PPB September 2021

by Sandra Harssar PPPC COMMUNIQUÉ Introducing The Next PPPC Board Chair I ’m pleased to introduce myself, Sandra Harssar, as the incoming chair for the Promotional Product Professionals of Canada (PPPC). Although I will be officially crowned as chair of the PPPC board at our Annual General Meeting in October, I’m excited to get my name out there now and start making some new connections. When I was asked to write a story about myself for PPB, I sat back and wondered, “What would people find interesting about me? Do I talk about my hobbies, my business, my family? How do I write an engaging story that will hold your interest?” Then I thought—my dog! Everyone loves to read about pets. I can write about how cute she is, how good she is, how much she sheds … wait, no—as much as everyone loves dogs, the community needs to get to know me as a leader and an entrepreneur in the world of Canadian promotional products. My Promo Journey My journey in the promo world started back in 1989. At the time, I had been married to my husband Rob for two years and was unhappy with my current job. Several people suggested that I join Rob and his partner at their company, K-Promotions Ltd. Not knowing much about the promotional products industry, I went in with an open mind and gave distributor sales a good old college try. The industry instantly intrigued me, and I have not looked back since! Having garnered experience at K-Promotions Ltd., it was time for Rob and I to venture off on our own to create a small boutique company. To our delight, Bright Ideas was born in September of 2013. Since then, we have been working side-by-side to deliver exceptional service to our clients and to continuously grow our business. A Love for Volunteerism My volunteer experiences started in 2009 when I joined the PPPC Ontario Chapter. Being a volunteer allowed and encouraged me to develop a camaraderie with all sorts of industry folks, from suppliers and MLRs to my distributor Top: Sandra Harssar and husband Robert Above: Harssar (center) with Paula Torneck-Richie and Lynda Torneck 98 | SEPTEMBER 2021 | CONNECT