Fully Promoted (PPAI 240143, Gold), PPAI 100’s No. 51 distributor, has named Walter Miska as its new brand president, effective immediately.

Miska, a former Fully Promoted franchise owner and regional vice president, succeeds Andrew Titus – the youngest son of founder Ray Titus.

• A 2024 PPAI Rising Star, Andrew was appointed president in late 2022 and led the brand through a significant growth period that included its 25th year in business.

“We’re super excited to welcome Walter back to the Fully Promoted family,” Andrew says. “As we made this decision, we ultimately wanted someone who has a proven track record of business ownership experience and can take the momentum we’ve built to the next level. I couldn’t be more confident in Walter, and I’m excited about the brand’s trajectory as we continue investing in the resources and people needed to grow it further.”

Andrew will fully transition into his role as president of United Franchise Group – parent company of the West Palm Beach, Florida-based distributor – a position he was appointed to in January as part of an executive realignment at the company. 

I’m excited about the brand’s trajectory as we continue investing in the resources and people needed to grow it further.”

Andrew Titus

President, United Franchise Group

He will remain involved in the growth of Fully Promoted, particularly focused on strategic acquisitions and partnerships in the branded merchandise industry, as Miska’s direct report.

Miska’s Background

Miska became a Fully Promoted franchise owner in 2005 and grew his location into one of the top-performing businesses in the system, earning induction into the company’s hall of fame, its President’s Award and the Extraordinary Mentor Award. 

He later served as regional vice president of United Franchise Group. Most recently, he helped build a franchise in the culinary staffing industry, adding to a career that also includes launching and growing several businesses as an entrepreneur. 

ICYMI: Fully Promoted Expands Global Network Into India

“We’re thrilled to have Walter back in the UFG family,” says Ray Titus, chairman and CEO of UFG. “Andrew will remain involved with Fully Promoted as he oversees the growth strategies for all our UFG brands, and he and Walter have built a strong working relationship over the years. We’re confident this will be a smooth and natural transition, and we’re more excited than ever about the future of Fully Promoted.”

Fully Promoted is an outstanding brand that has continued to thrive in recent years.”

Walter Miska

President, Fully Promoted

Miska says it’s an honor to be appointed president of Fully Promoted, a brand he’s deeply passionate about and that has played such an important role in his career.

“Fully Promoted is an outstanding brand that has continued to thrive in recent years – a direct reflection of Andrew’s innovative and strategic leadership, the team he has built and the dedication of our franchise owners; many of whom I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the years,” Miska adds. “I’m looking forward to reconnecting with many of them and learning more about what’s working well across the brand today.”

Written by: John Corrigan

Published with Permission from PPAI

Norman Cohn, the longtime leader of Advertising Specialty Institute and one of the most consequential figures in the history of the branded merchandise industry, died Friday at the age of 93, ASI has announced.

Norman Cohn

For more than seven decades, Cohn’s career traced – and in many ways defined – the evolution of the branded merch marketplace. From his earliest days as a teenage distributor selling holiday gifts to his tenure guiding ASI into the digital era, Cohn’s influence reached virtually every corner of the industry.

His passing marks not only the loss of a business services leader, but of a figure whose vision, competitive drive and ethos helped shape the relationship between distributors, suppliers and service providers.

Industry leaders, including from PPAI, have begun to share their remembrances.

“Norm Cohn was the patriarch of the advertising specialties, promotional products, swag and branded merch industry,” says Danny Rosin, CAS, PPAI Board Chair and co-owner of North Carolina-based distributor Brand Fuel. “He and the Cohn family helped build a foundation for our industry. He was a gentleman, statesman and entrepreneur.

He and the Cohn family helped build a foundation for our industry. He was a gentleman, statesman and entrepreneur.

Danny Rosin, CAS

PPAI Board Chair

“He will be missed, and yet his legacy will live on through the many people and companies who adored and respected him.”

Drew Holmgreen, CAS, PPAI president and CEO, called Cohn “a titan.”

“I had the privilege of spending time with him on several occasions, albeit briefly,” Holmgreen says. “And in those conversations, he was generous with his perspective and his advice. I’m thankful for the guidance he shared with me. He truly was a godfather to the modern branded merchandise industry, and his influence will be felt for generations to come. All of us at PPAI and throughout the market are grateful for his service to the industry, and share our heartfelt support for his family and the entire ASI team.”

