• SEPTEMBER 2026 • 99 Women In Merch Find Inspiration, Education, Connection At WLC NEARLY 200 WOMEN in the branded merchandise industry gathered at the Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel in Milwaukee in June for PPAI’s Women’s Leadership Conference. The three-day event featured keynote speakers, roundtable discussions, networking opportunities and unique branded merchandise experiences. Beyond featuring women-owned brands, WLC gave back to women in Milwaukee. Attendees were invited to assemble feminine hygiene kits for Milwaukee Diaper Mission, a nonprofit focused on providing free period products and diapers to more than 29 community partners each month. WLC attendees placed more than 26,525 products into over 1,000 kits, enough to support the Milwaukee community for about a month and a half. There was also a presentation about the Promotional Products Education Foundation, which uses industry donations to fund scholarships for adult education of branded merch professionals or their family members. To date, more than $4 million in scholarships have been assigned through the foundation. The presentation helped raise enough money to fund two scholarships to bring first-time attendees to next year’s WLC. In fact, more than half of this year’s attendees were first-timers. Keynote speakers included conscious leadership expert Ginny Clarke, former director of executive recruiting at Google, and Sarah Baldeo, Ph.D., an AI neuroscientist, bestselling author and the CEO of ID Quotient. Panel discussions featured some of the most successful and experienced women in the industry covering AI, rebranding, burnout, boundaries, taking risks and various leadership skills. The roundtables allowed attendees to connect with each other, as discussions gave way to vulnerable moments of attendees sharing their struggles, journeys and triumphs. Attendees also were provided with networking breaks with refreshments and exclusive merch activations, which included tote bag customization from HPG, PPAI 100’s No. 7 supplier, and custom candle-making from business services provider Single Serve Merch. “WLC is focused on bringing people together and networking,” says Tiffany Anderson, CAS, corporate channel director at Kansas-based supplier DRI DUCK Traders and a member of the Women’s Leadership Conference Work Group. “PPAI does a really good job of making sure that this is specifically focused on the ability to network and learn and grow from each other.” Also during WLC, Renée Jones, MAS+, CEO of North Carolina-based distributor A Creative Touch, received the 2026 Woman of Achievement Award. WLC 2027 will take place June 21-23 in St. Petersburg, Florida. “WLC is focused on bringing people together and networking.” —TIFFANY ANDERSON, CAS Inside PPAI | Community
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzU4OQ==