The PPAI Expo Schedule At A Glance

Stacy Garrett, Vice President, Sales & Marketing at Ideation Creative Brand Management has been in the promotional products industry for over 25. As a multi-million dollar producer both as an employee and owner of a company, she has experience from all angles of the business and processes. While she is not spring chicken (her words) she has seen firsthand the power of LinkedIn for her sales and loves sharing this knowledge with others. Stacy received the NWPMA Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to the industry. She is extremely passionate about continuous improvement in our industry served on the PPAI Professional Development Committee. 

Tiffani Bova’s illustrious career has been marked by a long (and continuously growing) list of accomplishments and honors: Two-time Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, Former Global Growth & Innovation Evangelist at Salesforce, Two-time Thinkers50 Top Management Thinker, Former Research Fellow at Gartner, Top 50 Marketing Thought Leader, Top X and LinkedIn Influencer, Five-Star Podcast Host, contributor to top business journals, researcher on the future of sales, employee and customer experience, and honors ranging from the Gartner Thought Leadership Award to being named one of the most powerful and influential women in California by the National Diversity Council. Listed by the San Francisco Examiner in 2023 as one of the Ten Most Sought After Brand Evangelists, Tiffani is referred to as “one of the most masterful keynote speakers in the world.”

A marquee name in the speaking world, Tiffani has delivered more than 1,000 keynotes on six continents, winning rave reviews for her ability to ignite audiences and provide them with actionable tools for success. She is also a frequent guest lecturer at business schools, including Columbia University, Wharton and USC.

More About Tiffani Bova

For more than 20 years, Tiffani Bova has stood at the forefront of transformative industry developments across multiple industries and regions, specializing in driving top-line growth, sales transformation, and catalyzing customer and employee experience. She is the author of two Wall Street Journal bestsellers, Growth IQ, which has been translated into 12 languages, and The Experience Mindset. Over the past decade, she has consistently ranked in the highest echelon of management and marketing thinkers, ranging from Thinkers50 to being a top X influencer and LinkedIn Sales Expert. Forbes says that she “reshapes our perception of growth.”

Most recently, Tiffani served as Chief Growth & Innovation Evangelist at Salesforce, where she focused on driving customer success within the company’s vast global customer and partner ecosystem. Prior to Salesforce, she was a sales, marketing and customer service executive for startups and Fortune 500 companies, where she was recognized as one of the first to develop a robust go-to-market model for cloud-based solutions, and indirect channel strategies to accommodate changes in buying behavior. Tiffani left the corporate world to join Gartner as a Distinguished Analyst and Research Fellow. There, she helped some of the largest technology companies in the world including Microsoft, Cisco, Salesforce, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Oracle, SAP, AT&T, Dell, Amazon-AWS, expand their market share and grow their revenues, earning her Gartner’s coveted Thought Leadership Award.

An active and influential thought leader within her areas of expertise, Ms. Bova has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, MIT Sloan Management Review, INC, Fast Company, Fortune, Yahoo Finance and MSNBC. She also hosts the highly-rated podcast, What’s Next! with Tiffani Bova, welcoming prominent guests such as Seth Godin, Tom Peters, Daniel Pink, Arianna Huffington, Marshall Goldsmith, Guy Kawasaki, former Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly, former Ritz-Carlton President Horst Schulze and others.

With over 25 years working within the promotional products industry, Bill Petrie had dedicated his career to helping organizations grow their businesses through creative, strategic, and effective marketing and branding. As the founder and creative director of brandivate – a boutique marketing, branding, and advertising agency – Bill brings a hands-on approach to connecting brands with their audiences in meaningful ways.

Bill’s insatiable curiosity drives his creativity and ensures that he’s always pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. He doesn’t hold back; he embraces boldness, innovation, and a bit of irreverence because that’s where real growth happens. His goal? To challenge and inspire others to achieve their goals and dreams.

As a featured keynote speaker and workshop leader, Bill has been fortunate to share these ideas with audiences across the country and around the world. He has also had the honor of being inducted into the Promotional Products of the Mid-South (PPAMS) Hall of Fame and receiving the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Icon Award for Distinguished Service in 2024 – a testament to his commitment to elevating others and driving positive change.

