PPPC’s Hall of Fame Award is our industry’s legacy award that recognizes those individuals who have made a lasting and positive impact on our association and industry. It’s a way to honour those who have accomplished extraordinary things, and to inspire our next generation of promotional product professionals.
2025 Hall of Fame nominations now closed.
For any questions, contact awards@pppc.ca
Rob Spector Named 39th Inductee into the PPPC Hall of Fame
The Promotional Product Professionals of Canada (PPPC) is proud to announce that Rob Spector, Chairman of the Board at Spector & Co., has been named the 39th inductee into the PPPC Hall of Fame. This prestigious honour recognizes Rob’s exceptional leadership, innovation, and decades-long commitment to advancing the Canadian promotional products industry.
“To be recognized by my peers with an induction into the PPPC Hall of Fame is truly amazing. Over the past three decades, I’ve had the privilege of helping shape an industry that continues to grow, innovate, and inspire. This honour is not only a milestone in my career, but also a reflection of the many colleagues, partners, and friends who have shared this journey with me. I’m deeply proud of what we’ve accomplished together and grateful to be part of this industry’s legacy,” Rob Spector, 39th PPPC Hall of Fame Inductee, and Chairman of the Board, Spector & Co.
Rob will be inducted into the PPPC Hall of Fame during the 2025 PPPC Awards Ceremony on September 9, 2025 between 7:00 pm and 8:30 pm at the Royal Woodbine Golf Club’s Clubhouse venue in Toronto.
“The PPPC Hall of Fame Judging Committee is proud to recognize Rob Spector as the 39th inductee into the Hall of Fame. Rob’s decades of leadership, innovation, and commitment to advancing our industry embody the very qualities this honour was created to celebrate. He has and continues to leave an enduring mark on the promotional products community. We are pleased to award Rob this well-deserved recognition for his lasting contributions and positive influence on our industry,” said David Lewenberg, 38th PPPC Hall of Fame inductee, PPPC Hall of Fame Judging Committee Chair and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Genumark.
Rob’s career spans more than 33 years at the helm of Spector & Co., and he is now the Chairman of the Board. Spector & Co. is a company he helped to transform from a small regional supplier into one of North America’s most respected and innovative industry leaders. Under his leadership, Spector & Co. became known for premium product design, exceptional service, and scalable operations that set a high standard for suppliers across Canada and the U.S.
As a former PPPC Chairman from 2012 to 2013, Rob played a pivotal role in modernizing the association and fostering professionalism throughout the industry. He has been a consistent supporter of PPPC programs, a sponsor and speaker at national events, and an advocate for supplier–distributor collaboration. His belief in education as a driver of industry growth helped to shape Spector & Co.’s culture, encouraging staff and distributor partners to pursue professional development and stay ahead of emerging trends and technologies.
“Rob’s unwavering commitment to collaboration, education, and community service embodies the very spirit of this honour. On behalf of the PPPC National Board, it is my privilege to congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition and to thank him for his valuable contributions to our industry,” said Paul Wieleba, Chair, PPPC National Board and owner, {WE} Promotional Advertising and the host of this year’s PPPC Awards Ceremony in September.
Rob’s contributions have left a lasting mark on the promotional products industry. In the early 2000s, he helped Spector & Co. break away from the standard palette of black, navy, burgundy, and green by launching a wider range of colours. A bold move that reshaped product design in the market with Spector & Co. being the first supplier to do this, according to Rob. He also pioneered the idea of merchandising coordinated collections, introducing matching pens, journals, and business accessories that could be bundled into gift sets.
Always looking for ways to innovate, Rob championed new decoration techniques, including the company’s signature Brand Patch and Brand Shield, bringing fresh excitement to how logos were showcased. He also transformed the sales approach in promo by establishing one of the first dedicated in-house sales teams, to strengthen client relationships. Each of these milestones reflects Rob’s forward-thinking vision and positive impact on the industry.
Rob’s induction into the Hall of Fame is a fitting recognition of his lifelong dedication to building a stronger, collaborative and more innovative industry.
This year marks the first year that PPPC has revealed the Hall of Fame inductee in advance of the incoming Awards Ceremony. For more information on the awards ceremony, pre-cocktail reception and after-party at the Royal Woodbine Golf Club’s Clubhouse and Vue – along with pre-registration information to this free member-only event, visit here.
Be sure to join us next month to help us celebrate our newest Hall of Fame inductee, Rob Spector, and all the other winners of the night including the Momentum Awards, Product Awards and Member-Voted Awards.