A familiar face is joining the PPAI executive team.
The Association has named former Board of Directors member Melissa Ralston to the newly created role of chief marketing officer, a position designed to support PPAI’s continued strategic evolution to further elevate the promotional products industry within the broader marketing and branding landscape and aimed at driving alignment across marketing, media and member advocacy.
A former executive at two different industry suppliers, Ralston steps into the role after several months consulting for PPAI. As CMO, she will oversee directors leading the marketing and media departments, which also includes responsibility for media relations, research and public affairs – all key to the advancing the Association’s broader mission.
Her appointment is part of a wider leadership reshaping at PPAI. Drew Holmgreen was named CEO in January. In April, Ellen Tucker became chief revenue and experience officer, and a planned chief operating officer hire is expected to complete the executive team in the coming months.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome Melissa Ralston as chief marketing officer,” Holmgreen says. “She brings incredible talent and deep industry insight – but the true win in bringing her on board is her bold vision for where branded merch can and should go. Melissa understands how underrepresented this channel is in most marketing strategies and sees the tremendous opportunity ahead. With her leadership, alongside our already stellar PPAI team, we’ll continue advancing progress in elevating merch and amplifying the joy it brings to the brands that embrace it.”
Drew Holmgreen
CEO, PPAI
Ralston is well known in the industry. In addition to serving as an at-large director on the PPAI Board from 2022 to 2024, she also previously served on the PPAI Strategic Foresight Committee. The volunteer experiences, she says, gave her a deeper appreciation for the scope of the Association’s work and the dedication of the team behind it.
“It opened my eyes to the breadth and depth of services and solutions PPAI provides to its members – and a deeper understanding of just how much happens behind the scenes,” Ralston says. “The staff is truly dedicated to increasing value for the member community. It gave me a renewed appreciation not just for what the Association does, but for how it does it – with purpose and a genuine commitment to advancing our industry.”
Melissa Ralston
Chief Marketing Officer, PPAI
Throughout her career, Ralston led key initiatives across go-to-market strategy, brand development, value creation, innovation and partnerships – during periods of significant corporate transformation, including rebranding and acquisitions.
After stepping away from her position as chief revenue officer from perennial PPAI 100 supplier Koozie Group last summer, Ralston founded her own consultancy and began working with clients in executive coaching capacities on corporate strategy, strategic growth and stakeholder engagement.
A career marketer who started out in advertising and public relations agencies, Ralston says her path was inspired by family legacy.
“I guess I grew up in the advertising world,” she says. “My grandfather owned a mid-size agency that he later sold to a top-tier firm, and my father worked there, too. So, when I started college, I knew exactly the field I wanted to go into.”
Her decision to join the PPAI staff, she says, was rooted in her experience and belief in the industry’s potential.
“I’ve always been passionate about elevating the role our industry plays in the global marketing landscape. That passion is one of the reasons I was drawn to serving on the PPAI Board. It’s also reflected in the strategies I’ve implemented throughout my career.
What we do – what this community does – has a profound impact on brand experience. But we need to do a better job of owning and amplifying the narrative. This role is really a perfect combination of something I’m passionate about and my professional experiences all rolled into one.”
Looking ahead, she says her focus is on making sure the promotional products industry has a seat at the table in broader marketing and policy discussions.
“I’ve always felt that promotional products are an essential part of the marketing mix that should be included at the onset of the planning process,” she says. “Like any other marketing channel, they can and do drive demand, create brand advocates and deliver real ROI — from small and medium-sized businesses to large enterprise clients.”
Ralston, a University of Florida graduate who resides with her family in the Tampa area, will be on site at PPAI’s North Texas headquarters frequently. She reports directly to Holmgreen.
She officially began the new role on July 7.
