PPAI Recognizes Chabot, Walden As 2016 Legislators Of The Year

Chabot-Walden-LOTY

Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH), left, and Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR).

Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH) and Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) were honored as the Association’s 2016 Legislators of the Year. The awards were presented in May during PPAI Legislative Education and Action Day (L.E.A.D.) in Washington, D.C.

“The leadership demonstrated by Representatives Chabot and Walden on behalf of small businesses has been instrumental in protecting and promoting the interests of the promotional products industry,” says Paul Bellantone, CAE, PPAI president and CEO. “PPAI is proud to recognize and celebrate these legislators whose commitment and support truly exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit and business-friendly culture of our growing industry.”

Chabot has served Ohio’s First Congressional District for 18 years. He is the chairman of the House Committee on Small Business and a small-business owner. He advocates for policies that remove obstacles to job creation faced by startups and entrepreneurs. He works to encourage American small- business growth by simplifying the complex tax code, ensuring better access to capital, reducing debt and deficit, and stopping federal regulations that are estimated to do more harm than good.

In Chabot’s home state, 94 percent of promotional products companies are small businesses employing approximately 26,531 people and generating revenues of more than $2.04 billion.

Walden, a small-business owner with his wife for more than 21 years, is the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. He has worked to pass legislation to grow American jobs by expanding U.S. technology and innovation. To revive the economy and create jobs, he works to reduce government spending and incentivize businesses to create jobs.

In Walden’s home state of Oregon, 99 percent of promotional products companies are small businesses employing approximately 3,088 people and generating revenues of more than $85.7 million.

The PPAI Legislator of the Year Award recognizes members of Congress who have shown a commitment to small-business interests and success, a willingness to meet with industry professionals and who have given their support to issues critical to the promotional products industry.

Past recipients of the PPAI Legislator of the Year award are Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA), 2012; Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN), 2013; Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC), 2014; and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), 2015.

Read more about the 2016 L.E.A.D. in the July issue of PPB.

PPAI Introduces Its Fellows Program For Influential Volunteers

Next month, the Association will be launching its new PPAI Fellows program to recognize and thank influential individuals who have actively supported the industry through their personal involvement, and keep them connected as they retire or become unemployed. The program is also intended to inspire more industry professionals to become PPAI Fellows, contributing to a culture of engagement, involvement and leadership throughout all parts of PPAI.

Eligibility into the program will be considered for promotional products professionals with a major and productive interest in furthering the industry.

The PPAI Fellows program will provide a number of benefits. These include:

• Personal subscriptions of all electronic PPAI publications and other electronic mailings relevant to PPAI activities and programs

• VIP access to badge pick up, VIP reserved seating as applicable and an invitation to participate in all volunteer activities at The PPAI Expo

• Opportunities to provide mentoring, facilitate or teach education sessions live or online, or serve as a contributing writer

• Inclusion and recognition in UPIC and PPAI membership directories

• Invitation to the PPAI Leadership Luncheon at The PPAI Expo with reserved seating

• Entitlement to use the designation of PPAI Fellow (acronym and logo to be developed). This designation would reflect the professional stature of the Fellow and his or her record of valuable service to the Association and the industry

• Fellow lapel pin and Fellow badge ribbon at The PPAI EXPO

• Complete online roster of PPAI Fellows

PPAI Leadership Joins Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair, Meets With Industry Groups

DSC08427

Ann Leung, technical director at third-party consumer products testing company AI Anseco, leads PPAI Board Chair Tom Goos, MAS, and Geiger CEO Gene Geiger, MAS+ (right) on a tour of the company’s testing facility.

DSC08480

Goos and PPAI Director of Public Affairs Anne Stone traveled to Shenzen while in China to tour factories supporting the industry.

Paul with Tom Goos and Jeff Lederer, Prime.

(From left) Goos and PPAI President and CEO Paul Bellantone, CAE, with Jeffrey Lederer, president of supplier Prime Line, at the IPPAG member meeting in Hong Kong presenting on the U.S. marketplace and growing business in a dynamic marketplace. Prime is a member of the Switzerland-based IPPAG.

DSC08415

The Hong Gift and Premium Fair featured more than 4,700 exhibitors from 36 countries and regions.

PPAI President and CEO Paul Bellantone, CAE; PPAI Board Chair Tom Goos, MAS, and PPAI Director of Public Affairs Anne Stone traveled to Hong Kong in April to attend and speak at the 2016 Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair, produced by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). During the trip, they also met with buyer groups and visited factories in the area.

The Gifts & Premium Fair and the concurrent Hong Kong International Printing & Packaging Fair bring more than 4,700 exhibitors from 36 countries and regions, and buying missions comprised of 13,200 buyers from 75 countries and regions. Goos joined the Gifts & Premium Fair as part of its speaker lineup. His presentation, “Leading Product Responsibility Challenges in Mature Markets,” focused on the value of the promotional products channel and the importance of responsible sourcing of products that are not only safe and compliant with all U.S. regulations, but also produced in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.

Bellantone and Goos also participated in meetings of the International Partnership for Premiums & Gifts (IPPAG), World Advertising Gift Exchange (WAGE) and IGC Global Promotions to speak with their global memberships on the U.S. market and trends in the promotional products industry, including the challenges that arise from dealing with an increasingly global economy.

“The discussions with WAGE and IPPAG brought them up to speed on what we’ve seen driving the U.S. market,” says Bellantone. “We shared how PPAI is working to position our members to deal with factors that affect our businesses, like globalization and technology.”

IPPAG, WAGE and IGC are international networking and business groups that bring their members together to share expertise and collaborate on projects, resources and initiatives. “Enjoying each other’s differences and celebrating our commonalities,” was how one IGC attendee described the value of involvement in the group.

The Association’s collaboration and engagement with IPPAG, WAGE and IGC fulfills and furthers the “I” in PPAI, and as the world’s largest promotional products association, contributes to the industry’s global direction and advancement. Bellantone adds, “We are recognized as the global leader. PPAI’s work with WAGE and IPPAG goes a long way in defining the industry’s leadership, trends and research, projections for the future and its structure.”

Before heading back to the U.S., Goos and Stone traveled to Shenzhen, China, to tour several factories producing products for the industry.