Susan DeRagon is Senior Technical Consultant at QIMA (formerly AsiaInspection).  With over 30 years of experience, she is a leading quality and safety expert on toys, children’s products, and promotional and licensed goods.  She has conducted numerous technical seminars and webinars globally.  She works closely with companies to provide the highest level of quality service in the areas of regulatory compliance, product testing, quality control and assurance, safety evaluations and inspections.

Ms. DeRagon is an active member of The Toy Association and ASTM International, participating on several toy and children’s product standards committees.  She is also a member of PPAI’s Product Responsibility Action Group (PRAG) and a previous member of the Board of Directors for ICPHSO, the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization.

Ms. DeRagon received a B.S degree in business administration from Bay Path College, Magna Cum Laude.

Paul Bellantone, CAE, is president and CEO of the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), the not-for-profit association for more than 16,000 member companies in the $24.7 billion-dollar promotional products industry. Bellantone is responsible for executing the strategies and vision of the PPAI Board of Directors and advocating for the industry and its professional practitioners. His focus on delivering compelling member value and business-building products and services, combined with his commitment to active and meaningful member communication, has helped PPAI achieve marked growth. Bellantone holds a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University and a master’s in business administration from the School of Management at Texas Woman's University. He is a Certified Association Executive and is an active member of the American Society of Association Executives, the Dallas Fort Worth Association Executives, the American Marketing Association, the Dallas/Fort Worth AMA and a board trustee for The Forum: Business Results Through People.

Danny Rosin, CAS is co owner of Brand Fuel, Inc. He is the co‐founder of PromoKitchen, PromoCares, Reciprocity Road and Operation Smile’s Student Groups. He serves on the board of A Place at The Table, a “pay what you can” café and is the active co‐founder of Band Together, a nonprofit that has donated $10 million to 18 nonprofits through live music experiences. He has served on the PPAI and American Marketing Association Boards. He is former President of Carolinas Association of Advertising and Marketing Professionals (CAAMP).

Rosin is a tireless community builder who likes starting organizations doing things that matter.  He is married with two daughters and has come to grips with the idea that well‐behaved
women rarely make history.

Today, as President of the family-owned business, Jeremy works in partnership with his father, Marty and his brother, Jordan. Over the years Jeremy learned the business from the inside out, from pulling orders to purchasing. After college and a stint studying in Hong Kong, he launched his career as an analyst for investment bank Piper Jaffray's technology team. Jeremy moved to Chicago in 2001 to earn his MBA, and then joined SanMar full-time. Adding strategy to vision, he continues to steward the company toward long-term growth and health. Proud of the opportunities given to so many tenured staff members to thrive, he often spends time "table-hopping" at the company's on-site café. He learns a lot during those casual conversations because, he says, employees have the pulse on what's really going on in their arenas. The father of six young children, Jeremy discovered that a work/life balance holds the key to maximum productivity. He enjoys spending time outdoors — skiing, hiking, boating and generally staying active.

Denise is (CEO) and Co-founder of Fairware where she is responsible for business development, product sourcing as well as Fairware’s ethical sourcing and sustainability programs. Denise got the idea to launch Fairware when she noticed how difficult it was to source promotional merchandise that reflected the social and environmental priorities of many of the brands and organizations she admired. Prior to starting Fairware, Denise spent seven years as the Director of Sustainability and Community for Mountain Equipment Co-op, Canada’s largest outdoor retailer. She is currently working with the B Corp community and leading NGOs advocating for business leaders to take action on climate issues. Denise was a member of ETSY’s Manufacturing Advisory Board, a Board Member with the Green Meeting Industry Council and the past co-chair of Vision Vancouver. She has a Masters of Resource and Environmental Management from Simon Fraser University. She lives in Vancouver with her partner, their two boys and lots of bicycles

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Claudia St. John is President of Affinity HR Group, LLC – a national human resources consulting firm that serves as an affinity partner for PPAI members. Claudia is an HR professional with 20 years' experience in global human resources, employee benefits, management consulting and communications. She specializes in strategic planning, employee engagement, organizational development, recruitment and executive career management.

Claudia's prior experience includes serving as senior consultant for Mercer Human Resources Consulting, the nation's top HR consulting firm, in Washington DC and Geneva Switzerland, Vice President for People for POMCO Group, Manager of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association's National Labor Office and Senior Policy Associate for the AFL-CIO. She holds an undergraduate degree in employee benefits and labor relations from The American University and a master's degree in business and public administration from The George Washington University. She holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification and is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and maintains many certifications in workplace testing.

