PPAI Presents Sen. Peters With Its 2017 Legislator Of The Year Award At L.E.A.D.

PPAI Board Chair Mary Jo Tomasini, MAS, and PPAI President and CEO Paul Bellantone, CAE (right), presented Sen. Gery Peters with the Association’s Legislator of the Year award.

PPAI recognized Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) as its 2017 Legislator of the Year today as part of the eighth annual PPAI Legislative Education and Action Day (L.E.A.D.).

The PPAI Legislator of the Year Award recognizes members of Congress who have shown a commitment to small-business interests and success, a willingness to meet with industry professionals and support of issues critical to the promotional products industry. In Peters’s home state of Michigan, 98 percent of promotional products companies are small businesses employing approximately 7,812 and generating revenues of more than $501.5 million.

Elected in 2014, Peters was presented with the award in appreciation of his history of serving the needs of the promotional products industry by encouraging economic stability and growth through advocating for small business, promoting manufacturing and preserving jobs.

PPAI Board Chair Mary Jo Tomasini, MAS, and PPAI President and CEO Paul Bellantone, CAE, presented Peters with the award. Tomasini says, “Sen. Peters has made it his top priority to support job creation and economic growth to strengthen small businesses. His willingness to work with bipartisan groups to further small business, job creation, and tax credit legislation and other issues important to our industry has been essential to the promotional products industry and protecting its interests.

“Throughout his career in public service, Sen. Peters has been a strong, independent voice for Michigan’s families and small businesses. He has focused on uniting communities by supporting a stronger economy, good-paying jobs, affordable health care, a secure retirement and a fair chance for everyone to succeed,” she adds.

Past recipients of the PPAI Legislator of the Year award are Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA), 2012; Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN), 2013; Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC), 2014; Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), 2015; and Reps. Steven Chabot (R-OH) and Greg Walden (R-OR) in 2016.