When not helping brands make an impact, you can find him in his backyard, affectionately known as The Back Forty, likely smoking something delicious on the grill, mixing up craft cocktails, and enveloping himself in great music. He also loves spending time with his wife of 30 years, Sandy, their red tick coonhound, Shelby, and their twin college-aged sons, Drew and Mitch – who tend to pop in when they are broke, hungry, have nothing clean to wear, or all of the above.

Abe Anteby is the President and CEO of Threadfast Apparel, a brand of sustainable and eco-friendly clothing. With over 25 years of experience in the apparel industry, Anteby has led the company’s efforts to integrate sustainability into every aspect of their business. Under his leadership, Threadfast Apparel has become a leader in ethical and eco-conscious manufacturing, committed to reducing their environmental impact while producing high-quality, fashionable apparel.

Kate Nash, Director of Sales and Marketing at Raining Rose Promos, started her professional life in newspaper journalism and marketing for higher ed and the tech industry before joining Raining Rose as top marketing leader in 2019. Kate leveraged her multi-industry background to partner with leaders on a new Raining Rose Promos brand and has also worked to support sales growth at the company through marketing strategies and sales partnership. In 2022, Kate took over as Director of Promotional Sales and Marketing. She leads the sales team, determines future investments, spearheads product development, oversees daily operations, and works to spread the Raining Rose “orange vibe” of energy and optimism throughout the company and industry. Kate also promotes corporate social responsibility and sustainability initiatives via an internal company working group, as a board member of PromoCares, and through connecting with like-minded souls across industries whenever possible.

Elizabeth Wimbush is PPAI’s first-ever Director of Sustainability & Responsibility.  Prior to joining PPAI, Elizabeth was the vice president of supply chain and sustainability for distributor Genumark.  She had started with the company in 2020 as the director of supply chain. Before joining the promo world, she ran a fair-trade organic cafe & bakery in Toronto that prioritized community and minimizing waste.

Elizabeth is a value-oriented professional with a diverse range of experience that prioritizes ethical and sustainable business growth, spanning 20 years. Organically influencing positive change from the ground up in organizations is the name of her game.

Most of her free time is spent with her two dogs, riding her motorcycle, hiking or swimming. On the road or in the woods, alone or with friends, “I’m never bored when I’m out in nature,” she says.

Angela Taylor, the Vice President of Customer Engagement and Digital Solutions at AIM Smarter, with experience spanning two decades in the promotional products industry.

For the past four years, Angela has been an instrumental leader at AIM Smarter, spearheading their Customer Success Team and driving innovation through AIM’s Tech Suite order management platform. Her commitment to elevating the customer experience and fostering digital solutions has been pivotal in shaping AIM’s trajectory within the industry.

Angela also has firsthand experience as a supplier at A+ Wine Designs, offering her a holistic understanding of the promotional products landscape. Recognizing the importance of industry relationships and giving back to the community that has been so good to her, she has volunteered with SAAC and the SAAC Foundation for the past decade.

Joseph Sommer is the founder of Whitestone, a best in class, fully remote branded merchandise agency that was recently named ASI Best Places to Work in 2024 for companies 25-100 employees, and 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year. He has built his career with passion, enthusiasm and creativity and leads one of the most progressive businesses in the industry. Whitestone was recently named to the Inc 5000 list for fastest growing private companies in America for the 6th straight year, and Inc Magazine’s Best Workplaces. In college, Joseph majored in entrepreneurship and built his business plans in the promotional products industry. A seasoned vet at 35 years old, this is the only career and job he’s ever known, with Whitestone being the largest company he’s ever worked for now with 65 full-time employees. Joseph lives in Austin, Texas, and is an active member of YPO and EO.

Eric Granata, CAS is the founder of PromoPilot, a technology consulting and automation company serving the print and promotional products industry.

Prior to PromoPilot, Granata served as CTO at Brand Fuel, a free-spirited, globally-recognized promotional products agency.

He came to the promotional products industry by way of ROBYN Promotions as their Director of E-Commerce. With an eclectic skill set, he has worked in e-commerce, web and print design, video production, program management, digital transformation, and marketing and sales. 

