PPAI’s Regional Strategic Foresight Committee held its inaugural meeting at The PPAI Expo 2020. The committee, established at the Leadership Development Workshop in October 2019, is tasked with exploring new ideas to sustain the regional association community in an ever-evolving market. The 14 volunteers comprising the committee include regional association leaders and executive directors. It will report ideas and findings to both the Regional Association Council (RAC) and the PPAI Board of Directors.

“The Regional Strategic Foresight Committee has only met twice since our inaugural meeting and is bravely exploring ideas on how the partnership between the regional community and PPAI can be more productive in supporting a more collaborative, sustainable regional community,” says Amy Rabideau, MAS, committee chair and RAC board liaison to the PPAI Board. “I am excited to see what ideas are developed in the coming months.”

The committee is charged with staying focused on the future while RAC is oriented toward supporting the regional community to help manage current challenges and develop efficiencies. In addition to sharing findings with the RAC and PPAI Board, the committee will be helping communicate ideas with the at-large regional community.

“The regional association community plays such an important role in the industry,” says Paul Bellantone, CAE, PPAI president and CEO. “We value the partnership and relationship we have with the 27 regional associations. We remain committed to the support of the community in the present market and we are equally committed to helping regional leaders evaluate and architect a model of sustainability for years to come. The development of this committee demonstrates the level of that commitment.”

Committee members are appointed for a one-year term and currently include the following:

Amy Rabideau, MAS, Summit Group, Chair
Roger Burnett, Social Good Promotions
David DeGreeff, HPPA Executive Director
Mark Farrar, PPAMS, SPPA and GCPPA Executive Director
Stacey Felice, PPAChicago
Jeff Franklin, Headwear USA
Sandra Harssar, Bright Ideas
Eric Johnson, Halls & Company
Jane Mitchell, Jungle Jane Promotions
Michael Reisbaum, Blue Generation
Mandi Rudd, Brand Energy Marketing
David Schultz, commonsku
Jenny Taylor, PPAF
Sandra Harssar, Bright Ideas Canada
Dana Geiger, PPAI Regional Relations Manager, Staff LIaison