Leadership Development Workshop

I am a small town girl, living in a big promo world! I have been in the industry for almost 9 years. I currently am a Territory Manager for Augusta Sportswear and I service the Michigan Territory. I proudly serve on the MiPPA board as a Director and helping in anyway I can. I am passionate for continued education and to never stop asking questions. Outside of work and volunteering, I love to work and volunteer more. I am in a garden club and love all things nature. When we are not watching a volleyball game (which is a year around thing in our house) I enjoy the simple things in life, a nice bonfire, books and being outside.

Ashley Van Der Stuyf is the Associate Show Manager at PPAI and oversees the Expo and Event Operation's Team, whose primary functions are the operational logistics of The PPAI Expo and PPAI Conference Events. She studied Hospitality Management and has had previous experience with the General Service Contractor side of the event industry before joining PPAI in 2021.

Brian Deissroth joined Edwards Garment in December 2022 as Director of National Accounts. Deissroth is responsible for overseeing the promotional products channel at Edwards Garment while helping to implement strategic plans to increase growth. Prior to his time at Edwards, Deissroth spent two years at Augusta Sportswear Brands and five years at Vantage Apparel as East Coast and Canadian Sales Director. Prior to Brian’s time at Vantage Apparel, Brian was a member of the multiline rep organization, APPI, a family operated firm previously based in Philadelphia and now based in Greenville, South Carolina. Brian first ventured into the industry in 2005 when opening a distributor company in high school and then again while interning at ASI while attending Temple University. Deissroth is the current the chair of the Regional Relations Committee (RRC), has served on the PAPPA Board of Directors, including as President in 2020. Brian also serves on GRAC and has participated in LEAD for the last several years. Brian graduated from the Temple University with a bachelor’s in political science and graduated with an MBA from North Greenville University in December 2022.

Cory is an attorney with the tax and litigation law firm of Freeman Law, PLLC. He serves as outside counsel for nonprofit entities across the U.S., and he serves and has served as general counsel for PPAI since May 2014.

Dara Cormany joined the PPAI team in September 2012 as an outbound telemarketer. She transitioned into business development coordinator in 2014 and marketing coordinator in 2017. In December 2020, she was promoted to marketing manager, partnering with internal stakeholders to promote all PPAI events and initiatives and managing website content. Dara now serves as the association's manager of marketing Content and data. 

Dan Edge is a 26 year, promotional products veteran. Dan has worked at Peerless Umbrella for all 26 years in various capacities and is now serving as President of the company.

His responsibilities include overseeing sales & marketing as well as driving the company’s strategic growth.  

Dan is also currently serving on the Board of Directors for SAAGNY, the largest regional association in the promotional products industry. He has also served on multiple committees at PPAI through the years.

In his free time, he loves the outdoors and spending time with his wife and two children.

Dawn Olds, MAS, has been in management for over 20 years, spanning three focus areas: accounting, information technology and general operations. She has developed and managed project integration plans for dozens of successful acquisitions. Olds has been the executive sponsor for several Lean Six Sigma projects. Her career highlights also include mentoring and developing dozens of professionals within the HALO organization and promoting them. In addition to the development of people, Olds dedicates time to volunteering for Junior Achievement, is a mentor for a high school entrepreneur program, and is a member of the Women’s Professional Network. She holds a bachelor’s in information systems and an associate degree in accounting.

Ellen is responsible for driving the non-dues revenue for the association and leading the development, operations and execution of the association’s in-person and virtual tradeshows. Making up 50% of the association’s total revenue, non-dues revenue funds the association’s initiatives and includes revenue generated from tradeshows, publications, professional development events and other association products. The association’s tradeshows bring knowledge, community and a forum to do business to the promotional product industry. Ellen leads the interdepartmental collaboration that leads to, and manages the teams producing and selling, these industry-leading, award-winning events.

