Ted Dennison, MAS, of Houston, Texas, distributor TMJ Enterprises, and George Jackson, owner of distributor George Jackson Promotions in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, have been named recipients of the 2016 PPAI Regional Association Council (RAC) Volunteer of the Year award.
The award is presented annually to regional association members who have demonstrated an outstanding level of volunteerism and leadership and who have made significant and measurable contributions to a regional association. Dennison and Jackson exemplify the spirit of volunteerism and inspire those around them with their perseverance, passion and dedication to the promotional products industry at every level.
Dennison joined the Houston Promotional Products Association (HPPA) in 1983 and has been active at numerous levels, helping lead the regional association and volunteering for its trade shows, committees and events. He was a board member from 2002 to 2006, during which time he served as secretary/treasurer, vice president and two terms as president. Dennison has also co-chaired its trade-show committee since 2000, producing the association’s Hot Stuff Expo. He received HPPA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, making him an honorary member of the association for life, in 2015.
In addition to his work with HPPA, Dennison has also been engaged with the Regional Association Council. In 2008, Dennison chaired the RAC Marketing & Communications Committee and served on the RAC Board in 2009-2010 as the RAC Treasurer. He returned to the RAC Board in 2011-2012 to fill the seat of a vacating member.
Jackson has helped lead the Three Rivers Advertising Specialty Association (TRASA) for more than eight years, and has performed almost every volunteer role within the organization. He served as board treasurer in 2007 and 2008, board vice president in 2009 and board president in 2010. Jackson has also co-chaired its spring and fall shows and Golf Classic multiple times. He was named the TRASA Volunteer of the Year in 2015 and inducted into its Hall of Fame earlier this year.
A member of PPAI’s Government Relations Advisory Council (GRAC), Jackson has made multiple trips to Washington, D.C., to advocate for the industry as part of the Association’s Legislative Education and Action Day (L.E.A.D.). He also writes a legislative column for the TRASA newsletter and has been designated the regional association’s legislative contact. He also served two terms on the RAC board, the first term in 2006-2011 and the second in 2012-2014.
Dennison and Jackson will be formally honored at the 2016 RAC Leadership Development Workshop opening night reception on October 18 in Grapevine, Texas.