Larry Cohen, president and CEO of Axis Promotions, has been appointed to the PPAI Board of Directors as at-large director with full voting rights. Cohen was selected from a field of distributors, suppliers, multiline reps, business services members, international suppliers and international distributors, and nominated by a committee consisting of the PPAI Board chair, chair-elect and immediate past chair. He will begin his two-year term immediately following The PPAI Expo 2016.

“PPAI has been doing a fantastic job guiding our industry through many of the challenges posed by the constantly changing media environment as well as the heightened scrutiny from regulators,” says Cohen. “The new board is an amazing group of thought leaders. I am honored to be part of this group and am excited to provide guidance and insight. I am firmly convinced that our industry can play a very prominent role in the overall marketing and advertising arena but only if we can remain relevant by focusing on the strategic benefits of promotional items.”

Cohen has been president and CEO of Axis since he founded the New York City-based company in 1991. The distributor has since grown to more than 60 employees with offices in White Plains, New York; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; and Denver, Colorado. Cohen has also been active in a number of promotional products industry organizations, including PPAI—for which he is a past chair of the Editorial Advisory Committee and the North American Leadership Conference—the PromoKitchen Advisory Board and the PeerNet Marketing Committee. Cohen is a graduate of Duke University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

“Larry is an exceptional leader to help our board lead the industry and our association during the next two years,” says Rick Brenner, MAS+, PPAI Board chair. “Having worked with Larry for the past two years on the New York delegation to PPAI’s L.E.A.D. event, I've had the opportunity to experience first-hand what a quick study he is on difficult and complex matters, and how effectively he can explain issues and express his thoughts. His industry success and academic credentials speak for themselves. The board and the industry are fortunate to have the benefit of Larry's commitment and participation. I look forward to working with him.”

The at-large director seat is part of the board of directors restructure and bylaws changes announced to members in April 2012. David Nicholson currently holds the seat and his two-year term ends at Expo 2016. The president of supplier Polyconcept North America, parent company to Leed’s, Bullet and Journalbooks/Timeplanner Calendars, Nicholson was the first to be appointed to the position following its announcement.