July 2021
July 13, 2021 Tuesday Learning Lab:
“A Behind the Scenes Look at the Industry’s Largest Decorator - A Virtual Guided Tour" 

Step inside and peek behind the curtain at the inner workings of the promotional products industry’s largest decorator. You will get a personal guided tour on what it takes to turn blank apparel goods into amazing, branded merch. The virtual tour will include a combination of video clips from various parts of the facility and live discussion from the presenter.

Learning Outcomes:
  • What are the different ways to decorate apparel?
  • Why would one type of process be better than others?
  • What is involved in art prep, tooling, set-ups, etc.?
  • What types of lead times are needed?
  • Where does Vantage do these things?

July 28, 2021 Wild Wednesday Webinar:
“Christmas In July: Santa’s Workshop Head Start" 

Ignite your holiday business with great strategy, fresh ideas, marketing concepts, line development and more. Your Christmas & holiday gift business will start with this session and earn you thousands of dollars in profit. 
 
Attendees will learn:
  • Where and how to prospect.
  • How to start getting early sales.
  • How to begin collecting leads. 

Mark your calendars!! Details and registration coming soon!!
PPAMidwest News
American Solutions for Business Promotes Lori Rogge to Director of Sales Support

Glenwood, MN – American Solutions for Business announced that Lori Rogge has been promoted to Director of Sales Support.
 
“As a long-standing member of the American family, Lori represents what makes ASB successful,” explains VP of Sales Support, Miriah Cassidy. “Her leadership skills and process driven mindset paired with a wealth of company knowledge will drive her success within this new position. I could not be more proud to have her on the Sales Support Leadership team!”
 
Rogge joined the ASB family in 1998 as a Sales Support Customer Service Representative and eventually took on a supervisory role. Her new role will bridge the gap between departments, sales associates, and home office CSRs, while providing support for the onboarding of team members. Because operational success and growing people are her biggest motivators, Rogge expressed that the mentoring portion of this position excites her.
 
Rogge adds, “I am very excited for this next journey with ASB to lead the department into the future. The team has had many challenges over the last year and they all have exceeded expectations, and not missed a beat by working in the remote world. I am very proud of each and every one of them and excited to see where their future roles bring them.“
PPAMidwest Members....
Don't forget to regularly check and use your member only coupons! 
 
Click here for details
on this and other
PPAMidwest Member benefits
Want to earn points and join in on the fun?
Simply complete the easy request form to have your points credited
for the activities listed above (click on above image for a larger view).
Industry News
Promotional Products Education Foundation
2021 - 2022 Academic Year Scholarships
Promotional Products Education Foundation Awards $278,750 In Scholarships
 
The Promotional Products Education Foundation (PPEF), the promotional products industry’s nonprofit dedicated to recognizing and encouraging scholastic excellence and academic performance among promotional products industry employees and their college-aged children, will award $278,750 in scholarships for the 2021-2022 academic year.
 
“Very few industries are as close-knit and deliberate about the success of others as the promotional products industry,” says Dustin Wicks, vice chair of PPEF’s scholarship committee. “It’s inspiring to see moments when our industry truly comes together to stand behind a great cause. PPEF is one of these efforts that directly contributes to the future success of both our industry and the students that will help lead us into an even better tomorrow. And it’s all made possible by the generous donation of those in the promotional products industry. Our industry continues to step up to help each other and this generous support of PPEF solidifies a very promising future.”
 
This year PPEF is awarding 130 new and 31 renewal scholarships to selected recipients who have displayed remarkable academic achievement, extracurricular participation and community service. Each will receive between $1,000 and $9,000 to support their college educations. Since the PPEF was founded in 1989 it has awarded $2,726,750 in financial assistance to 1,488 recipients.
 
Funded by Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) and generous donations from companies and individuals within the promotional products industry, the scholarship program enables youth and professionals to continue their education at the collegiate level. The Association and industry patrons have a long-standing commitment to service of the promotional products industry and this fund supports those who demonstrate that same commitment.
 
“We are so grateful for those who continue to support the efforts of the Foundation,” says Sara Besly, PPEF executive director, “and so honored to be able to recognize our recipients with these scholarships.”
 
PPEF is an industry-based nonprofit organization that raises money to help students achieve their higher education goals. PPEF was founded to recognize and encourage scholastic ability and academic performance among promotional products industry employees and their children. Since 1989, it has awarded $2.7 million in financial assistance to 1,488 recipients. More information about applying for and supporting the scholarships is available at www.ppef.us.  
SAGE Show - All Are Welcome
 
It’s back online and better than ever!
August 18-20, 2021
 
SAGE Show is a three-day nationwide online event for promotional products professionals.
 
