October 2023

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 29th at Pinstripes in Overland Park, KS and November 30th, 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

October 10, 2023 Tuesday Learning Lab: "Mastering CANVA for Promo"


Join Charity Gibson, Chief Marketing Officer of Proforma, for a session on mastering Canva for promo. Yes - Canva can be frustrating, but once you learn how to use it, it's magic! During this session you will learn why it is important to master this powerful program, time saving skills to help you present like a pro, and much more.



Learning Outcomes:

  • Learn what Canva is and isn't
  • Explore ways Canva is servingy your clients differently than you are
  • Gain an understanding of how to use Canva to change the way you go to market


Read more and register

October 25, 2023 Wild Wednesday Webinar: "Retirement Readiness"


Are you on track to the retirement you imagined? Whether you are 32, 48 or 62 you should have a retirement plan in mind. The earlier you begin planning the more you can take advantage of the power of compounding.

 

This presentation focuses on the information around planning for retirement. Especially during those critical 5-10 years just before you retire. Retirement is one of the most expensive financial events that you will come across in your lifetime. If you are not ready for it, you may fail to realize your long-awaited retirement goals. 

 

Learning Outcomes:

  • Evaluating Risks in Retirement
  • Retirement Income Sources
  • Healthcare in Retirement
  • Social Security


Read more and register

PPAMidwest News

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. 

Did You Miss Some of our Informative Webinars and Want to Catch Up?

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.

Want to earn points and join in on the fun?
Simply complete the easy request form to have your points credited
for the activities you participate in. For live events and activities, your attendance will automatically be recorded and points assigned, provided you are an active member of PPAMidwest. For recorded webinars, referrals and completion of PPAI Certifications or renewals, simply complete the easy request form to have your points credited.
It is that simple! (click on above image for more information).

Industry News

PPAI 2024 Icon Award Winners

PPAI Newslink

2024 PPAI Hall Of Fame & Distinguished Service

Award Winners Announced

 

PPAI has announced the recipients of its 2024 Icon Awards: PPAI Hall of Fame inductee Dave DeGreeff, MAS, and PPAI Distinguished Service Award recipient Bill Petrie.

 

These awards celebrate the accomplishments of those who have gone above and beyond in service to the promotional products industry, the Association and their communities.

 

At The PPAI Expo 2024, the Icon Award recipients will be recognized with two distinctly special events to bring more significant awareness to their accomplishments.


Meet The Icon Award Winners

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

2024 PPAI Women's Leadership Conference

June 23 - 25, 2024 - Nashville, TN

PPAI's 2024 WLC To Be Held In Nashville


WLC is one of the promo industry’s most pivotal events of the year. Women, in every stage of their career, gather to share empowering business advice, triumphs and their hopes for the future.

 

“This event supports an important community that has always been exceptionally engaged supportive of one another and supportive of PPAI,” says Ellen Tucker, CAS, CAE, vice president, revenue and expositions, at PPAI. “We want to keep prioritizing the growth of WLC because it’s an investment that continues to pay off for our industry in more ways than we can count.”

 

This event is an opportunity for networking, education and practical content, WLC has long been an environment that fosters community within the women of the promo world.

 

With promo veterans having made WLC an integral part of their schedule every year, the event has also managed to grow each year, creating a blend of fresh and experienced. Organic mentoring opportunities have blossomed through WLC weekend like perhaps no other industry event.

Read more

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