This month, PPAI recognizes Nate Robson, director of sales at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, supplier Raining Rose, Inc. as the August PPB Volunteer of the Month. The Association’s PPB Volunteers of the Month have dedicated their time to the progress and fulfilling the charge of a committee, advisory group, work group or task force on which they serve.

Robson served as the chair of PPAI’s Membership Services Committee. He was nominated by Dale Denham, MAS+, chief information officer at Geiger, PPAI Chair-Elect and former board liaison to the Membership Services Committee. Denham says, “Nate stepped in to fill the role as chair of the Membership Services Committee in June 2016. When he saw that the committee was no longer serving its intended purpose, he led the effort to dissolve the committee. This is not an easy thing to do as most people want to make their mark by proving they can do something others could not. Instead, Nate did one of the hardest things he could do. He worked himself out of a job so that PPAI and members of the committee could spend their time on more productive issues.”

Denham adds, “Dissolving the Membership Services Committee required flexibility and integrity while also being committed to the right results. Nate was an excellent chair and leader of the committee. He showed extreme professionalism from the moment he got involved. The meetings became immediately more professional and valuable.”

Over the past several years, the Membership Services Committee’s role was to assist staff with the member affinity partner programs, to review and evaluate whether they should  remain, be renegotiated or be terminated, and to identify potential new affinity programs. As a result of the new PPAI Strategic Plan introduced in 2017, affinity partners are no longer a focus for on-going development as a means of delivering member value.

It was recommended that there was no longer a need for the committee work as previously outlined, and that the new strategic plan could more effectively be supported via other means and that releasing the committee members from their commitment to serve would be appropriate in this circumstance. The PPAI Board voted affirmatively with the recommendation that the committee be dissolved while recognizing that any remaining work could easily be incorporated into the work of either the Distributor or Supplier Committees.

Because of engaged, professional volunteer leaders like Nate Robson, PPAI can continue to make a commitment to keep members’ values and needs in step with PPAI leadership.

PPAI is looking for the next PPB Volunteer of the month. The Association is looking for someone who:

  • Is a current member of a committee, task force or advisory group
  • Demonstrates an exemplary level of volunteer contribution
  • Is a positive example to others
  • Contributes in a constructive and positive way to volunteer activities
  • Collaborates well with others
  • Demonstrates knowledge of the topics and work
  • Presents a positive influence during interaction with a group

Nominations may be submitted by current members of a committee, advisory group, work group or task force, as well as by PPAI board members or PPAI current staff. The nominations will be forwarded to PPB magazine. Those selected for inclusion as PPB Volunteer of the Month will be announced and featured in a PPAI publication as well as the quarterly Volunteer Newsletter.

Nominations open the first of each month and close on the 15th. To nominate a current volunteer, complete the nomination form here.