See You At Expo!

If you’re like me, it’s been a whirlwind of activity over the course of the last few weeks. Getting ready to close the books and enjoy the holidays, then the New Year comes so quickly! Before you know it, the whirlwind starts again just as the calendar page turns and the industry is off to Orlando, or Las Vegas, or both, for trade shows during the first couple of weeks of January.

As you are reading this, exhibitors are already working on their first move-in day at PPAI Expo. Are you going? At QCA, we have our annual board meeting on Sunday, and then, in conjunction with our Distributor Advocacy Council, sponsor a breakfast on Tuesday for more than 20 suppliers considering starting the QCA accreditation process. Sandwich that around new activations for both suppliers and members of the DAC, and it is going to be a very busy week.

Speaking of newly accredited suppliers, we passed a milestone with our 30th active member over the holidays. We’re proud to announce that Seville Gear has passed the rigorous qualifications to achieve the industry’s only third-party certification dedicated to product safety and social accountability.

Mike Jarrett, president of Seville Corporation, said, “We agreed with and embraced the need for industry manufacturers, importers, suppliers, and distributors to take the lead in defining and implementing a higher set of standards throughout the supply chain. Everyone benefits and it only improves the integrity and impact of the promotional products industry. We are a better partner with our factories, a better employer, and a better company because of the steps we have taken for certification."

The shows and new accreditations are not the only things that have kept us busy. Out this week is our new video done with the great production team at Promo Marketing Media Group. If you have ten minutes to spare, take the opportunity to hear from some of the industry’s leading suppliers and distributors about their relationship with QCA, and more about the basics of what we do the “pillars of compliance.”

Finally, as you head to the industry’s biggest show, I’d be remiss if I didn’t remind you about our latest Fast15 video. In “Portable Electronics 101- How to Stay Compliant in an Exploding Market,” you get the basics you need to know on one of the hottest categories in our industry today—and one of the most complicated and risky. You’ll hear about the voluntary standards and regulations for these personal electronic devices, and get tips on the trustworthy suppliers to seek out. The link to register is here:

Safe and Happy Trails, see you at EXPO!