Cliff Quicksell leads a 2014 session for British Promotional Merchandise Association's Professional Development Program. provides consulting services, and he currently serves on PPAI’s Marketing Research Committee and as president of CPPA. “One of my many passions is my desire to give back, share and contribute in a meaningful way. It is how I am wired,” Quicksell says. In reflecting on his passion for giving back to others, he shares an anecdote that describes the impact that helping can have. “Have you ever heard the story about the little boy and the starfish on the beach?” Quicksell asks. “A little boy is on a beach that’s just littered with starfish, and an older man, who’s watching him, asks, ‘What are you doing?’ The little boy says, ‘I’m throwing the starfish back into the water so it can live.’ The older man replies, ‘Look how many there are! You’ll never make a difference,’ to which the boy replies, as he throws a starfish in the water, ‘Well, I made a difference for that one.’” Quicksell also keenly gives of his time to industry mentoring and educational programs, which has included assisting in the development and creation of and participating in PPAI’s Certified Speaker Ambassador program, where he spoke at a grassroots level to students on college campuses about the power of promotional products. In 2002, Quicksell embarked on a mission to mentor as many professionals in the industry as he could, to increase involvement in the PPAI Pyramid Awards. Over the years, he’s been directly involved in coaching more than 120 top distributors, many of whom received PPAI Pyramid Awards. He’s also been a major proponent for certification in the industry, and has helped to encourage many additional distributors to pursue their professional designations of TAS, CAS, MAS and MAS+. Quicksell leads by example, having received his MAS+ certification in 2014, the highest designation given to eligible promotional products applicants. “Over the years, I have had the pleasure of seeing Cliff speak and of seeing him educate. I have seen how the people in the industry have truly flocked to him, relying on his knowledge, experience and friendship to further their careers and businesses,” says Andy Griffin, managing partner of Carlstadt, New Jersey, supplier Keepsake Box USA, and one of Quicksell’s nominators. “It is truly a sight FEATURE | PPAI Hall Of Fame/Cliff Quicksell, MAS+ 18 | JANUARY 2022 |
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