“I told him I got the job,” Holmgreen recalls. “And he said, ‘What’s the job, again, Dad?’ And I said, ‘It’s CEO.’ And he says, ‘That’s like … that’s the big boss. I’m so proud of you.’” The emotion was joy. And the goal is to spread it as widely as possible. The First Days As of this writing, Holmgreen is just shy of two months into a job he intends to have for a long time. It’s what everyone says, but he offers reassurance that he means it. “It goes back to my interest in this from the beginning,” Holmgreen says. “I’m a marketing guy. This is a marketing association. I want to finish my career somewhere that I can make positive change. I’ve had a lot of clients in my past where I’ve lined their pockets with money, and that’s great for them. But the clients I’ve always enjoyed the most have been the ones for whom I’ve done something for the greater good, and this is one of those scenarios. “I can do something for the greater good in an industry that I love, and for people who I respect and genuinely enjoy being around and want to work for and alongside.” At the time still technically on the payroll for his previous employer, events trade association Meeting Professionals International, Holmgreen took in the quintessential promotional products industry experience during his first days with PPAI. He officially began his term on January 10, the Friday before The PPAI Expo. He navigated his first Board meeting the next day, pitched in for show prep on “I can do something for the greater good in an industry that I love, and for people who I respect and genuinely enjoy being around and want to work for and alongside.” —Drew Holmgreen A Vision of Joy | Must Read PPAI • APRIL 2025 • 45
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