Business Services

DistributorCentral (UPIC: DC)—Alisha Kallappa, support specialist

ZOOMcatalog (UPIC: Zoom-cat)—Chris Reida, supplier solutions consultant

Distributors

AIA Corporation (UPIC: advinadv)—Clay Hall, director of field sales management

American Solutions for Business (UPIC: AMER0005)—Eric Gorghuber, promoted to IT senior director

The Flesh Company (UPIC: FRD02)—Cathy Shiflett, Parsons, Kansas sales support team

Summit Group, LLC (UPIC: summit)—Louis Guzzo, project delivery director; Kenneth “KD” Wittenberg, client solutions manager, and Eleanor Andres-Cruz, senior merchandiser

Suppliers

Ads On Magnets (UPIC: ADmagnet)—Julia Moerman, customer service and sales manager

Fields Manufacturing (UPIC: FIELDS)—Larry and Kyle Krause of LDK Marketing to represent the company in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas

Gemline (UPIC: GEMLINE)—Ross Dohrmann, director of account management

Halls & Company (UPIC: IDLINE)—Joe Eberz of Joe Eberz & Associates to represent the company in the north central U.S., Tony Tuso of Tuso Marketing for the Southwest, Joe Keely of Select Lines Marketing for the south central U.S., and Scott Hareid of Promo-Connections, Inc. for the upper Midwest

Hirsch Gift (UPIC: HIRGIFT)—Scott Blankenship of Blankenship Marketing Group to represent the company in Arkansas, Oklahoma and North Texas; Sharon Wohlleber of The Integrity Sales Group for Louisiana and South Texas; Anne Piotter of Cannon Marketing Group for Eastern Iowa and Eastern Missouri; Charlie Burnett of Focus Marketing for Western Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Western Missouri; and Mark Shinn, MAS, for Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Oregon and Washington

Hub Pen Company (UPIC: HUBPEN)—Ian Brudenell, inside sales executive for the West Coast; and Gerard Schifano of The Schifano Group to represent the company in New Jersey, New York City and Long Island

Innovation Line (UPIC: INNOV8)—William Pardue, vice president of operations

Mike Brothers Emblematic Solutions (UPIC: MikeBros)—Steve Belosi of Eagle Marketing to represent the company in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan

Pentel of America, Ltd. (UPIC: PENTEL)—Sonia Long, customer service manager for the Pentel Imprint division

Pro Towels (UPIC: PROTOWEL)—Jenell Sankey, promoted to director of customer service

Proinnovative (UPIC: PROINNOV)—Incentives West (UPIC: IDEAWEST) will represent the company in the Western region; Steve De Mars will serve the SAAC and AZPPA regional markets, Mark Shinn, MAS, will serve NWPMA, PMANC and RMRPPA markets, and Mary Jo Bieker will be available in a support role

Terry Town (UPIC: TERRYTWN)—Esmeralda Anaya, marketing coordinator

 

In Memoriam: PPAI Hall Of Fame Member Don Lafferre, CAS

Don Lafferre, CAS webDon Lafferre, CAS, owner of Priority Promotions, a St. Louis-based distributor, and the 2014 PPAI Hall of Fame inductee, passed away on Tuesday, December 22. He was 87.

Lafferre attended Indiana State University after serving in the U.S. Navy. While Lafferre was a senior, an associate professor recommended him for a position with a local promotional products firm, Terre Haute Advertising (THADCO). Although he was an accounting student, he accepted the interview and took a position with THADCO as a sales manager. Lafferre continued in the promotional products industry for 64 years.

For most of his career, Lafferre worked to support the progress and success of the industry, including as a member of the PPAI Board of Directors, PPAI committees and advisory councils and for landmark legislative actions. He was a consummate ambassador, writer and activist, and was one of the most fervent speakers in the PPAI ADvocate program, speaking in support of the promotional products industry to educate businesses, community groups and schools on the power of promotional products.

While serving on the PPAI Board of Directors, Lafferre contributed to the formation of the Regional Association Committee and the recommendation to move the Association headquarters from Chicago to Irving, Texas, and helped facilitate the acquisition of the industry’s premier trade publication now known as PPB, and the creation of a fair dues structure. Lafferre was inducted into the PPAI Hall of Fame at The PPAI Expo 2014.

“Don was humbled, honored and appreciative of the award, and to be recognized among people who were icons, pioneers and mentors to Don in his early years in the business,” says Dave Lafferre, his son. “Did you ever see a child at Christmas looking at the gifts under the tree? Don had that same inner child ‘glow’ every time someone mentioned his Hall of Fame status.”

Outside of the promotional products industry, Lafferre’s passions included the city of Florissant, the St. Louis, Missouri suburb he moved to in 1960. At the mayor’s request, he joined the first Florissant Senior Commission Board, and for the past 15 years worked to improve activities for senior citizens in the community. His efforts were rewarded last year, when Florissant was named the No. 1 small city in America to retire to by Movoto.com. Lafferre was also active in the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic men’s fraternal service organization that supported church and local communities with service and philanthropic efforts.

Lafferre is survived by his wife, Dennise; daughter and son-in-law, Jean and Brian (Lafferre) McFerron; son, Dave; brother, Tom Lafferre; granddaughter and grandson-in-law, Alyssa (Lafferre) and Tylor Lampkin; and great-grandson Rigby Jax Lampkin.

Services were held for Lafferre at St. Norbert’s Catholic Church in Florissant. The family asks that donations be made in his honor to the Promotional Products Education Fund (PPEF) or to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

In August 2012, the PPAI Board of Directors voted to create a Hall of Fame Memorial Program utilizing PPEF’s Named Scholarships to honor Hall of Fame members for their lifetime contributions to the Association and industry. The PPAI Board will match donations up to $2,500 to fulfill the $5,000 commitment needed to create a Named Scholarship through the PPEF. To date, HOF Named Scholarships have been created in memory of Gene Cesario, Marvin Spike and H.D. Joe Stratton.

To make a gift to establish a scholarship in Don Lafferre’s name, send a check payable to PPEF mentioning Lafferre in the memo line and mail it to PPEF, 3125 Skyway Circle North, Irving, Texas 75038. Gifts can also be made online at www.ppef.us. Click on Donate and enter the gift as a Memorial/Honorary gift.