Rep.Walden (center) met with (from left) Dan Reading; Tom Goos, MAS; Paul Bellantone, CAE; and Dani Smith, CAS, for his Legislator of the Year presentation on Wednesday.

Rep.Walden (center) met with (from left) Dan Reading; Tom Goos, MAS; Paul Bellantone, CAE; and Dani Smith, CAS, for his Legislator of the Year presentation on Wednesday.

This week, as part of the seventh annual PPAI Legislative Education and Action Day (L.E.A.D.), the Association recognized Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH) and Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) as its 2016 Legislators of the Year.

The PPAI Legislator of the Year Award recognizes members of Congress who have shown a commitment to small-business interests and success, a willingness to meet with industry professionals and who have given their support to issues critical to the promotional products industry.

Walden received his award on May 25 at a meeting in his offices with PPAI Board Chair Tom Goos, MAS; PPAI President and CEO Paul Bellantone, CAE; and L.E.A.D. participants Dan Reading, vice president of Boise, Idaho, distributor In The Bag Promotions; and Dani Smith, CAS, owner of Hermiston, Oregon, distributor Third Day Creations.

A small-business owner with his wife for more than 21 years, Walden is the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. He has worked to pass legislation to grow American jobs by expanding U.S. technology and innovation. To revive the economy and create jobs, he works to reduce government spending and incentivize businesses to create jobs.

In Walden’s home state of Oregon, 99 percent of promotional products companies are small businesses employing approximately 3,088 people and generating revenues of more than $85.7 million.

Rep. Chabot was presented PPAI's Legislator of the Year award by Bellantone, Goos and HALO's Mitch Rhodus during a breakfast reception with L.E.A.D. attendees on Thursday morning.

Rep. Chabot (second left), with Bellantone, Goos and HALO's Mitch Rhodus, received his Legislator of the Year award during a breakfast reception with L.E.A.D. attendees on Thursday morning.

Chabot received his award today at a breakfast reception with L.E.A.D. attendees. Chabot has served Ohio’s First Congressional District for 18 years. He is the chairman of the House Committee on Small Business and a small-business owner. Chabot advocates for policies that remove obstacles to job creation faced by startups and entrepreneurs, and works to encourage American small business growth by simplifying the complex tax code, ensuring better access to capital, reducing debt and deficit, and stopping federal regulations that are estimated to do more harm than good.

In Chabot’s home state of Ohio, 94 percent of promotional products companies are small businesses employing approximately 26,531 people and generating revenues of more than $2.04 billion.

Past recipients of the PPAI Legislator of the Year award are Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA), 2012; Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN), 2013; Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC), 2014; and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), 2015.