Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), the Irving, Texas-based not-for-profit association for more than 8,500 members of the $16.5 billion promotional products industry, announced Wendy Franklin, MAS, a promotional marketing consultant with Geiger and an avid volunteer for Promotional Products Association of the Midwest (PPAM), as the 2011 PPAI Regional Association Council (RAC) Volunteer of the Year award winner during the closing celebration of the RAC Leadership Development Workshop on June 24 in Grapevine, Texas.
“I can’t think of a better individual to represent this prestigious award,” said Dan Jenne, CAS, RAC president. “Wendy is a hardworking professional and has been a dedicated volunteer to PPAM and the promotional industry as a whole for a number of years.”
A promotional marketing consultant with Geiger (UPIC: Geiger) operating out of St. Louis, Missouri, Franklin has worked tirelessly to support and advance the promotional products industry. She has held numerous roles at PPAM including serving as president in 2006 and the organization’s RAC delegate in 2008 and 2009. She was PPAM’s Tradeshow Chair in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 and has had a number of speaking engagements over the years as a PPAI Advocate. Franklin also served as the first RAC Legislative Chair for Missouri in 2008 and 2009.
“I am honored,” said Franklin. “There are so many people who over the years have dedicated an enormous amount of time and talent to their regional associations. I am honored to be nominated and extremely grateful to be chosen.” PPAM and the promotional products industry have benefited from Franklin’s years of volunteerism. At PPAM, she has worked the organization’s charity golf event for the past eight years and has been a host of its St. Louis holiday party since 2005. Franklin has drawn recognition from peers for the clear passion she holds for the industry and her willingness to jump in and give a helping hand.
Franklin is the third recipient of the RAC Volunteer of the Year Award. Previous winners, named last year, were Michele Jennrich, MAS, Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York (SAAGNY) and Teri Ray, MAS, Houston Promotional Products Association (HPPA).
The PPAI RAC Volunteer of the Year Award is presented to a regional association member who has demonstrated an outstanding level of volunteerism, leadership and made other significant and measurable contributions to a regional association.
For more information, visit the PPAI website at www.ppai.org.
