News

PPAI has announced the recipients of its 2023 Icon Awards – PPAI Hall of Fame inductees Carol D. Aastad, MAS, and Mary Ellen Sokalski, MAS; PPAI Distinguished Service Award recipient Roger Burnett, CAS, and PPAI H. Ted Olson Humanitarian Award recipient Danny Rosin, CAS. These awards celebrate the accomplishments of those who have gone above and beyond in service to the promotional products industry, the Association and their communities.

Recipients of the Association’s most prestigious awards will be recognized at the Chair’s Leadership Dinner at The PPAI Expo in Las Vegas, on Monday, January 9, 2023, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

The PPAI Hall Of Fame

Celebrating individuals who have demonstrated monumental and selfless efforts and devotion to the promo industry, induction into the PPAI Hall of Fame gives permanent recognition to those whose creative spark and tireless dedication have helped the Association and industry prosper.

Aastad retired from Geiger, where she served as division manager, in 2008. She began her 29-year career in the promotional products industry at Ben Davis Advertising Delaware as a salesperson, before founding her own company, Harlan & Davis, Inc. in 1982. Prior to joining Geiger in 2006, she served as vice president and general manager of Forrester-Smith, Inc.

A frequent volunteer in the industry and her community, Aastad joined the PPAI Board of Directors in 2001 and served as its chair in 2004. While chair, she was part of the original group of women who conceived and championed the creation of the PPAI Women’s Leadership Conference. In 2009, Aastad was presented with both the PPAI Woman of Achievement and the PPAI Distinguish Service Awards, and in 2016, she was named a PPAI Fellow.

“I was privileged to work alongside Carol for over a decade,” says Jo-an Lantz, MAS, Geiger president and CEO, and Aastad’s nominator. “Carol is a true leader. She is hard working, empathetic, smart, effective, focused on outcomes, fun, creative, curious and a mentor.

“Eventually Carol retired, only to focus her time and attention on becoming an advocate for children in the foster care environment. This isn’t easy. Helping children, many who have lived a life of neglect, all with uncertainty, is daunting. Carol became passionate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. All of which exemplify the qualities of a PPAI Hall of Famer.”

Sokalski has been a part of the promotional products community since 1981. She joined the industry with ASI as a copywriter, and by the end of her 16-year tenure served as its director of marketing advertising. She then spent another 16 years with Bodek & Rhodes as director of marketing communications. After Bodek & Rhodes’ acquisition in 2014, she founded the Scarlett Marketeer agency to offer creative services to distributors, suppliers and other businesses without an in-house marketing department.

A strong advocate for education within the industry, Sokalski has been a frequent and passionate speaker at PPAI events. She has led numerous volunteer committees and served on the PPAI board in 2001-2005. Sokalski received the PPAI Distinguished Service Award in 2008, the PPAI Woman of Achievement Award in 2018 and was named a PPAI Fellow in 2016.

“For 15-plus years, Mary Ellen was my boss at Bodek and Rhodes and she was not like any other professional I ever met,” says Julie Heller, now of Geiger and Sokalski’s nominator. “She educated the entire company about how different this industry was and I watched her teach both practitioners and volunteers on how to help the industry better understand itself, its buyers, and the art of effective out-of-the-box marketing.

“She was also vigilant about volunteering and actively recruited others to give back as well. She was the pebble that started hundreds of ripples in the volunteer pond for more than 40 years.”

The PPAI Distinguished Service Award

The annual PPAI Distinguished Service Award is presented to Association members who consistently contribute their skills and expertise toward the betterment of the organization. Through volunteer service or by offering their leadership to PPAI, these are members who have generously given the gift of their energy, time and enthusiasm.

Burnett, founder of Social Good Promotions in Sandusky, Ohio, has been an advocate for and volunteer and educator in the promotional products industry for more than a decade. He was a long-time volunteer with the Regional Association Council, a Legislative Education and Action Day participant on Capitol Hill and at the state level in Lansing with L.E.A.D. Local, and a frequent speaker at PPAI and regional events.

