PPB Newslink 2.22.11

February 22, 2011 PPAI Staff PPB NewslinkLeave a Reply

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California Bans Promotional Products At State Agencies
California Governor Jerry Brown has issued a memorandum directing all California state agencies and departments to immediately stop purchasing “free giveaway and gift items—such as key chains, coffee mugs and squeeze toys” as part of his “continuing efforts to cut costs and tackle the state’s budget gap.” Read more

Eagle Dry Goods And Dunbrooke Announce Strategic Alliance
OldHickory, Tennessee-based Eagle Dry Goods (UPIC: EAGL8395) andIndependence, Missouri-based Dunbrooke Apparel Corp (UPIC: DUNBROOK)have entered a long-term strategic alliance beginning on March 1. Read more

Study Reveals That Meetings Industry Reaches Nearly $1 Trillion
In a recent report by the website Meetings Focus, it was announced that a new study—the Economic Significance of Meetings to the U.S. Economy—revealed that the U.S. meetings industry contributes $907 billion to the U.S. economy, generating 6.3 million jobs and providing $64 billion in federal and $46 billion in state and local tax revenue. Read more

New Incentive Research Foundation Paper Defines 2011 Trends In Motivating Work Force
In the incentives world, hundreds of smaller players offer a wide variety of incentive solutions, with a focus not only on sales programs, but also on employee engagement, customer loyalty and corporate social responsibility. Read more

Dr. Janet Lapp To Keynote 2011 PPAI Women’s Leadership Conference
Dr.Janet Lapp—a psychologist, flight instructor, former air race pilot,author of five books and creator of a TV-health series for CBS called“Keep Well”—is the scheduled keynote speaker at the 2011 PPAI Women’sLeadership Conference (WLC), in Charlotte, North Carolina, July 25-27,2011. Read more

PPAI Announces Deadlines For Upcoming Awards
Two new awards have already been added to the list of prestigious honors to be given by PPAI in 2012. Read more

SAGE Provides Quick Tips For SAGE Online
Asmore PPAI members take advantage of the new PPAI member benefit, creditfor SAGE Online and other SAGE services, as a result of the PPAI/SAGEstrategic alliance announced last month, Bille Walchek, director ofmarketing for Carrollton, Texas-based SAGE (UPIC: SAGE ) shares thesequick tips for using SAGE Online. Read more

PPAI Announces New Manager Of Public Relations
KimR. Todora joins PPAI this week as manager of public relations. She isresponsible for the direction of comprehensive public relationsincluding public relations strategies and implementation, mediarelations, website press room, buyer-targeted initiatives andtradeshows, ADvocate program development, shared volunteer action groupduties and PR-related social media execution. Read more

New MAS/CAS Designees Announced
PPAI welcomes 36 new designees who have earned their MAS or CAS certification since the first of the year. Read more

Newton Manufacturing Hosts Iowa Governor, State Representatives And Senators
On Saturday, February 12, Newton, Iowa-based supplier NewtonManufacturing(UPIC: NEWTON) hosted Iowa’s governor, Terry Branstad, aswell as staterepresentatives and state senators in a forum to discussways to reducestate rules and regulations that make it difficult forjob creation toflourish. Read more

SBLC Requests Repeal Of New Tax Requirement
Last Tuesday, February 15, the Small Business Legislative Council (SBLC) sent a letter on behalf of its members to Chairman Dave Camp of the House Ways and Means Committee, urging his committee to take action to repeal the new tax requirement included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Read more

Elizabeth "Dolly" Duffy, former owner of Atchison Products, was recently promoted from associate director to executive director of the Notre Dame Alumni Association and associate vice president of university relations. Duffy also serves on the board of trustees for the Promotional Products Education Foundation.

John Giefer has been hired as inside sales manager for New Ulm,Minnesota-based supplier Beacon Promotions, Inc. (UPIC: beaconp) wherehe will be responsible for sales efforts for all of the BeaconPromotion, Inc. lines including, Beacon Brand Builders, Beacon CorporateGift and Beacon Calendar/Planner Line. He will also manage inside salesand custom quoting. Giefer was formerly general manager with CanyonOutback Leather Goods (UPIC: canyon), also based in New Ulm, Minnesota.

Stacy Horton and Shiamal Jayesinghe have joined Evanston, Illinois,supplier Dard Products Inc. (UPIC: TagMastr). Horton will serve asfactory representative for the West Coast territory. Her states include:California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Utah.Jayesinghe will be the controller for Dard. He is a certified publicaccountant with seven years experience working with various companies.

