• • • • • • September 17 • 2013
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Top News
Joe Stratton, MAS, Former PPAI Board Chair And 2002 Hall Of Fame Inductee, Passes Away At 82
PPAI Lifetime member H.D. “Joe” Stratton, MAS, retired senior vice president of distributor Harvey-Daco, former PPAI board chair and 2002 Hall of Fame inductee, passed away today from complications suffered in a fall several months ago. He was 82.
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Industry News
Moderne Glass Acquires MB Works
Supplier Moderne Glass Company, Inc. (UPIC: glass-am), also known as Glass America, has acquired fellow drinkware supplier MB Works (UPIC: MBWorks) based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Financial terms of the deal were not released, but Moderne Glass, headquartered in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, began processing MB Works orders on Monday.
Read More Moderne Glass
American Solutions For Business Acquires Three Companies
American Solutions for Business (UPIC: AMER0005) has acquired three individual companies located in Florida, Ohio and Nevada. These acquisitions were part of an expansion initiative that has continued to extend the Glenwood, Minnesota, distributor’s national footprint. Financial terms of the agreements were not disclosed.
Read More American Solutions For Business
iPROMOTEu Express Service Goes Live
iPROMOTEu’s (UPIC: IPRO9320) iPROMOTEu Express, a service that allows industry distributors to use iPROMOTEu for individual order financing, is ready to accept requests for financing.
Read More iPROMOTEu
Vitronic Acquires Andrew Philips-Millennium Leather
Vitronic Promotional Group (UPIC: ACHIEVER) has acquired Andrew Philips-Millennium Leather, LLC (UPIC: MILL-LEA).
Read More Vitronic
Matsuda Partners With Tornado, Inc.
Matsuda, Inc. (UPIC: MZDA) and Tornado, Inc. announced that the two suppliers have entered a partnership to jointly increase their presence in the North American and international markets.
Read More Matsuda
Prime Resources Celebrates VP’s 30th Anniversary
Jerry Russo, vice president of operations with Bridgeport, Connecticut-based supplier Prime Resources Corp. (UPIC: PRIME), was honored for his 30th anniversary with Prime during a reception at company headquarters.
Read More Prime
PPAI News
Register Today For The PPAI Expo 2014
Registration for The PPAI Expo 2014 is now open. North America’s largest annual gathering of promotional products professionals comes to Las Vegas, Nevada’s Mandalay Bay Convention Center on January 13-17, 2014. With nearly 1,300 exhibiting companies and numerous networking opportunities, The PPAI Expo is designed to jump start attendees’ business and creativity for the coming year. After registration, book a room through onPeak, the official housing company for The PPAI Expo 2014.
Nominate Your Powerful Partners By October 2
PPB magazine is searching for the best examples of distributors who help their suppliers through clear communications, a high level of creative selling and a collaborative partnership while demonstrating their clear passion for the promotional products industry.
Suppliers are invited to nominate distributors they work with who routinely invest in their success by building mutually beneficial relationships; who consistently demonstrate industry professionalism and maintain a high-level of business integrity. Distributors selected for inclusion as PPB Powerful Partners will be announced in PPB Newslink and featured in an upcoming article in PPB. Nominations open today and close October 2. All nominees must be employed by a PPAI member company.
Vote Today In The 2013 PPAI Board Election
The 2013 PPAI Board Election has begun and will run through October 4. Each PPAI member company has a voice in the direction of the Association. Voting contacts of a member company are entitled to select two new qualified directors who will represent their interests. Learn more about the candidates—suppliers Bruce Perryman, MAS+, owner/COO of Embroidery Unlimited, Inc. and Rick Mouty, CEO of TSC Apparel and WearMagic; and distributors Mary Jo Tomasini, CAS, CEO of CE Competitive Edge, LLC, and Jon Levine, president of The Image Group—and the election process.
Boardwalk Fire Won’t Affect Plans for Expo East
Last week, a massive fire consumed a blocks-long stretch of boardwalk and numerous businesses in Seaside Park, New Jersey. While no one was hurt in the incident, which investigators have ruled as accidental, much of what was destroyed had only recently been rebuilt following Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. While tragic, this event is about 60 miles up the coast from Atlantic City and should have no impact on Expo East 2014, set for May 19-21.
Friday‘s PPAI Webinar Series Features PPAI Board Election Candidates
Learn more about the supplier and distributor candidates for the PPAI Board election in this Friday’s webinars. PPAI’s webinar program offers insights, updates and information on the Association’s board election process, and throughout the year features an extensive line-up of education opportunities for industry practitioners seeking to further their professional development.
Read More Webinars
PPAI Law
October 1 Is The Deadline For Affordable Care Act Employee Notification
October 1 is the deadline for employers to provide a written notice of healthcare options to all current employees, as required by sections of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (new employees must be notified by their hire date).
Read More Affordable Care Act
Register Today For The 2014 PPAI L.E.A.D.
On April 9-10, 2014, as part of PPAI’s Legislative Education and Action Day, the Association’s members and staff will meet with senators, congressional representatives and their legislative staffs on Capitol Hill to discuss pending legislation and issues relevant to the promotional products industry. Applications are now open and are due by October 31.
People News
St. Paul, Minnesota-based Crystal D (UPIC: CRYSTALD) has added new positions in sales and accounting. Steve LaFalce, MAS (from left), has joined the supplier as the northeast territory manager, while Sandy Nichols, MAS, has been hired to work in customer support, helping create new sales opportunities around awards. Paula Doll has moved from customer service to accounting as an accounting clerk, where she will be responsible for assisting customers with accounts payable, accounts receivable and billing.
