August 2023
A Message From Our PPAMidwest President......
 
PPAMidwest Members,
 
Personal story alert! I absolutely hate heat and humidity, which means August is normally a month that I dread. In Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska, the summer heat can be oppressive to say the least. Many of us also experienced in this last week how much heat and humidity can lead to torrential rain! At PPAMidwest, we choose to make August a fun month. Our largest social events outside of our holiday party are held this month. I hope many of you are planning on joining in on the fun at either Chicken N Pickle or at Up Down for the arcade party in STL. This is an opportunity for you to truly enjoy being members of PPAMidwest and a chance for the board of directors to thank you for being committed to making this association the best regional out there! Perhaps many of you have noticed our monthly supplier spotlight and I hope you are each exploring those highlighted suppliers and the ways they can be a part of your business or community. I also want to be able to start to highlight the stories of our members. How did you get into the industry? What keeps you in the promo world? Where have you been and where are you going? I’d love to hear all of your personal stories. Email or call me and share.
Be sure to add these awesome events to your calendars:
  • Our Fall Showcase dates are set for September 26th in Overland Park, KS and September 28th in St. Louis.
  • Our annual holiday parties will be held on November 29th at Pinstripes in Overland Park, KS and November 30th at Trainwreck Saloon Westport in St. Louis. 

I remain humbled to serve as your President and am looking forward to seeing all of you in person soon. Please reach out directly to me with your comments, questions, or just to chat and don’t forget to share your stories. I can be reached via email at dennis.oglesby@go2partners.com. 

Yours in Service,

Dennis Oglesby, MAS
2023 PPAMidwest President
August 15, 2023 Tuesday Learning Lab: "Grow Your Business with Food Gifts; It's Not Just for Holidays Anymore"

Have you always wanted to delve into food gifting but didn’t know where to start. Well, it’s fun and easy and clients LOVE it! Food Promotions are not just for the Holidays anymore. They have so many applications and can help add to your business bottom line.  
 
Learning Outcomes:
  • Different type of food gifts that are available.
  • What makes a successful gifting campaign?
  • What are the most popular food gifts?
  • How do you introduce food gifts to your clients?
August 30, 2023 Wild Wednesday Webinar: "Hit the TARGET with Your Marketing"

Most businesses spend a lot of time and energy promoting their business…but they are not sure what is working. In this presentation, Kirby Hasseman will explain how to create more effective marketing…and build a business that lasts.
 
Learning Outcomes:
  • Why it's so important to identify your perfect customer.
  • Why you need to build a list...and how to do it.
  • How to begin to build a brand that people want to share.
  • How to create content that resonates with you target market. 
Mark your calendars and register to attend our
upcoming Fall Holiday Showcase!
 
Don't miss this year's Fall Holiday Showcase which will be held in
both Kansas City and St. Louis. Our annual end user friendly tabletop
show format will be at two fun and unique locations that you
and your customers are sure to love!

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2023
The Fiorella's
9000 West 137th Street
Overland Park, KS 66221

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2022
The Foundry Arts Centre
520 North Main Center
St. Charles, MO 63301

Exhibits Open: 10 am - 1pm

Register to exhibit or attend today!
 For event details and registration links, click here
PPAMidwest News
Fred Durand and Chris Alfano return in strategic C-level roles for Vantage Apparel

Avenel, NJ – Vantage Apparel recently announced the return of Christopher Alfano, an 11-year industry veteran, to the organization as its new Chief Digital Officer (CDO). Alfano rejoins the Vantage team after two years with the top 40 distributor, AIA Corporation.
Over his impressive career, Alfano has distinguished himself as a driving force in the digital transformation and modernization of operational systems and infrastructure. In his initial nine years at Vantage, Chris served as Chief Technology Officer, responsible for modernizing their ERP system and spearheading the critical shift toward more effective and efficient digital processes.
 
Alfano said, "I'm incredibly excited to return to Vantage Apparel and contribute to the ongoing digital transformation. I aim to use my experience and expertise to enhance our e-commerce capabilities, deepen our partnerships, and support our distributors with more robust and seamless integrations. It's an exciting time for Vantage, and I'm thrilled to be part of it."
 
Alfano joins Fred Durand, Vantage’s Chief Operating Officer, who was brought back earlier in the year to head up all production, sourcing, IT, customer service and digital operations teams. Fred’s first run with Vantage included a nine-year tenure and put him at the forefront of several leadership roles including Director of Customer Service and VP of E-Commerce.
Over the last 15 years, Durand has held C-level positions outside of the promotional products industry, leading operations, and e-commerce for global consumer goods brands.
 
“The recent hires are in line with Vantage's commitment to bolstering its digital capacities in response to the evolving needs of the industry. Chris' experience and innovative leadership will now be channeled into enhancing Vantage's e-commerce platforms, streamlining distributor integrations, and cultivating strategic partnerships through their newly established Digital Sales Operations team," said Ira Neaman, President. “Fred has a strong technology background, experience running large scale manufacturing operations and a passion for fostering excellence throughout an organization. In his first 6 months, he implemented significant process enhancements to give our service and operations teams more visibility to real-time information, access to technology benefits, and ultimately an overall better order experience.”
American Solutions for Business Promotes Taylor Borst to Senior Director of Marketing & Vendor Relations

Glenwood, MN – American Solutions for Business has promoted Taylor Borst to Senior Director of Marketing & Vendor Relations. In this new role, she is responsible for leading, creating and executing short and long-term strategic direction of the following departments: marketing, events, public relations, vendor relations and product support. 
 
Taylor has been with ASB for over 8 years, serving in many roles including Strategic Operations Support Specialist, Promotional Product Specialist, Communications & Public Relations and for the last 2.5 years, Director of Marketing, Events & Public Relations.
 
