President's Letter

Happy New Year to all the SACDV members!
by Brett Hersh
I cannot believe it is already the end of February and we are in full swing of the 2011 year. So much for the saying "work smarter not harder". I think I have been on ten flights already this year with five major shows attended already. Fortunately, I am very lucky to have such a talented and motivated group of dynamic individuals on the 2011 SACDV Board and our new Advisory Board. Please keep an eye out in future issues as we profile and introduce each one of these board members. We are always looking for new volunteers so don't be shy.

Despite the weather, in January we had a fantastic SACDV Winter Showcase featuring most of the top suppliers in the industry. We just completed our second board meeting for the year and we have some exciting new networking events and professional development speakers planned for our members in 2011. Please look for our new website design by the end of March which will feature over $1,000 in supplier coupons. Making sure we offer value and a good return on your membership investment is important to the leadership at SACDV. Our 2011 Fall Holiday Show will be bigger and better than ever and we have some fun new surprises to make this event even more valuable than before. So don't forget to renew your membership in SACDV so we can continue to work for you, our members.

We are living in a very challenging time in the promotional products industry. We have currently been pushed out of the Pharmaceutical industry, which combined with the economy caused a double-digit decline in annual industry sales. Product safety is at the front of everyone's mind and it is crucial that distributors work with reputable suppliers who take these issues seriously. Suppliers should be making sure their products are safe with the proper testing. At SACDV, we are proud to have a large selection of these reputable suppliers who will provide the proper testing and documentation necessary. Make sure you ask for these things when you place an order. Please take a minute and look at these suppliers who are listed on our website www.sacdv.org. Working with them will provide you the security in delivering safe products to your clients.

PPAI, SACDV and all of the regional associations are heading a very important effort to make sure that the Promotional Products Industry voice is heard on a federal and state level. We need all of the help we can get so please spend a few minutes and get involved with this legislative effort to help protect our future. If you are not aware of the recent ban on promotional products by the CA governor in state agencies, please spend two minutes and read this scary article. It can happen here if we are complacent!

One of the interesting topics at the last SACDV board meeting was to change the name of our association since so many people from outside the area do not know where the Delaware Valley is located. I would welcome any opinions or suggestions on what the new name could be for the future to better describe our membership and geographic location that we serve. The first name suggested that everyone liked was "PAPPA" which stands for Philadelphia Area Promotional Products Association. Our tag line would be "Serving the promotional products industry in the Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, Philadelphia and Delaware areas". Please e-mail me your thoughts on this to bhersh@admints.com.

Despite all of the negativity, my company, Admints & Zagabor, is up double digits so far this year and at our last board meeting almost everyone agreed that 2011 is off to a great start. Lets not take this positive momentum for granted. We all need to keep working just as hard to show everyone the value of promotional products. If we do not tell the story then someone else will. Happy Selling!

Sincerely,

Brett F. Hersh
2011 SACDV President

2011 SACDV/NERA Winter Showcase
by Jim Harmon
The morning of Tuesday, Jan. 18th, 2011 dawned with ice, snow and freezing rain but that did not deter 250 distributors and salespeople from coming to Springfield Country Club in Springfield, PA for one of our best table top shows. Although the education attendance at the seminar presented by Joel Schaffer, MAS preceding the show was a little light, because of the weather, it was very well received with many good comments. It was approved for 1.5 CAS points. Our collaboration with NERA (Northeast Reps Association) has proved to be a winner for all concerned and I expect it to continue next year. Many thanks to the people that helped make this show a success including Michele Jennrich, MAS, Mike Valentini, Bruce Aldinger, Fred Snyder, MAS, Jacqui Hornberger, MAS, Mike Wagaman, and Joyce Harmon. The show at 150 tables maxed out the space in the grand ballroom, so when next year's date is announced, please respond quickly as I expect it to be sold out with a waiting list. I also want to thank the following: Dennis Cicerriti, Springfield Country Club, American Ad Bag for providing the bags, Aura Badge for the badge holders and Norwood/Bic for providing the pens. Thanks again to all who made this a success.

New Video Promotes Value of Industry Certification to Buyer Audience
Including testimonials from industry professionals, this informative video tool for certified designees who want to differentiate themselves from the competition, illustrates the direct value and benefit of working with a MAS (Master Advertising Specialist) or CAS (Certified Advertising Specialist) designee to promotional products buyers. This tool will help members promote the value of industry certification to end-buyers, as well as non-certified colleagues. The video is part of a new, robust line of certification offerings, including a downloadable MAS/CAS end-buyer brochure, which also promotes the value of certification to buyers, the MAS/CAS information line, a toll-free hotline that allows members to call in 24/7 to ask certification questions, and the industry certification video that explains the value of certification to non-certified promotional products professionals. The video can be found on the PPAI YouTube page at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1GJDrcNPSo and can also be seen on the PPAI Facebook Fan Page at www.facebook.com/PPAI.HQ. For further information, click HERE or contact John Campbell, manager of certification and instructional technology at JohnC@ppai.org.

