Wilson Brim, CRS, Southern Trophy House
President, APA - Where Personalization Pros Connect

(May/June 2025) The 2025 International Personalization Expo was one for the books. I hope you were there to tap into the education, exhibitors, and excitement firsthand.

The Expo delivered big wins for attendees, exhibitors, and the association—and the numbers prove it!

(March/April 2025) St Regis Group recently changed its name to SRG, reflecting its evolution from an awards company to a supplier of corporate gifts and recognition and promotional products. The announcement came in early January as the company celebrated its 25th anniversary.

(March/April 2025) Awards-and-gifts supplier Crystal D recently added Courtney Doyle as a territory manager.

“We are thrilled that Courtney has brought her energy and expertise to Crystal D,” says Bridget Dahlgren, the executive vice president of marketing and sales. “From the moment you meet her, it’s evident that she wants to truly know you and find solutions to support you. She is a fabulous resource and a true sales professional.”

(March/April 2025) Roland DGA Corporation, a provider of wide-format inkjet printers, vinyl cutters, 3D milling machines, dental mills, and other digital technologies, has announced three personnel changes within its sales department.

(March/April 2025) The Awards and Recognition Industry Educational Foundation (ARIEF) has announced its nine scholarship recipients for 2025.

These student recipients receive awards ranging from $500 to $1,000 to help them pursue higher education in any field.

(March/April 2025) One of the world’s most well-known and prestigious 26.2 mile races, the Boston Marathon first took place in 1897. However, an iconic and perpetual trophy for the race’s champions wasn’t introduced until more than 100 years later in 1999 with the creation of the Boston Marathon Champions’ Trophy.

(March/April 2025) Four new members were sworn in to APA’s Board of Directors, along with other members of the 2025–2026 board, on Feb. 7 at the Expo’s Member Breakfast.

 (March/April 2025) “At Bella+Canvas, we’ve always believed in the power of community and coming together during times of need,” said Norm Hullinger, president of the Commerce, California–based company. “As the wildfires continue to impact so many lives, we remain committed to doing everything we can to support our neighbors. Los Angeles has always been our home, and we’re here to stand with our community every step of the way.”

(March/April 2025) David R. Smith, the visionary founder of MTM Recognition Corporation, passed away in November 2023 at the age of 77. Though time has elapsed since Smith’s passing, his contributions to the awards and personalization industry remain fresh in the minds of those who knew him.

(March/April 2025) JDS Industries surprised its employees during a January company-wide event when they told them they were now the owners of the Sioux Falls, South Dakota–based company.

Wilson Brim, CRS, Southern Trophy House
President, APA - Where Personalization Pros Connect

(March/April 2025) I am honored to serve as your APA president, stepping up as Dan Messerschmidt concluded his term during the International Personalization Expo in Las Vegas. This year, I’ll build on the themes of Dan’s presidency: Awareness. Engagement. Connection. It’s not a refrain but a call to action, one that resonates with me because I’ve seen how connections lead to relationships.

The 2025 APA International Personalization Expo brought together an engaged and dynamic community of makers and personalization professionals, marking another milestone for the industry.

This year, we were proud to welcome: 1,712 total attendees, 533 First-Time attendees, 82 Exhibitors, and 20 First-Time Exhibitors.

First time attendance increased 48% while exhibitor booths increased 20%. The energy on the show floor was unparalleled, with vibrant exhibits, meaningful connections, and exciting innovations and products shaping the future of personalization.

Dan Messerschmidt, JDS Industries
President, APA - Where Personalization Pros Connect

(January/February 2025)  At my first APA board meeting as president, I set  the tone for the year by showing Simon Sinek’s TEDxPuget Sound talk “Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Action.”

Sinek presented that TED Talk in 2009, but the concept is always relevant because it’s based on how people think. On the TED website alone, the talk has been viewed more than 66 million times, becoming the third most-watched on TED.com—and many millions more have watched it on YouTube.

Dan Messerschmidt, JDS Industries
President, APA - Where Personalization Pros Connect

(November/December 2024) We’ll be walking the show floor of the International Personalization Expo in Las Vegas before you know it. Thousands of personalization pros will join us at the Horseshoe Las Vegas for the biggest show in the industry, Feb. 4–7. We will be there because we are all investing in the success of our companies—regardless of your business type or size.

Dan Messerschmidt, JDS Industries
President, APA - Where Personalization Pros Connect

(September/October 2024) APA’s roots are carrots. Allow me to explain. APA   members have deep roots in corporate recog-nition. And in corporate recognition, the phrase “carrot and stick” describes the use of a mix of rewards (carrots) and punishments (sticks). You and I know that in the workplace, carrots are more effective motivators than sticks.

APA was founded in that belief. Sixty years ago, our association was started “when visionary Stan Seaman brought together 12 awards retailers and one supplier to form the Northern California Trophy Dealers Association,” APA’s website explains.

Dan Messerschmidt, JDS Industries
President, APA - Where Personalization Pros Connect

(July/August 2024) For a lot of small businesses, hiring staff is hard. It’s an extra job to do, one that requires different skills than personalizing products or operating a company.

But when you think about it, needing to hire staff is often a good problem to have. If you’re adding to your staff, it’s likely due to the growth of your business, which is definitely a positive. If you are replacing an existing employee, you have an opportunity to add someone who will bring excellent skills and a great work ethic that could help re-energize existing staff.

Even with a lot of hiring experience, we’re always looking to get better. After all, it’s crucial that we hire team players who get what it is that we do and why we do want to be part of that success.

Dan Messerschmidt, JDS Industries
President, APA - Where Personalization Pros Connect

(May/June 2024) The modern world can be isolating. We’re so busy that building genuine connections can seem like a lost art—or a luxury we can’t afford to make time for. But humans are social creatures. Craving connection isn’t a weakness, it’s a fundamental need.

Psychologist Abraham Harold Maslow is famous for creating Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which outlines basic needs that must be met before we can address our psychological needs and eventually try to achieve self-fulfillment.

Belonging and love are smack-dab in the middle of Maslow’s pyramid. Once we’ve fulfilled our basic needs (physiological needs and safety), we need relationships and friends or we can’t advance to trying to meet our needs for respect, recognition, self-esteem, and eventually, self-actualization.

Dan Messerschmidt, JDS Industries
President, APA - Where Personalization Pros Connect

(March/April 2024) Many of you know me, but for those who don’t: Hi, I’m Dan Messerschmidt, your recently inducted APA president. I’m the national sales director for JDS Industries, an APA supplier member and one of its strong supporters. I joined the industry in 2011 and volunteered with APA almost immediately.

My service to APA began on the Trade Show Committee (2012-2015). I chaired the committee for a year before being elected to APA’s Board of Directors from 2016 to 2018, serving the final year as a member of the Executive Committee. In 2021, the membership elected me to the board for a second time. This February, at the International Personalization Expo, I was officially inducted as APA president.

In the whirlwind of activities at the 2024 International Personalization Expo, two significant events stood as pillars of celebration and recognition: the Awards and Recognition Industry Educational Foundation (ARIEF) Scholarships and the esteemed Gold Obelisk Award Ceremony. Nestled within the vibrant atmosphere of the expo, these events underscored the industry's commitment to education, innovation, and excellence.

As the APA steps into a new era, we are delighted to introduce the latest additions to our esteemed Board of Directors (BOD) for the 2024-25 term.