“I’m excited an honored to take on this new role and work even closer with our dynamic, talented teams,” shares Borst. “My mission has always been to create connectivity and add value for our sales associates, home office, vendor partners and end-user customers. I look forward to learning from our vendor relations team and exploring ways to contribute to our already outstanding efforts.”
 
In addition to her responsibilities within ASB, Taylor also serves as the 2023 President of UMAPP, is a contributing writer for PromoCorner and PPAI, is a Sous Chef with PromoKitchen, was featured #3 on PPAI’s 2023 #Online18 and was a 2019 PPB Rising Star.
 
“I’m excited to continue to work closely with Taylor,” expressed VP of Marketing, Vendor Relations & Events, Dana Zezzo. “She has been instrumental in many of the positive changes of our team, and I have full confidence in her ability to continue to be a leader at ASB.”
PCNA Named 2023 Counselor Top 40 Supplier

Pittsburgh, PA – The Advertising Specialty Institute® (ASI), has honored PCNA as a 2023 Counselor® Top 40 Supplier. ASI’s exclusive ranking of the largest companies in the industry is based on 2022 North American promo revenue.
 
The Top 40 Suppliers and Top 40 Distributors were revealed Wednesday, July 26th, at the ASI Show® in Chicago during ASI’s annual Counselor Awards celebration of the promo industry’s top companies, leaders, humanitarians and family businesses. Profiles of the Top 40 companies are now live at asicentral.com/news.
 
“ASI is delighted to congratulate PCNA for making our prestigious list of the promo industry’s most successful companies,” said Timothy M. Andrews, ASI president and chief executive officer. “The Counselor Awards applaud our industry’s most extraordinary suppliers.”
 
“We are proud to be recognized by ASI as a leader in the promotional products industry,” said Holly Brown, PCNA Chief Revenue Officer. “We appreciate the opportunity to serve our distributors with innovative and sustainable product solutions as we partner together for growth.”
PPAMidwest Members....Are You Taking Advantage
of your Member Only Benefits?
Bergman Apparel Honored as PPAI 100 Industry Leader

Omaha, NE – Bergman Incentives, a national distributor of promotional merchandise and decorated apparel, announces the acquisition of Austin Embroidery & Logos, an Omaha-based company specializing in decoration solutions. This acquisition represents another step in Bergman’s initiative of deliberate and thoughtful growth to serve clients more efficiently and with greater expertise.

“The team at Austins has been like part of Bergman family for nearly a decade. To formalize our relationship feels like a natural evolution of our businesses.” said Mike Battershell, Bergman President & CEO. He continued, “After successfully mastering the art of decorating apparel and accessories for 20 years, their expertise is a natural fit with Bergman’s client-focused brand-centric approach. This acquisition continues to fulfill Bergman’s strategic initiatives of adding value and decreasing costs and production times to our clients.”

Shannon Schmitz, owner of Austin Embroidery & Logos, adds, “Bergman Incentives’ reputation for industry leading client support combined with innovative technology solutions will allow us to focus on producing the best decoration for clients while streamlining our operations.”

Founded in 1888, Bergman Incentives delivers innovative solutions to client needs using promotional merchandise and branded apparel. The firm specializes in branding/marketing services, company stores, fulfillment and distribution from its 23,000 sf headquarters in Omaha, NE. The company also has offices in Lenexa, KS and professionals located in seven states.
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Industry News
PPAI 2024 Board Officers
PPAI Newslink
PPAI Announces 2024 Board Officers
 
PPAI has announced officers for the Association’s 2024 Board of Directors. 
 
They are Andrew Spellman, CAS (left), vice president of corporate markets of Therabody; Denise Taschereau (center left), CEO and cofounder of Fairware; Chris Anderson (center right), CEO of HPG; and Kevin Walsh, CAS, president of Showdown Displays.
 
The incoming officers begin their one-year terms immediately following The PPAI Expo 2024, which will run January 15-18. 
How to Harness the Power of Sustainability in Small Business to Drive Profits and Capital
Marek Niedzwiedz • Entrepreneur Leadership Network Contributor • CEO at aeXea Group

Embracing sustainability can improve profitability while attracting investment and funding for small businesses.
 
In today's business landscape, sustainability has become a crucial factor driving success. Beyond its environmental implications, integrating sustainable practices into small businesses can produce substantial benefits, including increased profitability and improved access to capital.
 
At the heart of sustainability lies the concept of utilizing resources optimally and reducing waste - an approach that benefits the environment and drives cost efficiency, ultimately leading to increased profitability. Let's delve deeper into this intriguing nexus of sustainability, cost reduction and resource efficiency.
 
The foundation of sustainability is built on the wise use of resources. This often involves optimizing the usage of resources such as energy, water and raw materials. For example, businesses that employ energy-efficient technologies are likely to experience a significant drop in their energy consumption. This can be achieved through methods as simple as switching to LED lighting or as complex as upgrading machinery to more energy-efficient models.  Read More
2023 PPAI Product Responsibility Summit
October 8-10 - Alexandria, VA
Be Proactive About Responsible Sourcing

Supply chains and sourcing regulations are constantly evolving based on geopolitical and human rights issues. In today's turbulent economy, keeping up with best practices can feel overwhelming or even impossible. 
 
But at PPAI’s Product Responsibility Summit, you will learn to make responsible sourcing manageable and actionable, alongside peers who are eager to learn, discuss and reflect on current trends and regulations. On top of roundtable discussions and legislative updates, Summit will feature session topics such as:
  • Hazards to consider before nearshoring
  • UFLPA enforcement priorities
  • Enforcing your code of conduct throughout your supply chain
  • Environmental and social responsibility considerations and more 

Get the updated information you need to keep your sourcing in compliance and to put your company in the best position to navigate change. Click here to learn more or complete your registration