As we head into a busy Fall season, it’s the perfect time to reconnect, refocus,

and take advantage of everything happening within your CPPA community.

Whether you’re attending an upcoming event, connecting with fellow members,

taking advantage of education and member benefits, or simply looking for a fresh idea to

finish the year strong, CPPA is here to help you make those connections count.


Connect. Learn. Grow. Finish 2026 strong with CPPA.

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

September 21st

Main Event

10300 Little Patuxent Parkway

Columbia, MD 21044

Join us NEXT WEEK 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

Register now to attend NEXT WEEK's 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: "Prompt Engineering: Getting Better Results From AI": This presentation introduces branded merch professionals to the fundamentals of prompt engineering and how to communicate effectively with AI tools. Rather than relying on vague prompts that produce generic results, attendees will learn how to structure prompts with clear context, instructions and desired outcomes to generate higher-quality outputs. Using real examples from the branded merch industry, this session demonstrates how AI can support tasks such as writing emails, generating campaign ideas, creating product concepts and refining messaging. Participants will walk away with a repeatable framework they can use to get more accurate, relevant and useful responses from AI tools.

• 10 am - 1:30 pm - Exhibits Open 

For event details, list of exhibitors and registration links, click here

September 30, 2026 Wild Wednesday Webinar: “Win the Year Before it Begins. Strategic Planning that Turns Intentions into Results" 

Most professionals wait until January, if at all, to start planning the new year, and by then, they’ve already lost momentum. In this powerful session, Cliff Quicksell reveals why strategic planning before the year begins creates a competitive advantage. Learn how reflection, clear metrics, and intentional discipline position you to lead, not react.

Learning Outcomes:

• Reflect Strategically on the Previous Year: Learn how to analyze what worked, what failed, and what opportunities were missed so you can build a smarter and more intentional plan for the year ahead.
• Build a Clear, Measurable Strategic Plan: Understand how to translate goals into actionable metrics by reverse-engineering annual targets into monthly, weekly, and daily activities.
• Create Momentum Before the New Year Begins: Discover why planning in advance provides a competitive edge, allowing you to enter the new year with clarity, confidence, and forward momentum while others are still trying to figure things out.



Read more and register

ASB Raises $11,000 for The Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre

Glenwood, MN - ASB raised $11,000 for the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC) during the 2026 ASB Summit in Whistler, Canada. The Squamish and Lil’wat Nations have coexisted as neighbors for generations and built the SLCC to share their cultural knowledge and inspire greater understanding. ASB was honored to support the Centre and grateful for the opportunity to visit during the 2026 ASB Summit event. These efforts and donations were made possible by the generosity of Summit attendees and the entire ASB family.

In the weeks leading up to the event, attendees and supporters had the opportunity to purchase $25 decals. Each personalized decal featured the donor’s name and was displayed throughout the Summit event space. Donors also received a commemorative T-shirt as a thank-you for their contribution. Unique to this year’s Summit, the T-shirt artwork was designed by an Indigenous artist from the Squamish Nation.

The closing social was held at the SLCC, giving Summit attendees the opportunity to experience a processional led by four members of the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations, followed by tours of the Centre and the presentation of the $11,000 check.

“Thank you so much for the generosity in support of our Indigenous Youth Ambassador Program,” shared Redman, Cultural Ambassador. “This immersive experience teaches the foundation of business, providing a safe space for students to gain confidence, skills, and work experience. This donation will go directly toward our program and the students it supports.”

This charitable tradition has become a meaningful part of ASB’s Summit event. ASB remains committed to ensuring each gathering not only fosters professional growth and connection, but also creates a lasting and meaningful impact on the host community.

SanMar Appoints Pat Noonan to Newly Created Role of Chief Operating Officer

Issaquah, WA - SanMar has created a new chief operating officer position and has tapped 19-year company vet Pat Noonan to fill the role.

Noonan has served as chief product officer since 2017. His focus on customer satisfaction, innovation and quality has shaped successful brand launches, SanMar said. Noonan also played a key part in the company’s acquisition of BELLA+CANVAS earlier this year.

The new role reflects the scale of SanMar’s ongoing investment in the infrastructure that supports its customers and industry partners. Over the past several years, SanMar has expanded its product catalog and grown its brand portfolio to more than 30 brands, announced expansion plans for automated distribution and accelerated investment in the technology platforms distributors and decorators rely on every day. 

“This is a natural next step in strengthening our executive team, and it reflects the trust we have in Pat’s leadership,” said Jeremy Lott, SanMar president and CEO. “Bringing these functions under one leader will make it easier for these teams to work together, move quickly and support our customers and each other well.”

In his new role, Noonan will continue to lead product organization and will also oversee IT, distribution and enterprise resource planning. “Throughout my career, I’ve believed that leadership starts with service,” Noonan said. “I’m honored to step into this new role and help connect the people, processes and ideas that make a difference for our customers. The opportunity ahead of us is exciting. I’m fortunate to work alongside a dedicated team that’s committed to supporting small businesses and making a positive impact every day.”

