May 3

Showdown Displays Awarded Silver Medal For Sustainability

Showdown Displays (PPAI 254687, S11) has been awarded a 2023 silver medal from EcoVadis for its achievements in sustainability and overall efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.

  • EcoVadis is an international sustainability rating agency. The silver rating places Showdown Displays in the top 25 percent of all companies assessed worldwide.
  • The supplier joined EcoVadis as a premium member in early 2022 and has made sustainability one of its top priorities by incorporating more sustainable materials into its products, redesigning packaging to reduce the amount of cardboard used and ending the use of printed shipping cartons to reduce ink usage and create packaging that is easier to recycle.

May 2

Lore Rincon Elected IMRA Board President; New Officers And Directors Announced

Incentive Merchandise to Reward & Appreciate (IMRA), a Strategic Industry Group within Incentive Marketing Association (IMA) (PPAI 133426, S1), has elected new officers for 2023-2024.

  • Lore Rincon, sales manager with Continental Premium Corporation, is the new IMRA board president. Rincon has been involved in the incentive industry for over 20 years, and has been active in IMRA and the IMA, holding numerous volunteer positions, including serving on and leading the IMRA board.
  • IMRA also elected Sarah Weidman, The Genevieve Group, LLC, as vice president; Dustin Smith, IP, B.C. Incentives, as treasurer; and Sara Dattolo, CPIM, Pilgrim Promotions, Ltd., as secretary. Tom Edgette, Hoffman & Edgette Award Marketing Services, serves as past president. 

IMRA directors are: Ivory Alexander, MAS, Inc.; Ian Arthur, Carson Optical; Ann Blackhurst, Bushnell; David Boodey, CPIM, RepLink/The DataDirect Group; Melissa Fleming, DPI, Inc.; Craig Frechette, BISSELL Homecare, Inc.; David Rosenstock, CPIM, IncentiveSource, Inc.; Rachel Stark-Cappelli, Stark Enterprises, Inc.; Lorraine Tillie, Travel + Leisure Co.; and Dennis Zimmerman, Sheryl O'Toole & Associates.

Charles River Apparel Sponsors And Participates In Earth Day Cleanup  



Charles River Apparel (PPAI 111644, S10) sponsored and participated in the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) 24th Annual Earth Day Cleanup in the Franklin State Forest to help keep the company’s namesake, the Charles River, clean.

  • Over the weekend of April 22-23, volunteers collected an estimated 57,000 pounds of debris and trash across 80 sites.
  • In addition to the cleanup, Charles River Apparel employees met with CRWA Executive Director Emily Norton to learn more about how they can mitigate pollution in their own communities. The cleanup and training are the latest in Charles River Apparel’s larger mission to become more sustainable in styles and business practices.

“We care deeply about the environment and are particularly proud to support CRWA as they continue to protect and enhance the Charles River while advocating for environmental transformation and solutions,” says Jason Lipsett, Charles River Apparel’s marketing director. “The annual cleanup is an important initiative, and we are grateful to all the volunteers who come together each year for this event.”