Inside PPAI | Community Andrew Spellman, CAS: PPAI’s President & CEO Search Progressing On Track AS THE PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS MARKET digs into its busiest season, amid the holiday order rush and preparations for The PPAI Expo 2025, I want to provide an update on happenings at your Association, which will hopefully reduce speculation and allow each of us to focus on the strength of our own operations. A source of much industry conversation these last few months has been the search for a permanent president and CEO for PPAI. I want to first assure you that the search process is going 100% according to the succession plan that was put in place this summer. And I want to secondly commend the entire staff at PPAI for their professionalism and dedication to continuing their important work during this time of transition. The mission at PPAI is to be the voice and force to advance the promotional products industry for the benefit of our community, and the team remains resolved as ever. Since the announcement of Dawn Olds, MAS, as interim president and CEO in late July, PPAI has advanced the industry with two impressive educational gatherings, Product Responsibility Summit and Leadership Development Conference. It has taken encouraging steps to support members through industry advocacy, sustainability partnerships and more. For many on the staff, the focus has now turned to ensuring that every attendee has a rewarding experience in Las Vegas this coming January. With just over two months to go before the show begins, all signs point to The PPAI Expo 2025 being the industry’s best event yet. Ellen Tucker, MAS, CAE, our vice president of revenue and expositions, reports that all indicators, from registrations and hotel bookings to the number of exhibiting companies, are tracking ahead of 2024. The detail and care that the team brings to planning The PPAI Expo is what makes this such an outstanding event year after year, and I know that 2025 will be no different. In late October, the Board of Directors and staff leadership team conducted a highly positive meeting to discuss overall 2024 progress and plans being made for next year. As these efforts continue, your Board is committed to delivering outstanding long-term leadership for our community and for the committed staff members at PPAI. As we move toward this consequential decision, I am pleased to share a report on the steps that have been taken thus far, and what is to come before a decision is announced. One of the ongoing goals for PPAI, set forth by the Board through its strategic plan, is organizational stability and scalability, and this has been the guiding focus of the entire search. From the beginning, we have seen this as a threeto-six-month process, and great care has been taken along the way to ensure that each of eight crucial steps is handled with objectivity and in alignment with best practices for associations like ours. Those eight steps are detailed in the graphic below, which to this point in the process has been the only official comment on the process from PPAI. At this point, the Board’s selection committee – consisting of next year’s officers – has moved into the phase of screenings and interviews. A wide range of candidates collected by our search firm has narrowed the field down to less than 10 candidates that will be considered in full before a recommendation is put before the full Board for a vote. The initial anticipated timeline for the process remains in place, although it must be stressed that this is not a decision that will be rushed. What’s most important is delivering the leadership that our industry and the PPAI staff deserve, and that is what is driving all deliberations. Finally, I want thank each and every PPAI member for the trust you have placed in us through this process. Our Board members do not take their role as your representatives lightly, and we fully understand the importance of this hire. We look forward to sharing a decision with you after full consideration of the candidates, the impact each could have on the staff, and when the time is right. Selection Committee Formed Screening and Interviews Search Firm Engaged JD and Posting Created Candidate Recommended Board Approval Candidate Hired Staff and Member Feedback Solicited Items Completed Reflects standard, objective process used in prior CEO hires and is consistant with association best practices. Process expected to take 3-6 months. PPAI CEO Search Process PPAI • DECEMBER 2024 • 81
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