Burnett is also a “Founding Chef” of PromoKitchen, a 501c3 non-profit and all-volunteer platform for education and mentorship in the promotional products industry. In 2018, he founded PromoCares, a volunteer initiative to lift up and recognize companies in the promo marketplace that use their businesses for social good. In 2016, Burnett was named a PPAI Fellow and 2018 was recognized as the PPAI RAC Volunteer of the Year Award recipient.

“Roger has been a willing and tireless contributor to initiatives meant to make our marketplace better,
stronger and capable of competing with the best our competition has to offer,” says Rosin, Burnett’s nominator. “In standing up for our efforts to be seen as a worthy marketing investment, he brings passion, creativity and a strong vision to execute on what needs to be done today while keeping a healthy eye on the future.

“His efforts have inspired countless others to action, and his willingness to stay ahead of topics gives us all the opportunity to learn from those efforts.”

PPAI H. Ted Olson Humanitarian Award Recipient

The PPAI H. Ted Olson Humanitarian Award, named after the late H. Ted Olson, MAS, PPAI president emeritus, represents what Olson stood for – volunteerism inside and outside of the promotional products industry.

Rosin, co-president and co-owner of Raleigh, North Carolina, distributor Brand Fuel, has worked in the promotional products industry for more than 30 years and in that time has been an active volunteer. He has been a speaker and panelist at numerous industry events, served on several PPAI volunteer committees and sat on the Association’s board in 2017-2021. He is also a PromoKitchen founding chef.

Rosin has lent his energies to several efforts, in and outside the promotional products industry, to improve communities nation-wide. In 2001, he co-founded Band Together NC, a 501c3 volunteer-driven non-profit whose mission is to use live music as a platform for social change. Band Together puts on the Southeast’s largest music event for charity and has so far donated more than $11 million to local causes in the Raleigh-Durham area. In 2019, he became an executive board member of A Place At The Table, a pay-it-forward nonprofit café that provides community and good food for all, regardless of means.

Within the promotional products industry, Rosin is a co-founder and board member of PromoCares, and a co-founder of Reciprocity Road, an industry buyer’s group representing $220 million in spending with a 1.5% rebate going to the Promotional Products Education Foundation and Children’s Miracle Network.

“Danny Rosin is a tireless connector, an experimenter, a dreamer, community leader and entrepreneur,” says Burnett, Rosin’s nominator. “His work has helped countless people and brands realize higher aspirations that will have positive and sustainable impact on both for profit and nonprofit organizations.

“He is a rising-tide-lifts-all-promo-products kind of leader. He is a true force when it comes to mattering and impact. He finds what matters and connect the dots with success through impact through the industry, the staff, the suppliers, the customers – the community.”

Distributor Geiger, headquartered in Lewiston, Maine, has named industry veteran Mark Jenkins, MAS+, as the company’s new regional vice president of the Midwest.

Jenkins comes to Geiger from Pioneer Balloon, where he served as managing director of promotional markets for the Wichita, Kansas-based supplier. He is also an active industry volunteer, serving on numerous PPAI committees and the Association’s board of directors, including a term as board chair in 2014.

“Mark’s 20-plus years of leadership experience coupled with his extensive industry relationships will provide immediate value to our sales partners and clients alike,” says Chris McKee, chief revenue officer. “We’ve worked with Mark for most of his career in various roles and his professionalism is unmatched. We are thrilled that Mark will join our industry leading team of regional vice presidents.”

Jenkins says, “I have experienced Geiger’s incredible reach nationally and even Internationally for decades now. Born and always based in the Midwest, I feel both Geiger and I are in the right place at the right time to grow our business here.”

Speaking on his new role at Geiger with PPAI Media, Jenkins expanded on the long history of positive experiences with the distributor that drew him to the company.

“Geiger has been my favorite customer for many years,” Jenkins says. “I look forward to working directly with our sales partners, management and associates. My favorite experiences in the past years as a supplier have been when I’ve had the occasional opportunities to work closer with the end-users and clients. Being this much closer to those marketers and buyers and an unending choice of products and solutions is very exciting for me.

Coming into the role, Jenkin’s focus will be on getting to know the company’s sales partners and learning more about their businesses and clients. He says, “Of course, we are entering a very busy time for orders and purchasing, so I will be lending my support to get our sales partners what they need to service their clients and finish up the year strong.”

The Michigan-based supplier, which specializes in uniforms, is naming Jose Gomez its president and CEO.