Tulsa, Oklahoma-based supplier SELCO (UPIC: SELCO) has hired Ross Fraser as sales manager. Fraser will focus on growing the company’s sales volume and customer base.
Beacon Promotions (UPIC: BEACONP) has appointed Lisa Pelzel as the New Ulm, Minnesota, supplier’s new national accounts representative. Lisa joined Beacon in 2004 in its inside sales department and has held various positions of increasing responsibility within the organization. She will support the sales of all of the company’s lines to a limited number of accounts who have a national presence.
Points of Light (UPIC: POINTS), in Fairfield, New Jersey, has hired West Coast Branded Solutions (UPIC: W587145) of Los Gatos, California, to represent the supplier in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
Bob Heintz has been promoted to national sales manager at Vitronic Promotional Group (UPIC: ACHIEVER). Heintz joined the Mason, Ohio, supplier in 2009 as a regional sales manager.
Distributor CE Competitive Edge, LLC (UPIC: COMPEDG) in Stevensville, Michigan, has promoted several staff members—former Competitive Edge President and founder, Mary Jo Tomasini, CAS (from left), is now CEO; Paula Wygonik has moved from vice president to president and Lisa DeJong has moved from director of sales to vice president of sales.
Regional News
Retired Naval Officer Greg Slavonic To Speak At LDW Next Week
The 2013 RAC Leadership Development Workshop (LDW), hosted by the Regional Association Council (RAC) and PPAI in Grapevine, Texas, will bring regional association board members and executive directors together for education, training and annual planning September 25-27. This year’s LDW will feature a general session presentation from retired Navy Rear Adm. Greg Slavonic on leadership in an ever-changing world.
Read More LDW
SAAC Foundation President To Run For Scholarship Program
Specialty Advertising Association of California (SAAC) Foundation President Craig Reese, CAS, is taking part in the Chicago Marathon this October to raise money for scholarships. Founded in 2012, the foundation is SAAC’s charitable nonprofit arm and Reese is running to raise funds for its Past Presidents Scholarship for Academic Excellence and Achievement, awarded yearly up to $1,000 and open to the children of individuals in the promotional products industry. Donations can be made on the Foundation’s donations webpage.
Charitable Contributions
ePromos Provides Custom T-Shirts, Assistance To New York-Based Nonprofit
In the spirit of volunteerism and lending a helping hand, distributor ePromos Promotional Products, Inc. (UPIC: EPROMOS) donated 500 promotional t-shirts and a team of volunteers for New York Says Thank You Foundation’s (NYSTY) annual September 11 anniversary event, “The Big Build.”
Read More ePromos
SAGE FACT OF THE WEEK
Boost Online Shopping With SAGE PromoSearch
Did you know it’s predicted that in the year 2016, online shoppers in the US will spend $327 billion, a 62 percent increase from 2011? Adding SAGE PromoSearch to a website allows customers to more easily search the SAGE database. The website’s search preferences can be customized as well, so that customers only see preferred suppliers and lines. Once they finds the product they are looking for, they can then request more information, request a quote, or place an order through the site. Don’t miss out on the online shopping craze. To add PromoSearch to a website or to learn more about SAGE Online, contact SAGE today to find out how you can get it at no additional charge through the Power of Two relationship, exclusive for PPAI members.
This Month’s PPB
Taste Test
With the holidays fast approaching and food being one of the most popular holiday gifts, it’s not too early to look at some of this year’s tastiest trends in candy and specialty foods.
Read More Food Trends
Close Up-Kenneth Huang
Kenneth Huang saw the future flash before his eyes when, while working in computer technology, he first came across the flash drive. “It was a little like the introduction of the cassette tape after the eight-track tape,” says the Taiwan native and president of Houston, Texas-based supplier KTI Promos.
Read More Huang
Money In The Bank
Promotional products are a sound investment for financial marketing programs.
Read More Financial Programs
Contribute To PPAI Publications
The Great Outdoors
Parks and recreation departments can benefit from promotional products to keep visitors coming back month after month, year after year. Send case studies of successful programs built for these clients, as well as large images and descriptions of products that can be used in parks and recreation campaigns, to Jen Alexander McCall by September 23.
Make Yourself Comfortable
PPB closes out 2013 with lounge wear as the apparel focus in the December issue. Suppliers: Send product descriptions and high-res images of tees, tanks, tunics, leggings, boxer shorts, yoga pants, robes and other comfy apparel. Distributors: We want your case studies, favorite lounge looks and questions about selecting, selling or decorating this category. Please send all submissions to Tama Underwood by September 30 for possible editorial inclusion.
What Would You Do?
An End-Buyer Asks: A distributor we work with is trying to convince me that we should not imprint the promotional products we buy from him. He says this is the newest trend and that our customers will remember the products we give them—an imprint isn't necessary. I'm hesitant to do this as we think putting our logo, name or message on promotional products is essential. Is there any truth to what I'm hearing? Is there any research to show that non-imprinted promotional products work as well as imprinted promotional products?
What's Your Answer? Email answers along with your name, title and company name to Question@ppai.org by September 30 for possible inclusion in an upcoming issue of PPB magazine.
Need peer advice on a sticky situation? Send your question to Question@ppai.org.
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