Matt Wagner is the Vice President of Sales at industry supplier Fields Manufacturing. With a background in marketing, graphic arts and music business, Wagner carries with him a creative perspective on customer engagement to keep brands in the spotlight. Specializing in strategic planning, communication and tactical sales, Wagner is a national, award-winning sales representative with a passion for helping others succeed.  A Minnesota native, Wagner currently lives in St. Cloud, Minnesota with his wife of 10 years, Alicia, and his daughter Emma. In his spare time, Wagner enjoys playing music, home brewing, camping and hiking.

Shakira M. Brown is an award-winning professional branding and business communication speaker and former network television broadcast journalist. She is the CEO of SMB Strategic Media LLC, a firm that helps businesses get to the heart of why the customers/clients buy their goods and services, helping them clarify their message via strategic brand messaging. Brown is also the lead marketing consultant for America’s Small Business Development Center at The College of New Jersey. She has won more than 13 industry awards in various disciplines for her work. Brown frequently shares her expertise at national conferences and corporate workshops as well as with the media, such as American Express Open, Crain’s Chicago, PR Week, Brand Week andSmart Money, and she is also a contributing writer for BlackEnterprise.com.

Susan DeRagon is Senior Technical Consultant at QIMA (formerly AsiaInspection).  With over 30 years of experience, she is a leading quality and safety expert on toys, children’s products, and promotional and licensed goods.  She has conducted numerous technical seminars and webinars globally.  She works closely with companies to provide the highest level of quality service in the areas of regulatory compliance, product testing, quality control and assurance, safety evaluations and inspections.

Ms. DeRagon is an active member of The Toy Association and ASTM International, participating on several toy and children’s product standards committees.  She is also a member of PPAI’s Product Responsibility Action Group (PRAG) and a previous member of the Board of Directors for ICPHSO, the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization.

Ms. DeRagon received a B.S degree in business administration from Bay Path College, Magna Cum Laude.

Maurice is the public affairs manager for PPAI. He monitors legislative and regulatory developments affecting the promotional products industry. Maurice also assists members with compliance challenges facing their businesses and helps them advocate for their companies with various aspects and levels of government. Maurice also serves on the board of the Graphic Communications Workforce Coalition.

They say variety is the spice of life, and Kimberly Fulford believe it’s also the foundation for a successful career. Fulford is the senior vice president, owner success with AIA Corporation. She is a lifelong learner who’s always seeking opportunities to expand her knowledge and skill set. For more than 25 years, she has experienced all sides of the business—from sales to operations to merchandising to marketing—working her way up through the ranks. Whether it’s a Fortune 500 corporation, mid-size company or small business, Fulford has been involved in just about every aspect.

Bestselling author Seth Godin talks about ideas that spread, doing work that matters and making an impact in revolutionary times.

Seth Godin, bestselling author, blogger and agent of change. Godin, the founder of altMBA.com, was recently inducted into the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame, one of three chosen for this honor in 2013. His latest book, What To Do When It's Your Turn (And It's Always Your Turn), uses new ideas in format and distribution to challenge people to step up and do work that matters.

Before his work as a writer and blogger, Godin was vice president of direct marketing at Yahoo!, a job he got after selling them his pioneering 1990s online startup, Yoyodyne.

Million dollar sales producer, trainer and author, Johnny helps clients turn their products and services into profits. Johnny is CEO of Rise-Up and Win International, the publisher of the “Promotional Product Sales Confidential Newsletter" and the video pitchman of “Just Sell It", an online WebTV show that educates distributors on the newest promotional products & the most profitable ways to sell them to prospects and clients using social media.

Johnny's business expertise is in team management, lead generation and sales conversion methods for revenue enhancement. He is also an Accredited Speaker a designation presented by Toastmaster International and is held by only 65 professional speakers in the world for excellence in public speaking. Based Johnny's sales results, experiences and his ability to help business owners make changes in their businesses that boost sales and increase profits he is called: “The Transition Man"

David Jackson serves as the Director of Information Technology for Sweda, an ASI Top 20 Supplier. Prior to joining the Sweda team in 2015, David worked in Executive Management and Technical Services for a number of top-tier firms in the Los Angeles area including: Rutan & Tucker, Stradling, Yocca, Carson, & Rauth, Orange Police Department, EB Bradley Company, and Exemplis Office Seating.

With a passion for cyber security and education, David previously taught Network Security, Cisco, Novell, and Microsoft Certified courses for over 11 years at Coastline and Orange Coast Colleges. Outside of the office David’s creative endeavors include filmmaking, photography, and woodworking. You can find David on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube as @booyajoe.

Mike Pfeiffer is a technology executive who specializes in developing technical leaders and helping non-technical people understand complex technical concepts. He has over 30 years of experience, having served at a data and marketing solutions vendor, a consumer packaged goods company, a trade and expense management solutions provider, and Mayor.