A Creative Touch, Inc. is proud to celebrate our founder, Renée Jones, MAS+, who has been named PPAI’s 2026 Woman of Achievement.
This honor means a lot to us because it recognizes something people around Renée have seen for years. When there is a way to help, she usually finds it.
A Life Built Around Service
For Renée, service has never been something separate from everyday life. It is part of who she is.
Her volunteer work began in 1983 with the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary and the Department of Veterans Affairs, two organizations that remain especially close to her heart. Over the years, she has also served with Honor Flight of the Cape Fear Area, Wilmington Central Rotary, the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, Wilmington Women of Purpose, and other community and industry organizations.
Renée’s work with the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary eventually led her to serve as national commander of the 250,000-member organization. But whether the role is big, small, public, or behind the scenes, she has always been willing to do the work.
How A Creative Touch Began
That same spirit is part of how A Creative Touch came to be.
Before starting the company, Renée worked in sales and marketing for a company that produced automotive brakes. One part of her job involved purchasing promotional products, which introduced her to the industry that would later become such a big part of her life.
She eventually accepted a position with a promotional products distributor after being promised the flexibility to continue her volunteer commitments. But when she was later denied time off for Veteran’s Day, Renée made a decision that changed the direction of her life. She left that job and decided to start her own company.
By the end of 2001, A Creative Touch, Inc. was born.
What started as a leap of faith has grown into a company where relationships still come first. In November 2026, A Creative Touch will celebrate 25 years in business.
More Than Products
That story still matters to us because A Creative Touch was never built around products alone. It was built around people.
It was built around doing what you say you will do, paying attention to the little things, and helping clients make other people feel remembered.
That is why this award feels so fitting.
Recognized By Her Industry
In the promotional products industry, Renée has also given a great deal of her time beyond her own business. She has earned the industry’s highest professional designations, including MAS+, and has spent years giving her time, experience, and encouragement to help the industry and the people in it grow stronger.
One of the most meaningful parts of this recognition is that Renée was nominated and supported by peers in the industry, including competitors. That says a lot. When the people who know the work and know the industry choose to celebrate your impact, it means something.
Still Finding Ways To Help
During the early days of the pandemic, Renée saw another need. Women in the promotional products industry were isolated, uncertain, and looking for connection. So she created The LIPP Café, a bi-weekly online gathering for women in the industry. What started as a way to stay connected during a difficult time is still going strong six years later.
That is very much Renée.
She notices where people need support, and more often than not, she finds a way to offer it.
Why It Matters To Our Clients
Her familiar email signoff, “Be Happy,” is more than a closing line. It reflects the way she approaches her work, her clients, her community, and her industry.
Promotional products are not just things with logos on them. They are often used to thank employees, welcome new clients, recognize loyal customers, support events, build relationships, and remind people they matter. The person helping you choose those products should understand that.
That is where Renée’s story and A Creative Touch come together.
This award is a wonderful honor for Renée, but it also says something about the company she has built. A Creative Touch is led by someone who understands that promotional products are personal. They are part of how companies thank people, welcome people, remember people, and stay connected.
That takes more than picking something from a catalog.
It takes understanding who the gift is for, what it is supposed to say, and whether someone will actually want to keep it. It takes listening, asking better questions, and caring enough to get the details right.
That is the kind of work A Creative Touch has been doing for nearly 25 years.
We are proud to celebrate Renée’s recognition as PPAI’s 2026 Woman of Achievement, and we are proud that the same care behind that honor continues to shape the way we serve our clients.