An 11-year veteran at Edwards Garment Company (PPAI 198530, S11), Gomez has been serving as the supplier’s president since July 2021.

The move establishes Gomez as the permanent leader for the company amid the continuing retirement transition for Gary Schultz, who had kept the CEO title over the past 14 months, but now becomes the chairman at Edwards. Schultz has led the company for more than 20 years.

Gomez says, "I am excited to lead our already very successful teams in the U.S. and Canada, and to continue growing our presence and brands while staying true to our key values of providing great product and great services to our customers."

Gomez joined Edwards in 2011 as its vice president of sourcing and operations. He transitioned to a senior operations VP role in early 2019, overseeing the company’s supply chain teams. He had previously been the director of sourcing at Georgia-based supplier Alternative Apparel.

What They’re Saying

• In May, EdwardsX announced a hire to help backfill Gomez’s promotion, naming operations and supply chain expert Max Feldman a vice president.

• Privately held and family owned since 1867, Edwards is a full-service provider of uniform program solutions.

• Its top markets for corporate uniforms include culinary, suiting, hospitality and security

“The Board of Directors recognizes Jose’s leadership helped Edwards serve customers well the past year,” Schultz says. “His vision for the company will help assure being able to respond to market changes and customer needs. With him as CEO, the future looks very bright.”

A statement from the company explains that Gomez’s vision is already creating results, with Edwards on pace for a “record-shattering” year in 2022 for both its ready-to-ship and EdwardsX (custom apparel) divisions.

When announcing the promotion of Gomez to president in 2021, Schultz cited his knowledge of the apparel business, including insider knowledge and experience, along with the capacity of his tenure at the company to preserve its culture.

The Company

With Gomez already entrenched as president, Edwards last fall completed the rebranding of Bishop Custom Clothing to create its EdwardsX brand following the acquisition of Bishop in 2019.

“Throughout these past two years, the leadership team began merging services to take full advantage of the many synergies between the two organizations,” Gomez said then. “It was time to complete the integration with a fresh rebrand of this great team.”

Oshkosh-based promotional products retailer 4imprint, Inc., has been named to the PEOPLE Companies that Care 2022 list. The Companies that Care list recognizes 100 companies nationwide for developing cultures of caring for employees, communities and the environment.

“It's about understanding the real needs of your people, of your community and of the world—and showing up in ways that make a meaningful impact. These companies make that kind of caring for people, and even the environment, part of their daily fabric.”

Organizations on the Companies that Care list are selected by Great Place to Work®. Nominations are based on results from more than one million employee surveys that ask questions about workplace respect, innovation, communication, engagement and more.

“To earn a second nomination to PEOPLE Companies that Care is an honor we would not be able to enjoy without each person on our staff,” said Kevin Lyons-Tarr, CEO, 4imprint. “Our team continues to create a culture of respect and fairness, and that makes a real difference.”

Companies that care about their employees are named to the list based on the Great Place to Work assessment on how fairly employees are treated and how well they create a great employee experience that cuts across race, gender, age, disability status, or any aspect of who employees are or what their role is. Only companies earning Great Place to Work certification are eligible for consideration.

“Caring isn't about being ‘nice,’” said Sarah Lewis-Kulin, vice president of global recognition at Great Place to Work. “It's about understanding the real needs of your people, of your community and of the world—and showing up in ways that make a meaningful impact. These companies make that kind of caring for people, and even the environment, part of their daily fabric.”

In March, the near-70-year-old distributor Jack Nadel International (PPAI 107145, D12) announced that it was rebranding as, simply, Nadel. Six months on, PPAI Media has checked in with Nadel to learn more about the rebranding, the thinking behind it and how the transition has gone.

At the time of the rebranding, the company – headquartered in Los Angeles and with offices around the world – said the new name reflected its evolution from a promotional marketing firm to a complete, in-house agency of talent and brand promotion. It noted that as the world is changing, Nadel was changing to stay ahead of the industry and influence its direction.

“We are the same company meeting the needs of a changing industry,” says Debbie Abergel, Nadel’s chief strategy officer. “Branded merchandise has evolved and we are pleased to have a hand in that evolution. We believe in the power of connections through branded merchandise. It used to be about positioning the merchandise, now it’s about sharing your story – culture, ethics, sustainability, community, financials, etc.”

