Last week, PPAI’s Membership Services team exhibited at the Graphics Pro Expo in Irving, Texas. Formerly the NBM Show, the long-running event changed its name with the unification of A&E, Printwear and Sign & Digital Graphics magazines into the new GRAPHICS PRO publication.

The Membership Services team’s participation in the show at the Irving Convention Center was PPAI’s first official presence at an in-person show since 2020. Attending gave Association staff on the show floor the opportunity to network with other exhibitors and connect with potential distributors. Show organizers followed the basic safety guidelines for the venue and local authorities requiring that attendees wear face masks at all times—PPAI's Willie Dishmon, above center, and show participants removed their masks for the photo—and daily touchless temperature checks were required.

Dishmon, a 15-year veteran of PPAI, says, “It was a good start to getting acclimated to the trade-show experience and it felt great. It was very positive and people were happy to be together, doing business and having great discussions about the promotional products industry.”

PPAI plans to support Specialty Advertising Association of California and Promotional Products Association Southwest events in August, and the local Impressions Expo in Fort Worth, Texas, later this fall.