Ivory Alexander, director of sales and business development at MAS Inc., has been elected the 2026-2027 IMRA Board President.

“Incentive Merchandise To Reward And Appreciate is an important piece to the Incentive Marketing Association because merchandise incentives are one of the most tangible and widely used tools in the space,” Alexander says. “IMRA brings together the experts, suppliers and sellers who deliver those physical rewards programs at a very high level.”

“I’m looking forward to collaborating with the current and new members to help bring more value to IMRA. We are lucky to have a large group of talented reps and suppliers with many years of experience,” Alexander continues. “My focus for this year will be to grow our membership and add a couple of new faces to the board, creating the opportunity for new voices to be heard. In addition, we will focus on ways to bring even more education and seminars to future IMRA Conferences, where reps can brush up on skills and leave with a sense of accomplishment and growth.”

IMRA elected Melissa Fleming, DPI Inc., as vice president; Dennis Zimmerman, Sheryl O’Toole & Associates, as treasurer; Rachel Stark-Cappelli, Stark Premium, as secretary; and Ian Arthur, Sightron, as past president.

Bobbie Susaeta, Incentive Solutions, and Micah Vander Tuig, IP, O’Rourke Sales Company, are joining the IMRA Board as directors.

Returning directors are David Alwan, Echo Valley Meats Inc.; David Boodey, CPIM, RepLink/The DataDirect Group; Sara Dattolo, CPIM, Pilgrim Promotions Ltd.; Craig Frechette, BISSELL Homecare Inc.; Katie Higgins, Hoffman & Edgette Award Marketing Services; Lore Rincon, Continental Premium Corp. and David Rosenstock, CPIM, IncentiveSource Inc.

Promotional Source (PPAI 632319, Standard-Base) announced that it has officially become a woman-owned business. The company has also begun the formal process of obtaining certification from Women Business Enterprises Canada Council.

“Becoming a woman-owned business is more than a milestone – it’s a clear statement about the kind of company we want Promotional Source to be,” says Karine Kaplan, CEO of Promotional Source. “Our clients are increasingly looking for suppliers who reflect their own values around diversity and inclusion. This change strengthens what we already do best, delivering beautifully branded merchandise with zero hassle, and positions us to better support HR teams, corporate marketers and event planners who prioritize diverse supplier partnerships.”

Vantage Apparel (PPAI 113235, Platinum), PPAI 100’s No. 14 supplier, welcomes Eric Pehrson as sales account manager, covering Michigan and Indiana.

Pehrson began his career in the promotional products industry as a customer service representative at PICA Marketing. He later joined Creative Studio Promotions, where he worked in sales for five years. During that time, he was elected to the MiPPA Board of Directors, where he served from 2018 to 2023, including a year as president. After Creative Studio Promotions, Pehrson became the Michigan sales representative for Cutter & Buck.

“Eric made an immediate impact within days of joining Vantage by quickly connecting with customers and identifying new opportunities,” says Sean Macilvain, vice president of business development. “His upbeat personality is infectious, which certainly translates to building strong relationships with customers in Michigan and Indiana. His experience working with both a supplier and a distributor is incredibly valuable to our team as we continue to grow.”