Thank you for attending the CPPA Winter Expo!

We had a great time "Getting In The Game" at our 2024 Winter Expo!

Four cities, four awesome regional associations and one very fun theme!

From Connecticut to Chesapeake and NYC to Drexel Hill, we had you covered! 

Chesapeake Promotional Products Association (CPPA), New England Promotional Products Association (NEPPA), Philadelphia Area Promotional Products Association (PAPPA), and Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York (SAAGNY) are proud to announce the success of our third annual Power of District “1” Show collaboration which was held January 29 - February 1 with over 650 combined distributor attendees.

CPPA, NEPPA, PAPPA, and SAAGNY, all members of District 1’s regional association community, have worked together to foster communication and cooperation between our associations and our community of members which allows us to connect and share best practices amongst the Northeast geographical region of our industry. This year a common theme of "Get In The Game" was shared to create a fun experience for all. Exhibitors and attendees were encouraged to wear their favorite football team jersey/apparel which added to the fun!

To start the day, CPPA hosted a "VIP Forum" which was a fast moving, hot topic education session presented by six of our Supplier/Multi-line partners. The session was packed with standing room only! Those attending the CPPA education session were entered into a drawing to win a Keurig machine complete with K-cups.

Immediately after the education session, the show opened and was busy from the “first whistle” with a line of distributors checking in when the doors opened and staying for the majority of the entire show. The distributors attendees saw lots of great product from all our wonderful exhibitors and several door prizes were given away during the day which enhanced the fun. Congratulations to all of our prize winners!!

The energy was spectacular during the entire sold out event, and it was clear people were happy to be together rekindling those Distributor/Supplier partnerships and friendships while enjoying a fun football themed show.

Thank you to all our Supplier, Multi-line Rep and Distributor members for making this event a huge success! 2024 is off to a great start!

Stay tuned for the dates for the 2025 Power of District “1” Tour!

For more Winter Expo photos, click here

And of course THANK YOU to our Winter Expo Show Sponsors!

Towel Specialties Announces Giveback Programs



Baltimore, MD – With the publication of its 2024 catalog, Towel Specialties announced the addition of two new giveback programs for 2024.



The first one is for Coral Vita, a Bahamian organization dedicated to restoring coral reefs around the world. With coral reefs nearing extinction, the team at Coral Vita has pioneered a way to grow a more resilient hybrid coral in pools at a faster rate than normal traditional growth rates. Once ready they can then reintroduce them to marine life in areas that have been decimated. Towel Specialties will donate a portion of all sales of their new Coral Reef Towels to the well-regarded organization.

In the second program, Towel Specialties will donate a portion of all sales to the Melanoma Research Foundation. Additionally, Towel Specialties has donated towels and blankets to the Salvation Army, particularly in areas with natural disasters, for many years.



“We’re thrilled to do our part and to support these organizations,” said Towel Specialties President Shawn Kanak. “We're committed to donating products and resources as we've done for nearly forty years and will continue adding to our messaging through the next decade. More importantly, we're investing and learning more about supporting those fighting for cures along with protecting a greener planet for future of generations to come.”

PPEF Now Accepting Applications For The 2024-2025 School Year

PPEF is an educational, charitable, nonprofit organization that awards college scholarships to students who have a parent working in the promotional products industry; or who are working for a company in the industry.



Apply today at:

www.ppef.us/college-scholarships

Deadline to submit is March 15, 2024

Geiger Acquires NY Distributorship with a 68-Year History

Lewiston, ME – Distributor company Geiger recently acquired Broadway Marketing, an Albany, NY-based distributorship that’s been in business since 1956. Financial terms of the deal were not released.

“We are so pleased to welcome Broadway Marketing to the Geiger family,” said Chris McKee, Geiger’s chief revenue officer. “This acquisition demonstrates our continued growth and will allow us to further enhance our service offerings to customers on the East Coast and beyond.”

Broadway Marketing will now go to market as Broadway Marketing, a Geiger Company.



“We are excited to join forces with Geiger, a global leader in the promotional products industry, yet a family-owned business like ours,” said Leslie Baker, president & CEO of Broadway Marketing. “With access to Geiger’s suite of technology and e-commerce solutions, this acquisition will enable Broadway to provide an elevated range of services to our clients.”

Danny Rosin, CAS, Appointed To The PPAI Board Of Directors

Danny Rosin, CAS, president and co-owner of North Carolina-based distributor Brand Fuel, has been appointed to the PPAI Board of Directors to fill the remaining term of Joshua White, who has stepped down. Rosin will serve on the Board through The PPAI Expo 2027.

An accomplished leader and volunteer in the promotional products industry, Rosin previously served on the PPAI Board in 2017-2021 and is the 2023 recipient of the Association's H. Ted Olson Humanitarian Award.

Speaking to PPAI Media, Rosin shared his thoughts on returning to the Association's volunteer leadership, and on unfinished business he'd like to see through during his term.



Read the Full Story Here

3 Ways to Build a Culture of Radical Honesty (and How It Can Transform Your Business) Andrew Schaap * Entrepreneur Leadership Network Contributor * CEO of Aligned

Transparency and honesty can go a long way toward making a business nimble and innovative.

What keeps me up at night? Watermelons. As a CEO, my biggest fear is that the digital dashboards capturing my company's vital signs are the business equivalent of that tropical fruit — green and firm on the outside, but red and mushy underneath. At first glance, everything looks solid. Then one morning, I get a call from a client asking, "What the hell is going on with A, B or C?"

This concern isn't fair to my team, who consistently exceed my expectations. But the reality is that for many leaders, such nagging fears can persist. When there's a problem, the last thing you want is for people to give you the impression — intentionally or not — that things are better than they truly are. So, how do you avoid this?

For the past few years, I've led a company in an industry facing astronomical demand. One of the biggest lessons: The agility, operational excellence and innovation required to meet this challenge requires building a culture of radical honesty.

Here are three ways that leaders and their teams can embrace radical honesty — and reap the benefits of better decision-making and a true picture of where the business stands.

Read More

PPAI 100 Returns In 2024 With Significant Changes

PPAI 100 has always been about leading change. It recognizes the promotional products firms pushing the industry toward a better future, clarifies what those trailing them must do to compete, and, in the long run, alters narratives about our medium as a whole. It should come as no surprise that PPAI 100 itself will evolve in 2024.

The Association’s most ambitious research project has been designed to serve as a leading edge for promotional products, meant to evolve with the times and the marketplace. The evolution from Year 1 to Year 2 was always likely to be the most substantial of all. This year, the changes may have the potential to yield a fairly significant shakeup in the rankings.

Learn More About PPAI 100 in 2024