From PPAI Andrew Spellman, CAS Chair of the Board 07.24 We come together to share ideas and forge connections, inspire, support and motivate one another. Maybe we take that too much for granted when we pass one another in a hallway or turn the corner around a trade show aisle. The Gift Of Presence OUR INDUSTRY IS NO DIFFERENT than any community. We each play a role in making it strong. We come together regularly for this shared experience or that good cause. We have our friends, our acquaintances and, hopefully, not too many enemies. It is the people and the relationships we develop that make this a strong community. Unfortunately, it is often absence that makes us truly appreciate the gift of our fellow community members. I’ve been thinking a lot about people as our strength since the untimely passing of Brian Haner this spring. As the founder and CEO of Seattle-based PPAI 100 distributor Image Source, Brian was a strong leader for his company, a sharp businessman and an amazing friend to many, as well as a great father. He was a shining spirit with a personality that lit up any room he entered. I know for me, after more than 30 years of attending The PPAI Expo, one of the things I most look forward to is the walk from the hotel to Mandalay Bay Convention Center. I always run into someone I know who I get to reengage with and say hello. That’s the last time I saw Brian – this January. The moment sticks in my mind because it was so commonplace, the kind of interaction any of us might have a hundred times during a major industry event. Heading in opposite directions, we passed each other in the hallway – big smiles, a big hug, ask about each other’s kids and a promise to catch up when we bumped into one another again. But there was no again. I didn’t see him the rest of the week, and lately I’m struck by the lost opportunity to experience the genuine good feelings Brian brought to every meeting. It’s been on my mind in all my work trips since. Nothing is guaranteed, and each moment I have with someone could be the last. Attending conferences and trade shows, seeing many familiar faces, how do we push ourselves to make these interactions more intentional? At PPAI’s fantastic North American Leadership Conference in May, we recognized Brian and others our community lost over the last year – people who crafted careers of commitment and sacrifice, in the process making events special through their presence or volunteerism. These are individuals who improved our industry by making it their life’s work, and today we are all the beneficiaries. Over the past few decades, we have seen remarkable growth and transformation in the promotional products landscape, not because of market forces or technological advancements, but more so the dedication and passion of people who believed in the potential of this industry and worked tirelessly to see it flourish. Someday, a new generation of leaders in this industry will speak about us this way. So many of us give of ourselves in the same way that the industry icons of the past did before us. We come together to share ideas and forge connections, inspire, support and motivate one another. Maybe we take that too much for granted when we pass one another in a hallway or turn the corner around a trade show aisle. In all the events I attend during this long summer travel season, I’ll be honoring the leaders who came before us in this community by making the most of my time with each of you. I hope we can all strive to do the same, to learn and grow together, and in the process ensure that our market continues to thrive. 4 • JULY 2024 • PPAI
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