PPB January 2020

PPAI’s Massey Connects With Bay Area Members PPAI’s business development staff have been on the road, connecting with PPAI member companies across the country to learn more about them, their needs and how the Association can be a better partner in their success. In November, Melissa Massey, PPAI’s major account manager-West, met with several supplier companies in California’s Bay Area, including Alpi International, Ltd. in Oakland; Big Accessories, Inc. in Petaluma; and Chameleon like, Inc. in Gilroy. by James Khattak PPEF Executive Committee Visits PPAI For 2020 Planning Meeting PPAI hosted the Promotional Products Education Foundation’s (PPEF) 2019 Executive Committee and members of the newly elected 2020 Executive Committee in October at the Association’s Irving, Texas, headquarters. The PPEF executive committee consists of the officers of the Foundation’s full 18-member board of trustees. (From left) PPAI President and CEO Paul Bellantone, CAE, and PPEF secretary/treasurer; Wayne Greenberg, MAS, immediate past chair; David Grobisen, vice chair-scholarship; Dana Floyd Porter, CAS, chair elect; Brian Porter, chair; Eileen Lynch, 2020 vice chair-marketing and recognition; Carrie Pitre, MAS, 2020 PPEF chair elect; Bob McLean, PPAI executive vice president; Sara Besly, PPEF executive director; Matt Bertram, vice chair-strategic planning and budget and Christopher Duffy, MAS, 2020 vice chair-fundraising, met to discuss the Foundation’s plans for 2020, including the budget and how much to award in scholarships, and PPEF’s strategic priorities as it continues to grow to help even more industry professionals and their families. At Alpi International, Massey (left) met with Rebecca (pictured) and Marco Indrio. The company is working toward a transition in ownership. After 36 years in business, company President Francesco Indrio is aiming to step down and hand over operational control to his son Marco. Beth Villa, operations manager at Big Accessories (left), showed Massey around the supplier’s facility and walked her through the company’s line-up of hats, bags and aprons, showed her the materials they are constructed from and discussed the global retail trends that inspire their design. (From left) Pierre Martichoux, president; Stephanie Esse, marketing and art director, and Jasmine Sullivan, national account executive, met with Massey at Chameleon like. Martichoux describes the company as “passionately ‘category- specific,’” referring to its focus on journals, the majority of which are manufactured in Gilroy. 114 | JANUARY 2020 | CONNECT