Nominate An Icon

All Association members are eligible to submit a nomination. Members of the Association’s Board of Directors and the Hall of Fame Advisory Group shall not be permitted to make nominations or second nominations to the Hall of Fame.

An eligible candidate:

• Must have contributed time and talents to PPAI in at least three areas of involvement. (i.s., board/committee/advisory service, professional development, publications, legislative, speaker, etc.)
• Must have contributed time and talent to the industry (i.e., board service, professional development, publications, committee volunteer, legislative, speaker, mentor, etc.)
• Must have contributed time and talents to his or her community.
• May be living or deceased.
• May not be a current member of the PPAI Board of Directors or the Icon Awards Advisory Group.
• Must have been off the Board for three full years. The waiting period is reduced to one full year if the nominee served in a Board-appointed position filling a Board vacancy, or an at-large position.
• Must have been off the Icon Awards Advisory Group for four full years.
• Must not have been honored with the PPAI Distinguished Service Award within the past two years.

Opens February 10, 2025
Closes March 14, 2025

Nominations must be completed online at my.ppai.org.

All nominations require a minimum of three and a maximum of 10 letters of support from industry members. Letters of support should specifically cite the relationship with the nominee and the nominee’s leadership, mentoring and volunteering experience within the industry or their community.

All eligible nominees will receive four essay questions to complete once the online nomination has been submitted. All essay questions are to be returned for inclusion in the nomination packet.

Nominations will be screened by Association staff to eliminate ineligible individuals.

All eligible nominations shall be forwarded to the Icon Awards Advisory Group, which will then select and send a slate of candidates to the Board of Directors.

No more than half of the candidates may be posthumous nominations. Induction to the Hall of Fame shall be determined by a ballot vote of the Board of Directors. Those candidates for the Hall of Fame who are not selected by the Icon Awards Advisory Group will automatically be reconsidered for the next two years (a total of three years) by the Advisory Group. After that period of time, if the individual has not been inducted, he/she will need to be nominated again by a member before being reconsidered.

An eligible candidate must:

• Be employed by a PPAI member firm in good standing.
• Have been employed for a minimum of five years with one, or more PPAI member firms.
• Have contributed time and talents to PPAI in at least three areas of involvement.
• Not be a Hall of Fame inductee, or current PPAI Board member.
• Have been off the PPAI Board of Directors for two years.

Opens February 10, 2025
Closes March 14, 2025

Nominations for the Distinguished Service Award may be submitted by Association members, PPAI’s Board of Directors, committee chairs, committee members, and Association staff (president, vice presidents, and department directors, with input from staff who have frequent contact with members). Nominations will be screened by Association staff to eliminate ineligible candidates.

All eligible nominations are forwarded to the Icon Awards Advisory Group, who will select proposed award recipients to be presented to the Executive Committee for final approval. The group may select up to two award recipients each year. It is also possible there may be some years when there are no award recipients.

An eligible candidate must:

• Be employed by or retired from a PPAI member firm in good standing.
• Have been employed for a minimum of five years with one or more PPAI member firms.
• Not be a current PPAI Board member or member of the Icon Awards Advisory Group.
• Not be employed by, or receiving any compensation from any of the charitable/non-profit/civil organizations listed in the nomination form.

Opens February 10, 2025
Closes March 14, 2025

Nominations for the PPAI H. Ted Olson Humanitarian Award shall be submitted by Association members, PPAI’s Board of Directors, PPAI council, committee, and action group members and Association staff. Nominations will be screened by Association staff to eliminate ineligible candidates.

All eligible nominations will be forwarded to the Icon Awards Advisory Group, who will select a proposed award recipient to be presented to the PPAI Executive Committee for final approval. Each nominee will be evaluated on the basis of his or her significant (not exclusively monetary) long-term and dedicated support to a variety of organizations. The group may select one award recipient each year. It is possible that there may be some years when no award recipient is named.

An eligible candidate:

• Must have been employed (for a minimum of five years) with or retired from a regional association member firm in good standing.
• May be living or deceased.
• Must have contributed time and talents to a regional association and served at least one term on a regional association board.
• Must Not be an active member of the regional association staff.
• Current members of the RRC Board of Directors and the Icon Awards Advisory Group are not eligible for nomination and are not eligible until two years after service is completed.
• Regional Relations Committee and/or Icon Awards Advisory Group members are not permitted to make, or second nominations.
• All PPAI Regional Volunteer nominations must include a supporting letter or email signed by two regional association board officers. This letter will serve as support and verification of the eligibility and service of the nominee.

Opens February 10, 2025
Closes March 14, 2025

Nominations for the PPAI Regional Volunteer Award shall be submitted by regional association members, PPAI’s Board of Directors, committee members, and PPAI staff (president, vice presidents, and department directors, with input from remaining staff who have frequent contact with volunteers). Nominations will be screened by Association staff to eliminate ineligible candidates.

All eligible nominations will be forwarded to the Icon Awards Advisory Group who will select proposed award recipients to be presented to the PPAI Board of Directors for final approval. The Advisory Group may select up to a maximum of two award recipients each year. It is possible there may be some years when there will be no award winner.

An eligible candidate must:

• Be a woman currently employed within or retired from an industry career for a minimum of 15 years of professional experience, with a minimum of 8 years of experience with PPAI member companies.
• Have contributed time and talents to PPAI in at least three areas of involvement (such as professional development, certification, award competitions, publications, committee volunteer, legislative, speaker, etc.).
• Have contributed time and talents to an industry regional association (i.e., professional development, certification, award competitions, publications, committee volunteer, legislative, speaker, etc.).
• Have contributed time and talents to her community.
• Have demonstrated abilities resulting in noteworthy achievements, or contributions to the promotional products industry resulting in a breakthrough, or milestone made at any time within the nominee’s career.
• Have demonstrated service as a leader, role model, or mentor that shows dedication to the advancement of women in the promotional products industry.
• Not be on the Woman of Achievement Advisory Group or PPAI Board of Directors.
• Be off the PPAI Board of Directors and Woman of Achievement Advisory Group for two years.

Opens February 10, 2025
Closes March 14, 2025

All nominations must be completed online at my.ppai.org.

All nominations require a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of five (5) letters supporting the nomination from industry members. Letters of support should specifically cite the relationship with the nominee and the nominee’s leadership, mentoring, and volunteering experience within the industry or their community.