PPB January 2018

FEATURE | PPAI 2018 Award Winners J anelle Nevins studied to be a teacher at the University of Tennessee—and taught third grade for a time—but her most valued contributions to education extended well beyond the classroom. For almost 35 years she was a trailblazer, mentor, motivator and leader whose influence made a significant and positive impact on the promotional products industry. It all started with Coca-Cola. In 1978, Nevins, who lived in Atlanta, was on maternity leave when she began to work part time for her husband, Art, who owned a distributor company with his father. On a bet, Nevins made a cold call on the Coca- Cola Company and, to her surprise, won her first client with an order for 50 lighters. Over the three decades that followed, the company purchased more than a quarter of a billion dollars’ worth of merchandise from Nevins. Those she worked with at Coca-Cola became lifelong friends until her death following an illness in 2012. This month, at the PPAI Expo in Las Vegas, Nevins will be inducted into the 2018 PPAI Hall of Fame. Nevins’ sparkling smile and Southern charm belied her powerful determination to be the best at everything she touched. As principal at Nevins Marketing, and later as senior vice president at Summit Group, she was known for taking risks, trying new techniques and allowing intuition to play a role in her decision-making process. “Janelle was a ‘consultative’ salesperson before the term ever hit the industry,” says Marsha Londe, CEO of Tango Partners, a close friend and industry colleague who nominated Nevins for the PPAI Hall of Fame honor. “She focused on what was best for the client, the campaign, the product, the moment. Some people do great things on a broad canvas; others make a difference to individuals. Janelle succeeded in both.” Londe describes Nevins as a savvy businesswoman who took educated risks, embraced new technology, created the first catalog programs and developed innovative services for her clients. She offered her expertise to anyone, including her competitors, Londe adds, with common sense, energy, passion, advice and perspective. Nevins, clearly an achiever, founded Nevins Marketing Group with her husband in 1980 and built it into an Atlanta powerhouse. In 1999, the company was acquired by a group of private investors to become Summit Marketing Group, and she joined Summit’s board of directors that year. In 2002, she was named board vice chair. Nevins was known not only for her professional acumen but for her passion in strengthening the industry and her generosity in mentoring others. She became an active volunteer with PPAI in the 1990s, serving on almost 20 advisory councils, task forces and committees over the next decade. Most notable was her work on the End Buyers Task Force in 2007 during a time when PPAI began Margie with her husband, Herschel. A Dynamic Achiever Hall of Fame recipient Janelle Nevins won the hearts and respect of many, and left the industry a great deal better simply by being herself. by Tina Berres Filipski Hall of Fame ™ 2018 I NDUCTEE Nevins in the 1980s with husband Art, son Preston and daughter Whitney. “She focused on what was best for the client, the campaign, the product, the moment. Some people do great things on a broad canvas; others make a difference to individuals. Janelle succeeded in both.” 32 | JANUARY 2018 |