#28 Pierre Montaubin & Melissa Ralston

Koozie Group (asi/40480)

2022 Rank: #29

Pierre Montaubin – CEO

Industry Experience: 14 Years

Previous Appearances on Power 50: 0

Melissa Ralston – Chief Revenue Officer

Industry Experience: 17 Years

Previous Appearances on Power 50: 2

Pierre Montaubin debuts on the Power 50 after having been named chief executive officer of promo’s seventh-largest supplier firm in August, replacing David Klatt. Still, Montaubin was already known in promo before the appointment. Previously as chief product and sustainability officer, he played a key role (along with Ralston and other leaders) in advancing important efforts at Koozie with industry-reaching impacts. These include eco initiatives like becoming carbon-neutral on Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions and continually bringing to market more products that lessen environmental impact through longevity.

As Montaubin became CEO, Melissa Ralston took on additional executive-level responsibility. Beyond sales and marketing, the customer service team is now also under her direct purview. Ralston’s leadership on sales and marketing was an essential reason Koozie Group grew revenue in 2021 and 2022 after a stretch of years in which sales often went in the wrong direction.

The pair wasted no time embarking on a major change, with the supplier announcing in October that it will integrate the operations of IMAGEN Brands fully under its umbrella. The IMAGEN Brands name will be retired, and the former supplier will go to market under the Koozie Group moniker. Koozie Group has endured criticism for service levels, but the firm says improvements have been made – an upward momentum reflected by a 4.5 out of 5 rating in ESP and one the leadership team believes will accelerate.