Regional News: UMAPP Member Travels To D.C.


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Regional News: UMAPP Member Travels To D.C.

Issue: 2010jan

David Hawes, CAS, (right) visited with Minnesota Sen. Al Franken on his trip to Washington, D.C., earlier this month.

David Hawes, CAS, a member of Upper Midwest Association of Promotional Professionals (UMAPP) and a Minnesota-based brand architect for Lewiston, Maine-based distributor Geiger (UPIC: geiger) traveled to Washington, D.C., earlier this month to visit with Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar and their staff as well as staff from the offices of Sens. Kohl, Bennet, Collins and Snowe.

He’s been to D.C. several times, says Hawes, but this trip was his first on behalf of PPAI and the industry. The visit was spurred on by an earlier, successful visit with Minnesota state legislators who set aside a bill that would have damaged promotional products business in that state.

“We wanted to be sure these [similar] issues were brought to the attention of national lawmakers,” he says.

Hawes and PPAI lobbyist Robert Drummer spent time sharing the strengths of the promotional products industry and the potentially serious impact that current healthcare legislation may have on member companies.

“During the meetings I focused on the life-enriching results we produce with promotional products, and the jobs our industry provides for their constituents,” says Hawes. “I prefer to tell legislators who we are. We help others achieve and in some cases exceed their goals. We’re in the people business—if we go away, their constituents will suffer.

“We have experienced the unintended consequences of this bill, and that’s what I wanted to share,” he adds.

Hawes also provided M-I Line’s “World’s Greatest Pizza Cutter” and the January 2010 PPB article “Healthy Return on Investment” to magnify his message.

“Everyone I met with was aware of our industry’s legislative issue. They weren’t aware of the numbers of jobs we provide nationally and in certain states, and that these jobs will inevitably be lost if this plays out,” he says. “They understand that we provide something in the marketplace that will be missed. Without exception, the response was positive.”

Hawes says the consensus is that the industry’s best-case scenario would be revocation of the annual aggregate with an over-$10 de minimis transfer of value. “Meredith West, with Senator Snowe’s office, urged us to contact Sen. Harry Reid for support. She believes he’s one of the few leaders capable of altering our legislation this late in the game,” he says.

Hawes and Drummer then visited Sen. Reid’s office and through a staff member invited him to speak at The PPAI Expo 2010. Hawes also expressed his admiration for Drummer’s work on behalf of members.

“Though Robert’s busy schedule prevented him from attending most of the meetings, he was very effective when he did,” he says. “He is working on having Sen. Reid take a look at that section of the bill. [Reid] is the guy would can affect things quickly, if he wants to.”

Hawes encourages others in the industry to share the message with their lawmakers. “If you are a constituent, they open their arms. Senators from your state will listen,” he says.

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