PPAI Announces 2026 Icon Award Recipients PPAI has announced the recipients of its 2026 Icon Awards, which celebrate the accomplishments of those who have gone above and beyond in service to the promotional products industry, the Association and their communities. This year’s honors are being bestowed on: • PPAI Hall of Fame: Steven Meyer, MAS • PPAI Distinguished Service Award: Todd Pottebaum, MAS+ • H. Ted Olson Humanitarian Award: Renée Jones, MAS A 27-year industry veteran, Steven Meyer, MAS, was most recently national sales manager at Arch Promo Group, PPAI 100’s No. 28 supplier, before retiring on October 1. During his tenure, he managed the sales and integration of Arch’s five latest acquisitions, according to Steve Ehlert, national general manager at Arch. “Steven’s dedication to the growth and integrity of our industry is both exemplary and inspiring,” says Ehlert, who nominated Meyer. “His contributions aren’t limited to the success of the supplier he was at. He has consistently elevated the standards of the industry through active involvement in regional trade organizations, advocacy for the industry and thoughtful leadership.” Meyer – the 2018 recipient of the PPAI Regional Volunteer Award – has given back to the industry for decades. He served as PPAI Board Chair from 2012-2013, president of the Promotional Products Association Southwest from 2018-2019 and president of the Upper Midwest Association of Promotional Professionals from 2009-2010. A 2016 PPAI Fellow, he has participated in dozens of PPAI committees and advisory groups. A 25-year industry veteran, Todd Pottebaum, MAS+, president of Quality Resource Group, PPAI 100’s No. 53 distributor, has been a long-time advocate for the industry. In addition to serving as PPAI Board Chair in 2021, Pottebaum was chair of the Government Relations Action Council and the PPAI Marketing Information and Research Committee. • Additionally, he’s an executive committee member of Reciprocity Road and previously served as president of the Upper Midwest Association of Promotional Professionals. • He has also spoken at regional education events and served as a panelist at a national industry conference. Outside the industry, Pottebaum served on Meeting Professionals International’s marketing and membership committees and has been named an MPI Volunteer of the Year for the Minneapolis/St. Paul Chapter. When his son was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder linked to the IQSEC2 gene, Pottebaum co-founded the IQSEC2 Research & Advocacy Foundation, raising awareness and funding for a condition that affects children worldwide. “Todd Pottebaum stands as a model of service-driven leadership, with a wide-reaching and deeply personal impact on the promotional products industry,” says nominator Perry Wehrle, MAS, executive director of Reciprocity Road. Peers of 24-year industry veteran Renée Jones, MAS, founder and CEO of North Carolina-based distributor A Creative Touch, have attested that she’s deserving of the H. Ted Olson Humanitarian Award. Named a PPAI Fellow in 2019, Jones has served on the PPAI Board of Directors as well as numerous committees and advisory councils, including the Promotional Products Education Foundation board of directors. Beyond the promo industry, she volunteers with the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, among other civic organizations throughout the United States. In 2022, she received the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Volunteer Service Award from President Joe Biden. From serving as the youngest national commander of the DAV Auxiliary to her tireless efforts with Honor Flight, Rotary and countless local projects, Jones embodies the spirit of gratitude in action, according to nominator Danny Rosin, CAS, president and coowner of Brand Fuel, PPAI 100’s No. 29 distributor, and incoming chair of the PPAI Board of Directors. “Whether she’s leading thousands of heartfelt letters for veterans or founding support networks like LIPP Café to uplift industry peers, Renée proves that small actions, multiplied over time, create lasting ripples of change,” Rosin says. Todd Pottebaum, MAS+ Renée Jones, MAS Steven Meyer, MAS 74 • DECEMBER 2025 • PPAI Community | Inside PPAI
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