PPAI Hall of Fame | Must Read PPAI Media: Mark, thank you for all you’ve done for our industry, and congratulations on this award. How does it feel? Jenkins: This feels really good. I have to say, 10 years ago when someone mentioned, ‘Oh, you’ll be in the PPAI Hall of Fame someday,’ I thought, actually, I won’t. I will probably say no. ‘Thank you, but no. That’s not for me’ – and that’s how I felt 10 years ago, legitimately. Even working on it and getting other people inducted, which is part of the process as a board member or as a past board member and chair, it was never on my radar, really. And I was ready to say no. But it has evolved a bit over the last five years or so, that I’m like, ‘Yeah, this feels good.’ And it’s good for folks like me that don’t necessarily bask in that to be recognized this way. It takes all different kinds of people to run businesses and industries and volunteer at trade associations like PPAI, and I think it’s good to have folks like me represented. PPAI Media: Is it a product, you think, of maybe growing more reflective as you’ve become more experienced? Jenkins: I think so, for sure. I have done that, and I’ve watched other people in the same position, and I appreciate how they’ve handled it for the most part. And it’s like, well yeah, you can do that. You can do all of this your own way and in your own style. I do think it’s just a validation that this has happened. PPAI Media: In what ways have you evolved during your time as a promo professional? How has this line of work helped you grow? Jenkins: I’d like to say I’m more technically savvy, but I’m not at all where I want to be. That’s one of the challenges, I think, for people of my generation. But beyond that, I think I’ve just become a bit more of a mentor than I ever thought I would be, and there are a lot of people that I look to and they look back for input, and I like that part of it. I never would’ve thought I would be spending my time mentoring anyone, to be honest. It just wasn’t my personality. It wasn’t in my wheelhouse. But I really do enjoy that, and what I do now is a lot of that with people’s businesses, too. So, as I’m talking to people about their businesses, and their client base and all the rest, it’s much more an advisory role. I do enjoy that. PPAI Media: What do you find rewarding about mentorship? Jenkins: People seem to really appreciate it. People that I speak to, I’m mostly finding younger suppliers that are either new to the industry or just kind of new in general, and they’re very appreciative of it. They soak it up, and they genuinely appreciate the knowledge and the advice. And it’s kind of hard to come by, so I think there’s a real need for it. I enjoy it just because they seem to really appreciate it, and it’s, obviously, very fun to watch their successes and to hear how they’re going to use it or not use it for their businesses. PPAI Media: Does the one-on-one connection style of mentorship maybe suit your personality more? Jenkins: It does. I’ve spent a lot of time at events and elsewhere finding places to go away from the groups, away from the video “I never would’ve thought I would be spending my time mentoring anyone, to be honest. It just wasn’t my personality. It wasn’t in my wheelhouse.” PPAI • JANUARY 2025 • 49
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