American Solutions for Business (ASB, asi/120075), a Top 40 distributor, has promoted Justin Buysse to senior manager of fulfillment. Buysse will be responsible for the firm’s Glenwood Distribution Center. He will also continue managing the supply chain/logistics department. Recently, Buysse was honored with ASB’s Eagle Award, which highlights employees who demonstrate the American spirit by unselfishly sharing their time and expertise. “Justin is dedicated and possesses the leadership skills we value at ASB, making this promotion a well-deserved step in his career,” said Bill Finley, vice president of finance.

Top 40 supplier Vantage Apparel (asi/93390) has named Julie Crawley as regional territory manager for New England. “Her vast apparel experience and expertise is quite impressive,” said Bryan Vaughn, director of sales. “I’m confident her ability to connect the dots from the what, the why and the where behind our products and decoration will really benefit our distributor partners.”

Top 40 distributor Proforma (asi/300094) has launched a Certified Brand Specialist training and certification program, open to anyone who becomes part of the Proforma network. Vanessa Edwards, director of business development, said the program “marks a new era in training and onboarding within Proforma and in the industry at large.”

commonsku, a business and sales software platform for the industry, has announced a rebrand of its logo and mascot, skubot. The elements now feature a polished color system and typography, with the company’s signature barcode at the center. “A brand refresh reflects more than just a cosmetic change,” says President and Chief Brand Officer Mark Graham. “It represents our commitment to evolve and grow. Just as our platform reaches the forefront of tech innovation, our brand, too, strives to always speak to tomorrow’s promotional professionals with a voice and image that conveys the essence of our values.”

4imprint (asi/197045), the largest distributor in promo, has earned an award for the Vets Ready Employer Initiative for the third year in a row. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers recently honored the company and 16 other top veteran-friendly employers in the Badger State for going above and beyond in efforts to hire and support veterans and their families. For example, 4imprint hosts an annual open house for organizations that assist veterans in gaining employment, attends local job fairs geared toward employing veterans, networks with veterans’ organizations, and features veteran associates’ stories on the 4imprint website. “We’re honored to have veterans choose to join and remain part of our team,” said CEO Kevin Lyons-Tarr, a member of Counselor’s Power 50 list of promo’s most influential people. “We strive to continue to create an environment where they feel welcome, appreciated and valued.”

CoasterStone (asi/60965) has entered into an exclusive partnership with Conimar Custom (asi/72795), under which CoasterStone will add Conimar’s Chop-Chop flexible cutting mats, placemats and floor mats, as well as additional coaster sizes and materials, to its offerings. “Our new partnership with Conimar will combine the manufacturing and product strengths of both companies to solidify our leadership in the promotional industry business,” says David Glenn, president of CoasterStone. “With the additional products and options, CoasterStone will be able to further provide opportunities for our distributors.”

Ashlin BPG Marketing (asi/37138) has appointed Vishal Golani as business development manager for Arkilos, Ashlin’s consulting arm that offers a suite of services for industry companies, including software and website design, app development and e-commerce powered by BigCommerce. Golani has extensive experience in business development and marketing, most recently at IT firm Triwave Solutions Inc., and has held roles that included lead generation, digital marketing strategy and international clientele management.

Stormtech (asi/89869), a Top 40 supplier, has released its new Commuter Pack catalogue. “This curated collection showcases our lightweight, sleek and versatile commuter packs,” says the company. “They’re designed to get [end-users and their] valuables where [they] need to be.”

Label Works (asi/66040) has added Custom Printed Water Activated Reinforced Packaging Tape to its range of labels and packaging solutions. The tape is designed to cater to businesses seeking a secure and professional packaging solution that enhances brand visibility. It combines the strength of reinforced materials with the customization of branding, logos, and messaging, Label Works said. “This addition aligns seamlessly with our mission to simplify packaging processes for businesses while maintaining a focus on quality, durability, and brand representation,” said Sharon Menssen, marketing manager at Label Works.

Koozie Group (asi/40480), a Top 40 supplier, recently celebrated the new look of its storefront at Stavros Institute’s Enterprise Village during a ribbon-cutting ceremony. A signature initiative of the Pinellas Education Foundation, Enterprise Village is part of a self-contained educational program that provides a hands-on learning experience for area fifth-grade students. The updated storefront features new Koozie Group branding and signage, updated wall graphics, a wall-length mural, and new carpeting. In it, students will learn about and participate in roles such as sales associate, manager, mechanical engineer, financial officer, and customer service. They’ll make business decisions, prepare checks, make deposits, and assist customers.

Orbus Visual Communications (asi/75209) has introduced the 2023-2024 editions of The Exhibitors Handbook and Promo Handbook. These product catalogs aim to be an unbranded resource for dealers to assist with selling and marketing of display products. Both catalogs provide a range of portable display products, fabric structures, modular exhibit solutions, display accessories, and the firm’s new retail and interior-focused products – MODify Retail Merchandising System and Blaze SEG Light Boxes. The Promo Handbook can be customized with a dealer’s logo. Printed versions of both catalogs are also available upon request.

PromoStandards, a nonprofit organization committed to improving supply chain and transactional efficiencies in the promo industry, recently announced the winners of its second-annual virtual Hack-A-Thon, where teams collaborated to solve real-world problems in promo using generative AI. Each team had 10 minutes to pitch their solutions, with judges allowed to ask follow-up questions. The winning team, which will receive $3,000 in cash and exclusive merch, was Promo Bot, whose members consisted of Chris Alfano, chief digital officer at Top 40 supplier Vantage Apparel (asi/93390); Jeison Ortega, chief technology officer at Charles River Apparel (asi/44620); Kevin Chambers, web experience manager at Thumbprint (asi/293564) and Yufeng Guan, senior software developer at Top 40 supplier Starline (asi/89320).

Top 40 distributor Proforma (asi/300094) marked its ninth consecutive year as sponsor of Halloween in the Village, an annual event held on Davis Islands in Tampa, FL. The distributor decorated Davis Boulevard and provided essential signage and print products for the event. In addition, Proforma gave children attending the event themed bags, pumpkin sunglasses, confetti beach balls and other promotional goodies.