Emily Codner, MASI is the Director of Affiliate Services for iPROMOTEu, one of the largest and most respected distributor organizations in the promotional products industry. Beginning her career working for a small distributor outside of Boston before starting at the entry-level as an Invoicing Coordinator at iPROMOTEu, Emily loves all things promotional products and has a wealth of experience within her organization, giving her a unique perspective while working with iPROMOTEu’s network of over 500 independent Affiliates. A Philadelphia area native, she is a passionate Eagles fan and thinks Wawa is a little piece of Heaven on Earth. Her free time is enjoyed with her husband and two young daughters, spending warm days on the beach, or going to concerts (especially Hanson concerts).

Dr. Jason Jones is the founder and CEO of LeaderPath, a company dedicated to sharing evidence-based methods for enhancing performance in the workplace. His work has been featured by Inc. Magazine, CBS, ABC, FOX, and PBS. His client list includes some of the world’s most recognized brands, including IBM, American Airlines, Porsche, Boeing, AT&T, Dallas Cowboys, McKesson, Seagate Technology, and Ericsson to name just a few.

He is the author of the two books, “Activator: Using Brain Science to Boost Motivation, Deepen Engagement, and Supercharge Performance” and “28 Days to a Motivated Team.” In his last corporate leadership role, Jason led executive education at AT&T where he was responsible for developing more than 6000 leaders around the world and his team contributed to AT&T being awarded the #1 Learning Company in America by Chief Learning Office Magazine.

Dr. Jones uses an entertaining and high-energy style to present keynote speeches and training workshops with the goal of energizing and inspiring people to lead at a higher level and ignite a culture of sustainable motivation, engagement, and high performance.

On a personal note, Jason enjoys working on cars with his sons and cooking with his daughter. He and his family reside in Dallas, Texas.

Meet Jessica Del Rio, the Senior Tradeshow and Events Manager at SAGE, where she oversees SAGE Event Services, supervises tradeshow operations, and orchestrates all SAGE-produced events.

She began her career studying Hotel and Restaurant Management, Event Management, and Hospitality and Tourism Management through the University of Houston and Purdue University. Currently, with more than 15 years of experience in the tradeshow and event industry, including 6 years dedicated to the promotional products sector, Jessica has expertly refined her abilities and intuition throughout her tenure.

Her expertise and dedication were recognized by SAGE in 2022 when she was honored with the Marketing MVP Award for her exceptional contributions, not only benefiting SAGE but also elevating events within the industry at large.

Jessica's passion lies in crafting exceptional event experiences, always striving to make each event surpass the last in creating memorable moments.

Jodie Schillinger, Executive Vice President at Maple Ridge Farms.  She has not only aspired to shape the vision & culture of Maple Ridge Farms, but also consistently inspires the team to enhance, infuse, and imbue the brand, elevating it beyond its already legendary reputation.  Tasting the flavor of excellence is a thing with her…it is her essence and her grit & she radiates it in all aspects of life.  What brings meaning to her is her kiddos, family, lifting others, removing lines that restrain us, forging connections, reframing all opportunities to gain perspective, transcending the mundane, embracing the extraordinary, participating in nature & finding your wild, conversations with strangers, and raw photography-capturing the art of moments, transforming them into the essence of memories, that share a story.

John R. B. Cudahy, MAS, MASI, a 20-year industry veteran, is the Executive Director of the Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York and The SAAGNY Foundation. Having spent much of his career as a supplier in the promotional products industry, he brings a unique perspective to association management. 

Prior to his employment with SAAGNY, John was an avid industry volunteer. Serving in every capacity on the SAAGNY Board of Directors and multiple PPAI committees. He has been recognized numerous times for his volunteerism and professional success; 2017 PPAI Rising Star, 2021 SAAGNY 40 Under 40, 2015 & 2021 SAAGNY Supplier Rep of The Year, and multiple SAAGNY Volunteer of the Year Awards.

John’s passion for SAAGNY, and the industry as a whole, is evident in the excitement and innovation he brings as the new Executive Director.

Jonathan N. Strauss is the president & CEO of the Promotional Products Professionals of Canada, a position he has held since 2018. His experience includes managing Canadian national associations and signature events over 25 years.

