Wishing all of the CPPA Fathers

a wonderful, relaxing weekend!

Mark your calendars and register to attend our upcoming Fall Promo Expo!

CPPA is proud to bring you and your clients multiple opportunities to attend trade shows throughout our region. The Fall Promo EXPO is a great opportunity to connect with vendors and discuss projects. Also, CPPA Distributor members are encouraged to invite clients to attend as exclusive guests. Register to exhibit or attend today!

For event details and registration links, click here

Save the Date to Come Sail Away with CPPA and your peers while enjoying an exceptional networking experience!

Over the course of this 2-hour sunset sail aboard a beautiful, wooden 74-foot schooner, you will get the opportunity to network with other members while taking in the breathtaking views of the Chesapeake Bay. All participants will also receive a goody bag with items to enjoy on the sail and take home.

Event registration opening soon!

ASB Raises $5,500 for Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis

Glenwood, MN – American Solutions for Business raised $5,500 for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of St. Louis. These efforts were made at ASB’s recent Accelerate event, hosting 150 attendees made up of vendor partners, sales associates, and home office team members. RHMC provides a home-away-from-home for families of seriously ill or injured children so that parents can be close to their child while they are being treated. With donations, RHMC can provide a place to rest, eat, shower, or even do laundry without having to leave their child.

“The whole ASB community stepped up and chipped in to support Ronald McDonald House Charities. At every ASB event we host around the country, our team makes a conscious effort to give back to the community in which we host. We’re lucky to have the opportunity to raise money for a great organization,” expressed Dana Zezzo, VP of Vendor Relations, Marketing & Events.

Beginning weeks before the event, attendees and supporters purchased floor decals for $25. For every $25 donation, donors received a floor decal with their name on it. These floor decals were displayed throughout the event space at Accelerate.

“I want to personally thank everyone for the generous donation,” Shared Meredith Siegfried, Corporate and Foundations Coordinator with Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis. “Every single day our mission is to provide a home-away-from-home for families with seriously ill or injured children. Your generous donation will go toward supporting a wide variety of programs, but specifically opening a new Ronald McDonald House in St. Louis. This house will allow us to serve 400 more families annually”.

SAGE Launches New Curated Product Pages



Addison, TX – SAGE, a provider of information, marketing, and business management solutions for the promotional products industry, is excited to announce the latest feature addition to its SAGE Website Professional Plus platform: Curated Product Pages. This innovative enhancement offers clients the ability to feature theme-based webpages with curated content and products, aimed at increasing SEO rankings and driving more traffic to their websites.

The Curated Product Pages allow businesses to highlight specific product themes, including popular categories such as the 4th of July, 5k Races, Aviation, Back to School, Banking, and many more. These themes cater to various events and industries, providing a focused and engaging user experience for visitors.

Key benefits of the new Curated Product Pages include:

• Enhanced SEO: By featuring specific themes, businesses can optimize their websites for relevant keywords, improving search engine rankings and visibility.
• Customizability: Each theme can be completely customized, allowing businesses to tailor their content and products to match their unique brand and audience preferences.
• Increased Website Traffic: The curated pages offer a more engaging experience for visitors, encouraging them to explore additional products and stay on the website longer.

“We are thrilled to introduce the Curated Product Pages as part of our SAGE Website Professional Plus platform,” said Chris Sumpter, Vice President of Web Development of SAGE. “This new feature empowers businesses to showcase their products in a more targeted and appealing way, ultimately enhancing their online presence and driving customer engagement.”

Heather Smartt Named Goldstar’s New Global Leader



San Diego, CA – Top 40 supplier Goldstar has made a change at the top. Howard Cubberly is leaving the role of global general manager and departing the company, and Heather Smartt is taking over as global head of the firm.



Smartt, who has about 18 years of promo industry experience, had been serving as Goldstar’s director of merchandising, product development and sustainability since September 2023.

