The 10th PPAI Women’s Leadership Conference, held at the Omni Interlocken Hotel in Denver, Colorado, brought together 120 women registrants from companies throughout the industry.
This year’s 10th annual PPAI Women’s Leadership Conference, held in Denver, Colorado, on July 28-30, was a celebration of rich heritage. After a decade of excellence, the conference continues to develop and the audience expands as more and more women discover the value of this program. This year’s event drew 120 women, including 46 first-time attendees, from suppliers, distributors, rep companies and business service firms across the U.S. and Canada.
The conference officially opened with an evening session by PPAI President and CEO Paul Bellantone, CAE, who shared an informative presentation about women in the workplace. Following a networking reception in the hotel’s outdoor pavilion, attendees were seated for the welcome dinner where PPAI presented its 2014 Woman Of Achievement awards. This year’s honorees were Jo-An Lantz, MAS, executive vice president of Geiger, and Maribeth Sandford, CAS, president of BAG MAKERS, Inc. Read more about their paths to success in the September issue of PPB.
Jo-an Lantz, MAS, executive vice president at distributor Geiger (left), and Maribeth Sandford, CAS, CEO of supplier BAG MAKERS, Inc. (right), with PPAI President and CEO Paul Bellantone, CAE, were recognized with the 2014 PPAI Woman Of Achievement Award at the 10th annual PPAI Women’s Leadership Conference in Denver, Colorado.
Over the next two days attendees started out early with optional early-morning classes on self-defense and yoga, followed by full days of education on topics including mobile marketing, investments, social media content, presentation skills, generational marketing, productivity, product safety and stress- busting best practices taught by professional speakers and industry experts. Among this year’s featured speakers was Courtney Clark, who opened the general session with a moving presentation recalling how she had overcome serious health challenges and learned some of life’s most important lessons. Her experience taught listeners the importance of being resilient. Attendees were also treated to a humorous and high-energy presentation on the final day of the conference by featured speaker Kelli Vrla, who won over the crowd with her self-deprecating humor, audience interaction and side-splitting stories. The conference wrapped up with an evening of light-hearted competition and team-building as color-coded teams tried to best others for the highest score in games such as balancing five dice on a tongue depressor held between the teeth and rolling marbles through a tube to knock down a trio of AA batteries. Find bonus content from the sessions by clicking Industry News on the PPAI Media app. Download it free at pubs.ppai.org/app.
A full year’s worth of work went into preparing for this year’s event—much of it accomplished by the WLC Work Group headed by Chair Dana Floyd, director of information services for SAGE.
“I want to celebrate every attendee who joined me at the 10th Women’s Leadership Conference,” says Floyd. “This was my fifth year attending the conference, and every year I find that I learn more and more and I am inspired by both the veterans and the first-time attendees. The topics covered were inspirational, educational and beneficial to both my personal and professional life. Most of all I love connecting with so many successful women in our industry. Looking forward to another fantastic conference next year in New Orleans.”
Joining Floyd on the work group were: Sarabeth Anderson, BAG MAKERS, Inc.; Renee Jones, MAS+, A Creative Touch; Janet McMaster, MAS, Geiger; Kim Reinecker, MAS, Starline USA; Beverly Walter, MAS, Brown & Bigelow; Jamie Watson, CAS, Certified Marketing Consultants and Sharon Willochell, Leed’s.
The PPAI Women’s Leadership Conference, first held in Philadelphia in 2005, has grown substantially over the years but holds true to its original purpose of educating women within the promotional products industry.
“As a first-timer, I really enjoyed being a part of WLC, and being a part of the ‘family’ that has developed over the years,” says attendee Stevie Clark, customer support manager at supplier SnugZ USA. “Within this industry there are so many faces and different stories, but for three days we were all a part of each other’s stories no matter who you were. I met new friends and never felt out of place. I enjoyed the speakers, and took back a lot of motivation, encouragement and tricks for helping my company and myself to grow. I appreciated all the wonderful women who reached out to me, gave me a smile or became my new friends over dinner. It was a great experience, and I am so glad I got to be a part of it.”
Another first-timer, Nancy L. Jolly, vice president of sales for In Stepp Marketing, who attended the conference as recipient of the Women’s Leadership Conference scholarship, says, “For years, I have had friends talk about this event. I still wasn’t sure what to expect. The WLC was more than I ever imagined and more than I could ever explain. It brought me new energy, new perspective, new confidence, new focus … and just as importantly, new friends and new, favorite memories.”
Multi-year attendee Samantha Adorno of distributor PromoPros adds, “It’s very refreshing to attend for the second time to meet familiar faces and greet new ones. I’m very moved and inspired by all the powerful speakers. I look forward to attending next year’s WLC.”
Left: Courtney Clark, a featured speaker at the PPAI 2014 Women’s Leadership Conference, encourages her audience to respond during her presentation on resilient leadership. Right: Laura Stack offered tips to help the audience sidestep the four biggest categories of distractions in the workplace: technology, yourself, people and environment
“After attending WLC I feel like lighting the world on fire!” says Anita Emoff, CAS, president of distributor Boost Technologies and Shumsky. “The WLC is motivating, inspiring, thought provoking and filled with networking. What a great investment of my time!”
“[It was] absolutely the most impressive PPAI WLC yet!” says Lorrayne Mancari, MAS+, regional manager of Geiger, who has attended the event since its inception. “Reconnecting with friends and business associates as well as meeting almost 45 new attendees was phenomenal. One of the many highlights was introducing Jo-an [Lantz] at the event where she was honored as one of the Women of Achievement recipients. The education sessions were wonderful this year—not only learning new methods of presentation with Prezi, but continuing to learn about the different generations and how they do business, how to be resilient and many new stress-busting practices. This is one of the best events I attend every year.”
Carrie Sabo, CAS, Midwest sales manager at American Ad Bag, says, “The most valuable experience I had, and always have, at the Women’s Leadership Conference is the opportunity to learn from some of the industry’s most elite leaders. The expertise that these women pass along about business, as well as life, is invaluable. It is so refreshing and hopeful to see women that are highly successful in both their professional and personal lives. I feel extremely blessed that I’m able to attend the WLC and cultivate lasting relationships with these wonderful ladies.”
The 2015 Women’s Leadership Conference is scheduled for July 27-29 in New Orleans, Louisiana, and next year’s WLC Work Group chair is Jamie Watson, CAS, partner at Certified Marketing Consultants. Watch for registration to open later this year.