PPAI Staff Fundraiser Collects Almost $3,500 For The Dallas Humane Society

In May, PPAI staff donated almost $3,500 to the Dallas Humane Society following the Association’s “PPAI Unleashed: Racing For The Rescues” fundraiser in April. The fundraiser featured five teams of two participating in a rescue-themed agility competition. In the weeks leading up to the fundraiser, teams collected sponsor donations from friends and colleagues, with the team that collected the most auto-advancing to the second round of the competition.

Above photograph, from left: Creative Services Manager Gretchen Demke, Accounts Payable Coordinator Demetria Robinson, Graphic Designer Nolan Moran and Research Manager Mo Das visit the Dallas Humane Society to deliver PPAI's donation to Michael Whiteside, administration and development coordinator. This is the fourth year the Association has put on the fundraiser and was by far its most successful. This year, four of the teams held Facebook fundraisers--raising $1,035, collectively--in addition to more than $2,000 raised at the event itself.

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SnugZ USA Hosts PPAI Leadership Visit

In May, while in Utah for the Association board’s spring meeting, members of the PPAI leadership team—PPAI President and CEO Paul Bellantone, CAE; Vice President of Business Development Alan Peterson and PPAI Board Member Perry Wehrle, MAS— visited the headquarters and factory of West Jordan-based supplier SnugZ USA, where PPAI Board Chair Brittany David, MAS, serves as vice president of sales, to meet with its leadership and learn more about its operations.


Above photograph: Brandon Mackay, SnugZ USA president (second left) met with (from left) PPAI Vice President of Business Development Alan Peterson; President and CEO Paul Bellantone, CAE, and PPAI Board Member Perry Wehrle, MAS, during their visit. He says, “I know I can speak for everyone at SnugZ USA and say that we absolutely love visitors and the chance to show off all our amazing and talented employees. About 90 percent of our employee base does not have the chance to visit customers or go to Expo, which made the visit thrilling for many. We hoped they loved seeing us as much as we loved seeing them. It was truly a great day.”

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Industry Services Provider OrderMyGear Visits PPAI Headquarters

OrderMyGear, a Dallas, Texas-area business services provider, visited PPAI headquarters in Irving in May to discuss PPAI’s research initiatives and how they can use them, and educate PPAI on how the company provides microsites for distributors.


Above photograph: PPAI Research Manager Mo Das (left) and Director of Marketing Keith Vincent
(second right) met with (from left) OrderMyGear Vice President of Strategy and co-founder James
Skidmore, CEO Dave Dutch and National Sales Manager David Butterfield at PPAI headquarters
in May.

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commonsku's Four-City Sales Conference Tour Makes Final Stop In New York

commonsku (PPAI 552077), a promotional products business and sales software provider headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, wrapped up its four-city commonsku sessions tour on May 16 in New York City. Other stops on the tour included Dallas, Texas, on April 4; Chicago, Illinois, on April 25; and Los Angeles, California, on May 9.

Above photograph: The commonsku sessions tour focused techniques that would target broader advertising budgets and connected attendees with a wide range of speakers.

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American Solutions For Business Staff Volunteer With Habitat For Humanity

A team of employees from distributor American Solutions For Business, headquartered in Glenwood, Minnesota, joined Habitat For Humanity for a day this Spring in Alexandria, to volunteer their assistance on a project. Justin Zavadil, ASB’s president, says, “This was such an awesome opportunity for everyone involved. Not only did we help move a family one step closer to home ownership, but our team got to work together toward something good for the community. That’s what we’re all about.”  


Above photograph: ASB employees volunteering with Habitat For Humanity were taking advantage of the company’s introduced Volunteer Time Off program, which allows staff in the home office to make a greater impact on the area they live and work.

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SAAGNY Golf Outing Raises Funds For Its Foundations

In conjunction with Expo East in June, members of Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York (SAAGNY) and their guests took part in a long-standing and beloved tradition—the golf tournament. This year’s Lenore Goldberg Memorial Golf Outing was held at the Stockton Seaview Golf Club with 12 foursomes teeing off at noon under breezy, blue skies. The first-place winning team was comprised of Dave Atlas, Henry Fajardo, Dan Torre and Jack Geiger.

 
Above photograph, left: SAAGNY's golf tournament was named to honor the late Lenore Goldberg who was a legendary volunteer for the regional association and served as president in 2005-2006. Above photograph, right: Proceeds from the golf tournament benefit the SAAGNY Foundation, Inc., which was established in 1995 to provide educational scholarships, general assistance and a means for the promotional products industry to engage the community through charitable endeavors and activities.

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AZPPA Hosts Fundraiser For Local Animal Shelter

The Arizona Promotional Products Association’s (AzPPA) new Philanthropy Committee hosted the regional association’s first fundraising event of the year on April 6. Puppies & Prosecco, a brunch to support local animal shelter, Home Fur Good, was held at The Churchill, a downtown Phoenix eatery, with a Mexican food buffet provided by Provecho catering. AzPPA’s 2019 Philanthropy Chair Stephanie Welch says, “We are so proud to have had such a successful event for our first venture in 2019. It was all for a great cause, and Home Fur Good truly appreciates our support.”


Above photograph: AzPPA's fundraiser collected approximately $500 in donations for the 
shelter, and two of the puppies in attendance left the day with possible adoption interviews
scheduled for the following week.

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James Khattak is news editor of PPB.