The Power of Community, Collaboration, and Connectivity: Reflections from SAAC Expo
PromoStandards was a first-time exhibitor at the SAAC Expo this month, and the experience reinforced something we’ve long believed: the promotional products industry is eager to innovate, collaborate, and prepare for what’s next.
Over the course of the event, our team had countless conversations with suppliers, distributors, service providers, and industry professionals about technology, automation, AI, and the future of data connectivity. While every discussion was unique, one question surfaced again and again:
“Who is PromoStandards, and where do you fit within the industry?”
Many attendees were surprised to learn that PromoStandards is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization built by industry professionals who are committed to solving common operational challenges through open standards and collaboration.
Conversations evolved beyond technology; they became discussions about efficiency, customer experience, business growth, and the collective future of our industry. Most importantly, they highlighted the impact that PromoStandards members and volunteers continue to make every day.
While attending SAAC Expo, we also had the opportunity to meet with active members and our Board Chair to discuss why they invest their time, expertise, and resources into PromoStandards and what they see for the future.
Membership in Action: PromoShop
As an Adopting Member, PromoShop has embraced PromoStandards as a strategic investment in both business growth and industry advancement.
For PromoShop President Kate Alavez, the journey began with a single experience.
“Honestly, the Hack-a-Thon. I was asked to be a judge for a virtual Hack-a-Thon hosted by PromoStandards and it was the biggest WOW moment. I immediately knew I needed to be closer to the work going on in those rooms.”
That initial exposure quickly evolved into active participation. For PromoShop, one of the greatest benefits of membership has been the opportunity to engage in broader conversations around standards, technology, and industry growth. Kate said, “Membership opened a door for us to engage in the dialogue more freely as it pertains to the standards and how we lift our businesses, supply chain, and the industry.”
Her message to companies considering membership is simple: “Do it – don’t wait, don’t assume you need to be a programmer or CTO – we’re solving challenges in cross-collaborative spaces and all our voices are needed here.” Kate added, “PromoStandards volunteers are BUILDING the digital scaffolding for our businesses – this is an essential network of brilliant humans leading our industry toward future growth.”
The Operational Impact
PromoShop’s Inventory Control and Data Analytics Manager, Jenna Catron, sees the value of PromoStandards every day through the lens of operations. Prior to standardized integrations, critical information lived across spreadsheets, emails, and supplier portals. Today, much of that information is centralized and accessible in real time.
“PromoStandards provides a common language across our supplier network, allowing us to scale without creating unique processes for every supplier.”
For PromoShop, the impact is significant. Processes that once required multiple touchpoints and manual checks can now be completed within minutes. Product setup, inventory visibility, pricing updates, invoicing, and reorders all benefit from greater automation and connectivity.
When asked about the biggest operational benefit, Jenna’s answer was immediate: “Just one?! Time savings!” She added, “Membership is a tremendous tool in your toolkit. Beyond the immediate operational benefits, membership gives you the opportunity to learn from others, contribute to industry-wide improvements, and help shape the future of how our industry operates. That combination of knowledge, collaboration, and innovation is incredibly valuable.”
Creating Better Customer Experiences
For eCommerce and technology teams, standardized data has become essential.
Savio Ragonesi, eCommerce Analyst & Technologist, explained that every storefront depends on reliable product, inventory, and order information to create a seamless customer experience. The ability to connect directly with supplier inventory and automate fulfillment workflows has improved speed, efficiency, and scalability across PromoShop’s growing print-on-demand programs.
“Every storefront we build depends on clean, structured data behind the scenes. Product details, inventory, and order status all need to be reliable for the front-end experience to work. Standardized data means we can build and launch new storefronts faster, with far less manual work.”
Similarly, Tim Shore, Senior eCommerce Marketing and Web Designer, sees PromoStandards as a critical enabler of modern commerce. He said, “PromoStandards is the solution that distributors and suppliers have been needing!” Adopting PromoStandards has enabled PromoShop to bring merchandising, warehousing, inventory control, and website building into a single environment, reducing manual input across programs.
