Award Yearbook

Regional Volunteer

These connectors of our industry have demonstrated an outstanding level of volunteerism, leadership and made other significant and measurable contributions to a promotional products regional association.

Awards • Award Category • Regional Volunteer

Michele Jennrich, MAS

Michele Jennrich, MAS, of Howard Miller Clock Company, is the winner of the 2010 PPAI Regional Volunteer Award and 2019 PPAI Distinguished Service awards.

Teri Ray, MAS

Teri Ray, MAS, received the 2010 Regional Volunteer Award for her involvement with Houston Promotional Products Association.

Wendy Franklin, MAS

Wendy Franklin, MAS, was honored in 2011 for her involvement with Promotional Products Association Midwest.

Jon Pierce, CAS

Jon Pierce, CAS, was honored with the Regional Volunteer Award in 2012 for his volunteerism with Northwest Promotional Marketing Association and Promotional Marketing Association of Norther California.

Dana Zezzo

Dana Zezzo was a recipient of the 2012 Regional Volunteer Award for her volunteerism within Three Rivers Advertising Specialty Association.

Kevin Flynn, MAS

Kevin Flynn, MAS, has contributed volunteer service to the industry as a board member and president of Promotional Professionals Association of Chicago (PPAChicago) as well as numerous volunteer positions on committees and councils.

Larry D. Krause

2013

Larry D. Krause

Houston Hale*

2014

Houston Hale*

Reg Marsh, MAS*

Reg Marsh, MAS, was honored with the 2014 Regional Volunteer Award for his extensive involvement with the Specialty Advertising Association of California. With over 45 years of dedication, he has contributed to the management, trade shows, committees, and events of the regional association. Marsh has served twice as vice president of the SAAC Board and held positions as board secretary/treasurer and membership chair.

Lori Bauer

Director (Class of 2026)

Lori Bauer

Prior to joining iPROMOTEu, Bauer spent 23 years at Koozie Group, where she was an integral part of the supplier’s success with responsibilities spanning across sales and marketing. Named a PPB Rising Star in 2010 and honored with the PPAI RAC Volunteer of the Year Award in 2015, Bauer has long been a supporter of PPAI’s Women’s Leadership Conference, serving on the WLC Advisory Group for multiple years.Bauer has also served as president of the Promotional Products Association of Florida (PPAF) and as board chair of the Promotional Products Education Foundation (PPEF).

Ted Dennison*

Ted Dennison's involvement with HPPA since 1983 has been extensive, including leadership roles such as secretary/treasurer, vice president, and two terms as president from 2002 to 2006. Additionally, he has co-chaired the trade-show committee since 2000 and was honored with HPPA's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.

George Jackson

George Jackson helped lead the Three Rivers Advertising Specialty Association (TRASA) for more than eight years, and performed almost every volunteer role within the organization. He was named the TRASA Volunteer of the Year in 2015 and inducted into its Hall of Fame.

Kendra Kirks McDougal

Kendra Kirks McDougal served as a CPPA board member, secretary, vice president and board chair, and chair of the education committee, and trade show and marketing committee, as well as serving on the RAC board and as its president in 2010.

Mark Shinn, MAS

Mark Shinn, MAS, long-time volunteer leader with the Northwest Promotional Marketing Association, served on the NWPMA board in 2002-2006 and was its board president in 2009.

Roger Burnett

Roger Burnett, has a rich history of involvement with MiPPA. He served on the board from 2009 to 2013, holding roles such as president, RAC delegate in 2011-2012, legislative chair in 2009-2010 and chaired the MiPPA Pilot Program.

Steven Meyer, MAS

At both the regional and national level, Steven Meyer, MAS, has been an active volunteer in the promotional products industry for more than 20 years. He served on the Upper Midwest Association of Promotional Professionals (UMAPP) in 2003-2011, including a term as president in 2009-2010; and is current board president of the Promotional Products Association Southwest (PPAS), having served on its board since 2016.

Tom Carpenter, MAS

Tom Carpenter, MAS, currently the treasurer for PPAS, showcases a strong commitment to volunteerism and the promotional products industry. Before his current position, he served as the PPAS RAC delegate to PPAI from 2011 to 2014, held various roles on the PPAS board from 2005 to 2011, including vice president and president.

Janet McMaster, MAS

Janet McMaster, MAS, served on the Philadelphia Area Promotional Products Association (PAPPA) in 2004-2005 and in 2007-2010 and on the Carolinas Association of Advertising and Marketing Professionals (CAAMP) board in 2012-2017, where she served as board president in 2015.

Scott Hareid

Scott Hareid played a key role in UMAPP, serving on the board and leading initiatives like developing new guidelines and expanding end-buyer events. He received recognition with awards like Volunteer of the Year in 2009 and Lifetime Achievement in 2020.

Cathy Miller, MAS

Cathy Miller, MAS, has dedicated over two decades to the regional association community, serving as president of both SPPA and PPAMS. She held various board roles, contributed to initiatives, and received awards like the Dianne Watson Volunteer of the Year from SPPA in 2015. Miller is also a PPAI Fellow since 2016, volunteering with committees and serving as a PPAI Pyramid Award judge.

Thea Bruce, CAS

Thea Bruce, CAS received the 2022 PPAI Regional Volunteer award for her work with Northwest Promotional Marketing Association. Bruce's impact spans multiple vital roles, from treasurer to executive director, and her guidance has been pivotal in shaping the association's trajectory.

Taylor Borst

Taylor Borst was instrumental in reworking the yearly UMAPP dues to reflect more realistic pricing that factored in inflation. This decision helped increase the membership income from $34,000 in 2022 to $59,000 in 2023.

Tim Hennessey Jr.

Tim Hennessy Jr. has been an active advocate for SPPA, writing for the association’s magazine, newsletter and blog. In 2018 and 2019 he traveled to Washington D.C and met with senators and congressmen to advocate on behalf of SPPA at PPAI’s L.E.A.D.

Lisa Parker, MAS

With over 25 years in the promotional products industry, Lisa Parker, MAS, has made significant contributions on both the distributor and supplier sides. Her leadership and volunteer efforts have greatly strengthened regional associations, and she has been a dedicated mentor, guiding and inspiring others to reach their full potential. As one of her nominators wisely stated, “If we could clone Lisa Parker, we should!

Kara Keister, MAS

RRC Delegate (Class of 2027)

Kara Keister, MAS

Kara Keister is the co-owner of Social Good Promotions, a company dedicated to creating purpose-driven branding solutions. With more than a decade of experience in distributor sales and a background in marketing, she has helped position the company as a leader in socially responsible promotional programs. Her strategic vision and commitment to impact have fueled consistent double-digit growth since the company’s founding.

Keister has held multiple leadership roles within the promotional products industry, including serving as PPAI regional board president and as a representative to the Regional Affiliate Council. In 2021, she was honored as a PPAI Rising Star.

An advocate for education and volunteerism, Keister supports youth leadership organizations, local schools and organizations such as Special Olympics.

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* Deceased

About PPAI Regional Volunteer