• • • • • • October 1 • 2013
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Top News
PPAI, RAC Host 14th Annual Leadership Development Workshop
Last week, regional association and PPAI volunteer leaders and staff gathered in Grapevine, Texas, for the 14th annual Leadership Development Workshop (LDW), hosted by PPAI and the Regional Association Council. Running September 25-27, the three-day event featured speakers, seminars and panel discussions, as well as networking and consultation opportunities.
Read More LDW
Industry News
SAGE Introduces Significant Updates In SAGE Online 10.0
SAGE has introduced SAGE Online 10.0, the latest version of its research and business management service.
Read More SAGE
Ennis, Inc. Acquires Folder Express
Supplier Ennis, Inc. (UPIC: ennis), headquartered in Midlothian, Texas, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of Folder Express from Wright Printing Company. The closing is subject to the completion of normal pre-closing items.
Read More Ennis, Inc.
U.S. Postal Service Announces Proposed Price Increases For 2014
The United States Postal Service yesterday announced proposed price changes, including an increase in the price of a First-Class Mail single-piece letter from 46 cents to 49 cents. The proposed changes, which would go into effect in January 2014, are intended to generate $2 billion in incremental annual revenue for the Postal Service.
Read More USPS
A.T. Cross Changes Its Name To Costa, Inc.
Supplier A.T. Cross Company (UPIC: ATCR001), which participates in the promotional products business under the Cross, Lamy and Franklin Covey brands, has announced that it will operate under a new name: Costa, Inc.
Read More Costa
PPEF’s Brown Bag & Give Green Campaign Raises More Than $7,500
In just two months, industry companies have raised $7,525 to fund college scholarships for the industry through PPEF’s Brown Bag & Give Green fundraising campaign. Launched in August, Brown Bag & Give Green gives industry companies the opportunity to support college scholarships at the grassroots level.
Read More PPEF
PPAI News
PPAI Technology Awards Finalists Named
PPAI’s Technology Awards recognize members for the development and effective use of technology in a wide variety of applications. These awards spotlight companies breaking new ground in websites, mobile apps, video content, social media campaigns or blogs.
Read More Technology Awards
Friday Is The Last Day To Vote In The 2013 PPAI Board Election
The 2013 PPAI Board Election closes this Friday, 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 election process and check out webinars introducing the distributor and supplier board candidates—distributors Mary Jo Tomasini, CAS, CEO of CE Competitive Edge, LLC, and Jon Levine, president of The Image Group; and suppliers Bruce Perryman, MAS+, owner/COO of Embroidery Unlimited, Inc., and Rick Mouty, CEO of TSC Apparel and WearMagic.
Nominate Your Powerful Partners By Tomorrow’s Deadline
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, consistently demonstrating industry professionalism and maintaining 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 close on Wednesday, October 2. All nominees must be employed by a PPAI member company.
PPAI’s Webinar Series Looks At CPSIA And Industry Best Practices This Month
This month, take advantage of PPAI’s extensive lineup of education opportunities for industry practitioners seeking to further their professional development.
Read More Webinars
PPAI Law
Today Is The Deadline For Affordable Care Act Employee Notification
Employers are required to provide by today, October 1, 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 L.E.A.D., 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, due no later than October 31, 2013.
People News
Spector & Co. (UPIC: SPEC0038) has promoted John Rex Papagayo to factory direct coordinator. Papagayo has been with the Champlain, New York-supplier for more than two years and in his new role will work with the company’s China office, suppliers and its customer service team.
Jennifer McFadden has joined Union, Illinois-based supplier BAG MAKERS, Inc. (UPIC: BAGMAKRS) as communications director. McFadden brings nearly 15 years of strategic communications and brand marketing expertise to the role, and will be responsible for internal communications, materials development and copywriting, as well as marketing and public relations support.
Parsippany, New Jersey-based supplier MediaTree (UPIC: tni) has named Craig Richards its new director of sales. Richards has nearly 20 years of sales and management experience, primarily in sports promotion advertising and marketing as well as experiential marketing, which he will be bringing to the role.
Supplier Sonoma Promotional Solutions (UPIC: SONOMA), headquartered in Sonoma, California, has hired Nickolai Mathison as general manager/senior vice president of sales. A 20-year sales and marketing veteran, Mathison’s history includes leadership positions with On Board Experiential Marketing, Omnicom's Radiate Group, and Olympic Games marketer SportsMark Management Group.
Kimberly Abel has joined St. Louis, Missouri, distributor Maritz Performance Improvements Co. (UPIC: MARI0002) as employee solutions leader. Abel, whose professional history includes solution design and development in the areas of recognition, applied behavior analysis, talent management, performance management and workforce reward strategies, will be responsible for the company’s employee recognition and engagement solutions.
Accolades
Facilis Group Wins WMA’s WebAward 2013
Facilis Group has been recognized with the Web Marketing Association’s (WMA) WebAward 2013 for its “Will You Say Thanks?” online marketing campaign in the “Small Business Standard of Excellence” category.
Read More Facilis Group
Crystal D’s Chuck Dahlgren Recognized By Minnesota Business Magazine
Chuck Dahlgren, president of St. Paul, Minnesota, supplier Crystal D (UPIC: CRYSTALD), was recognized at the Minnesota Manufacturing Awards ceremony, organized by Minnesota Business magazine, on September 24 as a finalist for the Executive of the Year award.
Read More Crystal D
SAGE FACT OF THE WEEK
Feature Spotlight: Sample Inventory Management
SAGE Online 10.0 now offers sample inventory management To log inventory of samples you receive, locate the product in SAGE Online and click on the “My Product Info” tab. In this area, you are able to log how many samples you have on hand, as well as the location and any notes you may want to add. Once samples are logged, you will be able to search by products you have samples for. This allows you to keep track of what samples you have in stock and helps reduce the time it takes to reorder. To learn more about the new features of SAGE Online 10.0 or if you do not have 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
An Investment In The Next Generation
PPEF awards $100,000 in college scholarships—gifts that keep on giving.
Read More Next Generation
Insurance Update
What healthcare reform really means for small businesses.
Read More Insurance
Throwing Bones
Puremco, the only known domino printer in the U.S., shows how it’s done.
Read More Dominos
Contribute To PPAI Publications
Did You Get The Memo?
December Editor’s Picks will feature the best and most sought-after desk and office products. Distributors, share your stories of successful campaigns that incorporated these items, and suppliers, send 1 MB images and product descriptions of your top picks for this category to Jen Alexander McCall by Friday, October 11.
Here’s To Your Health
December’s Market to Market examines the healthcare industry. Distributors who have worked with clients in this field—including senior/rehabilitative care, nurses and physicians’ groups, public health workers, etc—please share stories of campaigns you’ve produced and the products you incorporated; suppliers, please send 1 MB images and product descriptions of your top picks for this category to Jen Alexander McCall by Friday, October 11.
Club Corp
It’s time to start planning for spring golf outings. Suppliers: Make sure players are sporting your golf apparel by submitting your sport shirts, windshirts, jackets, vests, caps and other golf apparel to be featured in PPB editorial. Distributors: Share with us your favorite golf apparel items, case studies and ask your toughest golf promo questions. High-resolution images and other materials are due to Tama Underwood by October 31.
What Would You Do?
A Supplier Asks: We’re thinking of allowing our distributors to create their own virtual samples on our website. Do distributors like being able to make samples themselves, or is it more convenient to have suppliers create them? Do end buyers respond the same to both types of sample?
What's Your Answer? Email answers along with your name, title and company name to Question@ppai.org by October 31 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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