A 2021 addition to PPAI, Josh brings nearly two decades of journalistic experience to the Association’s media efforts. He oversees the newly rebranded PPAI Magazine, the newsletters PPAI Newslink and PromoPro Daily, as well as editorial content across the Association’s digital footprint. For their work in 2022, PPAI Media has been named a finalist for five awards by the American Society of Business Publications Editors. Formerly the editor-in-chief of SUCCESS magazine, a national newsstand publication that has served entrepreneurs and businesspeople for more than 125 years, Josh built and led a talented staff that competed for and won numerous national awards, including back-to-back editorial team of the year nominations. In 2017, the trade journal Folio: named him a 30-under-30 honoree and one of the 100 most influential people in the magazine industry.

I am a passionate go-getter who has learned to ask questions and never take no for an answer. I started my promotional professional career 12 years ago in distributor sales. 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. I served as a volunteer on regional industry Boards in an executive capacity. After my tenure as regional board President, I was elected to the Regional Affiliate Council where I have played an integral role in advancing the way regional associations will operate within the promotional products industry moving forward.
I am a self-proclaimed nerd willing to learn and accept any challenge that comes my way. I have survived injuries, breast cancer, and mental hurdles, all while advancing my career and building a successful small business. I attribute that survival to my tribe, my amazing support system, and my work ethic.
I was named to the Promotional Products Association International Rising Star list in 2021. Our company has received PPAI Silver Pyramid Awards in the Social Responsibility Program and Digital Self-Promotion categories. Social Good was named to the AIM Eco Leaders list in 2020 and we have consistently grown our gross sales by over 80% per year since our 2019 inception.
My passion is for education, advocacy, and volunteerism for the promotional products industry and organizations close to my heart like Special Olympics, local schools, and leadership programs for youth.

Leona Dalavai Scott is a content creator, founder, and president of JEP Marketing Communications based in North Texas. She has a strong background in creating award-winning content that delivers value for various professional and trade associations. After spending more than 20 years editing association industry magazines and leading marketing/communications teams, in 2018 she started JEP. She wanted to address the problem of declining association membership through one an association’s most significant value-based resources – its content!

Leona is passionate about educating audiences on what helpful and valuable content looks like and how to leverage it to attract leads, convert those leads into new members and retain them for the long term. She wants to empower association leaders, and marketing and communications professionals to see content as a strategic way to grow membership.

Leona published The C.O.N.T.E.N.T. Solution, a step-by-step workbook on using content to drive membership through goal setting and planning. Leona is an active associate member of the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter of ASAE (DFWAE) and currently serves as the chairperson of the Membership Committee.

A graduate of the University of Kansas, she studied journalism and political science. DFWAE awarded her the 2023 President’s Award and 2021 Star Marketing Award for her outstanding contributions to creating value through online virtual meetings and excellent marketing skills. She received the 2022 Communicator of the Year Award presented by the Automotive Service Association for her excellence in communications. She is based in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, area.

Lindsey Davis is the director of business development for PPAI and also oversees the association's professional development initiatives. A promotional products lifer, she previously served as president of Solar Advertising, a promo supplier founded by her parents, and lead the company’s successful purchase by Raining Rose, where she focused on their promo efforts as director of sales. As an active volunteer in the industry, she also has served on the Promotional Products Education Foundation’s board of trustees and the PPAI Board, before joining the association's staff in 2022.

Lisa has been a part of the promo industry since 1989, first as an office manager, then transitioned into sales for several different distributor companies. In late 2009 an opportunity to move into the role of Executive Director suddenly presented itself, and she was “home”.

Association service was simply part of the culture at one of those distributor companies she worked with:  3 past presidents of the Georgia association were company leaders. 

Lisa served as President of GAPPP the first time, from 1999-2000, then again from 2006 – 2008, earning her MAS along the way.

In November 2008, Lisa thought it would be “fun” to set up a Facebook group, so a circle of industry friends could have a place to stay in touch, help one another when asked, give advice, etc.  As of October this year, by friends telling friends, applying to be approved for admission (applicants are vetted), that number of “members” of the Promotional Products Professionals group has risen to over 13,000, from literally all over the world.

