PPAI Publications Time Capsule In May 2016, PPB marked the onset of a pattern of mergers and acquisitions in the industry. PPB's Rising Stars honors began under Tina's watch and remains an important distinction for emerging industry leaders. happened yet. Instead, the distributor acquisitions have strengthened those companies by creating one-stop-shops that offer a full range of marketing and advertising expertise with the ability to serve a wider range of industries nationally and even globally. On the supplier side, the acquisitions have added to the breadth and depth of their product range, allowing them to diversify with a much larger variety of hard goods and apparel. Even though the total number of industry companies has declined in the past decade due to a combination of acquisition activity and pandemic fallout, entry into the promo industry remains easy, so it will continue to attract new players and reflect the changes they bring. Who are some of the people you met in your role who will always stand out in your memory, and why? The people I’ve met at PPAI made working there so very special and, to be honest, they are why I stayed for 26 years. From my wonderful and fun staff colleagues to many members I interacted with over the years, I count myself lucky to have gotten to know hundreds of fascinating, successful and generous people who became my friends. I was able to listen to them and learn from them, and many truly changed my life with their friendship. I will always remember them and the experiences we had together. There’s not space here to list all their names, but they know who they are. I’m grateful our paths crossed in this crazy life, and I plan to remain in touch. How did PPAI itself change since you started? The changes have been incredible, as you can imagine. Some of the key catalysts for change came from technology, which created huge improvements and opportunities across the organization such as email marketing, digital publications, ecommerce, webinars and online resources; more women and diversity on staff and in PPAI and industry leadership positions; legislation in 2008 that led to PPAI’s launch of its unmatched product responsibility program and PPAI’s partnership with SAGE, which added product sourcing to the Association’s offerings and spurred huge membership growth. I’ve also seen PPAI improve overall by hiring staff who are true subject matter experts in their specific areas. Through focused marketing, public relations and legislative outreach, PPAI significantly has improved the promo industry’s image in the larger business world and become the undisputed voice of the industry. In the early 2000s, social media was introduced, which was a gamechanger for all of us, especially in marketing, communications and sales. Another thing: Over the years, PPAI has been intentional in making major improvements and investments in existing programs (such as The PPAI Expo), adding new programs and products, and sunsetting obsolete programs to maximize resources. The Association has truly evolved to meet the changing needs of members, and being a part of that progress was amazing. What about the media efforts you oversaw—what are some of the key turning points? You got in right as the Internet was becoming essential to reporting. As I mentioned earlier, PPAI was on the cusp of introducing its website in 1995 and was beginning to use email to communicate with members. In 1998, we launched Newslink as a weekly email, and in 2006 added Promotional Consultant Today, a Exit Interview | FEATURE | MAY 2022 | 51
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzU4OQ==