“I am so grateful for this opportunity to continue with the amazing work Howard did in his time here at Goldstar,” said Smartt. “We have a great foundation, and I am looking forward to enhancing our services and bringing more social and environmental awareness across the company as we continue global expansion.”

Cubberly was with Goldstar for 10 years, beginning as general manager of the supplier’s North American business and then rising to global leader in the summer of 2019.

Company executives said that Goldstar made major progress under his leadership, adding new product categories, expanding business in North America and Europe, and debuting on the Counselor Top 40 list in 2023 thanks to a near 75% annual sales rise in 2022.

“We are deeply grateful for Howard's vision and leadership, which was foundational to our success over the past decade,” the Goldstar management team said in a joint statement. “He will be deeply missed. We wish him nothing but the very best in his future endeavors.”

Charles River Welcomes New Sales Team Members



Sharon, MA – Charles River recently welcomed Nicola McLeod as director of outside sales and Candice Chancellor as territory account manager for the Mid-Atlantic region. They join Sharon Steed, who was promoted to director of sales last summer.

McLeod has more than two decades of experience working with product, sales and marketing teams at footwear, apparel and accessories brands, from startups to major corporations. She’s also well-versed in distributor relationships in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

“Nicola’s enthusiasm, combined with her deep understanding of apparel, will undoubtedly enhance our relationships with customers and drive our sales representatives toward even greater success,” said Barry Lipsett, CEO of Charles River Apparel.

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work with Charles River Apparel’s talented sales team,” said McLeod. “It’s incredibly important to continue developing strong relationships that will cultivate a culture of trust and partnership both within our sales team and with our customers. I look forward to learning about the business of our clients and understanding how we can be a better partner to them.”

Likewise, Chancellor has more than 20 years of experience in sales and marketing across a variety of industries, and will provide sales support for Maryland, Virginia and surrounding states.

CPPA Members.....Are you taking advantage of your membership benefits

like our Member Only Coupon Book or our Job Board?

Visit our Members Only Section for these and other Member Only Benefits!

The 2024 PPAI Greatest Companies to Work For Competition is Now Open

• Qualified members have until Tuesday, June 24 at 11:59 p.m. (CT) to nominate a company to be considered for the 2024 PPAI Greatest Companies To Work For list.
• All PPAI member companies in the U. S., Canada and Mexico who meet the requirements may be nominated, including those who have been honored in the past. Only one nomination per company is needed to enter the competition.
• When filling out the nomination form, please be prepared to include the following: company logo (.png), a high-resolution team photo, and a complete roster of full-time employees, including their email addresses.

Employees will receive a link to a survey to rate their company in five areas: benefits, resources, culture, leadership and direction. The survey is available in English, French and Spanish.

The scoring from those survey results will determine this year's list of the Greatest Companies To Work For. The selected companies will receive assets to publicize the honor and be featured via PPAI Media online and in the September issue of PPAI Magazine.



Nominate Your Company

Stop Sabotaging Your Own Success - Kick Unproductive Thinking to the Curb With These Tips Nancy Solari * Entrepreneur Leadership Network Contributor * CEO of Living Full Out

Take Want to streamline your business and take it to new heights? You need to learn to stop the negative thought processes that lead to unproductive thinking. Here's how.

As business leaders, we can become overwhelmed by the constant drive to excel against all odds, from economic downturns to staffing problems. However, at any point on the journey, we may find that our own perspective can get in the way of the vision we had for our company from the start.

Here are three ways to stop sabotaging your success and the growth of your company — plus tips on how to break free from this unproductive way of thinking.

1. Check your ego and stop setting unrealistic expectations
2. Think before you react
3. Stop the cycle of self-doubt

Read More

PPAI Product Responsibility Summit

A must-attend event for any promo professional or company trying to navigate compliance regulations in the industry, the PPAI Product Responsibility Summit is centered on critical sustainability and safety concerns.

Explore the associated business implications, challenges and opportunities across unique areas of interest, connect with fellow compliance and sustainability pros, and chart a course for your company’s continued progress. 

Register Now