PPB March 2022

FEATURE | Best of Expo companies, covering almost 1 million square feet of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Some 5,800 distributors attended the event. “This was my second PPAI Expo, and compared to 2019, I got so much more out of this show,” says Jeff Cowens, owner of Amplify Branding. “This time around, I had specific questions I needed answered and vendors I wanted to connect with. So many new ideas, so many ways to improve my efficiency.” Brian Jolin, MAS, of Jolin Promo, says, “For me, the highlight of the week at the PPAI Expo were the oneon-one discussions with supplier executives, other distributors and industry leaders. I finally met a ton of people in the flesh who I had become digital friends with during pandemic. I had serious conversations about capabilities, lead times, inventory coming into stock and the possibility of selling my business in the future. Despite being masked almost 90% of the time, I came home feeling connected, energized and like I got tons of real work done. Overall, it was an incredible investment and I feel better prepared for 2022 for having attended.” Keynote speaker Simon T. Bailey (left) opened education sessions at The PPAI Expo Conference, which included discussions on an array of topics, including digital transformation and corporate social responsibility within the industry. The PPAI Board was on hand for the Chair's Leadership Dinner.e 36 | MARCH 2022 |

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzU4OQ==