The third annual PromoStandards Tech Summit wrapped last week, and the PromoStandards People of the Year Awards were handed out during the event at The Wyndham Grand Clearwater in Clearwater Beach, Florida.

The summit featured keynote presentations, panel discussions and roundtable sessions on AI applications, integration strategies, data security and emerging technologies. The summit included:

  • Keynote presentations from Dr. Tom Stablein, founder and CEO of business services provider Stablein Solutions, who spoke on unlocking the power of AI, and Jon Norris, chief strategy officer of PPAI 100’s Hit Promotional Products, PPAI 100’s No. 4 supplier, on the state of technology in the industry.
  • Panel discussions on AI use cases, mergers and acquisitions from a tech perspective, PromoStandards best practices and infrastructure options.


“The PromoStandards Tech Summit 2025 was a fantastic opportunity to connect with industry peers and discuss the latest advancements in promotional technology,” says Amy Rabideau, MAS, board vice chair of the summit and vice president of product for Hit Promotional Products. “I’m excited to see the continued growth and adoption of PromoStandards, which is crucial for streamlining our industry’s supply chain and improving efficiency for everyone.”

The PromoStandards Tech Summit 2025 was a fantastic opportunity to connect with industry peers and discuss the latest advancements in promotional technology.”

Amy Rabideau, MAS

VP of Product, Hit Promotional Products

People Of The Year

These awards recognize outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to advancing technology and innovation within the promotional products industry.

  • Distributor Person of the Year was awarded to Kate Alvarez, president of Promoshop, for her leadership in promoting technology adoption and integration.
  • Supplier Person of the Year went to Dan Erdman, IT integrations manager at Koozie Group, for his dedication to advancing PromoStandards and data quality initiatives.
  • Service Provider Person of the Year was awarded to Steve Luisser, vice president of research at Essent, for his commitment to developing and improving PromoStandards integrations.


“It was a true pleasure to share my insights on the exciting intersection of AI and the promotional products industry,” says Dr. Stablein. “The industry is fortunate to have PromoStandards providing thought leadership and growth opportunities. And special congratulations as well to all the ‘People of the Year’ winners – your achievements and contributions are truly inspiring!”

Next year, the event will be held February 2-4 at the same location.