to lead the company. Today, she is retired and lives in Tucson, Arizona, with her husband John. While Lennarson has accomplished many of her goals, she doesn’t measure success by what she has done. “I think you’re successful when you get up every day with a smile on your face, ready to face the world,” she says, adding that everyone has their own “measuring stick” for success. “Looking back, my measuring stick would be seeing someone else succeed and knowing that I had, somehow, nurtured, encouraged or educated them,” she says. “I think it’s through other people that I would measure my own success.” To Lennarson, her most meaningful contribution to the industry is teaching the importance of advocacy and engagement with elected officials. “It was a focal point of my service as board chair. I played an instrumental role in the development of GRAC, the Government Relations Action Council,” she says, adding that advocacy is one of PPAI’s fundamental pillars. Lennarson was also elected to the PPAI Board of Directors and served as PPAI’s board chair in 2009-2010. “My passion and repetitive, consistent and clear messaging led to the mobilization of hundreds of members. It also resulted in the development of easy‐to‐follow, easy‐to‐understand tools to help others become advocates for our industry,” she says. “These tools are still being used to this day, and they guarantee PPAI’s calls to action can be answered in timely and effective ways.” Lennarson often quotes humanitarian theologian Albert Schweitzer in saying, “Example is not the main thing in influencing others; it is the only thing.” She says it’s important for everybody in the industry to use their voice. “We’ve been able to change language in a bill so that it’s more favorable to our industry. It’s so simple to send an email or make a call, and by doing so, have an impact. You’ve made a difference and made your voice count. Your voice doesn’t count if you don’t use it.” Lennarson also credits her visualization skills as fundamental to her success. “I really believe in visioning and thinking through anything you are trying to accomplish,” she says. “Keep the end result in mind. Know what you want and then figure out how you are going to get there.” But she notes that it’s perfectly okay if your vision As PPAI's Board chair, Sherri Lennarson interviews political consultant and keynote speaker James Carville onstage during The PPAI Expo 2010. FEATURE | PPAI Hall Of Fame/Sherri C. Lennarson, MAS 14 | JANUARY 2022 |
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