Ben Drysdale, CAS, is the National Account Manager at Gold Bond, Inc – a trusted supplier committed to creating meaningful solutions that blend innovation, quality, and sustainability. He joined the Gold Bond team just a few months ago, after 4.5 years with industry supplier; Raining Rose Promos. Ben is an expert in developing creative and impactful branded merchandise strategies that foster lasting connections with clients.   

Halle Moore, Marketing Coordinator at PromoCorner, started working full-time in the industry in 2022 after graduating from UMass Boston. In her role, Halle provides digital marketing services to suppliers within the industry. Getting involved is her favorite way to grow, she’s been serving as a sous chef at PromoKitchen and is excited to be stepping into a chef role in 2025. She also loves posting to social media and was even recognized for it on PPAI’s 2024 Online 18. You can find her newest video series “Behind the Brand” on the Pyramid Award-winning platform PromoJournal.com. Halle is the 3rd generation of her family to be in the industry and is lucky enough to work with both her parents Laurie & Joel Moore and follow in the footsteps of her late grandfather, Jim Moore. 

Jade Crider is the inside sales and social media manager at Hasseman Marketing. She began her career as an administrative assistant at the company, and is following in the footsteps of her family legacy, being a professional in the promotional products industry. Jade is carving out her own path and is establishing herself by creating engaging content that helps Hasseman Marketing to stand out.

Joshua Pospisil, MAS, is the vice president of business development at AIA Corporation and has been in the industry for 11 years. He loves being granted the opportunity to lead/coach a team and help build relationships from the ground up. Prior to joining AIA Corporation, Josh was at HIRSCH, and before that, he began his journey in the promotional product industry at KTI Promo. Joshua has volunteered with PromoKitchen, is a past president of HPPA, and has been a board/committee member for both RAC and RRC.

Vicki Ostrom (she/her), is a futurist, trend analyst and founder of Trendependent, a trend analysis and consulting company. With over 25 years in design and forecasting, Vicki excels in translating macro trends into accessible, clearly presented concepts, helping brands understand what is happening today and forecast what products will be needed tomorrow. 

Meg Erber is a visionary leader in the promotional products industry, bringing over two decades of expertise in driving growth, ethical business practices, and community engagement. As Director of Sales at Proforma, she empowers distributor owners to achieve exponential success through innovative strategies and a people-centered approach. Known for her work on the PromoCares board and as co-creator of the 4Good events, Meg has spearheaded initiatives that unite promotional product leaders and community advocates in support of meaningful, socially responsible causes. To date, 4 Good Events has raised over $350K and changed so many lives for good!

In addition to her industry influence, Meg co-hosts Branding Banter, where she shares insights on the latest trends and challenges in promotional products. Beyond the industry, she serves on the boards of the Moosehead Region Land Trust and Harford’s Point Association in Maine, focusing on land conservation and preserving natural resources for future generations. Through every role, Meg exemplifies a commitment to community, sustainability, and a shared vision for positive impact within and beyond the promotional products space.

Joelly Goodson, Sr. Sales Associate at BAMKO, AKA “The Branding Badass,” is an award-winning branding expert with more than 20 years’ experience helping businesses build and elevate their brands.

Joelly was ranked #3 on PPAI’s #Online18: The Best Promo Pros on Social Media for 2024, underscoring her influence and expertise in the branded merch industry and social media branding.

In addition to her professional accolades, Joelly is the creator and host of “Branding Matters” which is one of Canada’s top branding podcasts .This podcast has earned the top spot on Feedspot’s list of the 10 Best Canadian Branding Podcasts and is recognized by the CMO Club as one of the 17 Branding Podcasts Worth Your Time in 2024. Through her podcast, Joelly shares her expertise, featuring interviews with industry leaders and offering actionable advice that listeners can implement immediately. 

Bobby Lehew is the Chief Content Officer at commonsku, a cloud-based CRM, order management platform designed for the promotional products industry by promotional product experts. Bobby was the CEO for 15 years at Robyn, a branded merch fulfillment company that specialized in private-label, e-commerce company stores. A PPAI Gold Pyramid Award winner, a PPAI Silver Technology recipient, an Addy Award recipient, and recognized (in his work with Robyn) three years in a row by Inc. Magazine as one of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S., Bobby is co-host of the popular podcast, skucast, and a national speaker on topics related to B2B marketing, B2B selling, and storyselling. Bobby is an ardent bibliophile who loves to explore creative insights from entrepreneurs who bridge the world between art + commerce. 

