Garyline (asi/55990), a Top 40 supplier, welcomes Tom Carpenter as southwest territory sales manager. Carpenter will cover a handful of key accounts as well as TX, OK, AR, LA, NM, AZ, CA and IA. Carpenter will be a great fit for Garyline, the company notes, because of his more than 20 years of industry experience and his name recognition in the region.

Orbus Visual Communications (asi/75209) National Key Accounts Manager Joe Douglas has been named to the advisory board of Top 40 distributor American Solutions for Business (ASB, asi/120075). “I am eager to collaborate with fellow industry leaders to strengthen synergies and partnerships,” Douglas said. “The ASB team feels like a family. I am happy to be a part of it."

ReturnMe (asi/82261) in Montreal has appointed Mike Valentini Promotions (MVP) as its exclusive multi-line representation in the Northeast region of the U.S. MVP is ReturnMe’s first multi-line agency in the States. “Their commitment to excellence and deep understanding of the market makes them an ideal partner as we continue to expand our footprint in this crucial region,” says Suhail Niazi, president of ReturnMe. “We’re confident that together, we’ll provide unmatched service and support to our customers while driving growth and success for all parties.”

Top 40 supplier Sportsman Cap & Bag (asi/88877) has expanded its Imperial Headwear line for 2024 with 11 new cap styles, including The Alpha (S1502) and The Dyno (S1505), which feature a merino wool sweatband with natural anti-odor and antimicrobial properties. “Together with Imperial, we’re pushing boundaries and redefining the standards of premium headwear,” said Dan Saferstein, president and CEO of Sportsman Cap & Bag.

AAkron Line (asi/30270) has been named a key supplier partner of A.T. Cross Company (asi/47520). While A.T. Cross will continue in-house decoration processes, AAkron will serve as the primary channel for distribution. “A.T. Cross is an iconic writing instrument brand and the gold standard in pens for over 150 years,” said Stan Dohan, executive vice president of AAkron.

Promo Direct (asi/300477) has garnered more than 5,000 reviews on Trustpilot, a customer review platform, with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5.

StrombergBrand Umbrellas (asi/89955) recognizes Michael Pastore, director of operations, for 15 years with the company. Pastore started in 2009 as accounting manager and was critical in helping the business relocate from Peekskill, NY, to Valley Cottage, NY, in 2012. He also assisted with the transition to Arch Promo Group ownership in 2022. Since then, he’s continued to provide quality service to customers, enhance production efficiency and capacity, and oversee daily operations. “Michael knows this business inside and out and is always looking for ways to continually improve our customers’ and employees’ experience,” says General Manager Helen Stromberg.

Commonsku, a sales software and promotional products business, has opened registration for its seventh annual skucamp conference. To be held at The Virgin Hotel in Nashville, TN, from September 15-18, the skucamp speaker lineup for 2024 includes Stephen Shedletzky, author of the book Speak-Up Culture. He teaches how to amplify your team’s best ideas and more. Another speaker is Lia Garvin, bestselling author of Unstuck, a TEDx speaker and host of the top podcast Managing Made Simple. “Though this is our seventh year hosting skucamp, this year, we’re bringing in a host of changes to better amplify the experience for attendees,” said Mark Graham, commonsku president and chief brand officer. There’ll be “more time for learning from peers on the deep tactics of running a successful business, more experts on building solid teams to drive sales, and a line-up of fresh voices and proven leaders of some of the most vibrant distributor companies today,” Graham added.

Promo Direct (asi/300477) has updated its Promo Direct Express service, which uses AI to help customers locate products from factories closest to them, saving delivery costs and shipping time. The update will streamline the experience and make it more cost-effective, according to the company. In other news, Promo Direct said it has secured the top spot in Google’s organic search results for the keyword “promotional items.” Promo Direct is second in organic search results for the keyword “promotional products,” the company noted.

Liquid Screen Design (asi/254663) announces that co-owner Benji Bearman has been named to the 2024 Chicago Titan 100 list of top CEOs and C-suite executives. Honorees were chosen based on leadership, vision and passion, and together generate more than $42 billion in revenue. “These preeminent leaders have built a distinguished reputation that is unrivaled and preeminent in their fields,” says Jaime Zawmon, president of Titan CEO. “We’re humbled to recognize the Titan 100 for their efforts to shape the future of the Chicago business community.” Liquid Screen Design was also recently named a Counselor 2024 Best Place to Work.

Gemini Industries (asi/56100), a division of Arch Promo Group, was experiencing issues with its server on Friday, Feb. 16. The supplier worked fast to fix things, reporting early the week of Feb. 18 that the issues had been ironed out.

Akran Marketing’s (asi/522788) Chief Digital Officer Mikas Agarwal has written a commentary for Forbes on the promo industry’s collective shift to more sustainable practices at trade shows and conferences. Ottawa-based Akran Marketing recently ranked sixth on Counselor’s 2024 Best Places to Work list.

Shads Advertising (asi/324150) in New Gloucester, ME, has been certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the Center for Women & Enterprise, a regional certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

Rupt Ventures, a venture fund from supplier Rupt (asi/84203) that’s dedicated to fueling innovation in the promo industry, has invested in Sweeter Cards (asi/90354), a Missouri-based supplier that provides customizable, artfully rendered greeting cards with Fair Trade-certified gourmet chocolate. The move represents Rupt Ventures’ first investment.

