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Slack was instrumental in
redefining professional education
for industry members. He partici-
pated in the PPAI Speakers Bureau
for 10 years, presenting to colleges
and universities as well as the U.S.
Small Business Administration and
more than 30 advertising clubs.
Slack worked with fellow board
member Tom Forrester to create
the first Education Day in 1976 for
PPAI’s annual trade show in Dallas.
Later the two would expand it into
a format that reached salespeople
as well as owners and principals;
Slack was a speaker at every
Education Day from its inception in
1976 to 1984.
“The 1976 Education Day at
the Dallas Show was a watershed
moment in the history of PPAI and,
indeed the entire industry,” says
Gill Studios Chairman Mark
Gilman, CAS. “That Steve ‘was
instrumental in redefining profes-
sional education for industry mem-
bers’ is an accurate, if understated,
evaluation of Steve’s
impact on the industry.
He was a wonderful
man—warm, funny, out-
going, a friend to all.
Smart, industrious, he
was certainly among the
most influential men I
ever had the good for-
tune to work with in my
years with SAA – PPAI.”
Slack also contributed signifi-
cantly through his co-authorship
of a key resource on the promo-
tional products profession,
Specialty Advertising: New
Dimensions In Creative
Marketing. Co-authored by mar-
keting professor Dr. George
Herpel, the text provided insights
for both academic and business
applications and
became the standard
publication for teach-
ing about the industry.
Slack’s model for
developing promo-
tions, given in a step-
by-step illustration,
was a prominent fea-
ture of the book.
In August 2012, the PPAI
Board of Directors voted to cre-
ate a Hall of Fame Memorial
Program utilizing PPEF’s Named
Scholarships to honor Hall of
Fame members for their lifetime
contributions to the Association
and industry. The board will
match donations up to $2,500 to
fulfill the $5,000 commitment
needed to create a Named
Scholarship through PPEF. To
date, HOF Named Scholarships
have been created in memory of
Gene Cesario, Marvin Spike and
H.D. Joe Stratton.
To make a gift to establish a
scholarship in Steve Slack’s name,
send a check payable to PPEF
mentioning Slack in the memo
line and mail it to PPEF, 3125
Skyway Circle North, Irving, Texas
75038. Gifts can also be made
online at Click on
Donate and enter the gift as a
Memorial/Honorary donation.
Stephen E. Slack
PEOPLE NEWS
AUGUST 2016 • PPB • 97
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