Founded in 1953, Nadel has grown from offering branded merchandise to custom product development, digital storefronts, fulfillment, global distribution and other services, and counts companies like Meta, Netflix and Tesla among its clients.

The refreshed brand includes a redesigned website and updated social media presence to go along with the streamlined name. Abergel stresses that what hasn’t changed is the company’s approach to the market. She says, “We are in the same space, same values, same service and quality we have offered for over 60 years. What is new is sharing a bit of our secret sauce and transparency with clients. Letting them see what it takes to execute their needs has been rewarding.”

Nadel partnered with Ludlow Kingsley, a boutique branding agency also based in Los Angeles, for the project. Bringing a third-party in provided a fresh perspective on the company’s work to deliver its brand promise to clients, vendors and employees.

“This was the most important aspect of the rebrand,” says Abergel. “During the process we poured over all types of marketing collateral, yearbooks, newsletters for the past 60-plus years – what you see in the rebrand is what has been consistent with Nadel since the late ’50s. A dedication to our craft and our culture. We used this base at various times over the past 60 years to meet changes in the branded merchandise space and in the world. We believe staying true to our culture and creativity will ensure our future.”

The company sought feedback from both within and outside the organization during the branding process. Accurately reflecting the internal voice was of paramount importance.

“The year before rolling out the new look, we really wanted to connect with our people on what does it mean to work and be a part of Nadel,” Abergel says. “Our goal throughout this rebrand journey was to make sure that each employee was a part of the process. The next group was our vendors and then last were clients. Our employees are the stewards of the rebrand. Their acceptance and adherence without mandates from leadership has been the reward.”

And the rebranding has been invigorating within the company. Abergel says, “The way we rolled out the brand is important, and we have a new look that feels so good to us all. My co-workers love wearing and carrying Nadel branded merchandise. It’s a beautiful thing. I think the reason they do is that they are proud for what Nadel stands for. There is deep pride and ownership for this company amongst our people .”

Kara Keister, MAS, who holds the title of “Promise Keeper” at her Ohio-based distributorship Social Good Promotions (PPAI 758284, D1), has been appointed as the Regional Relations Committee (RRC) delegate to the PPAI Board of Directors.

Keister began her career in promotional products 12 years ago in distributor sales, working at City Apparel for over eight years as a corporate image and sales consultant. “My role allowed me to use my marketing background and love of all things brand to become a top-level salesperson within the company and eventually birth and grow Social Good Promotions,” Keister says.

Keister will replace Lindsey Davis, MAS, who filled the position from January 2021 until joining PPAI’s staff as the Association’s Promotional Products Work manager in July. Keister will fill Davis’ unexpired term, set to conclude in January 2023.

“I am so happy to hear Kara will be joining the PPAI Board as the RRC Delegate,” Davis says of her successor. “In my time working with her I’ve always been impressed by her passion for all that she does, her brilliant mind and her drive to make great things happen.”

Keister’s predecessor in the regional delegate role, Davis came from the supplier side of the industry, having worked in promotional sales at Raining Rose, but the new RRC Delegate brings a small business perspective to the board.

Social Good Promotions does not operate at the scale of the industry’s largest distributors, but as its name implies, the company puts a priority on direct community investment, financial contributions to the causes its employees believe in and increased supply chain transparency. The company’s ideal clients “are in search of greater meaning for the dollars they spend and non-profits wanting to better communicate the value they present to their communities,” it says on its website.

“Kara’s experience and passion for the regional community will be very valuable to the PPAI Board of Directors,” says Dawn Olds, MAS, PPAI board chair and senior vice president of industry relations and DEI at HALO. “I sincerely appreciate her willingness to serve the industry at a broader level and am looking forward to working with her."

Social Good Promotions has received PPAI Silver Pyramid Awards in the Social Responsibility Program category and Digital Self-Promotion category. Keister was named to the PPAI Rising Stars list in 2021.

“I have survived injuries, breast cancer and mental hurdles, all while advancing my career and building a successful small business,” Keister says. “I attribute that survival to my tribe, my amazing support system and my work ethic.”