As customer expectations continue to evolve, Tim noted that today’s buyers expect frictionless online experiences and immediate access to accurate information. Their clients expect seamless eCommerce experiences with minimal contact with customer service. PromoStandards helps make that possible through standardized, connected data that powers everything from storefront creation to order fulfillment.
Why Suppliers Are Investing in PromoStandards
For supplier member High Caliber Line, joining PromoStandards was initially a strategic business decision. According to Brian Padian, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, as leading suppliers rapidly adopted PromoStandards, it became clear that participation wasn’t optional for companies looking to remain competitive and continue growing.
“After learning and completing the first standards, the value proposition was obvious. PromoStandards has been able to expand our ability to transfer data so it is accurate, clean, and improved.”
Brian shared that membership has strengthened credibility with their largest customers while enabling deeper engagement with industry leaders. “PromoStandards has delivered on its commitment. We admire that growth continues,” Brian added.
As a veteran in the industry, Brian has seen how the industry has embraced changes and adapted over the years. He shared his opinion on PromoStandards: “This is the single most important organization in the promo industry for the next five years. You used to need a catalog. Now you don’t need a catalog; you need PromoStandards.”
When asked what he would tell every company attending SAAC Expo, his answer underscored the broader importance of the organization:
“This industry still needs people. PromoStandards helps make those relationships smoother and more efficient. It brings strong minds together to help keep our industry moving forward.”
The Power of Volunteer Leadership
As a volunteer-driven nonprofit, PromoStandards depends on industry leaders who are willing to contribute their time and expertise for the greater good. Our Board Chair, Amy Rabideau, MAS, attended SAAC Expo while representing PromoLink in her role as Director of Strategic Growth, Business Development & Go-to-Market. We were happy to take some time with her to discuss why she started volunteering with PromoStandards, her perspective of the industry, and what the future holds.
Her motivation for becoming involved is one many industry professionals can relate to. “I lived through the pain. Anyone who has spent five minutes trying to track down an order status, verify inventory across three different portals, or manually re-key a purchase order knows the friction that drains our days,” she shared.
Amy stays involved because of the community. “PromoStandards was – and still is – the only place where the industry comes together to address operational challenges across the industry. Watching suppliers, distributors, decorators, and service providers (even as competitors) gather in virtual spaces and at in-person events to collaborate and build on open solutions that lift everyone up is the most rewarding part of this work.”
Amy has witnessed the industry’s growing willingness to collaborate. She added, “We’ve moved from asking ‘Why should I integrate?’ to ‘How fast can we connect anything?'”
No discussion about the future is complete without talking about AI. Amy believes AI will fundamentally transform how promotional products professionals search, curate, and serve clients. “It will elevate our teams from transaction processors to high-value strategic partners,” she added.
However, she is quick to point out that AI’s success depends on something PromoStandards has championed for years: quality data. Amy stated, “AI is only as smart as the data you feed it. If your data is messy, unstructured, or stuck in a PDF, AI will simply automate your mistakes faster.”
That insight resonates strongly with the experiences of members like PromoShop, whose teams depend on clean, structured, standardized information every day to power operations, eCommerce, customer service, and automation. As AI adoption accelerates, the value of connected, reliable data will only increase.
A Seat at the Table
One message emerged consistently throughout our conversations at SAAC Expo:
You don’t have to navigate digital transformation alone.
Whether you’re a supplier seeking greater connectivity, a distributor looking to scale eCommerce programs, a technology provider building innovative solutions, or an industry professional interested in shaping what’s next, PromoStandards offers a place to collaborate and contribute.
Amy shared, “The digital future of this industry is being built right now, and you deserve a seat at the table. Joining PromoStandards isn’t just about adopting an API endpoint; it’s about plugging into a collaborative network of peers, engineers, and leaders who share practical playbooks on how to scale. Why reinvent the wheel in isolation when you can build with the community?”
Our first SAAC Expo confirmed what our members already know: PromoStandards is more than a standards organization. It’s a community of volunteers, innovators, and industry leaders working together to create a more connected, efficient, and future-ready promotional products industry.
And we’re just getting started.
Ready to join the conversation?
Learn more about PromoStandards membership, volunteer opportunities, and upcoming events at PromoStandards.org.