immediately after the education session, the show opened and was busy from the “first whistle” with a line of distributors checking in when the doors opened and staying for the majority of the entire show. The distributors attendees saw lots of great product from all our wonderful exhibitors and several door prizes were given away during the day which enhanced the fun. Congratulations to all of our prize winners!! | |
The energy was spectacular during the entire sold out event, and it was clear people were happy to be together rekindling those Distributor/Supplier partnerships and friendships while enjoying a fun football themed show. | |
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Thank you to all our Supplier, Multi-line Rep and Distributor members for making this event a huge success! 2024 is off to a great start!
Stay tuned for the dates for the 2025 Power of District “1” Tour!
For more Winter Expo photos, click here
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And of course THANK YOU to our Winter Expo Show Sponsors! | |
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February 13, 2024 Tuesday Learning Lab: "A Tour of QuickBooks ONLINE, some Tips & Tricks and How it Integrates with SAGE Online”
For better or worse, QuickBooks Online is here to stay. If you are considering starting new in QuickBooks or switching to QBO, this presentation will give you a thorough insight into QBO, some tips to make it more manageable, and what its integration with SAGE Online is and means.
Learning Outcomes:
- How an order, created in SAGE Online, integrates with QBO
- What data is moved when exporting an order from SAGE into QBO
- Which QBO product (there are 4 choices) is best for distributors and why
- An overview of QBO and how to navigate it (not at all like QB Desktop)
- Some tips and tricks to use QBO more efficiently
Read more and register
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February 28, 2024 Wild Wednesday Webinar: “WOW Starts with You!”
The Employee experience directly impacts the Customer experience, (EX=CX). In this presentation we will review Ten Best Practices that help to develop a highly engaged culture that ultimately drives Legendary Customer Experiences.
Learning Outcomes:
- Best Practice for Hiring the right fit
- Performance Score Cards that Motivate
- Creating effective recognition programs
- Developing a self-sustaining organic culture
Read more and register
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American Solutions for Business Announces New Leadership Within Technology Team
Glenwood, MN – American Solutions for Business recently announced that Mike Schmitz has been promoted to Vice President of Technology and Eric Gorghuber has been promoted to Executive Director of Enterprise Resource Planning.
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Since joining the company in 2001, Schmitz has held many roles within ASB including Lead Architect and Developer, Application Development Manager, Director eCommerce and Senior Director of eCommerce. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Minnesota State University Moorhead and a master’s in management from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.
“I am thrilled to take this new role, especially considering my enthusiasm for contributing to the continued growth and focus on eCommerce,” says Schmitz. What excites me even more is the pivotal role our systems and architecture will play in supporting the broader business objectives. I also look forward to working with other members of Senior Leadership in architecting and optimizing robust systems that seamlessly integrate with our eCommerce platform, ensuring a scalable and efficient infrastructure. My vision includes implementing technologies that enhance user experiences, streamline processes, and ultimately contribute to the overall success of our business. This role presents a unique opportunity to not only lead IT initiatives but also to strategically align our systems with the organization's goals, creating a foundation for sustained growth and competitiveness in the eCommerce landscape.”
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During his time with the company, Gorghuber has served as the Senior PeopleSoft Developer and Director and Senior Director titles in that role. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems from Bemidji State University.
“I’m looking forward to positioning our ERP PeopleSoft system to scale with the growth of ASB and the needs of our sales force,” says Gorghuber.
“Mike has been integral to the success and growth of ASB over his many years with the company as the pioneer of our ACES eCommerce system and its development. We’re so pleased to have Mike leading the technology team into the future,” remarked Justin Zavadil, ASB president. “Eric has led the PeopleSoft technical team throughout his tenure with ASB and most recently captained that team, working alongside Miriah Cassidy, our VP of Operations, on the successful upgrade to PS 9.2. We are delighted to have Eric leading the vision of the ERP and excited to see where that takes us in the future. I'm confident that both Mike and Eric will continue to keep ASB's technology on the cutting edge of our industry.”
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Towel Specialties Announces Giveback Programs
Baltimore, MD – With the publication of its 2024 catalog, Towel Specialties announced the addition of two new giveback programs for 2024.
