From left to right, Mary Jo Tomasini, MAS, Dale Denham, MAS+, Brittany David, CAS, and Tom Goos, MAS.
Officers have been selected for the PPAI 2017 Board of Directors. They are Mary Jo Tomasini, MAS, chair; Dale Denham, MAS+, chair-elect; and Brittany David, CAS, vice chair, financial services. They will begin their one-year terms immediately following The PPAI Expo 2017. Tom Goos, MAS, the 2016 PPAI Board chair, will move to the immediate past chair role in 2017. The officers were selected by the PPAI Board Officer Nominating Committee and voted on by the PPAI board.
“PPAI is extremely fortunate to have the caliber of experienced leaders and deeply committed volunteers it has, who are so willing to give of their time and talents to the Board, and even more so when they aspire to the Board’s most time-consuming, challenging and important leadership roles,” says Rick Brenner, MAS+, immediate past board chair and chair of the Board Officer Nominating Committee.
Chair of the Board Mary Jo Tomasini, MAS, CEO of distributor CE Competitive Edge, LLC in Stevensville, Michigan, is a 30-plus-year veteran of the promotional products industry. Tomasini founded CE in 1993 and has transformed it into one of the largest promotional products companies in the industry. She is a member of the Michigan Promotional Products Association (MiPPA) and currently chairs PPAI’s Government Relations Advisory Council (GRAC). Tomasini has worked to encourage women in business, serving as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) mentor for women in Michigan starting a new business or considering Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certification. She is an alumna of Lake Michigan College and serves on the foundation and alumni boards. She also currently chairs the Lake Michigan College Board of Trustees. “The founder of a highly successful woman-owned distributorship in Western Michigan, Mary Jo Tomasini will be an exceptional chair when she takes the reins next year,” says Brenner. “She is smart, successful and has years of senior non-profit board experience. Having worked closely with her on the board for the past two years, I can attest that she is spot on with her insights and always has a sensible approach to the matters we handle on the Executive Committee and with recommendations we make to the Board.”
Chair-Elect Dale Denham, MAS+ is the CIO of Lewiston, Maine-based distributor Geiger. Denham is a member of the four-person senior leadership team which sets business direction for the firm, and is responsible for technology strategies and oversees a staff of 25. Prior to joining Geiger, Denham served as senior vice president of ASI for 10 years and was president of Impact Data for five years prior to that. He has served on several PPAI committees—Membership Services, Leadership Advisory, Government Relations Action Council and Technology, of which he was chair. He originated, organized and chaired the first (and the successive) PPAI Technology Summit. Denham has served as president of PPA Florida and is currently a chef in PromoKitchen. He is also the organizer and leader of a non-PPAI group of distributors and suppliers working to develop industry technology standards, and frequently speaks at PPAI, regional and industry events. Computerworld recognized him in 2015 as one of the nation’s 100 premier IT leaders for his leadership and innovative approaches to business challenges. “Dale Denham, our new chair-elect, is an equally capable and highly accomplished candidate,” adds Brenner. “His work on advancing technology solutions for the industry have won plaudits from all whom I have spoken to about the work of his committee—large and small distributors and suppliers alike. Dale brings broad experience to the board having spent years in a senior leadership position at ASI and now in his role as chief technology officer for Geiger.”
Vice Chair, Financial Services Brittany David, CAS, vice president of sales at supplier SnugZ USA, is a 10-year veteran of the promotional products industry. She has been with SnugZ for five years and prior to that she was the trade-show management services manager at SAGE Quick Technologies Inc. David is currently serving on the PPAI Board of Directors and Expo East Advisory Board, is board liaison to the Supplier Committee and a member of the Power Meeting advisory group, and she continues to serve as co-chair of the PPAF Expo Committee for the third year. Her creative firepower and engaging personality landed her on Counselor magazine’s 2013 Hot List, and she has been a panelist for the ASI Power Summit and PPAI Women’s Leadership Conference, and was named a PPB Rising Star in 2014. David also volunteers for the Utah Food Bank, Primary Children’s Hospital and various community service projects with the SnugZ GiveZ community service committee. “Brittany David rounds out our slate in her first board leadership position as vice chair of finance,” says Brenner. “Although no stranger to financial reports and budgets in her senior sales role at SnugZ USA, Brittany will have the backing and tutelage of our highly capable financial team of Bob McLean and AJ Hunter to help develop her skills in this area. In addition to her industry expertise and good business sense, we look forward to Brittany’s perspective as a Millennial on our board and executive committee. In my final year of board service, I’m thrilled that we have such committed and capable leaders to guide us in the future.”
Immediate Past Chair of the Board Tom Goos, MAS, is the president of Image Source, a top promotional products distributor in Kirkland, Washington. A veteran of nearly 20 years in the industry, Goos’ key responsibilities are providing strategic direction, overseeing daily operations and financials as well as overseeing major client relations and supplier partnerships. He is an Executive-In-Residence at the University Of Washington Bothell School Of Business where he is a guest speaker, mentor and advisor to undergraduate and MBA students. Goos was recognized by the Puget Sound Business Journal’s award program, 40 Under Forty, as one of the top 40 dynamic leaders and entrepreneurs. He is also a former two-term president of the Northwest Promotional Marketing Association (NWPMA).