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

PPAMidwest Members,

Riding the highs of an incredible fall show! This year we saw unprecedented levels of exhibitors at both of our Fall Shows and we sincerely thank all of our amazing supplier and MLR members who chose to participate and spend time with our awesome distributor members and end buyers. Thanks to everyone who contributed or joined us. We are already hard at work on selection for next year’s show dates and venue confirmations. So please provide feedback to guide the PPAM Board and Events Committee for a successful 2024 show schedule.

Speaking of 2024, October is always the start of the planning season for next year. Soon, your PPAM Board members will be meeting in person to plan and strategize ways to support you in the coming year. Simultaneously, the nomination window is opening for new Board Members and we have several spots to fill. Please consider how you can contribute to improve your PPAMidwest membership and experience. Could you serve as a board member? Might you want to work on a committee? Perhaps you have ideas to share with us on areas of improvement or expansion? This is the perfect time to make your voices heard. We truly want to hear from our members to guide us through the strategic planning process.  

Don’t forget to mark your calendars:

• Our annual holiday parties will be held on November 29^th at Pinstripes in Overland Park, KS and November 30^th, but we are changing venues for St. Louis and will announce soon a TBD location along Main Street in St. Charles, MO with some fun added perks for the St. Louis party.

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

American Solutions for Business Holds Photo Contest

for Promotional Products Work! Day

Glenwood, MN – American Solutions for Business recently participated in PPAI’s Promotional Products Work! Day, hosting a company-wide photo contest. Submissions were received from multiple departments across ASB, and prizes were sponsored by some of ASB’s Patriot-level vendors.

Promotional Products Work! Day serves as a celebration of the promotional products industry's impact on businesses and communities across the nation. The top five winners, and the prizes they won are:

• Sales Associate, Lauren Kovach – cast iron skillet from Starline; gift card from SanMar
• Sales Associate, Laura Sahli – Sol tote bag from Hit Promotional Products; blanket from Terry Town
• Sales Associate, Kim Hamlin – trunk organizer from Hit Promotional Products
• Sales Development Specialist, Kim Smith – kickback chair from Koozie Group
• Sales Associate, Susan Caudillo – trunk organizer from Hit Promotional Products

"We are thrilled with the enthusiastic response to our photo contest and grateful for the incredible support from our valued vendors," said Dana Zezzo, ASB’s VP of Marketing, Vendor Relations & Events. "The submissions reminded us all how instrumental promotional products are in our daily lives, and illustrated to others what this industry is all about.” 

Vantage Apparel Expands Retail Brands with the Addition of Berne Apparel Workwear

Avenel, NJ – AVantage Apparel, a leading manufacturer and decorator of custom apparel, is proud to announce its partnership with Berne Apparel, a renowned name in the industry since 1915. Berne's reputation for providing rugged and reliable workwear aligns perfectly with Vantage Apparel's commitment to quality and durability.

According to Ira Neaman, President of Vantage Apparel, “The addition of Berne workwear brings an array of high-quality styles to the forefront, catering to various uniform preferences and outerwear needs. We’re starting off with styles that are most popular for outdoor workers but there is also a fashion component that broadens the audience. Workwear has been a solid trend with younger buyers for several seasons.” 

With the addition of Berne workwear, clients can expect seamless customization options, including embroidery, patches and laser etching. Vantage Apparel's full-service decoration capabilities ensure that each piece of Berne workwear is expertly customized to meet each client’s needs. 

As a PPAMidwest member, you have access to these webinars that may be watched when it is convenient for you. By watching a recording you can still earn CAS/MAS credit. 

The webinars may be found HERE on the PPAMidwest website. Please make sure that you are logged in at www.ppam.org with your email address and password as this is a PPAMidwest Member Only benefit. Don't know your password? Reset it at any time on the main page to the right of the Log In button. 

Suppliers and Multi-Line Reps ~ Are you interested in hosting a virtual webinar or Lunch and Learn session? Please reach out to Tiffany at admin@ppam.org for more information and to schedule your date.

Social Media Fraud Is On the Rise — And Even the Most Savvy Are Getting Scammed

Madeline Garfinkle • Entrepreneur Magazine • Entrepreneur Staff News Writer

One in four individuals who reported being scammed since 2021 said it originated on social media, amounting to $2.7 billion in losses, per the FTC.

Social media use can provide a slew of opportunities — from furthering your career to cataloging memories to finding love and friendships. However, it can also offer opportunities for criminals, like scamming and defrauding.

According to a new report by the Federal Trade Commission, one in four individuals who reported losing money due to fraud since 2021 said that the scam began on social media.

The cumulative losses reported from these schemes during the same period have amounted to $2.7 billion, the report found, eclipsing any other communication method by a considerable margin. By comparison, the losses from websites or apps were $2 billion for the same period, phone calls were $1.9 billion, and email was $0.9 billion.  Read More