Update Your Profile Today Volunteer Community
Looking for a volunteer opportunity that appeals to your volunteer interests, or expertise? Take a moment to review the areas of volunteerism PPAI offers to its members. Industry members can serve in different capacities depending on the level of service one is willing to commit. The four key areas for PPAI volunteers to serve in are the Volunteer Committees, Advisory Groups, Task Forces and the Volunteer Resource Pool. Information on each service area of the PPAI volunteer engagement model are listed below. Take the time to discover the opportunities that best fit your desire to serve.
COMMITTEES
Address ongoing and essential strategic missions important to the Association, or industry:
- Broader strategic assignment
- Fixed-term for members
- Fixed meeting schedule
- Regular reporting to the Board of Directors
- Fixed-size
- Fixed job description
The Awards & Recognition Committee reviews all recognition categories to determine relevance in the changing marketplace and makes recommendations for revisions, updates and additions to PPAI award categories, content, eligibility and judging criteria on an annual basis. New awards and recognition concepts recommended by other committees, advisory groups, task forces, or members are reviewed on a collaborative basis. Committee members will support and advocate for the value of the Association’s awards and recognition programs. Committee members may be asked to participate in the annual awards judging processes based on an individual’s relevant industry.
PPAI Liaisons: Christina Sanders
The Certification Committee is responsible for enhancing the integrity, ensuring the professionalism and communicating PPAI certifications to industry practitioners and end buyers.
PPAI Liaison: Shannon Johnson
The Leadership Advisory Committee is responsible for seeking, vetting and developing qualified industry professionals to serve and perform in a leadership role on the PPAI Board. The Leadership Advisory Committee submits recommended Board candidates to the Nominating Committee.
PPAI Liaison: Anne Stone and Kathlene Brethowr
The members of the PPB Editorial Advisory Committee are industry professionals who work daily on the industry frontlines. They serve an essential role in observing and reporting on trends, industry concerns and news and act as informed sources for innovative ideas. The members of the committee are vital to the progress and effectiveness of PPAI’s media assets.
PPAI Liaison: James Khattak and Tina Filipski
The Professional Development Committee provides advice and direction on developing relevant educational opportunities that speak to the diverse PPAI member base in order to advance the knowledge and professionalism of the promotional products industry.
PPAI Liaisons: Shannon Johnson
The mission of the Regional Association Council is to enhance the success of the regional associations through Representation, Advocacy and Communication.
“The Regional Association Council (RAC) exists to foster communication and cooperation between the regional association community members and with Promotional Products Association International (PPAI).”
PPAI Liaisons: Bob McLean
Regional Association Council (RAC) Website
Promotional Products Disaster Recovery Foundation (PPDRF)
“The Regional Foresight Committee will assist the RAC Board and PPAI staff in developing insight and foresight to trends that are affecting or will affect the regional association community. Additionally, the committee will help identify new ways the regional community, RAC Board and PPAI can collaborate to ensure a sustainable community to serve all industry professionals.”
The Research Committee (formerly the Marketing Information and Research Committee) is a body of industry professionals, ranging in backgrounds and expertise, positioned to guide and refine PPAI Research objectives and support the overall framework surrounding survey design, data collection and analysis, peer review and results dissemination. Volunteers provide key insight from the member community to articulate relevant research that best fit the needs of the industry
PPAI Liaisons: Keith Vincent
The Technology Committee is responsible for providing technology-related education and guidance to PPAI staff and members to enable a more efficient industry.
PPAI Liaisons: Paul Elfstrom
PPEF provides college scholarships to promotional products industry employees and their children.
PPAI Liaison: Sara Besly
The Distributor and Supplier Committees assist the PPAI Board and the President/CEO in developing insight and foresight to trends that may affect their respective groups, the Association, the marketplace and the industry.
ADVISORY GROUPS
Advisory Groups are focused on specific tactical assignments and offer flexibility with time commitments, meetings, group size and multiple volunteer opportunities:
- Focused tactical assignment
- Normally recurring
- Flexible term
- Flexible focus for action group category
- Flexible meeting schedule
- Occasional reporting to the Board of Directors
- Flexible group size
The purpose of this special interest council is to focus on government relations and to serve as a volunteer group to assist the efforts of PPAI and the regional associations in influencing legislation and regulations affecting the promotional products industry.
PPAI Liaisons: Anne Stone and Maurice Norris
The purpose of the Product Responsibility Advisory Group is to offer advice and feedback to PPAI regarding product safety and responsibility, including state and federal regulations and member education.
PPAI Liaison: Anne Stone and Maurice Norris
The Public Relations Advisory Group focuses on and supports the advocacy efforts of the Association, specifically those public relations initiatives that are designed to promote and create greater awareness of the power of promotional products as a mainstream advertising medium and the value of working with certified promotional products professionals to develop highly effective marketing and branding campaigns.
PPAI Liaisons: Keith Vincent
TASK FORCES
Task Forces are assigned to review and evaluate strategic initiatives, or issues determined by the Board to have a significant impact for the Association, or industry:
- Normally strategic issue
- Normally one-time/non-recurring
- Board-assigned with special budget allocation
- Reports recommendations to the Board
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Task Force partners with PPAI staff to expand diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the promotional products industry and its workforce by creating education and networking opportunities. The task force will work to increase the visibility of underrepresented groups within the industry’s workforce and inspire industry business leaders to embrace inclusive, unbiased business practices.
PPAI Liaisons: Kathlene Brethowr and Maurice Norris
REGIONAL RELATIONS - SHARED VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
What is the Shared Volunteer Program?
The Shared Volunteer Program is designed to provide additional volunteer support to the regional association community. Members of the PPAI Volunteer Community are asked to participate in projects to support regional associations whenever possible.
This program is based on three pillars:
Partnership. PPAI is committed to supporting the 27 regional associations in fulfilling their respective missions Impact – PPAI and the 27 regional associations form an invaluable network of industry connections that work together to support, promote, and advance the industry.
Be More! The PPAI Volunteer structure allows all interested PPAI members to Be More! —more engaged, more collaborative, more inspired, more dedicated and more passionate.
Some examples of shared volunteer opportunities for regional associations include:
- Participating in call and email campaigns to help with increasing trade-show attendance, member recruitment and lunch-and-learn opportunities;
- Helping with conducting focus groups and surveys;
- Serving as a member of event staff, providing added support to regional associations during events; and
- Providing copywriting and editorial assistance related to marketing campaigns, press releases, blog writing and other
Regional associations that wish to utilize this service should complete and return this application identifying project needs. All requests must be submitted four weeks prior to the project start date to allow for scheduling and training.
Within 10 days PPAI will confirm the following with the regional association contact:
- If the project can be accepted based on current volunteer resources
- If additional information is needed to complete the project
- The target completion date for the project
Upon receiving all necessary information for the project, PPAI will coordinate volunteer efforts and provide a completed project report to the regional association.
Contact Kathlene Brethowr at 972.258.3069 or kathleneb@ppai.org