As the new RRC delegate, Keister will bring the PPAI Board of Directors the perspective of a young company, a small business and a CSR-focused organization; all of which make up a large and growing number of companies PPAI is built to serve.

“My passion is for education, advocacy and volunteerism for the promotional products industry and organizations close to my heart like the Special Olympics, local schools and leadership programs for youth.

“Volunteerism is in my blood. I’ve been volunteering in various capacities most of my life, and when the opportunity came for me to serve at the regional board level, I jumped at it…. Moving through the Regional Association Council and participating in the formation of the Regional Relations Committee has further solidified my love for the industry and its members, and I look forward to continuing to serve.”  

Also this week, voting for the PPAI Board of Directors election slate continues. Nominated for terms to begin in January 2023 and expire in 2027 are Dan Pantano of alphabroder|Prime Line and Joshua White of BAMKO. Voting ends September 6.

On August 31, pre-installed Pantone Color Books were phased out of Adobe applications. While users rely on Pantone color options in their Adobe products, Pantone and Adobe are separate companies, which has presented issues in providing the most up-to-date Pantone services. Pantone libraries had become outdated with missing colors and inaccurate information.

The proprietary color design company says that purchasing Pantone Connect is the solution that will allow Adobe users to access all 15,000 Pantone colors.

What Impact Will The Phase Out Have?

The following Pantone Color Books will not be immediately affected by the change and will remain in the 2022 versions of Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign and Adobe Photoshop:

• PANTONE CMYK Coated
• PANTONE CMYK Uncoated
• PANTONE Metallics Coated

Existing documents containing Pantone References will keep those color identities.

Adobe Photoshop will be affected as follows:

• Photoshop files using swatches from Pantone Color Books, when opened, placed or edited in releases prior to August 2022, will continue to function as they did in those releases.
• Photoshop files with spot channels where the color used is from a non-available Color Book will open with a color rendering error.
• When the spot channels have color from non-available Pantone Color Books, the information is fetched from those Color Book for appropriate rendering. If the color is not fetched due to absence of parent Color Books, such spot channels will render in black/gray.
• The color details are preserved, so files will continue to support production workflows, but will display as gray/black when opening, placing or editing the file in Photoshop.

Adobe Illustrator will be affected as follows:

• Illustrator files having swatches from Pantone Color Books, when opened or placed in previous or future releases, will continue to function without any impact.
• When Illustrator files have place-linked Photoshop files that have spot channels, and such spot channels have colors from Color Books that are no longer available, placed Photoshop content will render gray/black in Illustrator.

InDesign files having swatches from Pantone Color Books, when opened or placed, in previous or future releases, will continue to function without any impact. When InDesign files contain Photoshop files that have spot channels and such spot channels have colors from Color Books that are no longer available, placed Photoshop content will render gray/black in InDesign.

Pantone Connect Can Be The Solution

All 15,000 Pantone colors and color design tools are available through Pantone Connect and will negate any of the above impacts of the phase out. 

Purchasing a Pantone Connect subscription ensures consistency and accuracy with Pantone’s offerings. The platform also allows for sharing and collaborating with team members and clients, supports a remote work environment and is accessible at all times through its app.

Features include:

• Search any colors.
• Pick any colors visually.
• Measure any colors in the physical world.
• Convert RGB/CMYK/HEX/L*a*b* data to closes Pantone Color.
• See Color Data, Color Psychology and Cross Reference against all Pantone Libraries.
• Build mood boards with Color Story.
• Accessibility support for color blindness.
• Compare color choices with Light & Dark Simulations.
• Share Palettes with anyone.
• Change and update shared palette in real-time.
• Trend and palette exploration

Pantone Connect is available through connect.pantone.com, IOS/Android mobile application or Adobe Extension in Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.

Higher pricing for a Pantone Connect subscription will go into effect September 15, so there is still time to take advantage of lower pricing.

Let PPAI Help You

Any interested end users looking to purchase a subscription to Pantone Connect should be directed here.

Pantone is a PPAI Affinity Partner, offering discounts on most products to the Association’s members. Any larger business accounts should reach out to shop@ppai.org in order to get in touch with PPAI’s Pantone contact.

(Editor's Note: The second of PPEF's Live Concert Series events, originally scheduled for September 7, has been rescheduled to November 10 at 4:45 p.m. ET.)

