Todd Pottebaum, MAS+ Distinguished Service Award Meaningful Connections TODD POTTEBAUM, MAS+, president of Quality Resource Group, PPAI 100’s No. 53 distributor, believes that effective volunteer leadership requires a strong sense of purpose. Volunteers are not doing it for compensation or recognition, he explains, they are doing it because they believe in the mission. “That kind of responsibility creates deeper accountability and reinforces your values in a way that carries over into every other part of life,” Pottebaum says. As a dedicated volunteer leader for PPAI, the Upper Midwest Promotional Professionals Association and Meeting Professionals International, as well as co-founder of the IQSEC2 Research & Advocacy Foundation, Pottebaum lives by his words every day. Years ago, after attending a PPAI professional development event on a UMAPP scholarship, Pottebaum saw, firsthand, opportunities to get involved and build valuable connections on a national level. From that single experience, he was also motivated to give back to UMAPP, so he showed up at a board meeting and met Meyer and other board members. That led to chairing a committee and eventually being elected to the UMAPP board of directors, where he served as secretary, treasurer, vice president and president. In 2015, he was honored as UMAPP Volunteer of the Year and was inducted into the UMAPP Hall of Fame in 2022. During his 25-year career, Pottebaum has also been active in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Chapter of MPI and was named its Outstanding Supplier Member in 2004-2005 for his engagement and volunteerism. “Volunteering has always felt like a natural way to grow, both personally and professional,” he says. “Being involved has made me a better leader and a better human.” “That kind of responsibility creates deeper accountability and reinforces your values in a way that carries over into every other part of life.” —TODD POTTEBAUM, MAS+ 58 • JANUARY 2026 • PPAI Must Read | PPAI Icons
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