Monday night’s Chairman’s Leadership Dinner was also the setting to honor Joe Scott with the PPAI Distinguished Service Award and H. Wayne Roberts with the PPAI H. Ted Olson Humanitarian Award.
The Distinguished Service Award is PPAI’s highest honor recognizing industry volunteerism, and Scott, president of distributor Scott & Associates, has proven himself worthy over the years with countless contributions to PPAI and the industry.
He began his volunteer efforts writing for PPB magazine and other industry and business publications, then became an in-demand industry speaker sharing his expertise at industry shows, and with students as a PPAI Advocate presenter. He also served on his regional association board as a member and as president, and later was elected to the PPAI board for a four-year term.
Scott is also well known in his community as a valued business leader and active volunteer serving on a number of boards. In his spare time Scott also plays guitar in an industry band called Midnight Soul Patrol, and four members of the band, three who are former PPAI board chairs—Rick Brenner, MAS+; Steven Meyer, MAS, and Michael Woody, CAS—and Beacon Promotions President Gary Haley, took to the stage to recount Scott’s many contributions in an original way—by playing their own version of George Michael’s “Faith” with original lyrics for “You Gotta Have Joe” sung by Woody.
H. Wayne Roberts, who was honored with the H. Ted Olson Humanitarian Award in appreciation for his contributions to his community and industry, is only the sixth recipient of this prestigious award instituted in 2012 in honor of the late H. Ted Olson, chairman emeritus of PPAI.
Roberts’ nominator, PPAI lifetime member Don Edwards, presented the honors saying his friend is “very deserving of the H. Ted Olson award. Wayne has achieved his success the old-fashioned way: hard work, dedication, perseverance, commitment and making significant contributions to society and to his fellow man. The world is a better place because of Wayne.”
A lifelong volunteer, Roberts grew up giving back to his community through organizations such as the Jaycees, and as mayor of his hometown, Clarksville, Virginia. Later he was active with charitable groups in Wichita, Kansas, where he had a long career with Pioneer Balloon Co. Now retired and living in Montana, he and his wife, Norma, are actively serving numerous organizations including a local garden that supplies fresh produce to a local food bank and an organization that improves the lives of homeless animals.
Learn more about this year’s award recipients in PPB’s January issue.