The Promotional Products Education Foundation (PPEF) is inviting industry professionals to groove to a new beat this year with the launch of its Live Concert Series. A virtual experience drummed up by industry veteran Roni Wright, MAS, of supplier The Book Company, attendees will rock out while learning about PPEF and how they, too, can get involved.

The Live Concert Series, which kicked off with its first livestreamed event on June 8, raised more than $5,800 for the (c)(3) nonprofit, which grants education scholarships to accredited universities, community colleges, trade schools and career colleges to the children of industry professionals. As PPEF’s first major fundraiser since the pandemic, the series was created to collect donations to fulfill the organization’s mission, but also to educate industry professionals of the eligibility requirements for their children for a PPEF Scholarship, and to inform interested companies about the options for giving.

“Yes, we want to raise money for the foundation, but we also want to raise awareness and create an experience by which all of our industry can participate,” says Wright, who also sits on the PPEF Board of Trustees and is chair of its fundraising committee.

Sydra Newell of supplier SnugZ USA is another member of the PPEF Board of Trustees and is chair of its marketing/recognition committee. She says, “In addition to bringing awareness, the concert series also brings industry veterans closer together, especially for those who do not normally travel within their profession.”

The idea for the concert series came to Wright when she was reflecting on a pre-pandemic experience. “Before Covid, I was living in this little city and I learned about a program called The Listening Room, where someone in a home setting would have a noteworthy musician come in and invite people who are part of their network, to come to a concert in their home and give a donation that goes 100% to the artist,” Wright says. “I thought, ‘Wow,’ is there a way that I can transpose that idea into an online event, have an industry concert where we have musicians who are in our industry and extremely talented?”

The first concert was broadcast on YouTube and Facebook. Three industry musicians showed off their talent for a good cause, which included Matt Wagner of Fields Manufacturing, Brett Garran of Edwards Garment and David Schultz of commonsku. Nick Lateur of HPG emceed the event, and the Braintree, Massachusetts-headquartered, supplier donated the hosting platform. T-shirts were also donated that featured a relevant graphic and were given to those who gave $100 or more to PPEF.

“We’re very excited that we can support students; the children of our industry people,” says Wright. “Anybody who has children in college or will be attending college is eligible to apply for this scholarship. It doesn’t matter if you work in the warehouse or work at home, if you’re full-time in the promotional products industry and you work for a company in our industry, your children can apply for scholarships.”

New to this year, Wright says PPEF is expanding its scholarship eligibility to include accredited trade schools. “We feel there are students who want to pursue a trade, and why shouldn’t we support their endeavor?” she says. And to get the word out there even more, PPEF has issued flyers in English, French and Spanish, so a more diverse group of employees can both spread the message and consider the opportunity for their children. In the future, PPEF aspires to open a Live Concert merchandise store, Wright says, and to invite former scholarship recipients to share their stories on-camera with concertgoers.

The other side of the Live Concert Series entails charitable giving from interested donors, and Wright says that PPEF is working hard to connect with prospective companies to encourage their involvement and explain their options. She’s particularly dedicated to reigniting the Tomorrow Fund, which commits donors to one of six giving tiers under a six-year term and makes it possible for PPEF to ensure future scholarships. Wright also notes the other giving options, which include the Named Scholarships, where companies can recognize their standout employees or create a long-lasting legacy in memory of an industry icon.

“PPEF makes a positive impact by bringing people together,” says Newell. “This platform also helps elevate talented musicians within our industry all in the name of creating a better future for our children. PPEF exemplifies what makes this industry so special.”

Register for the next concert here: www.ppef.us/live/.

To watch the first PPEF Live Concert Series, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mecdK08XT8.

For more on how to participate as musical talent, contact Nick Lateur at nick.lateur@hpgbrands.com.

For more on opportunities to volunteer with PPEF, contact sarab@ppai.org or roni@thebookco.com.

Droughts across the U.S. cotton regions, especially in Texas, have led agricultural forecasters to predict that 40% of currently planted cotton will be abandoned. This would account for approximately five million acres of failed cotton.

The Severity Of The Shortage

If these predictions indeed come to fruition it would result in the smallest area of cotton harvested since 1868, during Reconstruction when the country was recovering from the Civil War.

