Exec to Coach, a business coaching firm dedicated to transforming small and medium-sized enterprises, has added Melissa Ralston, Tom Havens and Melyssa Hitchcock to its team of coaches. All three have had accomplished executive-level careers in the promotional products industry. Ashely McCune, formerly president of promo software solution provider Facilisgroup, founded Exec to Coach. “I am honored to welcome Melissa, Tom, and Melyssa to our team,” said McCune. “They are proven executives who truly embody the vision on which we were founded – to bring together coaches who have themselves been successful executives.”

Promotional Resource Group (PRG), a multi-line agency in Vaughan, ON, has appointed Joel Eden as sales & account manager for Alberta and British Columbia. He brings 13 years of industry experience to his new role. “I’m excited to hit the ground running and help our partners achieve their goals with innovative and impactful solutions,” he says. “I look forward to showcasing the power of PRG’s supplier lineup and building lasting connections in this dynamic market.”

Proforma (asi/300094), a Counselor Top 40 distributor, received awards from Graphic Design USA’s Best-of-Year design competition for two marketing campaigns: a digital campaign called “Sizzlin’ Summer Swag” and a direct-mail campaign called “Message in a Bottle.” Marissa Jansen, content and communications manager at Proforma, said the wins are significant for the team and the Proforma network. “We create these resources on behalf of our community to help them go to market in new and unique ways,” she added. “Winning these awards is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team, and also the commitment Proforma has to consistently establish our network as a leader in the print and promotional products industry.”

Canvas Custom Apparel Group has officially opened its doors. Founded by industry veteran Michael Snyder, the new company will offer custom apparel design, sourcing and manufacturing with low minimums. Snyder has two decades of industry experience, including time spent with Counselor Top 40 supplier PCNA (asi/66887); EdwardsX, the custom apparel division of Top 40 supplier Edwards Garment (asi/51752); and Tri-Mountain. “Canvas is a great culmination of my career,” says Snyder, “bringing together the best and brightest minds that I’ve encountered throughout my journey, now all under one roof.”

Greater Pacific (asi/58135), a supplier of custom imported promotional products, has added industry veteran Kelly Borre to its team. Borre has a proven track record in global importing, consultative sales and creative branded merchandise. She’s been recognized for her concierge sales approach and specializes in managing complex sourcing projects and providing seamless, high-impact solutions. Borre said she’s thrilled to join Greater Pacific: “Their reputation for delivering innovative, tailored importing solutions aligns perfectly with my expertise.”

The Kanata Group (asi/73520) has made key appointments to its sales team. Carrie Pitre is now vice president of national accounts and brings almost 20 years of experience to the role. In addition, the company welcomes four multi-line reps:

• Walter Brzyski of Brisk Enterprises for the Mid-Atlantic region (DE, NJ, NY and PA)
• James Matson of Northwest Professional Sales for the Pacific Northwest region (AL, ID, MT, OR and WA)
• Kent Getsee and Paula Coomer of Preferred Lines Marketing for the Midwest region (IA, IL, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, SD, OH, IN and WI)

“I’m very happy to be adding these terrific individuals to our already strong regional sales team,” says Joe Huber, senior vice president of promotional sales. “I’m very optimistic for 2025 and beyond.”

BamBams (asi/38228) has promoted long-time employee Zack Harvey to vice president of national accounts. Harvey began his career as an intern with the company and, over the past 15 years, has thrived in roles that include account executive, sales manager and director of national accounts, according to BamBams. “Zack’s strong industry relationships, keen attention to detail, integrity and ambition will undoubtedly benefit the company in his new role,” the firm said in a statement.

GNP Branded Gear (asi/200020) has hired Andrew Maloney as a branding specialist. The distributorship said he brings several years of experience with merch and has worked as a travel coordinator and account manager, serving a diverse base of clients. “Andrew’s previous positions included a vast number of projects in corporate gifting and e-store development,” GNP stated.

Gold Bond (asi/57653), a Hixson, TN-based promo supplier, has launched ZipShip, a same-day production service that ensures orders are decorated and shipped the same day, provided the order is placed by noon eastern of that day. The service applies to a collection of 30 curated products, including golf balls, tumblers, accessories and eco-friendly items. “With ZipShip, we’ve redefined what fast means in the promotional products industry,” said Mark Godsey, president of Gold Bond Inc. “This service was built for distributors who need quality, speed, and reliability all at once.”

PromoEQP, an associative distributor-focused competitive pricing program, has promoted Cheryl Frerichs to executive director of distributor subscriptions. Prior to joining PromoEQP, Frerichs owned and operated a trophy and awards business in California. She has exceled since coming aboard at Promo EQP, executives said. “Cheryl has shown a passion and dedication to making PromoEQP work better for the distributor,” says Jeremy Chacon, PromoEQP’s vice president of business development and advancement. “We fully expect that this [promotion] will only make PromoEQP better by allowing her the freedom to focus solely on enhancing and building the distributor network.”