sharon-willochell-board-electionVoting continues for the PPAI Board of Directors Class of 2021, and will run through Monday, September 19. Over the past few weeks, PPB Newslink has taken a closer look at each of the four candidates, and is wrapping up the series today with Sharon Willochell, president of supplier Trimark (UPIC: TRIMARK).

“What unites us all is the need for a strong industry, because we play a very important role within the marketing and advertising mix,” Willochell says. “PPAI is able to do what no single distributor or supplier can do on their own—be the voice of the industry to the outside world. This is critical at a time when we need to establish our place in today’s rapidly changing and digitally-enabled world.”

Willochell has worked in promotional products for nearly 20 years and is a longtime volunteer with PPAI, having served on the Women’s Leadership Conference Workgroup and as a speaker for WLC and for the North American Leadership Conference. She has also been a speaker for the Promotional Product Professionals of Canada and several PPAI panels. In her community, Willochell has served on the board of directors for Leadership Pittsburgh and on committees for the American Heart Association and Strong Women, Strong Girls. Her previous work experience includes stints at Deloitte & Touche and Alcoa. Willochell and her husband, Ron, have a nine-year-old son, Jonah.

Speaking on issues impacting the industry, Willochell highlights the role of promotional products in today’s digital and custom-tailored advertising mix.  She says, “Technology has transformed the advertising industry. In addition to traditional advertising mediums, the marketing world now has access to a highly targeted approach based on individual profiles and activities. My Google search for ‘Twin Bed Sleeper Chair’ now means I have ads for that exact product popping up while I surf, and even  an individualized pre-video ad when I go to YouTube. That’s powerful. That said, promotional products have a significant, and tangible, place as well in this mix, and it is our responsibility as an industry to educate and reinforce that important role.”

The election will be administered electronically by a third-party election administrator and by paper ballot as required, with the results announced later this month. Visit the PPAI voter site at www.ppai.org/election2016 to learn more about the distributor and supplier candidates. The designated voter within every PPAI member company can cast a ballot 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.