Droughts across Texas, the nation’s leading state for cotton production, have severely impacted the cotton output. The USDA is predicting a record for lowest ratio of harvested-to-planted acres. Even after record rain in parts of Texas for a few days in late August, the U.S. Drought Monitor shows that 95% of Texas is still at some level of drought.

The price of cotton as of August 29 is $1.22. This is a drastic rise compared to the price of $0.94 one year ago.

Many climatologists believe that droughts will become more frequent in Texas over the coming years. Benjamin McKnight, state cotton specialist for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, says that farmers are working on developing more “drought tolerant” strains of cotton to combat this problem, but it won’t be a saving grace for current conditions.

Along with India and China, the United States is one of the largest producers of cotton in the world. India has faced its version of the opposite problem recently; losing cotton to heavy rains and pests.

The Promo Perspective

Less available cotton at higher prices has a direct effect on the apparel business, including promotional products.

“The reduced cotton harvest will most likely pressure global prices,” says Mark Lawrence, chief operating officer, alphabroder | Prime Line, which offers branded apparel in various forms. “To what extent? It is too early to fully quantify, but we are working to mitigate as much as we can while continuing to build inventory and maintaining full product line availability.”

Between May and July, 40 industry professionals chose to invest in their professional development and earned their Certified Advertising Specialist (CAS) and Master Advertising Specialist (MAS) certifications.

Professional Development:
PPAI’s Trained Advertising Specialist (TAS) certificate, and CAS, MAS and MAS+ designations are achieved through a combination of active employment in the industry, education, industry contributions and the successful demonstration of expertise. The CAS and MAS certifications require continuing education and recertification to remain in good standing.

CAS and MAS certification holders have joined an elite group of individuals who have demonstrated their commitment to the industry and to continuing their education in it. Each has met rigorous educational requirements, demonstrated an exemplary commitment to their field and established their professional credibility to colleagues, clients and peers. Click here to learn more about the PPAI Certification Program and PPAI’s professional development opportunities.

The Recipients:
Congratulations to these recipients of the CAS and MAS certification:

Jake Blackstone, CAS, Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, Inc.
Tracey Bohmbach, CAS, Geiger
Brooke Bostic, CAS, TCB Promotions
Tricia Cunningham, CAS, Geiger
Lydia Dagneau, CAS, Geiger
Krista D'Ateno, CAS, Geiger
Keaton Deranek, CAS, Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, Inc.
Lauren Dustin, CAS, PromoShop, Inc.
David Glassman, CAS, The David Erwin Group
Diego Gonzales, CAS, 1338Tryon
Victoria Gonzalez, CAS, Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, Inc.
Megan Hawk, CAS, Geiger
Paul Hirsch, CAS, Hirsch Gift
Alyssa Huseth, CAS, Geiger
Erin Kennealey, CAS, Geiger
Kristin Long, CAS, Gemline
Kimberly Martin, CAS, Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, Inc.
Johnna Meyer, CAS, Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, Inc.
Christina Moncke, CAS, Staples Promotional Products
Monique Overton, CAS, Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, Inc.
Monica Scott, CAS, PK Promotions, LLC
Greg St. Martin, CAS, Custom Branding Solutions
Jolanda Thomas, CAS, Preferred Document Solutions, LLC
Savannah Bennett, MAS, Geiger
Theresa Benson, MAS, Geiger
Patrick Doyle, MAS, Durham Promotional Products
Eliana Franklin, MAS, CAAMP & PMANC
Christopher Gagne, MAS, Geiger
Kaitlynne Gibson, MAS, Geiger
Dylan Harrington, MAS, Geiger
Candice Johnson, MAS, TK Promotions, Inc.
Susan Heneson Kornblatt, MAS, HALO Branded Solutions
David Peters, MAS, A-Z Office Resource
Kaitlin Pickard, MAS, CE Competitive Edge, LLC
Lori Plummer, MAS, Geiger
Joshua Pospisil, MAS, Hirsch Gift
Kristin Prosper, MAS, Geiger
Sheri L. Ridgeway, MAS, Geiger
Monica Scott, MAS, Logotology
Cheryl Simpson, MAS, Geiger