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ume tremendously with a cat-
alog of merchandise,” he
says. “This was a new con-
cept in our industry, and in
the mid-1950s I started to
promote what is now known
as the custom co-op cata-
log.” The concept opened
the door to large corporate
accounts with dealer and dis-
tributor networks. Custom co-
op catalogs served as a pre-
cursor to royalty-based cor-
porate programs as well as to
direct mail and a variety of
other direct-sales outlets,
including the development of
airline catalogs.
During his more than 65
years in the promotional prod-
ucts industry, Stern served on
a variety of PPAI committees
and as chair of the board in
1989. It was during his tenure
that the current PPAI head-
quarters building was com-
pleted in Irving, Texas.
“Now more than ever, the
level of professionalism, the
variety and quality of the
products available, and the
almost unlimited outlets for
logo-identified merchandise
underscore the impact and
importance of this industry in
the world of marketing and
brand identity programming,”
Stern says. “It is an honor to
be chosen as a member of
this first group of Promotional
Products Pioneers.”
Ralph B. Thomas
As the new executive
director at Advertising
Specialty National
Association (ASNA, now PPAI)
in 1956, Ralph B. Thomas
effectively led the
Washington, D.C.-based
association through a number
of major events including the
Federal Trade Commission’s
case against the Association
and the industry’s continuing
quest for identity as an effec-
tive advertising medium. On
the latter, Thomas’ back-
ground was especially help-
ful; he had started his career
with Lord & Thomas, an ad
agency that later became
Foote, Cone & Belding, now
one of the largest global
advertising agency networks.
The Association had also
recently begun making pre-
sentations to local ad clubs
affiliated with the Advertising
Federation of America
through a new program
called Advertising Specialty
Day. Together with
Education Committee Chair
James Albert, Thomas toured
several university campuses
in search of the best location
for the Executive
Development Seminar, which
launched in 1961. The pair
settled on Case Western
Reserve University and it
would be the first program
where participants received
CAS designations.
The communication traffic
channeled through his office
intensified as ASNA and the
Advertising Specialty Guild
rekindled their desire to
explore merger possibilities.
When that merger took place
in 1964, the boards of the
two organizations agreed that
Thomas should be the presi-
dent of the newly named
Specialty Advertising
Association. He then man-
aged the Association’s move
to new headquarters in
Chicago, Illinois, and hired a
staff to carry out the
Association’s programs.
Although illness forced
him to retire within the year
and he later passed away,
Thomas will long be remem-
bered for providing crucial
and strategic leadership dur-
ing a key turning point in the
Association’s history. It was
his wise decisions and com-
petent management that kept
the industry’s Association
progressing forward.
THE PPAI MILESTONE PROGRAM recognizes those companies who have achieved a signifi-
cant membership milestone in PPAI. The honors will be conferred by PPAI President and CEO Paul
Bellantone, CAE, and Rick Brenner, MAS+, PPAI chair of the board, at the Chairman’s Leadership
Dinner on Monday, January 11 during The PPAI Expo in Las Vegas. Tickets are available during show
registration at During the black-tie optional event, each honoree will be presented
with a commemorative trophy provided by Crystal D.
Twelve More Members
Celebrate 50 Years Of Membership
PPAI 50-Year Members
A. Dean Watkins Company East
ADG Promotional Products
Advertising Accents Inc.
Ball Chain Manufacturing
CROSS
Gemaco Inc.
Lipic’s, Inc.
Paulich Specialty Co., Inc.
SAMCO Line
Sanatex Corporation
SELCO
Tee Pee Advertising Co.
PPAI’s Promotional Products Pioneers
JANUARY 2016 • PPB • 39