Nov 23, 2015

GHTA confirms new board at 2015 Gift & Home Bridgeway Collaborative conference

The Gift and Home Trade Association (GHTA), whose mission is to create a national forum connecting industry leaders in their pursuit of ideas, innovations and best practices to advance business programs, confirmed its 2015-2016 Board of Directors during the 13^th Annual GHTA Conference, also known as the 2^nd Annual Gift & Home Bridgeway Collaborative Conference, held November 10-12 in Austin, Texas. The Gift & Home Bridgeway Collaborative Conference brought attendees together from various industry groups, including: GHTA, Gift Sales Managers Association (GSMA), Young Gift Executives (YGE), and Gift For Life.

The GHTA’s 2015-2016 Executive Board is: Bob Ricciardi of About Face Designs, chairman of the board; Joe Harris of Whereoware, president; Allison Barrows of GANZ, vice president; Dylan Schauben of JGROB Associates, treasurer; and George Kacic of AmericasMart Atlanta, secretary.

Additionally, the GHTA has added four new members to its board, each of whom will contribute their vast knowledge and experience to help lead the association: David Gale of Western Reps; Gretchen Kroll of Tripar International; Jackie Moon of Next Step Reps; and Peter Schauben of Appelman Schauben. Continuing their board terms are Greg Bilezikian of DEI; Chad Corzine of Archipelago Botanicals; Lindsay DeMyer of Darrah & Co; and Randy Eller of Eller Enterprises. Andy Bjork of Ivystone Group will continue as parliamentarian.

All GHTA board members are chosen using a nomination and interview process. The members of the GHTA then vote to confirm each member at the annual GHTA conference.

“I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with this accomplished board of individuals,” said Joe Harris, newly elected president of the GHTA. “We are very much looking forward to seeing the awareness and membership of the GHTA grow. That growth will not only provide us a platform to achieve our goal of strengthening the Gift & Home Bridgeway Collaborative’s bond, but industry as a whole.”

The GHTA is celebrating its successful conference, which was attended by nearly 300 people, and was held at the Renaissance Arboretum Hotel in Austin.

Throughout the two-and-a-half day conference, individuals learned from outstanding keynote presentations by Daymond John, co-star of ABC’s “Shark Tank” and creator of FUBU, and Robert Maricich, CEO of International Market Centers, who spoke on leadership. The general assembly was also educated about applicable technologies from YGE’s Co-Founder, Dylan Schuaben, who is also a GHTA board member and vice president of J.GROB Associates. In addition, Randy Eller, president of Eller Enterprises, delivered a presentation regarding “The Four Things You Must Accept to Succeed in the New World,” which engaged the audience through its conversational format.