The first one is for Coral Vita, a Bahamian organization dedicated to restoring coral reefs around the world. With coral reefs nearing extinction, the team at Coral Vita has pioneered a way to grow a more resilient hybrid coral in pools at a faster rate than normal traditional growth rates. Once ready they can then reintroduce them to marine life in areas that have been decimated. Towel Specialties will donate a portion of all sales of their new Coral Reef Towels to the well-regarded organization.
In the second program, Towel Specialties will donate a portion of all sales to the Melanoma Research Foundation. Additionally, Towel Specialties has donated towels and blankets to the Salvation Army, particularly in areas with natural disasters, for many years.
“We’re thrilled to do our part and to support these organizations,” said Towel Specialties President Shawn Kanak. “We're committed to donating products and resources as we've done for nearly forty years and will continue adding to our messaging through the next decade. More importantly, we're investing and learning more about supporting those fighting for cures along with protecting a greener planet for future of generations to come.”
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PPEF Now Accepting Applications For The 2024-2025 School Year | |
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PPEF is an educational, charitable, nonprofit organization that awards college scholarships to students who have a parent working in the promotional products industry; or who are working for a company in the industry.
Apply today at:
www.ppef.us/college-scholarships
Deadline to submit is March 15, 2024
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Geiger Acquires NY Distributorship with a 68-Year History
Lewiston, ME – Distributor company Geiger recently acquired Broadway Marketing, an Albany, NY-based distributorship that’s been in business since 1956. Financial terms of the deal were not released.
“We are so pleased to welcome Broadway Marketing to the Geiger family,” said Chris McKee, Geiger’s chief revenue officer. “This acquisition demonstrates our continued growth and will allow us to further enhance our service offerings to customers on the East Coast and beyond.”
Broadway Marketing will now go to market as Broadway Marketing, a Geiger Company.
“We are excited to join forces with Geiger, a global leader in the promotional products industry, yet a family-owned business like ours,” said Leslie Baker, president & CEO of Broadway Marketing. “With access to Geiger’s suite of technology and e-commerce solutions, this acquisition will enable Broadway to provide an elevated range of services to our clients.”
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Danny Rosin, CAS, Appointed To The PPAI Board Of Directors
Danny Rosin, CAS, president and co-owner of North Carolina-based distributor Brand Fuel, has been appointed to the PPAI Board of Directors to fill the remaining term of Joshua White, who has stepped down. Rosin will serve on the Board through The PPAI Expo 2027.
An accomplished leader and volunteer in the promotional products industry, Rosin previously served on the PPAI Board in 2017-2021 and is the 2023 recipient of the Association's H. Ted Olson Humanitarian Award.
Speaking to PPAI Media, Rosin shared his thoughts on returning to the Association's volunteer leadership, and on unfinished business he'd like to see through during his term.
Read the Full Story Here
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3 Ways to Build a Culture of Radical Honesty (and How It Can Transform Your Business)
Andrew Schaap * Entrepreneur Leadership Network Contributor * CEO of Aligned
Transparency and honesty can go a long way toward making a business nimble and innovative.
What keeps me up at night? Watermelons. As a CEO, my biggest fear is that the digital dashboards capturing my company's vital signs are the business equivalent of that tropical fruit — green and firm on the outside, but red and mushy underneath. At first glance, everything looks solid. Then one morning, I get a call from a client asking, "What the hell is going on with A, B or C?"
This concern isn't fair to my team, who consistently exceed my expectations. But the reality is that for many leaders, such nagging fears can persist. When there's a problem, the last thing you want is for people to give you the impression — intentionally or not — that things are better than they truly are. So, how do you avoid this?
For the past few years, I've led a company in an industry facing astronomical demand. One of the biggest lessons: The agility, operational excellence and innovation required to meet this challenge requires building a culture of radical honesty.
Here are three ways that leaders and their teams can embrace radical honesty — and reap the benefits of better decision-making and a true picture of where the business stands.
Read More
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PPAI 100 Returns In 2024 With Significant Changes
PPAI 100 has always been about leading change. It recognizes the promotional products firms pushing the industry toward a better future, clarifies what those trailing them must do to compete, and, in the long run, alters narratives about our medium as a whole. It should come as no surprise that PPAI 100 itself will evolve in 2024.
The Association’s most ambitious research project has been designed to serve as a leading edge for promotional products, meant to evolve with the times and the marketplace. The evolution from Year 1 to Year 2 was always likely to be the most substantial of all. This year, the changes may have the potential to yield a fairly significant shakeup in the rankings.
Learn More About PPAI 100 in 2024
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