In October at PPAI’s headquarters in Irving, Texas, the Association was host to a meeting of the Promotional Products Education Foundation’s (PPEF) 2023 Executive Committee for a planning session for 2024.

  • Since 1989, PPEF has awarded $3,347,000 in college scholarships to 1,788 promotional products industry employees and their children.
  • The recipients are all part of the promotional products family; a few are industry employees themselves, and the rest have parents or guardians who work for distributors, suppliers, business service companies or multi-line representatives.
  • The meeting covered 2024 PPEF plans including budget and strategic priorities as it continues its growth to help even more industry families by providing college scholarships.

PPEF Executive Committee Members And Agenda

The PPEF Executive Committee consists of the officers of the Foundation’s 18-member board of trustees. Recommendations developed at the meeting will go on to the PPEF board for approval.

The PPEF planning session took place on October 11 at PPAI’s headquarters.

PPEF executive committee members attending the meeting included:

  • Janet McMaster, MAS, Geiger - PPEF chair
  • Matt Betram, Fields Manufacturing – Immediate Past PPEF Chair
  • Becki Heinen, Delegate CX - PPEF Chair Elect
  • Bruce Barnet, Charles River Apparel - Vice Chair Finance
  • Stephen McFadden, CAS, Perfect Promotions – Vice Chair Fundraising
  • Natasha Beard, alphabroder Prime - Vice Chair Scholarships
  • D’Anna Zimmer, CAS, Bag Makers - Vice Chair of Marketing and Recognition
  • Roni Wright, MAS, The Book Company - Vice Chair of Marketing and Recognition

Also participating in the meeting were:

  • Kevin Walsh, CAS, Showdown Displays – PPAI Board Chair
  • Michelle Dalton, Proforma - Incoming Vice Chair Scholarships
  • Bill Petrie,Brandivate Marketing - Incoming Vice Chair Marketing and Recognition
  • Dale Denham, MAS+, PPAI President and CEO
  • Shannon Johnson, MAS, PPAI, Executive Assistant
  • Kathlene Brethowr, PPAI, Executive Director, PPEF

 

“I applaud the PPEF board for their commitment to the industry including the time they donate,” says Denham. “PPAI is a large contributor each year to PPEF as the philanthropic arm of PPAI. We enjoyed hosting the PPEF executive planning session, and we are excited about the impact this will have on our industry.”

  • In the planning session, the executive committee voted to approve the giving of $321,500 in scholarships to 170 students for the 2024-2025 school year.

To apply online and for more information about the PPEF application process, click here.

To donate to the scholarship fund, click here.