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JANUARY 2017
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FEATURE
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Celebrating Leadership Excellence
volunteered in numerous leadership
capacities. She served on the Promotional
Products Association of theMidwest
(PPAM) board from1995 to 2004 and served
as PPAMpresident from1997 to 1998.
Price’s nominator, 1994 Hall of Fame
inductee Margaret Custer-Ford, MAS,
founder of MARCO Ideas Unlimited (PPAI
106680), says, “Margie is a perfectionist.
She does all manner of good and helpful
things, never beating her own drum, but
just quietly making it happen, and happen
it does. Not only has she done many, many
things for us as an association, but she
seems to have unlimited energy for many
charitable causes as well.”
In addition to running her company and
volunteering with PPAI, Price is heavily
involved in many organizations in her
community, including the St. Louis Men’s
Group Against Cancer, which she has led
as executive director since 1985. Every year
she plans its spectacular November auction
and dinner fundraiser. The most recent
event brought together 550 St. Louis-area
business leaders to hear legendary football
coach and ESPN analyst Lou Holtz speak,
and it raised hundreds of thousands of
dollars for St. Louis-area cancer patients
and their families.
She’s also passionate about her work
with the Center for Head Injury Services,
a community-based organization that
provides services to victims of head
injuries and their families. Her son,
Dennis, who suffered a severe head injury
as a child, benefits from the center’s
services. “He’s an amazing person—the
strongest person I know,” says Price.
Her identical twin daughters, Melissa
and Teresa, both St. Louis prosecutors, will
be at The PPAI Expo to watch as Price is
inducted into the Hall of Fame. “They are
really, really good at what they do,” Price
says proudly.
But to Price, family doesn’t just include
her children and her husband, Herschel.
It also includes everyone in her company
and her friends in the industry. “So many
people in our trade association are part
of my family. I belong to The Partnering
Group and I consider themmy family.
I have Diva sisters [a group of industry
women] and they’re part of my family.
That’s what this industry is all about. We
meet people who become lifelong friends.”
Price is generous about sharing her
friendship and knowledge with newcomers.
“I love to see new people at the Expo,
sitting in classes. I love to sit at a table and
not know anybody there and introduce
myself.They say it’s their first year or second
year and I ask, ‘Did you volunteer for
anything? Have you gotten involved? Are
you part of your regional [association]?’”
She has this advice for newcomers on
how to be successful in the industry: “Sit up
front in general sessions and classes, and
never leave an empty seat next to you. Sit
next to somebody, introduce yourself and
find out what they do. You could be talking
to someone who has been in the industry
for 40 years, who’s a Hall of Famer and has
won every other award, and has so much
to share with you in just five or 10 minutes.
Spread your wings and meet more people.
Don’t stay with your group of friends.”
And, Price says, be sure to volunteer
with your regional association and PPAI
because it pays off in your career. “Being
involved with PPAI has made me better at
what I do,” she says.
Julie Richie is associate editor of
PPB.
Margie Price, MAS, is joined by members of her 2009 board
class: (from left) Stan Breckenridge, MAS; Darryl Haddox and
Paul Miller, MAS, and RAC delegate Mark Fyten, MAS.
“So many people in our trade
association are part of my family. That’s
what this industry is all about. We meet
people who become lifelong friends.”
Price, shown with members of the PPAI
Board of Directors, served on the board
from 2005-2009.