A Message From Our PPAMidwest President......

PPAMidwest Members,

It’s hard to believe that another year has come & gone so quickly. The last few weeks have been busy for our association. A huge thanks to our awesome Board of Directors and our Executive Director for pulling off two great holiday parties. We were thrilled to see so many of you at these events and truly hope that you enjoyed getting together with your fellow members.

If you missed the holiday parties, I want to take a few moments to fill you in on the annual member report that I shared with those in attendance. This year, membership within our association increased by 13% and we provided over 3,960 minutes of programming to allow you to connect with others in the industry to network, learn and share experiences. Our Spring & Fall shows saw a huge boost in the number of exhibitors, attendees, and table spaces with expanded footprints in new locations. We hosted our most successful golf tournament ever in June and saw the return of our highly popular Pickleball Tournament in August, which will expand to both KC & St. Louis in 2024. All in, 2023 has been a tremendous year for PPAMidwest, but 2024 looks to be even better!

Looking ahead to 2024, our Events Committee which will be chaired by incoming VP Amelia Madl, has already begun planning special events for almost every month of the year. At the same time, the Board has reviewed ways to solidify our standing for years to come. Recently, PPAI completed a study of all of the Regional Associations and financial stability for each. I am happy to report that currently PPAM shows strong reserves that would allow us to sustain through a potential year of disruptions similar to 2020. But during these evaluations, it was made clear to us that our costs are increasing dramatically, like everyone is experiencing and that our membership dues are far below the industry average. As such, the Board voted a slight increase to dues which will begin on January 2^nd. More details will come out soon, but many members will see no increase at all and if you have auto-renewal set, you will be charged the existing dues on January 1^st.

Finally, normally the biggest portion of the Holiday Parties is the passing of the gavel where the current President passes control to the incoming President. Due to some changes within our Board, including 5 members leaving their posts and four new Directors being named, the Board has voted that I should retain Presidency through 2024. So folks, you are stuck with me for another year, and it is indeed a great honor to continue serving what I believe is the best regional association in our country.

I hope each of you has the most joyous holiday season and a wonderful New Year. As always please reach out directly to me with your comments, questions, or just to chat. I can be reached via email at dennis.oglesby@go2partners.com. 

Yours in Service,

Dennis Oglesby, MAS

2023-2024 PPAMidwest President

A Great Time was had by all at the PPAMidwest Holiday parties!

Thank you to everyone that attended PPAMidwest's Holiday Parties on either 11/29/23 at Llyweln's Pub in St. Charles or on 11/30/23 at Pinstripes in Overland Park. What a great time catching up and celebrating the Holiday season with our awesome members!

A special thank you to all that brought items to be donated to KVC Health Systems! Your generosity will go a long way to those in need and is truly appreciated.

 PPAMidwest PhD Award Recipient Announced at the 2023 Holiday Parties

The PPAMidwest Board of Directors added Education as a focus to our regional association's strategic plan. In an effort to encourage participation and reward active members, the PPAMidwest PhD (Promo Honors Designee) award program was developed.

Annually, one outstanding member will be rewarded with the PhD Award. Throughout the year, points are awarded for activities as detailed on our point structure which you may find here. Each November, the PPAMidwest Board of Directors will review the points standings and determine the recipient, based on the top point earner(s) and a vote, in the event of ties.

And the 2023 Winner is........

Congratulations to our 2023 PPAMidwest PhD award recipient Julie Ross with AIA! So very well deserved!

PPAMidwest will continue to offer exciting and ongoing educational programs and your participation can lead to awesome recognition! Make sure to attend our events and participate in our webinars and activities to earn your points so that you might be our 2024 recipient!

American Solutions for Business Promotes Justin Buysse to Senior Manager of Fulfillment

Glenwood, MN – American Solutions for Business recently promoted Justin Buysse to Senior Manager of Fulfillment. In this new role, Justin will be responsible for the Glenwood Distribution Center, leading the team on both day-to-day and long-term strategies. He will also continue managing the supply chain/logistics department.

"Within the first two years since moving into the new warehouse, the Glenwood distribution team has already achieved great success," explained Buysse. "I am thrilled to continue working and building with this team."

Justin was awarded the Eagle Award during the most recent American Award Ceremony. The Eagle Award highlights ASB employees, nominated by their peers, who demonstrate the American spirit by unselfishly sharing their time and expertise, extending a helping hand, and improving and energizing morale with a positive attitude. 

“Justin is dedicated and possesses the leadership skills we value at ASB, making this promotion a well-deserved step in his career," expressed VP of Finance, Bill Finley. "I look forward to seeing him excel in this new role."

Rob Watson Returns to Vantage Apparel as New CEO

Avenel, NJ – Vantage Apparel recently announced the return of Rob Watson as the company's new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). With over 20 years of industry experience and a successful tenure as Vantage's Chief Experience Officer, Watson's return signals a new chapter in the company's growth and innovation. 

Watson's deep knowledge and understanding of the promotional apparel industry make him the perfect leader to steer Vantage Apparel into the future. In his previous role as Chief Experience Officer, he played a pivotal role in enhancing the customer experience, streamlining operations, and driving business development initiatives. Ira Neaman, Vantage's current President & CEO will transition to the President & Executive Chairman position to shift focus towards Vantage's vision, strategy and continued business development. 

"Rob's return to Vantage Apparel as CEO is an exciting development for our company," said Neaman. "Rob's extensive industry experience, combined with his prior contributions to our organization, positions him to lead Vantage to new heights. We are confident that under his leadership, we will continue to provide our customers with the highest quality promotional apparel and new, innovative services."

Watson expressed his enthusiasm about returning to the company, saying, "Vantage has a long-standing reputation for quality, innovation, and exceptional decoration services, and I'm committed to building on that legacy. We have an exciting journey ahead, and I look forward to collaborating with our team and our distributor partners to drive our company forward in the industry."

In his new role as CEO, Watson will focus on advancing Vantage's strategic initiatives, expanding the company's product lines, and enhancing its market presence. His proven leadership skills and industry knowledge will be instrumental in shaping the company's future and ensuring its continued success. 

Navigating Beyond Vanity Metrics — Do Followers, Likes and Comments on Social Media Really Matter?

Lena Grundhoefer • Entrepreneur Leadership Network Contributor • CEO and Founder of ZEITG3IST

Brands spend a lot of money chasing vanity metrics on social media, but this doesn't always translate into tangible ROI. Here's what to do about it.

Social media is filled with vanity metrics to the point that they are often used to quantify the success of any particular campaign. From follower counts to likes, comments, quotes, and reposts, everyone chases this engagement, but few people can actually tell you what they mean or why they matter.

When performing a Google search, there's an endless line of marketplaces that offer to sell us these vanity metrics so that we can flex a number on a screen. And people buy it — even the most popular social accounts have a non-trivial volume of fake followers. These fake metrics can likely do more harm than good, limiting reach for the sake of numbers on a screen.

Everybody chases the dragon, but beyond website clicks and potential sales leads, the ROI of vanity metrics are thin. Read More