The eighth largest distributor in the promotional products industry just hosted its largest-ever national sales conference.

American Solutions for Business (asi/120075) said that the event in Nashville, TN, hosted more than 660 attendees and featured more than 150 exhibiting supplier partners. An attendance record was set.

“My favorite part of this event each year is seeing the American family connect in person,” said Larry Zavadil,” ASB’s founder/CEO and a member of Counselor’s Power 50 list of promo’s most influential people. “Somewhere between our packed schedule and exploring the city, we always make time for an American family reunion.”

The conference featured an eclectic mix of social and professional development opportunities. For instance, there was a distillery tour on Feb. 2, sponsored by ASI, Top 40 supplier alphabroder (asi/34063), PDF Print, The Chest (asi/44830) and BEL Promo (asi/39552). Professional development sessions began Friday, Feb. 3.

Attendees also got to check out the Hatch Show Print experience sponsored Wise and Delegate CX (asi/178336). The day included a merch show and an owner’s lounge dinner and musical entertainment at the Country Music Hall of Fame.

The next day began with coffee and pastries provided by Ennis Inc. (asi/52493) before the official kick-off of the conference. The day included a spa experience sponsored by Mixie and its parent company, Top 40 supplier HPG (asi/61966). Professional headshots were offered as a means for promo pros to update their portfolio and social media pages. Saturday evening’s social at Fat Bottom Brewing was sponsored by ASI, while transportation to and from the brewery was sponsored by Top 40 supplier Outdoor Cap Company (asi/75420).  

ASB’s Vendor Boot Camp, a session that outlined marketing efforts, exposure opportunities and cybersecurity best practices, was available for attending vendors. The rest of the day included the supplier and home office workshops and a closing social.

“We put so much care into the structure of our agenda so that attendees can successfully learn and network while also enjoying themselves,” said Dana Zezzo, ASB’s vice president of marketing, vendor relations and events. “Our conference team gets stronger every year and is able to strategically align elements such as event locations, flow, education topics and resources to result in the best experience possible.”

The conference included opportunities for attendees to contribute to charitable efforts. The American Memorial Walk was hosted in honor of late ASB sales associate Frank Quinlan, which resulted in $8,000 to St. Christopher’s Hospital. Another independent effort allowed attendees to purchase and sign floor decal records at the event, contributing $15,000 to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

Based on reported 2021 North American promotional product revenue of $244.3 million, ASB ranked eighth on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest distributors in the industry.