Connect with 200+ exhibitors, see the latest new products, and get ideas in time for the fall selling season. Oh, and it’s free to attend!
 
3 Reasons Your Business Hasn't Grown During the Pandemic
Kimanzi Constable  Entrepreneur Leadership Network VIP Content Marketing Strategist

If your business growth has slowed or declined during the pandemic, the good news is that you can do something about that.

We're living through an interesting time. Even before the pandemic, entrepreneurs had the opportunity to reach more potential customers and grow their business through the Internet and social media's power and reach. 
 
Today, people consume content, buy products and services, and learn about businesses through their phones. The barrier to becoming an entrepreneur and growing a company has been removed if you create offers that appeal to a customer segment you're targeting. 
 
While entrepreneurs were pushing busy forward in the building of their businesses, a global pandemic changed how we live, work, and exist. Millions of people lost their jobs, small businesses shut down, and entrepreneurs saw revenue drop quickly. 
 
With so many consumers out of work and fearful of what the future will hold — discretionary spending came to a standstill. It did, has, and will affect businesses that aren't prepared. 
PPAI RAC Volunteer Award
Presentation to be held during LDW July 21 - 22, 2021
Scott Hareid and Cathy Miller Named Recipients of PPAI RAC Volunteer Award
 
Promotional Products Association International, the not-for-profit association representing the $19.8 billion promotional products industry, today announced its 2021 PPAI RAC Volunteer Award recipients. They are Scott Hareid, Hareid Marketing, Upper Midwest Association of Promotional Professionals (UMAPP) and Cathy Miller, MAS, Geiger, Promotional Products Association of the Mid-South (PPAMS) and Sunbelt Promotional Products Association (SPPA).
 
The PPAI RAC Volunteer Award is presented annually to regional association members who demonstrate an outstanding level of volunteerism, leadership and/or have made other significant and measurable contributions to one or more regional associations. Whether recipients have been actively involved in association programs or impacted association growth and stewardship, the PPAI RAC Volunteer is an enthusiastic advocate who has taken their involvement and commitment to the next level.
 
“Associations live and die by their volunteers. Without the dedication and hard work of unpaid individuals like Scott Hareid and Cathy Miller, MAS, associations would be hard-pressed to provide the benefits they do to their memberships,” said PPAI Interim President Bob McLean, CPA, CAE, CEM. “As the Interim president at PPAI and a 13-year Association employee, I’m speaking from experience. So I am proud to recognize both Scott and Cathy, this year’s recipients of the PPAI RAC Volunteer Award.
 
For Hareid, the list of contributions to UMAPP and PPAI is long. As far back as 2009, his contributions were recognized by UMAPP when he was awarded the UMAPP Volunteer of theYear award. Fast forward to 2020 and Hareid’s contributions were being recognized once again as he was honored with the UMAPP Lifetime Achievement Award. Over the years, Hareid has also served PPAI in numerous capacities including as a member of the Board Nominating Committee and Distributors Committee, RAC Delegate to the PPAI Board and many more.
 
“Scott’s leadership with the association has been invaluable. So many positive and professional changes have been made to the association because of his insight, experience and wisdom,” said Sue Selseth, UMAPP executive director and Hareid’s nominator. “His leadership has been well respected amongst the UMAPP community and he has been a mentor to many new and current members of the association.” 

Cathy Miller’s service to the regional community spans over two decades and includes two associations, PPAMS and SPPA. She served as president of SPPA in 2001 and president of PPAMS in 2009 and has held countless committee positions with both organizations. In 2015 she was awarded the SPPA Dianne Watson Volunteer of the Year and in 2021 was inducted to the PPAMS Hall of Fame.
 
Additionally, Miller has served on PPAI’s Awards and Membership Services committees, as well as been a judge for the PPAI Pyramid Award Competition. “Cathy epitomized the profile of what a dedicated volunteer does and is,” said Janet McMaster, regional VP at Geiger and RAC president in 2017. She is always one of the first to step forward when volunteers are needed on a local, regional and/or national level.‘’
 
“In my 22 years, I can truly say that Cathy Miller is the kind of volunteer member who only comes along once in a lifetime. She exemplifies the volunteer spirit found in regional associations across the nation,“ said Mark Farrar, PPAMS executive director and Miller’s nominator.
 
The presentation of the 2021 PPAI RAC Volunteer Award will take place at the virtual 2021 Leadership Development Workshop, July 21-22.