Charles G. Duggan II, MAS+, Vice President of Sales North America at Goldstar. With over 32 years in the promotional products industry, Charles brings expertise in speaking, training and consulting, particularly in tactical sales strategies for distributors and suppliers. Known for creative, customer-focused solutions, Charles champions the idea that Anything is Possible, even through times of challenge and change.

An industry leader, Charles, has served on the PPAI Board of Directors, and held key volunteer roles with PPAI and PPAMidwest. Recognized with awards like the 2020 Gold Pyramid and the 2018 PPAI Distinguished Service Award, Charles is also ASI’s 2020 Supplier Rep of the Year.

An Ironman, marathoner, and triathlete, Charles brings the same commitment to his active lifestyle, and at home, he proudly ranks ninth in the pecking order. (Ask him about that!)

Kenny Ved, MAS, is the Director of Global Sales at Goldstar.  Kenny brings over 25 years of experience in building dynamic, culture-driven workplaces that inspire employees to thrive. Throughout his time at Goldstar, Kenny has helped launch initiatives designed to empower employees to bring their best selves to work, fostering an environment where collaboration, resilience, and growth are celebrated. His approach to leadership centers on aligning company culture with core values – a strategy that has not only strengthened team bonds but also attracted top talent in a competitive market. 

Founding Partner, Chris Lamond, brings more than 25 years of experience in developing, managing and implementing government relations strategies to PPAI advocacy agency Thorn Run Partners, which ranks as a top 10 K Street lobbying firm. Formerly a U.S. Senate staffer and presidential campaign advisor, Lamond has built governmental relations career forging coalitions and representing corporate, non-profit and trade association clients before federal, state and local governments. 

Since late 2021, Josh Ellis, Publisher & Editor-In-Chief, has overseen the rapid growth of PPAI Media, which now encompasses digital content, publications, public affairs and research efforts. A journalist since the age of 15, he first worked in sports, reporting for DallasCowboys.com before transitioning to business media. Prior to PPAI, he served as the editor-in-chief of SUCCESS Magazine.

Jenna Quaranta, Director of Sales at HPG, holds over a decade of industry experience as both a Supplier and PPD. JQ’s reputation as an industry thought leader and Sales powerhouse is indisputable. Sales is not just the act of selling for JQ, instead, her no-BS approach combined with a tactical mindset is a key component in her ability to bring value to customers and their businesses. She utilizes her knowledge as a Certified Business Coach to provide a path to success for her customers in a consultative manner. Furthermore, as a Certified Mental Health Ambassador, JQ emphasizes that, to be a strong Professional, you must also possess a strong mind, body and discipline.

Recognized in the Top 10 by PPAI’s Online18 as one of the industry’s key influencers, many people’s first introduction to JQ is via her social media, give it a follow and you’ll see these words come to life. 

Kristen is a globally respected leader in the world of branding and advertising. A dynamic speaker, she is known for transformational growth, leadership development, succession planning, serving as a champion for equity and inclusion, and defending the integrity of original creative ideas.

Under Kristen’s leadership, The Martin Agency grew 50% in five years, was recognized as Adweek’s U.S. Agency of the Year in ’21 and ’22, and Ad Age‘s Agency of the Year in ’23. Martin also made the coveted Fast Company Most Innovative Companies list in ’23 and ’24. Her team was recognized for exceptional leadership across multiple disciplines including creative, PR, new business, and talent & culture, and she was named Virginia Businessperson of the Year.

She simultaneously held the position of Global CEO of MullenLowe, where she spearheaded an agency rebrand that united a 55-office global network. In addition to building employee morale, the work was heavily-awarded, winning three Cannes Lions in 2024, including a Gold for Best Rebrand/Refresh of an Agency. During her tenure as Global CEO, six MullenLowe agencies won Agency of the Year in their respective international markets.

After 30 years as a strategist and C-Suite leader, she recently retired from the ad industry. She continues to act as a consultant to business leaders and travel to places she’s never been.