All of us at PPAI and throughout the market are grateful for his service to the industry, and share our heartfelt support for his family and the entire ASI team.”

Drew Holmgreen, CAS

PPAI President & CEO

A Monumental Leader

Cohn entered the merch business while still in high school, an origin story that has become part of industry lore. What began with assembling and selling food gift packages soon expanded into a family enterprise before pivoting toward media and services.

In 1962, Cohn and his father acquired ASI from founder Joseph Segel, a move that would ultimately position him at the center of the industry’s infrastructure. Five years later, he was named chairman. He would hold this role, in various forms, for the rest of his life.

During that time, the industry expanded from a niche business measured in tens or hundreds of millions to a multi-billion-dollar global marketplace. By the time Cohn received ASI’s Counselor Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023, the industry had grown roughly 50-fold over the course of his career.

READ MORE: Promo Congratulates Norman Cohn On Lifetime Achievement Award

Colleagues frequently pointed to the market’s growth as inseparable from Cohn’s work. “No single person has played a more significant role in our mutual success,” said Gene Geiger, Board Chair of Maine-headquartered distributor Geiger, when presenting the award.

Building The Business

Cohn’s legacy is perhaps most visible in the systems and platforms that underpin the industry today. Under his leadership, ASI introduced innovations that helped modernize how business was conducted – from early demonstrations of fax technology to the development of computerized business systems and digital product search tools now ubiquitous to the industry.

Yet even as he championed technology, Cohn remained a steadfast advocate for the industry’s human dimension. He consistently emphasized that merch is, at its core, a relationship-driven business.

READ MORE: ASI Names New CEO With Background In Technology Platforms

That dual focus, on innovation paired with interpersonal connection, became a defining characteristic of his leadership style.

Yet across that competitive dynamic, there was broad consensus about his impact. Industry leaders routinely described him as both a fierce competitor and a generous collaborator, someone capable of driving his organization forward while maintaining a long-term view of what was best for the industry as a whole.

A Legacy Of Humanity

If Cohn’s professional accomplishments are widely known, it is his personal qualities that colleagues may remember most fondly.

Stories of quiet generosity, from mentoring executives to recognizing employees in deeply personal ways, became part of his reputation. That approach extended beyond business into civic and philanthropic work, where Cohn and his family supported a wide range of causes, from education and cultural institutions to health research and community relief efforts.

As a father, he and his wife of 61 years, Suzanne, brought children Matthew Cohn and Stephanie Cohn Schaeffer into the fold at ASI. The two were named co-chairs of the company in March.

“He always said, ‘The best is yet to come,’ and he made you believe it,” Cohn Schaeffer commented in ASI’s Saturday announcement of the passing. “I carry that forward as I continue his legacy – taking care of our customers and employees and helping them grow and succeed – determined to always make him proud and to make those words true.”

Written By: Josh Ellis

Published with Permission from PPAI

Almost 60 industry volunteers joined PPAI staff in our nation’s capital this week to ask for a clear and predictable trade policy and to educate lawmakers on how our global supply chain supports hundreds of thousands of American jobs.

Each year, a dedicated group of industry professionals travels to the nation’s capital to advocate for the needs and interests of the branded merchandise industry. PPAI revamped and intensified its advocacy efforts in 2025, with a new lobbying partner in Washington, new guidance for advocacy at the regional association level and much more.

ICYMI: PPAI Advocacy Report Card: Expanded & Intensified Efforts In 2025

“LEAD is a critical annual moment for PPAI because it elevates our medium through advocacy on Capitol Hill, amplifying our collective voice and showcasing an industry that powers lasting connections, supports jobs and strengthens communities,” said Drew Holmgreen, PPAI president & CEO.

• LEAD 2026, on April 21, took place less than three months after our first-ever LEAD ECHO, or Executive Capitol Hill Outreach, where a small cohort of PPAI 100 executives met with federal agency leadership and key members of Congress in February.

“The thing that impressed me a lot was some of the people we met with today remembered us and some of the things we talked about last year, and they asked us about them, which tells me our messages are resonating,” said Joe Michmershuizen, owner of Promotions By Design.

LEAD is a critical annual moment for PPAI because it elevates our medium through advocacy on Capitol Hill.”