Watching the industry change and grow, and making lifelong friends has been quite an amazing ride!  

Lisa is currently the Executive Director for GAPPP (Georgia Association of Promotional Products Professionals) and VAPPA (Virginia Promotional Products Association).

Married for 38 years, Lisa and her husband Chris have 2 children, 2 grandchildren, and 1 little bitty toothless dog named Precious (don’t let that moniker fool you – she’s not).

Mason Linn is the Manager, Distributor Membership of PPAI. Mason joins the team with eight years of experience at supplier Raining Rose. He began his career with the Iowa-based company in the promotional products division but spent his last four years there as a Strategic Brand Manager for the contract sales division, making his new chapter with PPAI a return to promo.

Maurice Norris is the public affairs manager for Promotional Products Association International (PPAI). Currently, Maurice manages the government relations and product responsibility programs at PPAI. In these roles, he monitors legislative and regulatory developments affecting the promotional products industry. Maurice also assists members with compliance challenges facing their businesses and helps them advocate for their companies with various aspects and levels of government. Maurice also serves on the board of the Graphic Communications Workforce Coalition, and two separate industry DEI committees.

Michael Reisbaum has been a promo vet starting from his days in college; tie dying boxer shorts and sweatshirts and selling them @ Grateful Dead Shows in the mid '80's.
Michael has been a Distributor Owner, Contract Decorator, Supplier Sales Rep and now a VP @ DelegateCX.

Michael has been a SAAGNY Board Member for +/-15 years, on and off, and an Executive Committee Member for the last 5 years, serving as Treasurer, VP, and now President.

Nicole Bowman, with over 20 years of experience in event and marketing management, is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications for IAEE. She is responsible for developing and managing all marketing functions of IAEE including corporate branding and event marketing, as well as creating and executing the comprehensive strategic marketing plan for all IAEE initiatives including chapter relations, membership, councils, events, and advocacy initiatives.

Paul Kiewiet MAS+ is the Executive Director of Michigan Promotional Professionals Association  (MiPPA) since 2012. He is also an industry veteran speaker, writer, coach and consultant. The recipient of more than a dozen Pyramid Awards as well as awards for articles written for PPB magazine, he is the author of “Summit: Reaching the Peak of Your Potential.” 

Under his leadership, MiPPA has initiated several visionary projects. Wild Wednesday Webinars delivers the top thought leaders in the industry on a monthly basis and is shared with more than twenty of the regional associations. Tuesday Learning Lab, similarly with a national footprint, delivers “How-To” content to help industry practitioners take advantage of the many resources available to them. The annual LEAD Lansing hosts breakfast for lawmakers and their staffs in the House of Representatives Building every March. Under the mantra, “No More Beige Walls”, MiPPA shifted from trade shows to show experiences offering destination, end user experiences at Ford Field - Home of the Detroit Lions and Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park - an internationally acclaimed venue in Grand Rapids.

Paul founded Promotion Concepts, Inc. in 1982, a distributor/sales promotion agency that served some of America’s most valuable brands including Kellogg’s, Whirlpool, Elmer’s, Borden, Krylon, Kroger, DowBrands, Mentos, Realemon, Hush Puppies, RainDance and Coca-Cola. He served the PPAI Board of Directors from 2004-2008, and was Chairman of the Board in 2007. He sold his company in 2005 and focused on people performance, leadership, corporate social responsibility and industry growth.

He was inducted into the MiPPA Hall of Fame in 2010 and into the PPAI Hall of Fame in 2015. An adventure traveler, Paul has visited six continents, summited Mt Kilimanjaro, completed 20 marathons, climbed 104 stories to the top of Willis (Sears) Tower in Chicago, SUP paddled all five Great Lakes, climbed Mt Ararat and walked up the entire state of Michigan from Indiana to Canada.

Renae Ward has been with PPAI since March of 2021 in Accounting and Finance roles and is currently the Sr. Accountant. She has been in the industry for more than 30 years and got her start on the supplier side of promotional products working at her family’s manufacturing company.