Dennis Sherman has joined Sherman Oaks, California-based CAMERA READYART (UPIC: CRA24x7) as vice president of sales and business development.Sherman entered the promotional products industry in 1992 and has heldsenior management positions with several major promotional productssuppliers.

Steve Dippe and Stephanie Whittaker have joined Phoenix, Arizona-basedGraphcoline (UPIC: GRAPHCO) as customer service representatives. Dippehas been with Graphcoline for two years in production, and Whittaker hasbeen with the company for four years in the art department.

NEPPA Announces 2011 Board Of Directors
The New England Promotional Products Association Board of Directors took office and began terms of service on January 1. Read more

PPAI Regional Relations To Host Teamwork And Leadership Webinar This Week
Regional association volunteers as well as those interested in becoming future volunteers for their regional associations are invited to attend a webinar on Wednesday, February 23, at 1 pm CST. Read more

MAPPA’s Spring Expo Brings Record Number Of Attendees
OnFebruary 7, 2011, the Mid-Atlantic Promotional Products Association(MAPPA) hosted the annual kick-off party and inaugural MAPPA PinnacleAwards in Newport News, Virginia. Read more

Visstun Wins AmeriStar Packaging Award
LasVegas, Nevada-based supplier Visstun® (UPIC: VISSTUN), along with PaperMachinery Corporation (PMC), has won the 2010 AmeriStar PackagingCompetition in the promotional category. Read more

Howard Miller Company Announces 2010 Sales Representative Awards
Howard Miller Company’s Special Markets division announced its 2010 Sales Representative award winners at a presentation made during The PPAI Expo 2011. Read more

Logomark Pledges 1,000 Pounds Of Pasta Per Month To SAAC Pasta Project
For LogoMark (UPIC: logomark), a Tustin, California-based supplier, 2011 will be the year of pasta. The company has committed to donating 1,000 pounds of pasta per month•or a total of six tons—on behalf of Specialty Advertising Association of California (SAAC). Read more

PPEF To Award $100,000 In Scholarships; Application Deadline March 15, 2011
Continuing your education goes hand-in-hand with advancing your career and the Promotional Products Education Foundation (PPEF) wants to help. Read more

Seeking Distributors As Sources
PPBis seeking distributors who have clients who specify U.S.-made productsand those who serve the Hispanic marketplace for upcoming stories.Indicate to which story you can be a resource and e-mail your contactinformation to Tina Berres Filipski by February 25.

What’s On Your Mind? Ask Cliff.
In a future issue of PPB, industry expert extraordinare Cliff Quicksell, MAS, will be answering your most top-of-mind questions about whatever you are struggling with in the areas of sales, marketing and promotion. Quicksell is a frequent and longtime PPAI speaker and winner of numerous PPAI Pyramid awards. Need some direction or advice for a client or your own self-promotions? Need to bounce some ideas off someone who really knows what works? Send your questions for Quicksell to ppb@ppai.org by March 1, 2011, and look for answers in the May issue of PPB. All questions received will be considered for publication.

A Look At The Automotive Business
Do you work with car dealerships, auto repair shops, car washes, mechanics or any other client in the automotive market? If so, PPB wants to talk to you for an upcoming story. Please contact Audrey Sellers by March 11.

All-Occasion Gifts
While most gifts arrive during the holidays, clients, customers and employees no doubt appreciate them any time of year. That’s why PPB is bringing you an assortment of year-round gifts in the May issue. You’ll find food baskets, spa items, picture frames, electronics, desk accessories and many more gift-worthy items appropriate all year long. Send product descriptions and high-resolution images of your all-occasion gifts to Audrey Sellers by March 11 for consideration.

Pint-Sized Apparel
Do you have a great lineup of children’s apparel? Submit descriptions and high-resolution images to Audrey Sellers for possible inclusion in the May issue of PPB. We’re scouting garments for infants, toddlers and kids. Submission deadline: March 11.

What Would You Do?
A Distributor Asks: I do a lot of custom promotions for local media companies. Recently a prospective client didn’t hire me because I’ve done work for his competition. I’ve never run into this conflict in eight years. Is it a problem for others, or was it just this person? Is there a way I could have handled it and still gotten the job?

What’s Your Answer? E-mail answers along with your name, title and company name to Question@ppai.org by March 11 for possible inclusion in an upcoming issue of PPB magazine.