PPB September 2019

SPARK also drew speakers from outside the industry. Joining the conference’s education lineup was Dr. Leah Flynn Gallant, associate dean for the student activities office at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who led a workshop on increasing leadership skills and getting out of your comfort zone; and Blair Potts of Potts Chocolate, who spoke on quality materials, fair labor practices and why it matters. At the end of the first day of workshops, attendees shared some of their key takeaways. Tosha Everhart at Sock 101 says her biggest takeaway was that “once you fail, have your moment and get back up, because good things are around the corner.” Tasha Garcia from HALO Branded Solutions says, “Hashtag #BeIntentional. I loved what Bill Petrie said about that—having intention, do what you’re intending.” She also shared that during the conference, she started looking for an accountability partner. Every year, SPARK includes an annual giveback to its host city, and this year participants helped assemble 166 bags of food for local schoolchildren through Blessings In A Backpack, an initiative of the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Foundation, a Mooresville, North Carolina-based charity that provides underprivileged individuals with opportunities to succeed. SPARK’s community service project was facilitated by McFadden and Meghan Kory, key account sales manager for Hit Promotional Products. On Saturday, July 20, an optional whitewater rafting trip was held at the U.S. National Whitewater Rafting Center in Charlotte, which drew 14 attendees for a morning of adventure, including ziplining, biking and, of course, a few trips down the whitewater “river.” The activity put to use much of the material learned at SPARK: teamwork (paddling in the right direction), helping one another during times of need (assisting a teammate who went overboard) and celebrating wins (being grateful to have reached the finish line). —Danielle Renda Read more about what some SPARK attendees have to say on current issues in the feature, Fresh Voices Of Promo, on page 46. SPARK returns in 2020, heading to San Antonio, Texas, on July 15-17. To learn more about SPARK visit www.ppai.org/spark. PPAIWelcomes OperationManager Krista LeMoine Recently, PPAI’s Exposition Department welcomed Krista LeMoine as the new operations manager. In her role, she is responsible for various parts of The PPAI Expo and Expo East, with a focus on the experiential elements of the events. PPB recently met with LeMoine to learn more about this new member. PPB What sort of professional background do you bring to the Association? Krista LeMoine I’ve worked in the trade-show industry for over 10 years now. I started working on the decorator side of things at Freeman and moved into show management with Informa Exhibitions. Most recently, I was operations manager for the International Pool/Spa/Patio Expo. PPB What attracted you to your new position at PPAI? LeMoine I’ve been hearing great things about PPAI for a while, so I’ve kept my ear to the ground for open positions. When I heard there was a spot on the Expo team, I jumped at the opportunity to change my 9-to- 5 scenery. PPB What have been your initial objectives for the position? LeMoine My biggest to-do will be creating memorable experiences for our attendees at The PPAI Expo and at Expo East. Remember those pop-ups from January’s Expo? I get to manage those—how I’m going to top puppies is still TBD. PPB Outside of PPAI, what are your interests? LeMoine If I had a theme song, it would probably be Life in the Fast Lane by The Eagles; you can ignore the storyline but focus on the sentiment. I like to live in a constant state of busyness and wouldn’t have it any other way. You’ll often find my boyfriend and me exploring local events with friends or running through the park with our dogs. I love to travel and try new foods. Explore as much as you can while you can, right? | SEPTEMBER 2019 | 101 CONNECT