Drew Holmgreen

PPAI President & CEO

Our Messages

A crucial part of the annual Legislative Education and Action Day, better known as LEAD, is explaining who we are and our economic impact in the U.S. This year was no different, as LEAD attendees helped lawmakers understand that although most promo products are imported, the value is largely created in the U.S. – by American workers – through design, decoration, customization and more.

“As a first-time LEAD participant, what stood out to me is how important it is to bring real business stories into these conversations,” said Brenda Speirs, founder & CEO of Buzztag. “Policy decisions aren’t abstract. They directly impact how we plan, price and grow. Being here gives our industry a voice, and that matters. I encourage everyone to participate when they have the opportunity.”

Members also urged lawmakers to oppose efforts to restrict federal agencies to purchasing only products made in the USA. Such efforts are based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the critical role of American workers in the branded merchandise industry – but a prohibition also would restrict the choices available to federal buyers, as many of the most popular blank products buyers want are not made in the U.S., such as double-wall stainless steel drinkware.

“This year’s LEAD was exceptionally well executed and deeply impactful, bringing together experienced advocates and new voices in a way that strengthened our entire community,” said says Kara Keister, MAS, head of GOOD for Social Good Promotions and PPAI Regional Relations Committee board liaison. “The depth of preparation, real‑time engagement and collaboration on display made this one of the most meaningful LEAD events yet and a powerful representation of our industry.” 

Capitol Hill conversations also focused on asking for clear, deliberative and predictable trade policy, such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement that’s up for review this summer, and the African Growth & Opportunity Act, which expired Sept. 30, 2025, but was renewed retroactively on Feb. 3 through the end of this year.

Policy decisions aren’t abstract. They directly impact how we plan, price and grow. Being here gives our industry a voice, and that matters.”

Brenda Speirs

Founder & CEO, Buzztag

Members shared how tariffs and the uncertainty caused by rapid changes have affected their businesses over the past year. Many noted pricing challenges and reduced revenue from absorbing increased costs, as well as import delays and deferred hiring.

• Our most recent member survey found that more than half of PPAI 100 distributors and suppliers experienced cost increases in 2025 due to tariffs.
• Tariff relief under USMCA for goods from Canada and Mexico provided important pricing stability for many American businesses in 2025.

“What an incredible day of advocacy, connection and impact!” said Mark Gammon, vice president of national accounts and buying groups at PCNA and a PPAI Board member. There’s nothing quite like seeing our industry show up in force, sharing our story, championing the power of promotional products and making sure the voices of our businesses are heard on Capitol Hill.”

Gammon added that he felt energized after the conversations with lawmakers: “I think we had more receptive ears this year. Last year, everybody was nervous about tariffs, but today it was a very open conversation on both sides.”

Renewal of AGOA was an important win for PPAI, and we continue to ask for a longer-term renewal, which would provide important stability and predictability for American businesses with ties to the continent. Members also asked lawmakers to encourage stability as a top priority during the scheduled joint review of USMCA and to pursue renewal of the agreement with minimal changes.

“It’s an honor to be remembered in these meetings, and especially meaningful when congressional staffers reference past challenges we’ve raised and ask how policy changes have impacted us since,” said Mark Shinn, MAS, a former regional association president and longtime attendee who was at the first PPAI LEAD in 2010.

There’s nothing quite like seeing our industry show up in force, sharing our story, championing the power of promotional products and making sure the voices of our businesses are heard on Capitol Hill.”

Mark Gammon

PCNA VP of National Accounts & Buying Groups and PPAI Board Member.

What’s Next?

LEAD is a critical part of our advocacy efforts, which are a marathon, not a sprint. An upcoming PPAI Media webinar at noon Central on April 30 will provide a comprehensive recap of the event with a clear view of how the branded merchandise industry is represented on Capitol Hill – and how you can help.

Mark Your Calendar: Webinar Recaps PPAI Legislative Concerns & How You Can Help

Attendees will hear directly from PPAI advocacy leaders, along with our lobbying partners in Washington and LEAD volunteers who took part in meetings with elected officials. Here’s a sneak peek:

“This is the best LEAD I’ve attended,” said Bill Petrie, founder & creative director of brandivate and longtime LEAD attendee who’ll be sharing more in our webinar. “Representatives and senators from both sides of the aisle made it clear that not only do they appreciate the efficacy and value of our medium, but that they understand the challenges we face – especially those of the 98% of us who work for or own small businesses. PPAI and our lobbying partners at Thorn Run did a truly phenomenal job of preparing us to ensure that our message was clear, united and powerful.”

