PPB November 2017

CONNECT PPAI Welcomes Terry Ramsay ToThe Publications Team Terry Ramsay has joined PPAI as associate editor on the Association’s publications team. Ramsay has experience writing for print and digital publications as well as in marketing communications, digital production and social media. She was previously with the Autism Society of North Carolina and the financial institution BB&T. As associate editor of PPB , Ramsay is responsible for producing several of the magazine’s product and profile sections, plays a vital role in its editorial process and manages the publications website. She is also co-liaison to the Editorial Advisory Committee. PPB sat down with Ramsay to learn more about the newest member of the Association’s team. PPB: What was your professional background before joining the association? Terry Ramsay: I worked as a freelance writer and marketing consultant in a variety of different industries, including nonprofit, financial services, education and tech. Prior to that, I worked in communications for the Autism Society of North Carolina. This position required a lot of writing but also necessitated a “jack-of- all-trades” mentality, including jumping in to help with marketing planning and event management for our annual conference. PPB: What attracted you to your new position within the Association? Ramsay: At heart, I am a writer and grammar nerd, so I was excited about the opportunity to contribute to PPAI’s communications, and especially to PPB . I worked in traditional and digital marketing for years, so I was also excited to learn about the promotional products industry, which is relatively new to me. PPB: What are your initial objectives for the position? Ramsay: I have been very impressed with the level of expertise at PPAI, so my initial objective is to learn as much as possible from the professionals around me. PPB: Outside of PPAI, what are your interests? Ramsay: I love to hang out with my husband and two daughters. We are an active family, so we enjoy playing tennis, riding bikes and snow skiing. When we travel, we like to try new activities such as hiking local spots or taking surfing lessons. I’m also an avid reader. Ramsay can be reached at TerryR@ppai.org or 972-258-3091. On its final day, the Summit took about 110 of its attendees out on the open water for a guided tour of the Port of Long Beach. Ken Uriu, business development manager, import cargo, at the Port of Long Beach, had closed the Summit schedule the day before with an overview of the port’s operations. Uriu’s presentation painted a vivid picture of the tremendous scale of modern ocean freight, and on the boat tour he returned to guide attendees through an up-close look at the massive machines and infrastructure behind the facility. “We educate groups like yours to showcase the cargo coming through our port,” says Uriu. “It’s the best port complex in the U.S., and every import coming through here means more jobs for the local community.” The Port of Long Beach is the second busiest in the nation. Served by 140 shipping lines and connected to 237 seaports around the world, more than $180 billion in trade passes through the port each year. Uriu gave tour participants an overview of the companies and services behind those numbers, and how the port and the shipping industry have evolved over the years and where it’s going. PPAI Board Chair Mary Jo Tomasini, MAS, adds, “I was impressed by the collective expertise in the room, and to see service provider experts and industry leaders work together and share best practices in the product responsibility arena to make our entire industry better throughout the supply chain. Our work in product responsibility is unmatched, and the benefit to all stakeholders is but one of the reasons why associations like PPAI exist. “There are some things that we cannot do as individuals—we must come together in a collaborative fashion to accomplish meaningful outcomes for those who trust their brands in our hands. The product responsibility space is one of them,” she says. “Those who attended Summit went home with tools and ideas that will assist and improve their individual businesses and this entire industry today, tomorrow and beyond.” Terry Ramsay Ken Uriu, business development manager, import cargo, at the Port of Long Beach, led Summit attendees on a morning boat tour of the port’s facilities, giving them an up-close look at the machinery and equipment behind one of the country’s busiest ports. 80 | NOVEMBER 2017 |