The Legacy Group, a Maryland-based industry buying group of 10 companies, welcomes Michigan-based Helm Promotions (asi/223630) as its newest member. Helm recently acquired Target Marketing Group (TMG), a Legacy partner company. While Helm and TMG will retain their respective locations, operations and staff, the deal expands The Legacy Group’s combined annual revenue to about $350 million. The Legacy Group’s other distributor partners are Concepts & Associates (asi/166235), Concord Marketing Solutions (asi/166445), Eagle Promotions (asi/185320), Top 40 distributor Genumark (asi/204588), Harper + Scott (asi/220052), John Michael Associates (asi/234950), Mercury Promotions & Fulfillment (asi/267770), Top 40 distributor PromoShop (asi/300446) and The Brandit Agency (asi/145139).

CleggPROMO (asi/45450) has launched CleggAWARDS, a line of 3D acrylic awards with integrated video displays. Featuring full-color imprinting and a 3D stand-off element, the products include video displays showcasing personalized messages, athlete reels, or company videos. Available in six standard styles and customizable, awards can be ordered individually and come with multimedia content (up to 5 minutes) powered by a rechargeable battery, the company said. “We are thrilled to introduce CleggAWARDS, a truly innovative product that takes award recognition to a whole new level,” said Brett Cutler, president of CleggPROMO.

Outdoor Cap Company (asi/75420), a Top 40 supplier, has named Pat Foster as its newest promo and sports representative for the Pacific Northwest. Foster has more than 30 years of industry experience, the supplier said. Meanwhile, Outdoor Cap has added Evan Maguire and Magnus Edling, from the Maguire Marketing Agency, as its newest multi-line representatives for Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

Full Line Specialties (asi/199688), a certified B Corp, welcomes Sean Taylor as senior account executive for the distributor’s Eastern division. He has more than a decade of industry experience.

Cotton Heritage (asi/46778), a California-based supplier, has announced distribution partnerships with North Carolina-based Carolina Made (asi/43993) and Michigan-based One Stop (asi/75085). The latter two suppliers will offer Cotton Heritage products. “With brand awareness being so important, Carolina Made and One Stop provide a marketing and sales focus that will elevate the Cotton Heritage name,” said Greg Brown, vice president of business development at Cotton Heritage.

StrombergBrand Umbrellas (asi/89955), a division of Arch Promo Group, is closed on Tuesday, Feb. 13 due to a snowstorm that swept through the supplier’s area. The company apologizes for any inconvenience and plans to reopen on Wednesday, Feb. 14. Customers with questions can contact info@strombergbrand.com or visit www.strombergbrand.com.

Pop! Promos (asi/45657) was named Reciprocity Road’s Supplier Innovator of the Year and Account Executive Jordan Ettien received commonsku’s Supplier Community Champion award during the recent PPAI Expo in Las Vegas.

AIM Smarter, a solutions provider that serves a network of more than 2,200 distributors through technology tools, business services and other benefits, has announced that seven of its distributor members ranked on Counselor’s 2024 Best Places to Work list. The companies are: #6 Akran Marketing (asi/522788); #9 Williams & Associates (asi/360450); #26 The MRL Group (asi/258137); #47 Indoff (asi/231011); #53 ScreenBroidery (asi/305623); #60 Pinnacle Promotions (asi/295986); and #68 Social Imprints (asi/164607). “We are thrilled to see our members recognized for their exceptional workplaces,” said Nichole Stella, CEO of AIM Smarter and a member of Counselor’s Power 50 list of promo’s most influential people. “It’s a testament to their dedication to creating environments where employees thrive. These members embody the values of AIM Smarter, and their recognition sets a standard for excellence within the promotional products industry.”

GNP Branded Gear (asi/200020) has hired Justin Pfeifer as a branding specialist. He’s a graduate of the State University of New York at Oneonta. “He has found his passion for sales and is excited to be in the promotional product industry,” the company said.

Promotoss (asi/30226), a supplier of branded games and promotional gifts, has added MVP as a multiline representative group. The firm will cover New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. “We are extremely excited to have a team of experienced industry veterans join us to cover a growing territory,” Promotoss said.

Top 40 distributor Proforma (asi/300094) announces that Michael LaPlante, vice president of technology, has been chosen as one of six inductees into Full Sail University’s Hall of Fame for 2024. “Giving back to the university has always been a passion of mine,” LaPlante said. “Being inducted into the Full Sail University Hall of Fame is a tremendous honor and a privilege. Collaborating with students and fellow alumni provides an excellent opportunity to gain new perspectives and that has been invaluable to me and my team.”

WestPointe Marketing in Calgary, AB, welcomes British Columbia-based multi-line reps Debra and Jim Cioban, who will represent Top 40 supplier PCNA (asi/66887) in BC.

BEL Promo (asi/39552), a Florida-based supplier of drinkware, bags, tech items and outdoor leisure merchandise, has hired Michelle DeMayo as strategic sales manager. “The addition of Michelle highlights our continued commitment to providing world-class service to our distributor partners,” said Susan Lewandowski, BEL Promo’s managing director. “With decades of branded merchandise experience, the addition of Michelle immediately elevates the BEL Promo organization. I know she will contribute to the successes of our clients.”

KTI Networks (asi/63776) has promoted Kevin Wang and Shawna Cano to regional vice president positions. Wang joined KTI in 2019 as a sales assistant and will focus on the Midwest region, while Cano joined in 2013 as a sales assistant and will cover the West Coast. “I commend their outstanding achievements and unwavering dedication to the company’s success,” says President Kenneth Huang. “I have full confidence that they will further enhance sales operations and play a pivotal role in our continued growth.”