commonsku (PPAI 552077) added a twist to its annual mid-year planning session held recently in Toronto: it built a working lab.

• The event at commonsku headquarters brings together employees from all over North America to strategize and plan for the remaining year. This year, to inspire collaboration and explore more ideas for platform enhancements, each team member was tasked with building a commonsku presentation for a mock client, submitting orders to Connected Suppliers, and then sharing platform suggestions in a working lab at commonsku’s HQ planning session.
• The strategy meeting also included year-end planning and creative play to build stronger collaboration, including improv-led exercises and a team-building scavenger hunt around downtown Toronto.

“Nothing builds empathy like stepping into your client’s shoes,” says President and Chief Brand Officer Mark Graham, “and the lessons learned and ideas shared were invaluable. Our team felt the pressure of putting together projects under deadline with the additional challenge of building a multi-product campaign. Navigating the platform, sourcing products, building presentations, and submitting sales orders not only gave everyone a well-rounded glimpse into the client experience but allowed us to bring new ideas to the table for future development.”

Quinn (PPAI 360359, Silver), based in Hanover, Pennsylvania, has added new state-of-the-art print and soft signage finishing equipment, including a large-scale digital printer, to dramatically increase domestic production capacity.

• Along with an overseas mass production facility, the company has also laid out a plan for handling large orders. With these new technologies, the company says it can “further our focus on speed, efficiency and quality, enabling us to meet our customers’ needs for quicker turnaround and large order fulfilment.”

Overture Promotions (PPAI 288541, Platinum) – the No. 21 distributor in the 2024 PPAI 100 – proudly marks its sixth year of partnership with A Safe Place, a domestic violence and human trafficking shelter located near its headquarters in Waukegan, Illinois.

• A Safe Place was Overture’s inaugural corporate social responsibility (CSR) partner and has resulted in regular, annual sponsorships and participation in events such as the EmpoweRun 5K; Wine, Women, & Shoes event; and the Unmask the Violence Gala.
• Overture staff also organize year-round donations, including the employee-favorite Thanksgiving drive, where staff donate turkeys for Thanksgiving dinner to upwards of 50 families in A Safe Place housing. Overture also recently donated over 50 home care kits to the organization for domestic violence survivors.
• In celebration of its long-lasting partnership and increasing involvement with A Safe Place programming, Overture was honored with the Community Ambassador award at the Unmask the Violence Gala in October 2023.

“Staff feedback plays a large part in Overture’s overarching CSR strategy, and the partnership with A Safe Place is a testament to that fact,” says Victoria Robertson, marketing manager. “I recommended a volunteer initiative with A Safe Place in 2018, and by the end of the year, we sponsored one of their major fund-raising events. Now, six years later, Overture supports A Safe Place’s mission with year-round volunteer opportunities, event attendance, on-site drives and fund-raising sponsorships.”

For the seventh consecutive year, Cintas Corporation (PPAI 303547, Platinum) – the No. 23 distributor in the 2024 PPAI 100 – has been named to the Fortune 500, rising from last year’s ranking of 473 to 437 this year.

• To qualify for the Fortune 500 list, the magazine considers U.S.-based companies that submit financial statements to a government agency. Companies are then ranked based on their total revenues for their respective fiscal years as of January 31, 2024.
• Cintas’ most recent complete fiscal year was 2023, ended May 31, 2023, in which the company recorded revenues of $8.82 billion, showing a 12.2% increase from its fiscal year 2022 performance of $7.85 billion.

“Maintaining our status as a Fortune 500 company for seven consecutive years is a testament to our dedicated employee-partners who consistently exceed our customers’ expectations,” says Todd Schneider, Cintas president and CEO. “We take great pride in delivering exceptional solutions to help our customers be ready for the workday and are thrilled to see that these results place us among the most successful and admired companies in the country.”

On Monday, June 10, PPAI President and CEO Dale Denham, MAS+, joined the Arizona Promotional Products Association and Antigua Apparel for a town hall presentation. The latest installment of the “Great PPAI Roadshow,” attendees received updates on the Association’s recent membership restructuring and other issues.

Held At Antigua’s Peoria, Arizona, facility, along with the opportunity to learn more about the supplier’s operations, the event gave industry professional an opportunity to learn about PPAI’s new membership structure designed to empower members with a focus on simplicity and better aligned benefits and value.

PPAI has held several town hall sessions across the country since announcing the membership restructuring in March. The Rocky Mountain Region Promotional Products Association, the Specialty Advertising Association of California, the Virginia Promotional Products Association and the Northwest Promotional Marketing Association have all hosted PPAI and the town halls for their members.