PPAI Launches New Member Portal PPAI MEMBERS HAVE A NEW WAY to manage their membership, company information and preparation for The PPAI Expo 2027. The Association has launched the PPAI Member Portal, a new platform designed to give members more control over their accounts while making common membership tasks faster and easier to complete. Developed in direct response to member feedback, the portal brings several key functions together in one place. Members are able to manage their company rosters and account information, make updates directly and more easily prepare their teams for registration for The PPAI Expo. The new platform is intended to eliminate unnecessary steps and waiting periods while giving members greater ability to keep their own information current. One of the most immediate benefits will come as companies prepare for The PPAI Expo 2027, the largest and longest-running trade show in the branded merchandise industry. The event, to be held Jan. 11-14 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, is now open for registration. Going forward, company rosters will be updated directly through the PPAI Member Portal. Keeping that information accurate will help ensure employees are properly associated with their companies. The Portal change is part of a broader effort by PPAI to improve the technology and processes members interact with throughout the year, particularly for frequently used functions that previously required additional assistance or multiple steps. PPAI has also introduced a Portal Resources page featuring training videos, frequently asked questions and other guidance members can use as they become familiar with the new system. Those resources will remain available for members who need help navigating the platform or its features. The Member Portal represents an investment in two priorities of PPAI’s 2026-2030 strategic plan: Member Success and Organizational Excellence. Both call for PPAI to strengthen the tools, systems and experiences that support members and make it easier for them to engage with the Association. PPAI Promotes Alok Bhat To Director Role PPAI HAS PROMOTED market economist Alok Bhat to an elevated role of director of research and public affairs as it continues to invest in longterm member value and industry impact. Bhat, who joined the Association in 2023 as senior manager of research, has seen his responsibilities expand with the reorganization of PPAI’s public affairs efforts, which shifted under the purview of the Association’s media department. Bhat’s work as research and public affairs lead has brought unprecedented enhancement to PPAI’s intelligence output, helping members make informed business decisions while organizing advocacy efforts that move the needle for our industry. “Alok exemplifies the values we have at PPAI: growth, integrity, community and joy,” says Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Ralston, CAS. “He’s constantly thinking about member and industry value, he’s passionate and dedicated to the strategic goals we have set, and he has most recently led one of the largest industry-shaping research initiatives to truly define our overall impact.” In his new position, Bhat will have increased responsibility for budgeting, which comes with greater opportunities to set the strategic and visionary course for the next phase of PPAI’s impactful efforts in research and government affairs. He’ll continue to oversee, plan and execute all phases of PPAI research into the branded merchandise market and panitanphoto / Shutterstock 64 • NOVEMBER 2026 • Community | Inside PPAI
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzU4OQ==