Best Of The PPAI EXPO 2025 | Must Read Full Circle At The Pitch The Pitch, promo’s version Shark Tank crossed with The Voice, returned for the third year in front of a packed audience full of promo professionals. Seven contestants were given three minutes each to pitch their product to a panel of distributor judges. It’s perhaps only fitting that The Pitch winner for 2025 was a former Shark Tank contestant. Jason Lucash, CEO and co-founder of Rupt, won both the audience vote and impressed the panel of judges. The Austin, Texas-based supplier triumphed with “Trinifty,” a product with a removable charger power bank that can charge three wireless devices at once. The Trinifty folds easily, making it a travel accessory for anyone who doesn’t want a tangle of wires in their bag. “I was more nervous for this than Shark Tank,” Lucash says. “I think because it was more people I know, and it was a live audience. I wrote my pitch, and I practiced it with my wife and kids. My kids actually practiced the pitch, too, which was really cute.” Other exhibitors in the contest included HPG, SRG, AZX Sport, Charles River Apparel, City Bonfires and HIRSCH. trade show is an opportunity to learn, share and inspire, and The PPAI Expo 2025 was everything and more for me.” Kicking off The PPAI Expo Conference’s education slate, business growth strategist Tiffani Bova delivered insights on how promo firms can unlock their full potential. The following day, Kristen Cavallo, a leader in the advertising space, commenced the opening of The PPAI Expo 2025 show floor by laying out the best strategies for attendees to set themselves apart in marketing. Throughout The PPAI Expo Conference, PPAI also celebrated its 2025 Icon Award winners: PPAI Hall of Fame inductees Jonathan Isaacson, MAS, and Mark Jenkins, MAS+; PPAI Distinguished Service Award recipients Danny Sirmon, MAS, and D’Anna Zimmer, CAS; and H. Ted Olson Humanitarian Award recipient Joy Smith, MAS. PPAI • MARCH 2025 • 35
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