Kevin Walsh, CAS is a proud member of the Showdown Displays team, where he has worked the past eight (8) years serving in several leadership roles, the most recent of which is President. Kevin’s creative vision and ‘customer first’ mentality has contributed to the success of numerous industry suppliers including New Buffalo Shirt Factory, Lee Printwear, VF Imagewear and Wrangler Jeans and Shirts. In each of these organizations, Kevin has demonstrated a leadership philosophy that is founded in the belief of having the vision to recognize evolving landscapes and the courage to embrace the change needed to succeed. Kevin’s sales and marketing expertise combined with his bias for solutions utilizing technology, will prove to be a great addition to the PPAI Board.
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.
Andrew Spellman is the new vice president corporate markets for Therabody. Spellman formerly served as the senior vice president and general manager for Magnet, LLC. Magnet, LLC has been the world’s leading manufacturer of promotional magnets, and has won numerous awards for their products, service, and innovation. Prior to his tenure at Magnet, Spellman was the vice president corporate markets for Victorinox Swiss Army where he successfully managed their branded products division for over 14 years.
Spellman has also served on the Board of Directors of Guardian Angel Settlement Association in several different roles, including being chairman of their golf committee, vice chairman, and then escalating to the role of chairman of the Board. Guardian Angel has provided childcare services as well as social services in the city of St. Louis for over 150 years. In addition, he served on the Board of Directors of the St. Vincent De Paul Mission of Waterbury during his brief time in Connecticut.
Spellman received his BS in Business Administration from the University of Missouri in St. Louis. He lives in Wildwood, Missouri with his two teenage daughters.
Denise Taschereau launched Fairware after realizing how difficult it was to source promotional merchandise that reflected the social and environmental priorities of the many of brands and organizations she admired. Previously, Taschereau oversaw the Mountain Equipment Co-op’s national environmental programs, community grant-making and ethical sourcing programs, and wrote their award-winning first Sustainability Report. She is currently a board member of PromoCares, an industry group driving awareness and education around sustainability issues in the promotional product 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.
Melissa is the Chief Revenue Officer for Koozie Group. She has been in the promotional products industry for over 15 years with global leadership roles across marketing, product management, sourcing and sales. In addition to her roles within two different Top 40 promotional products suppliers, she has also worked in multiple industries with well-known brands such Chris-Craft, Publix Supermarkets and The Sports Authority. She has commercialized products for customers such as Amazon, Macy’s, Grainger and AAFES and served on multiple boards – PPAI’s Strategic Foresight Committee, ASI’s Counselor Advisory Board and University of South Florida’s Digital Advisory Board. She currently sits on a distributor D&I board, is the executive sponsor for Koozie Group’s Keep It. Give It. Social Impact & Sustainability task force and was recently recognized by PPB as a 2021 Women in Print & Promo.
Karie Cowden, MAS is Founder and President of Connect the Dots Promotions out of Phoenix, AZ. Karie brings a wealth of experience to the board with almost 30 years in the promotional products industry. She has had the opportunity to work on both the distributor and supplier sides of the fence which brings a unique perspective to share with the PPAI Board of Directors. Karie served as President of her regional board Azppa, RAC President as well as on the PPAI board 2008-2012. While RAC President, with the help of her board she initiated the Affiliate program with 28 regionals then on while on the PPAI board the SAGE initiative was born. She is currently a board member of PromoCares, an industry group driving awareness and education around sustainability issues in the promotional product industry. Karie is married to Steve and has 2 lovely teenage daughters, Emma and Averie and a black lab named Luna.
Chris Anderson joined the promotional products industry in 2002 with supplier HandStands and became president of the company in 2009 and CEO in 2010. Under his leadership, HandStands expanded its distribution into 138 countries and closed multiple strategic acquisitions, including the sale of the business to HPG in 2018. Anderson became CEO of HPG in 2019.
Tom Goos, MAS, is the President of Image Source, a nationally recognized branded merchandise agency known for its purpose driven culture and strategic client approach. Day to day, he leads Image Source’s strategic direction, as well as financial management, operations, and supplier partnerships. With 22+ years of branded merchandise experience, Goos is a true industry leader and expert.