Written by: Rachel Zoch, CAS

Published with permission from PPAI

Fully Promoted (PPAI 240143, Gold), PPAI 100’s No. 51 distributor, has named Walter Miska as its new brand president, effective immediately.

Miska, a former Fully Promoted franchise owner and regional vice president, succeeds Andrew Titus – the youngest son of founder Ray Titus.

• A 2024 PPAI Rising Star, Andrew was appointed president in late 2022 and led the brand through a significant growth period that included its 25th year in business.

“We’re super excited to welcome Walter back to the Fully Promoted family,” Andrew says. “As we made this decision, we ultimately wanted someone who has a proven track record of business ownership experience and can take the momentum we’ve built to the next level. I couldn’t be more confident in Walter, and I’m excited about the brand’s trajectory as we continue investing in the resources and people needed to grow it further.”

Andrew will fully transition into his role as president of United Franchise Group – parent company of the West Palm Beach, Florida-based distributor – a position he was appointed to in January as part of an executive realignment at the company. 

I’m excited about the brand’s trajectory as we continue investing in the resources and people needed to grow it further.”

Andrew Titus

President, United Franchise Group

He will remain involved in the growth of Fully Promoted, particularly focused on strategic acquisitions and partnerships in the branded merchandise industry, as Miska’s direct report.

Miska’s Background

Miska became a Fully Promoted franchise owner in 2005 and grew his location into one of the top-performing businesses in the system, earning induction into the company’s hall of fame, its President’s Award and the Extraordinary Mentor Award. 

He later served as regional vice president of United Franchise Group. Most recently, he helped build a franchise in the culinary staffing industry, adding to a career that also includes launching and growing several businesses as an entrepreneur. 

ICYMI: Fully Promoted Expands Global Network Into India

“We’re thrilled to have Walter back in the UFG family,” says Ray Titus, chairman and CEO of UFG. “Andrew will remain involved with Fully Promoted as he oversees the growth strategies for all our UFG brands, and he and Walter have built a strong working relationship over the years. We’re confident this will be a smooth and natural transition, and we’re more excited than ever about the future of Fully Promoted.”

Fully Promoted is an outstanding brand that has continued to thrive in recent years.”

Walter Miska

President, Fully Promoted

Miska says it’s an honor to be appointed president of Fully Promoted, a brand he’s deeply passionate about and that has played such an important role in his career.

“Fully Promoted is an outstanding brand that has continued to thrive in recent years – a direct reflection of Andrew’s innovative and strategic leadership, the team he has built and the dedication of our franchise owners; many of whom I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the years,” Miska adds. “I’m looking forward to reconnecting with many of them and learning more about what’s working well across the brand today.”

Written by: John Corrigan

Published with Permission from PPAI

Arch Promo Group (PPAI 820951, Silver), PPAI 100’s No. 28 supplier, has announced that Steve Ehlert, national general manager, is stepping down to focus on personal priorities, with plans to reengage professionally in the coming months.

Jason Saghir, COO of Confluent Holdings, Arch Promo Group’s parent company, will assume the role of national general manager.

“Saghir brings extensive operational experience and a strong track record of driving growth and organizational excellence. His leadership will ensure continuity and support the company’s strategic direction,” the company said in a statement.

Steve has played a pivotal role in shaping Arch Promo Group… We’re grateful for his leadership and wish him the very best.”

Jason Saghir

COO, Confluent Holdings & Incoming National General Manager, Arch Promo Group

Additionally, Scott Anderson, vice president of sales and marketing at Arch Promo Group, will assume expanded responsibility for all sales and industry functions.

“Steve has played a pivotal role in shaping Arch Promo Group,” Saghir says. “He was instrumental in growing Arch from one location to seven, completing eight acquisitions, expanding the product line and geographic footprint, and leading the company to its current position as No. 28 on the PPAI 100. We’re grateful for his leadership and wish him the very best.”

Ehlert’s Impact

A 30-year veteran of the branded merchandise industry, Ehlert began his promo career as general manager of Texas-based supplier Ennis. In 2018, he became GM of Gemini Industries, which was acquired by Arch Promo Group two years prior.

