Kicking off The PPAI Expo 2026, PPAI President and CEO Drew Holmgreen, CAS, unveiled the organization’s 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, a five-year framework designed to sharpen the industry’s positioning, strengthen its sense of community and equip members for sustained success in an increasingly competitive marketing landscape.
The plan, developed through a months-long process involving PPAI’s Board of Directors, staff and member input, is intended to be both aspirational and operational – articulating where the branded merchandise industry should be headed, while outlining how PPAI will help get it there.
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The framework for the new plan was developed with support from strategy and change consultancy Coraggio Group. Visually, its structure takes the form of a pyramid, with PPAI’s new vision statement as its apex, and supported by a strong association at the foundation.
A Foundation Of Organizational Excellence
Supporting the pillars is what the plan describes as its Strategic Foundation: Organizational Excellence.
This focuses the Association inward, committing PPAI to invest in its own systems, culture and operational capabilities to execute the strategy effectively. That includes technology modernization, governance practices and a continued emphasis on staff well-being and organizational accountability.
Leadership describes the foundation as essential to ensuring that ambition is matched by execution. It is moored in PPAI’s continuing Organizational Values:
- Growth
- Integrity
- Community
- Joy
Christopher Cheney
COO, PPAI
“Organizational Excellence begins with aligning our systems, governance and culture so that our ambition is consistently matched by focused and deliberate execution,” says Christopher Cheney, COO at PPAI.
“Moving forward, PPAI will support Organizational Excellence by making deliberate, sustainable investments in our people and infrastructure so we can serve our members with clarity, consistency and with meaningful impact.”
Operational excellence is the backbone of every high‑performing organization, adds Kate Alavez, president of PromoShop, PPAI 100’s No. 20 distributor, and a member of the PPAI Board of Directors.
Kate Alavez
President, PromoShop
“When elements like technology infrastructure, clear operating procedures, defined KPIs and shared values are firmly in place, they align the entire company around a unified vision and a consistent way of working,” Alavez says.
“Without this operational excellence component, an organization loses the essential link between the talent of its people and the organizational systems that enable teams to truly thrive.”
