In a Wednesday letter to members on behalf of the PPAI Board of Directors, Board Chair Andrew Spellman, CAS, announced that Dawn Olds, MAS, has been appointed as Interim President and CEO of PPAI.
Olds will guide PPAI during a leadership transition and succession plan-in-progress for the top executive office that has been held by Dale Denham, MAS+, since August 2021.
Olds becomes the first woman to lead PPAI in the organization’s 121-year history.
The PPAI President and CEO is selected by and reports to the PPAI Board, which is made up of 11 professionals from member companies who serve PPAI in a volunteer capacity.
- Olds spent her entire 35-year career at HALO, the No. 2 leading distributor in the 2024 PPAI 100.
- She recently retired as HALO’s senior vice president of industry relations and DEI.
- A longtime volunteer, Olds served on the PPAI Board from January 2020 to January 2024, and was Board Chair from January 2022 through The PPAI Expo 2023.
Stepping In
“Dawn brings a wealth of experience, leadership acumen above reproach and a deep understanding of the promotional products industry, making her exceptionally qualified to guide and lead PPAI through an upcoming interim period in PPAI’s leadership,” Spellman said.
- The Board has initiated steps to engage a formal executive search for the next President and CEO of the Association, according to Spellman.
- Olds, who lives in Illinois, was on hand at PPAI headquarters in Texas on Wednesday to meet with PPAI staff.
PDF: View Spellman’s Email To PPAI Members
“I am honored that the PPAI Board trusts me to take on the responsibility of upholding PPAI’s values during this important time of transition,” Olds says. “My appreciation and respect for PPAI staff has always been immense, and only grew during my service on the Board. I am committed to working closely with our entire staff to ensure each person has the support needed to do their best work to provide excellent service to PPAI members and stakeholders.”
Olds will be supported by tenured staff executive and Vice President of Revenue and Expositions, Ellen Tucker, MAS, CAE, who has served the Association since 2014. Together, and with the rest of the Association’s staff, Tucker said, PPAI will continue to focus on its strategic goals in service of the promotional products community.
”Throughout my tenure, the Association has evolved and become stronger, and will continue to do so for the benefit of our community, which is at the center of everything we do,” Tucker said. “Dawn’s leadership during her Board service was impactful for not only the industry, but also for our staff, myself included, many of whom had the opportunity to not only build a solid rapport with her, but also learn from her.
“I look forward to the opportunity to work closely with Dawn during this transition and to helping her lead our amazing team.”
Denham’s Time At PPAI
Denham, a former PPAI Board member who served as Chair in 2018, was engaged as President and CEO of the Association in August 2021 following an executive search conducted by the Board.
- Denham oversaw the return of The PPAI Expo following its pandemic hiatus and guided the organization through numerous challenges and changes, including a restructuring of PPAI’s membership model this spring.
- Prior to PPAI, Denham was the senior vice president and CIO at Geiger, which ranked as the No. 5 distributor in the 2024 PPAI 100.
“Dale’s efforts have been pivotal in guiding this great organization through numerous challenges and milestones,” Spellman said. “His positive contributions to the Association are recognized and appreciated.”
Olds, who was the Board Chair during Denham’s first full year at the helm of PPAI, was succeeded by Kevin Walsh, CAS, who remains a member of the PPAI Board Executive Committee, now in his final year of Board service.
“The Board is appreciative of Dale and the entire PPAI staff for all that has been accomplished over the last three years,” Walsh said. “We are excited for this next chapter, grateful to Dawn for accepting the opportunity to lead during this transition, and we look forward to PPAI’s continued efforts in support of the industry and our member companies.”
