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BELLA+CANVAS, Gildan Join
Charity ToHelp LAHomeless
Suppliers BELLA+CANVAS (PPAI 304892) and Gildan
(PPAI 250187), in partnership with charity Bundles of Hope,
distributed care packages to over 5,000 homeless people
in Los Angeles on March 15. BELLA+CANVAS donated
new t-shirts, and Gildan supplied pairs of socks to the care
packages that Bundles of Hope will give to the homeless as
they make their way back into traditional living. Bundles
of Hope’s mission is to provide homeless individuals in
transition with basic essentials to help make their lives
easier and to spread awareness of the challenges faced by
people living on the streets of Los Angeles County.
Industry Leaders JoinUMAPP Fire &
Ice Show’s Panel Discussion
The Upper Midwest Association of Promotional Professionals (UMAPP)
held its 2017 Fire & Ice Show in March and brought together several
industry leaders for a panel discussion on trends, research and best
practices in the promotional products field. The panel, moderated by PPAI
President and CEO Paul Bellantone, CAE, represented supplier, distributor
and business services companies in the industry and featured Chuck
Fandos, CEO of Brand Addition and FacilisGroup; CJ Schmidt, president
of Hit Promotional Products; Paul Tauton, CEO of Business Impact Group;
and Bill Smith, Jr., president of Brown & Bigelow and Hotline Calendars.
PPAI’s Barnett Speaks At
TRASA, CASA Shows
PPAI Diversity Development and Engagement
Manager Seth Barnett joined the education
programming at the Three Rivers Advertising
Specialty Association (TRASA) and Caribbean
Advertising Specialties Association’s (CASA) shows
in March to speak on Millennial consumerism
and working to bring Millennial buyers into the
promotional products industry.
Jack Harris, the son of BELLA+CANVAS CEO Danny Harris and a senior at
Beverly Hills High School, founded Bundles of Hope and organized a group of students
to assemble the packages.
During the panel discussion at the UMAPP Fire & Ice Show, PPAI President and CEO
Paul Bellantone, CAE, shared the results of PPAI’s surveys, research and interviews, as well
as industry trends, and the conversation ranged from supplier and distributor best practices
and regulatory and compliance issues, to consumer behavior and new technology.
Barnett’s TRASA session drew an audience of nearly 40
attendees. He says, “This group was particularly engaged. Their
market, the greater Pittsburgh area, holds a lot of appeal for
young professionals and they’re a growing presence in the area.”
At the CASA
Show, Barnett
presented two sessions
on Millennials and
was joined onstage
by a pair of local
politicians advocating
for Millennial
understanding and
workplace cooperation.
108
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MAY 2017
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