60 • JULY 2026 • PPAI Community | PPPC Communiqué PPPC Catalyst 2026 Shapes The Future Of Branded Merchandise PPPC’s sold-out event in St. John’s showed how Canada’s industry leaders are evolving the industry through collaboration and change. By Margaret Williamson Batuszkin MORE THAN 65 LEADERS from across Canada’s branded merchandise industry gathered in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, in May for the Promotional Product Professionals of Canada’s second annual Catalyst – Leading Change event. The sold-out conference has quickly emerged as one of the industry’s premier education and networking experiences. Supported by Platinum sponsors Canadian Solutions for Business and SAGE, plus Gold sponsors Oracle NetSuite, PCNA, Spector and SRG, Catalyst brought together suppliers, distributors, multiline representatives, associates and strategic partners for three days of executive-level networking and discussions focused on leadership, AI, sustainability, innovation and the future of the industry. The event was curated by the PPPC Catalyst Committee: Chair Erin Harris, Paul Wieleba, Jenny Le Bricon, Steve Pons, Alan Meinstein, Sergio Munoz, Vivek Narola and Morgan Edgecombe. “Catalyst 2026 was an incredible success and a powerful reminder of the strength of Canada’s branded merchandise community,” says Jonathan N. Strauss, president and CEO of PPPC. “The conversations were forward-thinking, candid and energizing, and the setting in Newfoundland and Labrador created an unforgettable backdrop for relationship-building and leadership development.” Attendee Alicia McQuaig, Sportswear Plus, noted that she left the conference with mentorship offers, cohort invites, board conversations and a room full of people who shared her thoughts on the industry’s outlook. “One thing I really loved was how collaborative and engaging it was,” McQuaig said. “I’m excited about the future of this industry, about the people building it and about the fact that for the first time, I feel a real connection to the promo industry outside of my little bubble and beyond the ‘stuff and things.’” Upon arrival, attendees received an event welcome bag featuring a personal note from Strauss featuring a Newfoundland tartan lambswool scarf from Patrick King Woollen Co. and an umbrella from Peerless Umbrella. Registration included a choice of five colorful lanyards from Martini-Vispak paying homage to the St. John’s iconic Jelly Bean Row houses. The opening night reception featured a St. John’s-inspired souvenir shop with merch designed by McCabe Promotional Advertising that featured drinkware from SRG, apparel from PCNA, candles from Botanical PaperWorks, power banks and pens from Debco/HPG Brands), tote bags from Hit Promo, toques (aka “beanies” in the U.S.) from DML, notebooks from Spector and stickers from StickerYou. A “Human Bingo” icebreaker game at the reception offered additional fun prizes from Loyalty Source. All of these products amplified the power, creativity and emotional connection around merch. A major theme throughout the event was the growing impact of AI and rapid business transformation. Opening keynote speaker Anil Arora, former chief statistician of Canada, challenged attendees to rethink how businesses respond to changing demographics, economic pressures, workforce shifts and accelerating technological disruption. Leadership and organizational performance also remained central to the event. Vanessa Ribreau of V&Co Coaching & Consulting led an interactive session exploring how aligned leadership teams are essential for navigating disruption and sustaining growth in fast-changing markets. Meanwhile, best-selling author and executive coach Craig Dowden, Ph.D., focused on empathy, trust and emotional intelligence as critical leadership advantages in today’s workplace.
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