Save the Dates!

This year, CPPA is focusing on quality over quantity for our social events, with an emphasis on community and high-value networking. To take things up a notch, we’re considering purchasing luxury suite tickets for our next BIG event on either June 11th or June 12th.

The suite experience offers not only a premium view of the game but also an exclusive setting for meaningful connections with fellow professionals—all in a comfortable, air-conditioned space complete with food and drinks.

We’d love to hear your thoughts! Please take a minute to answer our quick survey by Friday, March 21st to help us make this event a success: https://bit.ly/41LufzQ

Crystal D Welcomes Ray Rodriguez as Sales Leader, Promotes Tawauna Garner

St. Paul, MN - Crystal D recently added industry veteran Ray Rodriguez to its sales leadership team and promoted Tawauna Garner to solutions manager.

After consulting with Crystal D over the last six months, Rodriguez joins the company as its vice president of sales.

“Ray's deep industry knowledge, along with his extensive experience with strategic planning and relationship building, have already made him a trusted advisor for Crystal D,” said Bridget Dahlgren, executive vice president of marketing and sales. “Ray’s commitment to serving our customers and maintaining high standards align with Crystal D and our passion to be the very best.” Dahlgren said the company is “ecstatic” for Rodriguez to lead the sales team in articulating the value and ROI of recognition, while coaching and guiding customers on growing their award sales businesses profitably. 

With more than 30 years of experience in sales management roles within promotional and premium businesses, Rodriguez has earned the reputation as an industry expert, as well as a widely respected sales and marketing leader. His resume includes roles at top 40 suppliers and distributors, and he has also owned and managed his own real estate brokerage. In addition to his role at Crystal D, Rodriguez will continue to run 5Ppromo, his consultancy for suppliers and distributors, and navigate the Mexico market with AmeriMex, a division of 5Ppromo. Rodriguez is especially passionate about helping suppliers refine and grow their businesses, and he has hit the ground running as Crystal D’s sales leader.

“Awards is an exciting and creative category to represent! As salespeople, it’s uncommon to present a product where a buyer can easily identify a return on their investment,” Rodriguez said. “Selling awards is a high-purpose sale and the value of recognition, to the recipients as well as to the business, can easily be articulated. My team and I are excited to share our winning formula for success that will impact the bottom line for both our customers and theirs.”

As a coach to his team and customers, Rodriguez will be training and developing sales proficiencies to help successfully implement, execute, and grow awards and recognition programs.

“I am blessed to work with Crystal D and its team,” he said. “They are committed to being the best in the awards and recognition space. I’ll see everyone on the road!”

Promotion of Tawauna Garner

Longtime, award-winning Memory Maker Tawauna Garner has been promoted to solutions manager. It’s the latest in a series of progressions Garner has made as a leader on Crystal D’s inside sales team, known as the Solutions Team.

“Tawauna has been our lead solutions specialist for the past year and she has consistently gone above and beyond,” Dahlgren said. “She’s demonstrated outstanding leadership and care for her team, as well as her customers, and we’re excited to see her step into this new role.”

With the Solutions Team reporting to her, Garner carries on her responsibilities for making the project idea, design and quoting process simple, easy and fast, while building a team that consistently delivers a memorable experience. 

“Tawauna’s passion for serving and partnering with our customers is second to none!” Dahlgren said. 

Garner has been with Crystal D since 2016 and has held several roles with the company’s customer service and sales teams, earning accolades from both inside the company and within the industry.

We are excited to share with you that PPAI is awarding a scholarship to

one regional member to attend a PPAI event in 2025! Applications are being

taken until 3/31/25 at https://ppai.awardsplatform.com

SanMar Becomes Presenting Sponsor For Seattle's Iconic "Beat The Bridge" Race



Issaquah, WA – SanMar is the new Presenting Sponsor of Seattle’s Beat the Bridge, a charity race benefitting Breakthrough T1D, the preeminent global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy organization formerly known as JDRF.

“SanMar is excited to step in as the new Presenting Sponsor, continuing the incredible legacy of community involvement and support for a cause that is so close to my family,” says Lott. “We look forward to leveraging that dedication and helping keep Beat the Bridge an iconic Pacific Northwest tradition that makes a real difference for those with type 1 diabetes and their families.”

Last Chance for NALC Early Bird Pricing

Time is running out to save on PPAI’s North American Leadership Conference (NALC) which features engaging sessions and exclusive speakers tailored specifically for top-level executives and industry visionaries. NALC provides insights and strategies aimed at fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within the promotional products industry. This year's conference will be held May 12 - 14 in Chicago, IL.

At NALC, you'll engage in high-impact discussions on the pivotal issues shaping our industry, collaborate with top executives and exchange innovative ideas that drive success. This conference is your chance to network, strategize and gain insights that will empower you to tackle challenges head-on.



Early Bird Registration Deadline: TODAY, March 20, 2025

6 Reasons Your Marketing Emails Aren't Converting - and How to Fix Them All

Svetoslav Dimitrov * Entrepreneur Leadership Network VIP * Founder of Copywriting Titan

Email marketing has the highest ROI of every marketing strategy. But only if you avoid these mistakes.

Email marketing remains one of the most powerful tools for driving revenue — and I have the numbers to prove it. I've generated over $18,000,000 for clients and my own offers, and a big chunk of that came from crafting simple, easy-to-read emails.

This confirms that email is not only not dead — it's thriving more than ever. In fact, for every $1 spent on email marketing, marketers see an average return of $36 — that’s a staggering 3,600% ROI.

Despite this massive potential, most business owners and entrepreneurs are either not sending emails at all or are sending bad emails that don’t convert. Why? It boils down to six common mistakes — which I’ll cover in this article.



Read More

WLC - The Premier Event for Women Leaders

Every year, remarkable women from the promo industry gather for an event that celebrates community, inspiration and personal growth. PPAI's Women's Leadership Conference 2025 (WLC) is a powerful platform where women in leadership roles and those with burgeoning leadership potential come together to uplift one another, forging connections and building a truly unparalleled network. This year's conference will be held June 23 - 25 in San Diego, CA at the Coronado Island Resort & Spa.

WLC is a one-of-a-kind event that empowers women in promo to:

• Connect with industry peers
• Exchange innovative ideas
• Acquire cutting-edge skills
• Deepen industry expertise
• Propel your business forward

Make sure the women leaders in your company register by Thursday, May 1 to receive early bird pricing.