Boundless Names New Leaders of DTC, E-Commerce & Print Divisions

Austin, TX - Boundless has announced the addition of both David Maier as vice president and head of DTC and e-commerce and Michael O’Neal as senior vice president and GM of Boundless’ print division.

Maier previously served as senior director of e-commerce and omni-channel retail development for Major League Soccer. Earlier in his career, he held marketing and e-commerce leadership roles with consumer brands, including General Mills, Newell Brands and Revlon.

O’Neal brings more than 16 years of industry experience in commercial print strategy, sales and operations. Most recently, he helped spearhead BAMKO’s expansion into commercial print, serving as vice president of managed services.

“We’ve assembled an exceptional team of people and partners, and we continue to see tremendous opportunity to expand the ways we help brands reach their audiences as a full-service agency partner,” says Aaron Hamer, CEO of Boundless. “David and Michael each bring deep expertise in areas that are increasingly important to our clients. Their leadership will help us accelerate our strategy while creating new opportunities across our business.”

PCNA Holds 4th Annual Tree Planting Event

New Kensington, PA - PCNA hosted its fourth annual tree-planting event in partnership with Tree Pittsburgh and The Giving Grove at the Tree Pittsburgh campus in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood. Approximately 50 PCNA employees joined representatives from both organizations to plant trees along the Sycamore Trail near the Giving Grove campus, helping expand educational and natural resources in the area. Participants also toured Tree Pittsburgh’s Heritage Nursery and learned more about local reforestation and community orchard initiatives.

The event builds on a partnership that began with PCNA’s seed grant supporting Pittsburgh’s participation in The Giving Grove’s national community orchard program. Since the city became the 14th U.S. community to collaborate with The Giving Grove, five community orchards have been established in Pittsburgh in 2025 through support from PCNA and on-the-ground leadership from Tree Pittsburgh. Together, the orchards have added 116 fruit trees and berry brambles, with projected benefits including 36,426 annual servings of fresh food, 124 tons of carbon sequestration and 1.3 million gallons of stormwater interception. During the most recent growing season, the orchards produced approximately 3,800 pounds of harvested produce.

“It was an incredible honor to participate in PCNA’s fourth annual tree planting event and join our employees in supporting the Pittsburgh community,” says Josh Militello, CEO of PCNA. “Our partnership with Tree Pittsburgh and The Giving Grove turns PCNA’s dedication to service and sustainability into meaningful, lasting local impact.” Liz Haesler, PCNA’s global chief merchandising officer, added that the event provided an opportunity for employees to contribute to greener spaces while helping expand access to fresh food and support long-term sustainability efforts.

The Greatest Companies To Work For In Branded Merchandise

The PPAI Greatest Companies To Work For list keeps growing. This year’s superlatives go to 138 companies, up 22 from last year’s list, with 80 returning honorees showing that a strong culture doesn’t happen by accident.

The list spans six-person shops to organizations nearing 1,000 employees and includes suppliers, distributors and business service firms, both family-run and publicly held. What ties them together is simple: Every company on this list puts employees at the forefront, according to the staffers themselves.

Ask this year’s winners what keeps people around, and one answer comes up more than any other. Roughly 3 out of every 4 winning companies named work/life balance as one of their employees’ top three reasons for staying, putting it well ahead of everything else in the survey.

Trust in leadership and a company’s stated values weren’t far behind, and workers consistently pointed to feeling heard and having their contributions noticed. Pay and benefits still matter, but this year, the companies that stood out were the ones where employees feel they are treated as people, not widgets.


Click here for the Full List of Winners

Changing How We Measure Value

Danny Rosin, CAS * PPAI Media * PPAI Board Chair

The PPAI Board Chair shows why the impact of branded merch often goes beyond what is quantifiable – and explains why we must work to measure its intangible value.

What if one of the biggest opportunities facing the branded merchandise industry isn’t a new product, emerging technology, greater diversity or “youthification”? What if it’s our vocabulary?

For decades, we’ve measured success using familiar metrics: cost per unit, budget, margin, impressions and CPM. Those numbers matter. They help us manage programs, demonstrate efficiency and make informed business decisions. But they rarely capture the full value of what we create.

Maybe CPM shouldn’t only mean cost per thousand impressions. In our industry, perhaps it could also mean Cost Per Moment: the investment required to create an experience someone genuinely remembers.

When branded merchandise is done well, we don’t simply distribute products. We influence how people feel, connect, remember, belong and take action. We welcome someone on their first day of work. We recognize an achievement, inspire a donor, strengthen a community or turn a customer into a lifelong advocate.


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PPAI's Merch Moves Us is Here

Merch Moves Us is PPAI’s global campaign that helps marketers and decision-makers position branded merchandise as a strategic marketing channel.

It provides research, case studies, planning tools, buyer-facing resources and opportunities for members to contribute their own content to help communicate the value of merch with confidence.

Access The Toolkit