PPB April 2019

PPAI Hosts Freeman Leadership Visit On Valentine’s Day, PPAI hosted a visit from Don Freeman, CEO of event marketing and management firm Freeman, along with members of his senior leadership team. PPAI has partnered with the Dallas, Texas- based company for more than 50 years on The PPAI Expo ® and other Association initiatives. PPAI, PPPC And SAGE Join Successful Merchandise World InThe UK Merchandise World, a trade show serving the promotional products industry in the UK, drew industry professionals from across the country and abroad to the NAEC Stoneleigh in Warwickshire on January 30-31. The show is a collaboration between business services provider Sourcing City and the British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA). The show floor featured 217 supplier companies and drew 1,348 distributor visitors over the show’s two-day run, a 25-percent increase in attendance over 2018. Freeman, who is also chairman of the Freeman board, visited PPAI along with Rob Engelhardt, senior vice president of client development; Danny Ferguson, senior client solutions manager; and Chris Mahoney, a client development executive, to meet with PPAI staff and tour the Association’s headquarters. Recognizing where their visit fell on the calendar, Freeman also delivered a Valentine’s Day-themed cupcake display in appreciation for Association staff. Merchandise World drew leaders from PPAI, SAGE and PPPC. (From left) BPMA Board President Graeme Smith; SAGE President David Natinsky, MAS; PPPC President and CEO Jonathan Strauss; ASI Senior Executive Director of Editorial & Events Michelle Bell; SAGE Director of Sales Blake Bozeman; PPPC Board Chair Heidi Reimer-Epp; PPAI President and CEO Paul Bellantone, CAE; PPAI Board Chair Brittany David, MAS; BPMA Head of Education Daniela Arena; and BPMA CEO Jon Birrell, ham it up at the BPMA annual awards reception. 82 | APRIL 2019 | CONNECT