Facilisgroup, a Missouri-based SaaS company and partnering community for promotional products firms, has launched emPOWER, a new enterprise designed to support women in the industry.

The program will include opportunities for personal and professional development, such as networking, in-person events and giving back to those in need. “emPOWER was founded on the principle of fostering an environment where women can thrive, network and support each other to achieve their highest potential,” says the company.

Front row, sitting from left: emPOWER Steering Committee Chairs Wendy Wells, senior supplier success manager at Facilisgroup; Michele Dando, VP of supplier relations; and Alisa Cuneo, SVP of finance and HR, with the emPOWER Steering Committee. Amy Rabideau, SVP of strategy and innovation, stands in the back row, second from right.

The first emPOWER event of 2024 took place during Facilisgroup’s three-day annual Supplier Showcase in Atlanta last month. “Taking Flight” welcomed more than 200 women, and focused on taking back control of individual life paths, as well as the power of saying “no.”

“The event covered timely topics and included relevant focuses for women in leadership across our industry today,” says Holly Brown, CRO of Top 40 supplier PCNA (asi/66887), “Taking Flight” keynote speaker and emPOWER steering committee member. “I was thrilled to be a part of the kick-off around the art of strategically saying ‘no’ in leadership and I look forward to continued learnings and engagement with one another in this group of incredible women leaders.”

The 2024 emPOWER Steering Committee is comprised of executives at Facilisgroup, along with representatives from the company’s distributor partners and preferred suppliers. Chair members are Michele Dando, committee chair and vice president of supplier relations at Facilisgroup; Wendy Wells, chair of the events subcommittee and senior supplier success manager; Amy Rabideau, chair of the programs subcommittee and senior vice president of strategy and innovation; and Alisa Cuneo, chair of the philanthropy subcommittee and senior vice president of finance and HR.

“As we evaluated emPOWER and set our strategy for 2024, we identified its purpose: to ‘emPOWER’ women in the Facilisgroup community to achieve success and elevate the impact of women in the industry,” says Dando. “We’ll continue this messaging throughout 2024 with the Steering Committee driving initiatives around philanthropy, mentorship programs and continued learning.”

Steering Committee members include:

• Tracy Adams, strategic account advisor, Facilisgroup
• Holly Brown, CRO, PCNA
• Voshte Demmert-Gustafson, president, Color Graphics
• Kathy DiFrancesco, vice president of sales, SnugZ/USA (asi/88060)
• Teresa Fudenberg, CEO, Storm Creek (asi/89879)
• Kendra Gulka, account executive, Echo Promotions (asi/281930)
• Terri Harland, business development manager, Facilisgroup
• Sarah Johnston, director of Brandito Midwest, Brandito (asi/325944)
• Cindy Kenner, vice president of operations, Brand Addition (asi/202515)
• Milissa Knaub, vice president of finance, Brand Addition
• Claire Lavoy, professional development manager, Facilisgroup
• Stephanie Maday, director of sales and CX, Storm Creek
• Sarah Mann, regional sales manager, Gill-Line (asi/56950)
• Sydney Myers, inside national accounts representative, S&S Activewear (asi/84358)
• Heather O'Neill, national account executive, Walker-Clay (asi/354530)
• Carolyn Phillips, operations, HF Custom Solutions (asi/173250)
• Sam Ross, director of partner success, Facilisgroup
• Laura Riley, internal training specialist, Facilisgroup
• Ashley Schaefer, president, 14 West LLC (asi/197092)
• Grace Schettler, senior vice president of sales, Chipply
• Victoria Schmitz, regional sales manager, Goldstar (asi/73295)
• Suzanne Simpson, strategic accounts, Gemline (asi/56070)
• Nicole Tasca, vice president sales administration, Starline USA (asi/89320)
• Michelle Thieret, managing director US, Brand Addition
• Clare Thompson, inside sales manager, Pop! Promos (asi/45657)
• Stephanie Zafarana, president, Pica Marketing Group (asi/132691)

Facilisgroup is headquartered in St. Louis and has a Canadian location in Ottawa, Ontario.