On Friday, July 1, the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) announced that the association had reached a new membership record. R-n-R Promotions Inc., Alexandria, Va., became the 9,000th promotional products company to join the trade association.
PPAI stated that they reached 8,000 members in January 2011, meaning 1,000 companies became members in the last six months. When asked what he attributed the increase to, Paul Bellantone, president and CEO of PPAI, said, “Over the last year, PPAI has really tightened its value proposition. We’ve tightened up and better communicated our value to the industry. Part of that is in those efforts with public affairs, government relations and product safety. All companies are recognizing that’s important and needs to be supported.”
“The total number of distributors is flat, but the increase in revenue between ’09 and ’10 is about 6 percent,” he explained. “There aren’t necessarily more distributors, but distributors had a better year, and that proves itself in our membership numbers.”
The milestone was reached on the last day of G. Stephen Slagle’s long-standing tenture as PPAI president and CEO. Slagle, who has provided more than 15 years of service to the association, will be working with Bellantone as he prepares for his retirement in January 2012.
“I thought ‘what a fitting tribute, and a fitting day for that to happen,'” Bellantone said. “It was announced on July 1, but it was June’s numbers, and Steve was president when it happened. It was on his watch, and I think that’s really fitting.”
Check back at PromoMarketing.com tomorrow for an interview with Bellantone about his new role as PPAI president and CEO.