Attn: All SACDV Business Owners – ACT NOW
On Monday, November 29th, the Senate voted against two proposals to repeal the new form 1099 reporting requirements. As a result of the new healthcare law, beginning in 2012, ALL BUSINESSES, will be required to complete IRS Form 1099 for any vendor from which it purchased more than $600 in goods or services in a year and send that form to both the IRS and the vendor. That means UPS, FedEx, ANY VENDOR OF ANY GOODS, over $600 yearly will require this form. While the stated purpose of the requirement is to improve compliance and raise revenue, the reality is that this reporting requirement will place a tremendous burden on YOU a small business owner.
PPI and your local association have been working diligently on this but still need your help. Despite this vote, it is the belief of Anne Lardner, PPAI's senior manager of public affairs that we will get relief, if not repeal on the Form 1099, at the very least perhaps the $600 figure raised. It is still important that everyone, yes that means you, go to PPAIlaw.org to contact your members of Congress and remind them of the undue hardship these reporting requirements will place on YOUR business.
On the website you will find a form letter than you can use or change around to your own words detailing the time and money it will cost you to comply with this requirement.
Please don't wait for someone else to work on this, we need all hands on deck, e mail, call and even visit your local Congressional offices and make your voice heard NOW!!
If you have any questions on this or other legislative issues affecting your industry contact Michele Jennrich, MAS at 973-605-5180 or mjennrich@optonline.net Mad enough to get involved with the legislative committee, contact Michele now.

Men of Note - The Sing Off
Perry Hudicka, son of Mary Ellen Nichols, MAS of Bodek and Rhodes, was recently featured on the NBC series called The Sing Off on December 6th in the second season of competition as the 10 best acapella groups in the nation battled for a $100,000 Sony recording contract. His group, Men of Note, an alumni group of high school students formerly of Cherry Hill High School West, rejoined and auditioned for one of the national casting calls held in New York at NYU this spring, where the group (former three-time national a capella champions) was selected as one of the nation's best, competing against 9 other top teams, many of whom are professionals. In this American Idol style elimination show of 5 episodes, two groups are eliminated by the host of celebrity judges including Ben Folds, Nicole Schwerziger (of the Pussycat Dolls and Dancing with the Stars) and Shawn Stockman (Boyz 2 Men), hosted by Nick Lechay. Although Men of Note -- who performed the Billy Joel song "The Longest Time," a favorite of their high school days -- was one of the first two groups eliminated, the group said the experience working on the show for 10 days and at the Sony Pictures Studio was one of the highlights of their lives.
"We rehearsed six to 10 hours a day, every day of the week," said Hudicka, a 20-year-old tenor who hopes to become a chef. "That was the entire summer, pretty much." Then came the all-expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles. He called it the most fun week and a half he's ever had -- even with nonstop rehearsals, photo shoots, choreography sessions and wardrobe fittings that didn't leave a lot of down time. "Knowing how behind-the-scenes Hollywood works can leave a bitter taste, but take that all away and if it were just us singing for a national audience, it would be perfect," he said. "It's still the best experience I've had."
Mary Ellen flew out to the taping of the first episode, commenting, "I knew these boys were talented and so dedicated from watching them in high school then practicing for days at our home all summer long. But then you see them dancing on a national stage with some of the most talented voices in the nation, singing their hearts out, and you have chills thinking, 'That's my baby up there.' And when he signaled me with an 'I love you' heart with his hands from the stage, right before their elimination, it was one of the most proud mother-love moments of my life."
If you missed the performance, visit NBC.com for clips. Men of Note also appears on "The Sing-Off: Harmonies for the Holidays" CD, released by Epic Records. Men of Note will also be honored with a proclamation by the Mayor of Cherry Hill, New Jersey on December 27th.

We've Moved!
The following member companies have moved, please update your records as necessary:

Geiger
4622 Street Rd
Trevose, PA 19053
Tel: 215-494-0008
Fax: 215-494-0045

Image Ink
506 E Lancaster Ave
Downingtown, PA 19335
Tel: 610-518-5181
Fax: 610-518-5184

Picnic Plus by Spectrum (effective March 21st)
901 S Bolmar St - Suite G
West Chester, PA 19382
Tel: 610-738-3300
Fax: 610-738-3301

Feed us some news to share with others!
Since our newsletter is a bi-monthly publication, perhaps you have noticed our new SACDV Briefings that is sent out every 2 weeks.  This is our way of reaching out to you, more often, in a compact and succinct format.  But we need your help!  Please share with us, via Michele Jennrich, SACDV Secretary (secretary@sacdv.org) any news you have to share about your company or your family.  Think of this as a grass roots campaign to bring us back together, getting to know one another again, in this age of online technology.  Maybe you received an award or some type of business recognition - tell us about it.  Perhaps you had a child graduate from college - let's celebrate it!  This is YOUR organization and YOUR publication.    

SAVE THE DATE

June 7th, 2011
Promotions East
Atlantic City Convention Center
Atlantic City, NJ

Sept 14th, 2011
SACDV Fall Expo
Valley Forge Convention Center
Valley Forge, PA

Congratulations to SACDV's Own Michele Jennrich
Michele Jennrich, MAS was one of two recipients of the first ever RAC Volunteer of the Year awards announced at the RAC Delegate Assembly during The PPAI Expo 2011. This is an honor well deserved. Congratulations, Michele!

Last Riddle Answer: a keyboard Last Issues Riddle Winners BJ Barrett, CAS - Geiger Rick Picciano - Sanford B2B Meryl Gerner - Simco Sportswear Edward Hiergesell - HB Originals, Inc. Diane Gordon - Geiger

This Issues Riddle: Gaze at this sentence for just about sixty seconds and then explain what makes it quite different from the average sentence. Quick! What is it?