Maur i ce No r r i s Promo’s Champion An industry as large and multi-faceted as promotional products is affected by a variety of laws, regulations and government policies that can be extensive and complicated. Through its programs and initiatives—PPAI’s Legislation Education and Action Day (L.E.A.D.), thismonth’s Product Responsibility Summit and other education and outreach—the Associationworks to informpromo marketplace companies and professionals on legislation and the product responsibility regulatory landscape that may impact them. Maurice Norris is an instrumental part of PPAI’s efforts to understand, respond to and communicate these issues. The road toNorris’ position as the Association’s public affairsmanager led him through state and federal government and private law firms. His stint with federal government included several years of active-duty military service with the United States Army. And as a legislative staffer in the Georgia General Assembly, he advocated on behalf of his boss’s constituents with other branches and levels of government as well as outside organizations. It is common for government workers to transition between the public and private arenas throughout their careers. Once he left government service, Norris continued his work advocating for consumers and small businesses at private law firms prior to joining PPAI. “My interest in government stems froma pursuit of public service,” Norris says. “Most of my career positions involve some aspect of service to others. It is important for policymakers to understand the ramifications of the decisions they make for the people whowould be affected by those decisions. In this sense, my line of work involves essentially humanizing the statistical information policymakers are reviewing.” Former PPAI BoardChair Brittany David, MAS, workedwithNorris on a range of legislative issues during her tenure with the Association’s leadership. She says, “Maurice was the perfect addition to the PPAI public affairs team. He is cool, calmand collected, and incredibly knowledgeable on current policy, For more than five years, PPAI Government Affairs Manager Maurice Norris has been instrumental in helping the industry understand the impact of legislation and regulations in Washington, D.C. and statehouses across the country, and advocating for policies in its favor. By James Khattak 64 | SEPTEMBER 2022 | GROW
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