In 2022, he was named GM of Arch Promo Group. During the 2021-2024 timeframe, in which the St. Louis-based firm achieved a 416% growth rate, Arch Promo Group acquired HOWW Manufacturing Company, Drum-Line and StrombergBrand Umbrellas, among other companies.

“Our goal is to acquire successful companies, remove their headaches and stay out of their way,” Ehlert told PPAI Media in August.

Written by: John Corrigan

Published with Permission from PPAI

HALO (PPAI 106462, Platinum), PPAI 100’s No. 2 distributor, has announced the appointments of Erin DeCesare as chief product and technology officer, Ameed Mallick as executive vice president of the seller platform and Michael Snyder as vice president of uniforms.

DeCesare joined HALO in January. She brings extensive experience leading product and technology organizations through periods of scale and transformation. Most recently, she helped evolve the marketplace platform at ezCater and previously held leadership roles at Vistaprint.

“Erin joins us at a pivotal moment,” says Jim Hilt, CEO of HALO. “Her ability to connect strategy to execution will help us accelerate our transformation and build capabilities that scale.”

Mallick joined the Sterling, Illinois-based company on March 30. He brings experience building and scaling marketplace platforms, including leadership roles at Instacart and Angi.

Don’t Miss A Thing: SUBSCRIBE To PPAI Newslink

“The seller platform is foundational to providing accessible, scalable and adaptable solutions for our customers,” Hilt says. “Ameed brings the experience to turn that vision into reality.”

Snyder joined HALO on March 25. He brings more than three decades of leadership experience in apparel and uniforms, with expertise across product design, sourcing, go-to-market strategy, sales and category expansion.

“Uniforms are a foundational way our clients express their brands in the real world,” Hilt says. “Michael’s experience will equip our team to turn this offering into a true growth engine.”

Written by: John Corrigan

Published with Permission from PPAI

“Adding Caylan to the BamBams Sales team is an exciting moment for the present & future of BamBams. We are making an investment into the Texas market, where Caylan will drive Texas sales into our Sealy TX facility. This market represents significant upside for BamBams and adding Caylan to the BamBams team will only help to foster this growth more quickly!” Statement from Rustin Luedtke, VP of Strategic Development at BamBams.

Living in the Houston area, Caylan is an industry veteran with previous experience at both Hirsch and Sunjoy. Her primary role will be as a Texas specific sales representative that will help to support both the AE and CSR teams in growing the BamBams sales footprint in her territory. Caylan will be our “Boots on the Street” for BamBams and will be participating in sales meetings and networking events that are specific to HPPA and PPAS, as well as attending client specific meetings throughout 2026.

Welcome to the #BamFam Caylan!!

American Solutions for Business (ASB) announces its official rebrand, marking a strategic evolution in the company’s identity while honoring its long-standing legacy.

At the company’s national sales conference in Louisville, KY, ASB announced the direction of their new rebrand, providing attendees with the assets in real time and giving access to the new logo, color palette and typeface. Additionally, ASB will serve as the primary external brand expression. The full company name remains in secondary logo variations to maintain recognition and reinforce the company’s history and credibility.

“This change has been a deliberate and thoughtful process, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome the next chapter in our identity,” shared Justin Zavadil, President of ASB. “Who we are hasn’t changed. But as we evolve, our ability to transcend across markets and borders has never been more important, and this rebrand empowers and positions us to do that.”

This launch marks the beginning of a phased rollout across all platforms, locations, and branded materials, beginning digitally and expanding to larger and physical implementation throughout the coming months.

“It’s important we made this announcement in-person, so we can ensure clear communication, understanding and commitment to the transition,” explained Taylor Borst, VP of Vendor Relations, Marketing, and Events. “The rebrand belongs to all of us. Through the creative process, we surveyed all 1,300+ of our team members and relied on input from our advisory boards and leaders along the way. Our salespeople, home office and field employees all played a role in the development of our new logo, and this is something we get to celebrate together.”

For 45 years, American Solutions for Business has built its reputation on relationships, integrity, and innovative solutions. The transition reflects ASB’s continued growth, modern positioning, and commitment to presenting a string, unified brand across all platforms.

Branded merchandise has its first major splash deal of 2026, as Proforma (PPAI 196835, Platinum) has reached an agreement to acquire Safeguard Business Systems, the promotional products arm of Deluxe (PPAI 187418, Platinum).