He is a former two-term President of the Northwest Promotional Marketing Association (NWPMA) and a founder and partner of Reciprocity Road, the innovative industry buying and shared learning group comprised of eight elite branded merchandise agencies. He was recognized by the Puget Sound Business Journal’s award program, 40 Under Forty.
Thomas has a B.A. in Marketing and Management from the University of Washington Bothell. He is a current board member for the University of Washington Bothell School of Business where he is a guest speaker and advisor to undergraduate and MBA students.
Joshua White is BAMKO’s Head of Strategy. In this role, Joshua focuses on the long-term strategic initiatives that contribute to BAMKO’s top line revenue growth. These efforts include M&A, strategic partnerships, sales and marketing strategy and execution, talent acquisition, expansion into new business verticals and markets, oversight of PR efforts, development of brand strategy, and strategic sales communication.
Since joining the company in 2013, BAMKO has grown from around $20m in annual sales to over $300m, becoming the fastest growing Top 10 Distributor in the industry during that time. Joshua was named a PPB Magazine Rising Star and to the Counselor Magazine Hot List in 2018 and was the Los Angeles Business Journal's Rising Star General Counsel of the Year in 2016.
A passionate advocate for BAMKO’s unique culture, Joshua takes a particular interest in the preservation and continuous improvement of that culture, describing it as BAMKO’s “core competency.”
Prior to joining BAMKO, Joshua worked as an attorney in private practice in Santa Monica, California. Licensed to practice law in California, Nevada, and Texas, Joshua earned his undergraduate degree in political science at the University of Southern California and his law degree from the UCLA School of Law.
Dan Pantano joined alphabroder in 2013 as President, leading the commercial side of the business and playing an integral role in multiple corporate acquisitions and transforming the companies “go to market” approach. With a thoughtful succession plan in place, Dan’s advancement to President & CEO took shape in the Spring of 2021 as the business embraced his passion, energy, and drive to lead the entire organization.
Dan Pantano spent 20+ years working for three different fortune 500 companies – Baxter Healthcare, McKesson and Thermo Fisher Scientific…all leaders in their respective markets. He developed his leadership skills as he progressed his career at each company where he successfully led different business units. His management style and leadership approach were honed through experience and strong leaders he worked with along the way.
With an amazing team in place, Dan is leading the way to capitalize on the company’s unique value proposition; being the industry’s only true One Stop Shop Solution. Dan has been known to say,
“Your attitude determines your altitude”. Colleagues and Customers alike can count on his positive winning approach that offers Employees an engaging environment to advance, while providing Customers a trusted partnership to profitably grow their business.
Dale Denham, MAS+, has more than 25 years of experience in the promotional products industry. Before joining PPAI as president and CEO in August 2021, Denham spent 10 years at distributor Geiger as senior vice president and CIO. As a member of the executive team, he was responsible for significant growth, including international growth, and successfully led the organization’s digital transformation. Prior to Geiger, Denham was a member of the ASI executive team for 10 years where he was responsible for growth, including all technology, strategic partners and publications. His first experience in the industry came in the 1990s as president of Impact, a company that provided numerous resources to the industry. Before joining Impact, Denham was general manager for several consulting and sales organizations.
Denham served on the PPAI Board of Directors from 2015-2020, including as chair in 2018. He has served on numerous other industry boards and has been a consistent volunteer for PPAI and other industry organizations, as well as a sought-after speaker. Denham graduated from the University of South Florida with a bachelor’s in business and a minor in economics.
Cory Halliburton is an attorney with the law firm of Freeman Law, PLLC, a tax, white-collar, and litigation law firm based in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and with clients throughout the world. He has served as General Counsel for PPAI since May 2014. He serves as outside general counsel for other international trade associations, public charities, multi-state engineering firms, and others. Cory Halliburton graduated Magna Cum Laude from Texas Tech University School of Law in 2003.