From fresh product ideas to networking opportunities and educational sessions,
CPPA is helping you stay connected, inspired, and ready for a strong summer season.

May 27, 2026 Wild Wednesday Webinar: “From Invisible to Influential: How to Build a Personal Brand That Attracts Opportunity" 

In today’s competitive promotional products industry, being good at what you do is no longer enough—you need to be known for it. Visibility drives opportunity. In this session, Kirby Hasseman introduces the TARGET Personal Branding Framework, a simple and practical system designed to help professionals move from being invisible in their industry to becoming influential voices their customers trust. Participants will learn how to define their ideal audience, attract the right people, expand their reach through consistent content, confidently ask for opportunities, and turn customers into enthusiastic brand ambassadors. This session focuses on practical steps that sales professionals, marketers, and industry leaders can immediately implement to grow their visibility, credibility, and business opportunities.

Learning Outcomes:

• Define their ideal audience and craft messaging that resonates with the right customers instead of trying to reach everyone.
• Build a consistent personal brand presence using content and visibility strategies that increase reach and industry influence.
• Apply the TARGET framework to attract opportunities, confidently ask for business, and turn customers into enthusiastic brand advocates



Read more and register

Come out and Root for Your Team!

Join CPPA at the ballpark as the Orioles take on the Mariners

June 10, 2026 at Camden Yards

First Pitch: 6:35 pm

Step up to the plate for one of CPPA's favorite events of the year - CPPA Night at the Ballpark!

This year, we're switching things up with a private group experience in the Right Field Porch (Sections 206 - 210) - the perfect setting to stay connected, build relationships, and enjoy an exciting night of O's baseball together

Cost:  $50 pp CPPA Members - Includes game ticket and a $25 Food and Beverage credit to be used during the game on items of your choice. 

Pregame: We will be meeting before the game at Section 771 which is near the stadium for an informal pre-game gathering. This is a great opportunity to network before the game and then head over to the game with other CPPA attendees. Cash bar for the pre-game networking will be available.

Don’t miss this opportunity to mix business with baseball—CPPA style! Space is limited, so grab your ticket early and join us for a night of connections, camaraderie, and Orioles baseball.

Reserve Your Tickets Here

Join Team CPPA & Make an Impact!

We’re proud to share that CPPA has created Team CPPA to participate in the upcoming ALS Walk and we’d love for you to be part of it!

This is a great opportunity to come together as a community, get outside, and support an incredibly meaningful cause. Whether you walk, donate, or simply help spread the word, every bit of support makes a difference in the fight against ALS.

Saturday, August 22, 2026

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore

1 Safari Place

Baltimore, MD 21217

Walk Distance: 1 Mile; Walk Check-in: 7:30 AM; Walk Start: 8:30 AM

Let’s show the power of our industry by coming together for something bigger. We hope to see you there!

Join Team CPPA & Register Here

Bowling & Business....Not Your Father's Bowling League!

September 21st

Main Event

10300 Little Patuxent Parkway

Columbia, MD 21044

Join us for an evening of fun, friendly competition, and networking at our Pre-Show Bowling Tournament! Whether you're a seasoned bowler or just in it for the snacks and laughs, this is the perfect event to mix business with pleasure.

Pre-registration is required so that we will have an approximate head count. No experience required for this fun event as we will be using bumpers on all lanes to even the playing field.

• 6:30 - 7 pm: On Site Tournament Registration where brackets will be developed. No need to find a "team" as we will place you with your teammates on site.
• 7 - 9 pm: Bowling tournament with prizes awarded
• $50 per person which includes bowling, appetizers, 1 drink ticket and entry for a chance to win a prize during the event! 

Bring your co-workers, family and clients - the more the merrier! Spots are limited, so reserve yours soon and get ready to roll into a great time!

Read more and register

Mark your calendars and register to attend our upcoming Fall Promo Expo ~ Home of the 2026 Preakness!

CPPA is proud to bring you and your clients multiple opportunities to attend trade shows and events throughout our region. The Fall Promo EXPO is a great opportunity to connect with vendors and discuss current and upcoming projects. CPPA Distributor members are encouraged to invite clients to attend as exclusive guests. 

• 9 am - 10 am: Education Session: Details Coming Soon! 
• 10 am - 1:30 pm: Exhibits Open 

Private Distributor Hosting Rooms! 

We're excited to offer an exclusive opportunity at this year's Fall Promo Expo: Distributor members can now reserve a private room to invite and host their customers during the show! 

*2 rooms out of 3 still available - offered on a first come, first served basis (images on website)
Room Rental: $250 - $350 per room depending on choice.

Whether you want to create a VIP experience, hold private meetings, or just offer a quiet space for client conversations, these rooms are the perfect solution. Reserve your room today during registration before they're gone!

For more event details and registration links, click here

Vantage Apparel Strenghtens Regional Sales Team with Jerry Chierchio

Avenel, NJ - Vantage Apparel recently welcomed Jerry Chierchio as Sales Account Manager, covering Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and South New Jersey.

Jerry brings more than 10 years of experience in the promotional products industry to Vantage Apparel. He began his career in 2014 at alphabroder as an Inside Strategic Account Executive, where he spent seven years managing national accounts including iPROMOTEu and Geiger. During that time, he was recognized as IPU Supplier Rep of the Year twice and earned a spot in alphabroder’s Presidents Club three times.

