PPAI LEAD Event Informs Lawmakers on Promotional Products Industry

Industry leaders and staff from Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), Irving, Texas, fanned out across Capitol Hill in late March in an organized effort to discuss pending legislation relating to the promotional products industry.

The Legislative Education and Action Day (LEAD), was held March 23 to 24 in Washington and was organized to allow promotional products professionals the chance to educate Congress on industry-critical issues as well as the power, impact and job-generating value of promotional products. The event included visits to more than 60 offices of Senate and House members from 19 states.

On March 23, industry leaders met to review key issues, legislative trends and meeting guidelines and on March 24, those same leaders visited Capitol Hill to meet face-to-face with lawmakers and their staff members.

“The members who attended went back home very satisfied, enthusiastic and pleased with their meetings,” said Steve Slagle, CAE, president and CEO of PPAI.. “I believe we had some quality discussions, made our points and gained some friends and supporters for our industry.”

Issues discussed included the outcome of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) plus other bills of interest to the industry including S. 803, the Healthy Workforce Act of 2009, which could affect incentive sales, and H.R. 3408 (S. 2882), which would change the rules on the status of independent contractors.

“We reinforced awareness of our industry and its representation of thousands of companies, tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars,” said Slagle. “From our experience this year I believe we’ll want to continue these efforts at least annually.”

Scott Siegel, MAS, president of R.S. Owens & Co. and chairman of the PPAI Board of Directors, and Marc Simon, chief executive officer of HALO/Lee Wayne, met with two Senate and three House offices from Illinois. In addition, Siegel and former PPAI board chairman Sherri Lennarson, MAS, also had a face-to-face meeting with Sen. Harkin of Iowa.