PPB December 2020

to learn sales acumen, business management and leadership techniques from an amazing man, who has since retired,” he says. Today the distributorship spans eight locations across the Midwest and operates as a commercial printer and full-service branded merchandising agency. In addition to heading up QRG, Pottebaumhas also served in several volunteer roles for various industry associations and groups. He is incoming chair of the PPAI Board of Directors, and will assume the role after the 2021 PPAI Expo Direct-2-You, PPAI’s first-ever virtual Expo experience. He has served on the board since 2018 and is in his third year of a four-year term. He also served as president of Upper Midwest Association of Promotional Products from2014-2015, and as chair of the PPAI Marketing Information and Research Committee that same year. Philanthropy is a concept that’s not only important to Pottebaum, but it’s a value he supports in his personal life and reinforces in the values of QRG. The company has a program called BrandGood, adapted from their affiliation with the industry group Reciprocity Road, that’s founded on three pillars: DoGood, supporting philanthropy and service; FeelGood, supporting employee wellness, and LiveGood, supporting fun, social activities. Through DoGood, the company focuses on supporting two nonprofits, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and the Promotional Products Education Foundation, and QRG’s employees have donated their time and services tomore than 200 nonprofit organizations. Pottebaum, who has a special needs child, is also a big advocate for the disabled community and has an important message to share. He urges others that when they meet a person with a disability, to say hello or strike up a conversation. Simple gestures like this, he says, “can be rewarding for you, and the recipient will feel recognized instead of invisible, which is how they commonly feel.” He adds, “You’ll both be happy that you did.” A self-described “family man,” Pottebaum is also committed to supporting his employees and their needs. At the start of the pandemic, he applied his familial values to the company, enforcing a “families first” policy; something he’s committed to continuing. The policy involves putting a particular focus on relationships, both company-wide and with clients, with an awareness of the challenges the pandemic has posed for people and their families. The families-first focus has alsomade himmore open-minded to the continuing prospect of remote work. “Great company culture is critical and I’ve long-held the belief that culture is fostered within our physical office spaces,” Pottebaum says. “For this reason, I fought the notion of remote work prior to the pandemic. Today, more than half of our workforce has been working remotely since March. They’re doing great andmany are loving it. Ultimately, this shift has changed the way I think about our leases and howwe provide a better work-life balance for our teams.” On the operations side, Pottebaum says the pandemic accelerated the development of various projects, both structurally and directionally. “Directionally, Left: Todd Pottebaum and his wife Sheri. Top: Todd and Sheri Pottebaum with their children, Jax (second from left), Savannah and Jaeger. Bottom: Pottebaum and his family enjoy participating in outdoor sports and activities, like wake surfing. | DECEMBER 2020 | 73 THINK