In 2021, Jerry moved into an outside sales role, managing the Eastern Pennsylvania territory. Following the S&S integration, he also managed the Philadelphia territory for eight months. His strong distributor relationships and industry background make him a valuable addition to the Vantage sales team.

“I am excited about the opportunity to work for a company that not only has a long history and reputation for quality but also has an eye toward the future with the creation of the Swagee webstore platform,” said Chierchio.

“Jerry brings a well-rounded background working with distributors that will translate seamlessly into success across his territory,” said Sean Macilvain, Vice President of Business Development. “His experience working with national accounts like iPROMOTEu, along with distributors throughout the region, adds a wealth of knowledge to our growing sales team.”

Outside of work, Jerry enjoys spending time with his family, working on home improvement projects, collecting records, and attending live music performances.

SanMar Recognized As A US Best Managed Company

Issaquah, WA - SanMar has been selected as a 2026 U.S. Best Managed Company. Sponsored by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal, the program recognizes outstanding U.S. private companies.

SanMar also earned the distinction of Gold Honoree – companies that have been recognized as a Best Managed Company for four to six years.

“We are honored to receive this recognition once again,” says Jeremy Lott, CEO of SanMar, “and accept this award on behalf of all our SanMar employees who show up every day, give their best and never lose sight of who we do this for: our customers, our communities and each other.”

Wendy Flaherty Joins Arch Promo Group As Director of Digital Strategy

St. Louis, MO - Arch Promo Group has appointed Wendy Flaherty as director of digital strategy, bringing more than 15 years of marketing experience in the promotional products industry to support the company’s next phase of growth.

Wendy previously held marketing leadership roles at BIC Graphic USA (now Koozie Group), DFS and California Tattoos.

At Arch, she will focus on unifying the company’s legacy brands, including BGD Promo, Drum-Line, Gemini Line, HOWW USA, ProRose, StrombergBrand, and TK Sorg’s, under a streamlined digital strategy.

“Wendy brings strong industry knowledge and digital expertise that align perfectly with where Arch Promo Group is headed,” says Scott Andreson, vice president of sales and marketing. “Her leadership will help create a more connected experience for distributors and continue strengthening our brands.”

Gemline Earns Gold EcoVadis Rating

Lawrence, MA - Gemline has been awarded a Gold Medal rating from EcoVadis, a leading provider of business sustainability ratings.

The recognition places Gemline, a Certified B Corporation and Massachusetts Public Benefit Corporation, among the top 5% of companies assessed globally by EcoVadis over the past 12 months and reflects the strength of Gemline’s sustainability management systems and commitment to transparency across its value chain.

“Earning EcoVadis Gold recognition is an important milestone for our company and a meaningful validation of the work our team has done to embed responsibility and accountability throughout our business,” says Frank Carpenito, president and CEO of Gemline. “Through betterway, we remain focused on continuous improvement, transparency and delivering products and solutions that help our distributor partners and their customers make more responsible choices.”

2026 Pyramid Awards in Technology

The branded merchandise industry continues to embrace digital transformation, and this year’s PPAI Pyramid Award winners prove how smarter e-commerce, mobile tools and web platforms are making it faster and easier than ever for distributors to sell and fulfill merch.

Thanks to innovative developments in technology, essential tasks such as searching for products, obtaining pricing, choosing decoration and placing orders takes a fraction of the time it once did – and it’s a whole lot easier. And, with tools that provide realistic embroidery renderings, design customization and presale proofs, the process is more accurate than ever.

For the past 68 years, the PPAI Pyramid Award has stood as the industry’s top prize for achievements in creative campaigns and promotions, exceptional decorating craftmanship and superiority in technology.



This year, the PPAI Pyramid Award in Technology recognizes four industry companies for their contributions to the technologies that are so crucial to promo professionals. Six gold and silver trophies, provided by Pacesetter, were recently awarded for excellence in e-commerce websites, mobile apps/websites and web content/functionality.



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Why a Well Designed Website Is No Longer Enough - and What Actually Turns Visitors into Buyers

Goran Paun * Entrepreneur Leadership Network Contributor * Principal, Creative Director at ArtVersion

For years, businesses were told to refresh, redesign and optimize. The result was better-looking websites that often changed very little.

Most companies believe their website is underperforming because of what it lacks visually. The more common problem is that it is too passive. It presents information, but it does not guide. It describes, but it does not reassure. It exists, but it does not do enough to move someone from interest to action.

The website is no longer a brochure medium. It hasn’t been for some time. Yet many businesses still approach it that way — building stories, then assuming a visitor will arrive, read and then decide. That sequence no longer holds. Attention is shorter. Alternatives are immediate. The distance between interest and departure is measured in seconds.

A static, well-designed website in that environment is not a signal of credibility. It becomes a waiting room with no one at the desk. The issue is not the design itself. It is what the site is not doing.


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PPAI's Women's Leadership Conference

The PPAI Women’s Leadership Conference (WLC) brings women of promo together for a high-energy experience focused on leadership growth and meaningful connection. WLC has played a pivotal role in challenging professional women who share common vision to achieve greater success.

This career-driven conference is designed for female promotional products leaders and innovators.Through shared experiences and practical insight, attendees gain the confidence, perspective and community to move forward in their careers and lead with intention.

WLC 2026 will take place in Milwaukee, WI at Saint Kate - The Arts Hotel from June 22 - 24.



Register to Attend