PPAI Board Election Spotlight: Andrew Spellman, Victorinox Swiss Army, Inc.

Voting has begun for the PPAI Board of Directors Class of 2021, and will run through September 19. During the election, PPB Newslink is taking closer looks at each of the four candidates to learn more about them and their goals. This issue focuses on Andrew Spellman, vice president of corporate channels at Victorinox Swiss Army, Inc. (UPIC: swisarmy).

“PPAI has the leadership both in its current staff as well as a very well appointed board to continue to fulfill its mission of protecting and growing the industry,” Spellman says. “My mission is to focus on the overall education of our industry.”

An industry veteran of more than 24 years, prior to Victorinox Swiss Army, Inc., Spellman worked with International Merchandise Concepts (IMC), Hazel and Magnet, Inc. He is an active volunteer leader for PPAI, serving on committees as well as judging PPAI Pyramid Awards, acting as emcee for PPAI Expo awards ceremonies, and recently he was named as an inaugural member of the PPAI Fellows program. Outside the industry, Spellman donates his time and service to community organizations such as the Guardian Angel Settlement Association, where he served for two years as the Chairman of the Board, and the St. Vincent DePaul Society. He and his wife, Paula, have two daughters, Mia and Macy.

Laying out the education focus that he would like to see the Association’s board escalate, Spellman says, “Education should be directed towards multiple channels: the end-user buying community, our government’s elected officials, college campuses, and also to the membership to showcase the benefits of promotional products, their effectiveness, and their rightful place as an integral part of the marketing mix. This can’t happen overnight, but the continued promotion of the message will allow our industry to prosper.”

The election will be administered electronically by a third-party election administrator and by paper ballot as required, with the results announced late this month. Visit the PPAI voter site at www.ppai.org/election2016 to learn more about the distributor and supplier candidates. The designated voters for each PPAI member company can cast their ballots here. To find out who the voting contact is for your company, the password or other questions, contact Anne Stone at AnneS@ppai.org or 972-258-3041, or Veronica Kelley at VeronicaK@ppai.org or 972-258-3077.