Community | Inside PPAI WHAT’S HAPPENING Inside PPAI This Month 74 Regional Associations Joining PPAI 75 PPAI Appoints Karie Cowden, MAS, To Open Board Seat 76 PPAI Research Benchmarks Diversity At Typical Distributorships 77 PPAI Brings On New Promotional Products Work Initiative Manager Regional Associations Joining PPAI As Business Service Members PPAI HAS PROPOSED that regional associations join PPAI as business service members. Doing so would establish ongoing alignments between PPAI and the regionals while creating pathways for PPAI to help strengthen each region they represent. Regional association membership will cost an annual fee and will come with a long list of benefits, as well as a Regional Rewards Program, which allows associations to save money from the Leadership Development Workshop attendee fees by participating in Promotional Products Work, L.E.A.D. or other PPAI opportunities. At time of publication, three regional associations – the Michigan Promotional Professionals Association (MiPPA), Specialty Advertising Association of California (SAAC) and the Promotional Professionals Association of Chicago (PPAChicago) – have already accepted the proposal and officially become members of PPAI. “The idea of transitioning from the Regional Affiliate Program to regional associations becoming members of PPAI is designed to lessen the red tape involved in and encourage more thoughtful collaboration between PPAI and the 26 regional associations,” says Kara Keister, Regional Relations Committee delegate to the PPAI Board of Directors and promise keeper at Ohio-based distributor Social Good Promotions. “Change is not always easy. The Regional Relations Committee and PPAI staff have been hard at work researching, creating and acknowledging feedback on what is now the final 2023 benefit and rewards listing for our newest subsection of business services members, the regional associations. “It’s been a long road, but overall conversations have been positive and thought-provoking. I am hopeful that this first year brings success stories that only further enhance the bond between our membership organizations.” Regional associations like MiPPA, SAAC and PPAChicago share many of the same strategic goals for the promo industry. Now they can access the many resources available through PPAI. As part of the membership, regional associations are encouraged, but not required, to advance the PPAI Strategic Plan and incorporate as many of the strategic pillars as possible. Membership for regional associations will include a long list of benefits, including but not limited to: • Dedicated support person. • Meaningful and useful benchmarking for the regional community. • Virtual training to onboard new directors and evaluate executive directors. • Professional education perks. • Discounts for regional members to attend The PPAI Expo. Becoming PPAI members will cost regional associations an annual fee of $1,000. If not satisfied with their membership experience, PPAI will refund their dues one time. 74 • JUNE 2023 • PPAI
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