Rob Baumgardner, CAS started his journey in the promotional products industry after earning his Business Marketing degree from Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville in 2006. His interest in business marketing led him to the distributor side after college, where he gained valuable knowledge and experience learning the industry. In 2009, Rob transitioned to the supplier side joining Gill Bebco Inc. for 7 years as Regional Sales Manager. He and his family moved to Nashville, TN in 2017 where he joined Top 40 industry supplier, Goldstar. His current job title is National Accounts Manager. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Rob is deeply committed to giving back to the industry and his community. He has been an active volunteer on the Promotional Product Association Mid-South (PPAMS) board for the past four years, currently serving as the Board Vice President. Additionally, Rob is a dedicated member of the PPAI Professional Development/Certification Committee, where he has played a vital role for the past two years and currently serves as the committee chair. Rob and his wife, Kristen, have been married for 12 years and have 3 beautiful children, Addison, Reese, and Hollis. They also have a 3-year-old Aussiedoodle named Eve. They love to spend time together on the lake in KY and watching their kids play youth sports.

With nearly 15 years of experience in association management, Rocky Moreno stands as a seasoned professional in his field. His journey commenced under the guidance of industry luminary Mark Farrar, during Farrar's tenure as the executive director of PPAMS (Promotional Products Association of the Mid-South). From those early days, Rocky's role steadily evolved into a full-time position, eventually culminating in his appointment to Assistant Executive Director.

During their partnership Rocky and Mark became co-founders of Farrar Management, an association management company, with their associate Amanda Manis. In 2021, Rocky ascended to the role of Executive Director when Mark transitioned into a consulting capacity to embark on a new association project. 

Today, Rocky Moreno continues to make an indelible mark in the industry under the Farrar Management banner, alongside his business partner, Amanda Manis. Together, they oversee the management of three promotional products associations, deftly coordinating a multitude of monthly events and orchestrate up to 11 annual trade shows. Rocky's commitment to excellence and his unwavering dedication to the associations he manages exemplify his impact on the association management landscape.

Stacey Felice is a dedicated professional who entered the Promotional Products Industry in 2017, assuming the role of Executive Director at PPAChicago. Stacey holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Robert Morris University, a testament to her strong educational foundation, equipped with the knowledge and skills that would pave the way for her future success. Stacey is proud to call Aurora, Illinois, her home, where she resides with her husband, Chris, and their 14-year-old twins, Hailey and Brayden.

Steven Lazarus, MAS is the vice president of sales and marketing of Promotional Breezes, Inc in Delray Beach, FL. Father of twin 6-year-old kindergarten girls, Steven grew up in the industry and has served in roles on both the supplier and distributor side.  Steven grew up in the Northeast and served on many SAAGNY committees and then moved to Florida, where he served on the Gold Coast Promotional Products Association (GCPPA) board from 2014-2020, and as President in 2018 and 2019.  He also represents District 2 on the Regional Relations Committee (RRC). 

I am a Co-Owner of North Georgia Promotions with my wife Laura.  We started the business in 2010 in the basement of our house.  We moved NGA Promotions to a Production Facility located in Alpharetta, GA, and continue to serve our clients and community.

NGA Promotions is the 4^th business I have started from scratch over the years and one of my favorites. I am a true believer that everyone should give back in their communities and in their professional space with time and or other resources when they can, which has allowed me to volunteer for some great organizations. 

I am the immediate Past President of our regional association, GAPPP. 

I really enjoy consulting with our clients as well as others in our industry. It does not matter if I am talking about products, marketing or even business, I like to hear about everything and offer assistance when necessary.

One last thing, Do What You Like! If you do not like what you do now, work to change it or find something you enjoy better.  Smarter people than me have said this many different ways but the primary result would be having a Happier Life.

Tammy Hoth has been in the industry for over 30 years and has had the opportunity to work with some amazing distributors over the years – in a variety of roles.  She has been the Executive Sales Manager at Cotton Candy US for the past 12 years.  Tammy is currently the Treasurer on PPAChicago and has been a board member since 2019.  Tammy also chairs PPAC’s annual Showcase which is one of the largest End User Shows in the industry.