The deal is expected to add roughly $180 million in annual revenue to Proforma’s bottom line, according to the principals announcing the sale, Proforma CEO Vera Muzzillo and Deluxe President Mark Byers.

“As a family business, we’ve always believed that growth should strengthen, not change, who we are. This acquisition reflects that belief,” Muzzillo says. “We’re proud of our roots as a family business, and we are equally proud to see our family grow.”

The acquisition includes nearly 140 distributor sales organizations, earning as much as $16 million in revenue per year, that will transition to Proforma franchises. Another $40 million in company-owned business will transfer from publicly traded Deluxe to Proforma in the move.

We are building to $1 billion. And for us, we believe that happens by creating success one distributor at a time.”

Vera Muzzillo

CEO, Proforma

“Our goal is to make this transition seamless by honoring existing relationships, thoughtfully aligning processes and ensuring every team member feels supported from day one,” says Tim Nale, chief brand officer at Proforma. “We’ve leveraged our industry-leading technology, decades of experience and strong history of acquisitions to design an intentional onboarding plan that focuses on open communication and support.”

• The deal is believed to be the largest acquisition by a distributor in branded merchandise industry history, although not all of Safeguard’s revenue comes from promotional products.
• Byers said just over half of Safeguard’s revenue is derived from printed products, primarily office materials.

In terms of scale at the time of the deal, Proforma’s big buy tops iPROMOTEu’s 2024 acquisition of AIA, which had brought in just under $155 million the previous year.

Combined revenues for Proforma and Safeguard would settle at around $850 million.

“We are building to $1 billion,” Muzzillo says. “And for us, we believe that happens by creating success one distributor at a time. We can be the engine for distributors who want the tools and resources to succeed. That’s who we are.”

• In 2025, Proforma ranked No. 3 in the PPAI 100 measure of industry leadership and reported revenue of $662 million from the prior year.
• Deluxe, for its Safeguard business, ranked No. 18. Its revenue had grown nearly 15% from 2023-24. Its operations are headquartered in Minneapolis, but distributors are spread throughout the country.

An Ongoing Partnership

Muzzillo and Byers say they had been discussing Safeguard’s potential sale for quite some time before identifying Proforma as the right fit in recent months. The respective businesses have been partners, with Proforma relying on Safeguard’s print manufacturing capabilities for certain product segments, which both sides expect to continue.

“From Deluxe’s side, timing is everything,” says Byers, who described Safeguard’s verticals as not a strategic priority for the larger Deluxe business. “We’re going to continue to build a payments and data company.

“Safeguard is a very proud organization with a 70-year history, and we wanted to make sure that we put it and the distributors who are part of it into the best position to succeed.”

Safeguard is a very proud organization with a 70-year history, and we wanted to make sure that we put it and the distributors who are part of it into the best position to succeed.”

Mark Byers

President, Deluxe

Muzzillo credited her son, Michael Roney, for his leadership in setting the table for the acquisition, including establishing onboarding initiatives for the distributors transitioning to Proforma. After a brief hiatus from the family company to pursue his own business interests, Roney rejoined Proforma as senior vice president last year.

“The opportunity to join Proforma and Safeguard is more than a business transaction,” Roney says. “We’re joining two networks of talented people who share a commitment to innovation and values. This venture positions our network for sustainable growth while preserving the culture and integrity that have defined Proforma for generations.”

The deal is expected to close in March. Muzzillo called things “business as usual” for the immediate future.

Proforma’s onboarding efforts will include personalized transition help for each Safeguard distributor.

“We’ve always had a tremendous amount of respect for Safeguard and Deluxe,” Muzzillo says. “We always knew that they were a well-run organization with a great culture. … We are going to be careful to make the Safeguard distributors feel cared for.

“It’s all about relationships, it’s all about people. You want people to feel that they’re in good hands, and we want to make sure they feel as much a part of the Proforma family as they have felt with Safeguard for 70 years.”

Written by: Josh Ellis

Published with Permission from PPAI

Steven Meyer, MAS, was managing a drugstore in Willmar, Minnesota, in 1998, when he received a phone call from Jim Moore, MAS, principal at then-supplier Molenaar, inviting him to an interview. Meyer didn’t know Moore and wasn’t looking for a job, but a mutual friend, Dan Hansen of Hansen Advertising, thought Meyer would be a perfect fit for selling promotional products.

