Industry veteran John Bates has announced the launch of his own multi-line agency: Shelby Township, MI-based Bates Group. Former vice president of Eastpointe, MI-based Doyle Group, Bates also announced that his new agency has acquired Doyle Group. Financial terms of the deal were not revealed.

As a result of the acquisition, Bates Group will now be representing several of the industry's top lines, including Augusta Sportswear Brands (asi/37461), Fossa Apparel (asi/55141), Top 40 supplier Innovation Line (asi/62660), Perry Ellis (asi/77715) and Sonic Patch.

A past president of the Michigan Promotional Products Association (MiPPA), Bates was voted MiPPA’s 2018 Supplier Rep of the Year. “I'm excited to take on this new challenge and become a multi-line rep,” he said in a press release. “All of the lines that I am fortunate to represent are first class and have positioned themselves for tremendous growth. It has been an honor to work alongside Mike (Doyle) this year and I appreciate the opportunity to continue the success he established in Michigan.”