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CPPA Honors Peake Awards Winners, Hall of Fame Inductee

The Chesapeake Promotional Products Association celebrated top performers and campaigns at its annual regional awards ceremony.

Key Takeaways

Annual Peake Awards Ceremony: The Chesapeake Promotional Products Association (CPPA) held its annual Peake Awards ceremony, celebrating excellence in the industry.


Top Honors: Peerless Umbrella (asi/76730) was named Supplier of the Year, and Apex Advertising (asi/122737) was awarded Distributor of the Year at the event. Michele Reed of Counselor Top 40 distributor Summit Group (asi/339116) was inducted into the CPPA Hall of Fame.

The Chesapeake Promotional Products Association (CPPA) honored the recipients of the 2024 Peake Awards at its annual awards ceremony on Dec. 12 in Columbia, MD.

award and CPPA logo

CPPA, a regional promo industry association with members primarily based in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and Washington, D.C., celebrates industry excellence with nine categories of awards each year, as well as any Excellence in Promotions campaigns submitted.

Peerless Umbrella (asi/76730), a Counselor 2024 Best Place to Work, was honored as Supplier of the Year, and Apex Advertising (asi/122737) was named Distributor of the Year in the regional association’s two company-wide recognitions.

Cheryl Hokanson“It’s important to take a pause and recognize the individuals that serve our region so diligently.” Cheryl Hokanson, CPPA Board President

“It gives us the opportunity to recognize excellence in the region and celebrate those who advance the industry in which we work,” says Cheryl Hokanson of Crofton, MD-based distributor Brand Boosters and president of the CPPA board. “It’s important to take a pause and recognize the individuals that serve our region so diligently.”

CPPA also inducted Michele Reed, vice president of strategic operations at Counselor Top 40 distributor Summit Group (asi/339116), into the CPPA Hall of Fame. She’s served on the association’s board since 2020 and has more than two decades of experience in industry merchandising and operations.

The following individuals were also honored with 2024 Peake Awards:

  • Volunteer of the Year: Tracey Therres, Apex Advertising
  • CPPA Rising Star: Michael Barblett, Headwear USA (asi/60282)
  • John Bennis Memorial Multi-Line Representative of the Year: Tim Rosica, Rosica Marketing
  • Distributor Internal Support Person of the Year: Tracey Therres, Apex Advertising
  • Supplier Internal Support Person of the Year: Jamie Pollard, SanMar (asi/84863)
  • Distributor Sales Representative of the Year: Barry Hebb, Apex Advertising
  • Supplier Sales Representative of the Year: Tony Limetti, Ariel Premium Supply (asi/36730)

“I hope the December 2024 recipients take pride in being the best in the business,” says Hokanson.