Meyer was not at all interested in sales, but he says Moore’s pitch and professionalism captivated him and sealed the deal. In exchange for training Meyer, Moore stipulated that he had to get involved in a regional association.

“Part of our agreement was that I would volunteer for UMAPP, and someday, if I was lucky, I might be able to get on a PPAI task force or committee,” Meyer says. While attending PPAI’s 1998 Summer Show in St. Louis, he watched a board presentation and was immediately hooked.

Meyer became an active participant in the Upper Midwest Association of Promotional Professionals, which ultimately led to his election to its board in 2003. He went on to serve as vice president in 2008 and then as president in 2009. At the same time, he volunteered for PPAI, starting on the Suppliers Committee and Membership Committee in 2002.

Leading regional trade associations and serving on the PPAI Board made dramatic changes in my life.”

Steven Meyer, MAS

PPAI Hall of Famer

Over the next decade, Meyer served a term, and sometimes two, on most of PPAI’s committees, advisory councils and work groups. He also was an industry speaker and a participant in PPAI’s Legislative Education and Action Day on Capitol Hill.

In 2009, Meyer was elected to the PPAI Board of Directors, becoming chair in 2012. But his love for industry service wasn’t yet satiated. After his board service was complete, he continued to give of his time and talent to the Promotional Products Education Foundation, among other initiatives.

Working with PPEF reopened his eyes to the ongoing need to fund industry scholarships, and he realized he could use his broad network to attract donations. An avid hiker and biker, Meyer set an ambitious goal for himself. In 2024, he rode his bike more than 600 miles on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route and raised several thousand dollars for PPEF.

• After working at Molenaar for 15 years, Meyer left the company when it was sold in 2013. He spent a few months at QuickPoint before relocating to Dallas the next year to help launch supplier RiteLine.
• In typical “Steven Meyer style,” he was drawn to volunteer with the Promotional Products Association Southwest, where he served as a board member in 2016, vice president in 2017 and board president in 2018.
• Following six years at RiteLine, Meyer departed the company to take on his final industry role. He joined the startup team at Arch Promo Group in 2020, helping to grow it to 10 brands before his retirement last fall.

“Steven’s dedication to the growth and integrity of our industry is both exemplary and inspiring,” says Steve Ehlert, national general manager at Arch Promo Group, PPAI 100’s No. 28 supplier, and Meyers’ nominator for the PPAI Hall of Fame. “What sets Steven apart is not just the breadth of his professional experience but the depth of his generosity in sharing it.”

What sets Steven apart is not just the breadth of his professional experience but the depth of his generosity in sharing it.”

Steve Ehlert

National GM, Arch Promo Group

Asked how his more than two decades of volunteer service have helped shape him, Meyer says, “Leading regional trade associations and serving on the PPAI Board made dramatic changes in my life. Most of all, the interaction with other members and directors is invaluable. Those experiences taught me so much about myself, increased my confidence and opened my eyes to a whole new level of the industry.”

Meyer recalls that for nearly half of his time in the industry, he was serving on either a regional board or the PPAI board – and it was an irreplaceable experience.

“Without those roles and the interaction with other members, the regional executive directors and the staff at PPAI and fellow board members – whether we are talking about a personal or business relationship – my career would have been less fulfilling. Volunteering gives back so much more than it takes,” he says.

His proudest achievements on the PPAI Board included helping to establish the first Green Task Force and trimming the board from 18 to 11 directors, thus reducing expenses and making each voice more valuable and accountable. His biggest delight, however, has been helping others flourish.

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“Most of all, I’ve had an opportunity to listen and share with others,” he says. “To say less and listen more. To be a mentor but also receive and appreciate a different viewpoint. Whether it’s someone new to the industry or an old friend, each has something to share.”

Meyer says the distinction of being named to PPAI’s Hall of Fame is still sinking in. “When I look at others who have been recognized in this way, I’m a bit hesitant. But, thanks to good friends like [Hall of Fame inductees] Mary Dobsch and Teresa Moisant, I’ve learned that each person gives of themselves in different ways and that gift can be valued differently by any person,” he says.

“Being acknowledged with this honor means that I am part of the fabric of this industry and that my peers felt my contributions made a difference,” Meyer adds. “It also means that I share this award with so many who helped me. Thank you to all my friends, co-workers and peers for this once-in-a-lifetime moment.”

Written by: Tina Berres Filipski

Published with Permission from PPAI