Philadelphia-based Bodek and Rhodes announced the addition of Amy VonAllmen as outside sales representative catering to Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina. “We’re very excited to have Amy on our team,” said Marc Held, national sales manager at Bodek and Rhodes. “Amy’s been developing great rapport with everyone in her area, and her background in promotional products is definitely a big plus, not just for her, but for the customers she’s there to help.” VonAllmen joined the Bodek and Rhodes family after more than 10 years’ experience working in the promotional products industry. “I’m proud to be the Bodek and Rhodes rep. for this area.
Read MoreKuhlman Promoted To General Manager at Ennis
Midlothian, Texas-based Ennis Inc. announced the promotion of Gene Kuhlman to the position of general manager of the Leipsic, Ohio facility. Prior to his promotion, Kuhlman held the combined positions of prepress manager, quality control manager and assistant to the general manager. Throughout his many years working in the Leipsic, Ohio facility, Gene has held production, prepress, quality control and Kuhlman management positions. Terry Pennington, Ennis vice president, said, “Gene brings the experience and leadership required as a successful general manager. The employees and management team are excited about Gene’s promotion and what he brings to the position.” For more information about Ennis
Read MoreLeed’s Now Exclusive California Innovations Cooler Partner
New Kensington, Pennsylvania-based Leed’s, a member of Polyconcept North America, announced it will launch nine exclusive cooler designs from Toronto-based California Innovations. After roughly 20 years in the industry, California Innovations will offer its promotional coolers only through Leed’s. California Innovations products feature Ultra Safe linings, which are PVC- and lead-free and exceed federal and international safety requirements. “We are very excited by our partnership with Leed’s,” stated Lorne Mogil, CFO of California Innovations. “This agreement allows California Innovations to focus on designing innovative, high- quality products. That is what we do best. We knew that Leed’s would be the best supplier in
Read MoreFacilis Group Names Randy Conley Director of Business Development
St. Louis-based Facilis Group announced Randy Conley joined the company’s U.S. sales team as director of business development. “Randy’s extensive experience in our industry allows him to understand the challenges business owners face on a daily basis,” said Facilis group president, Chuck Fandos. “I think Randy is uniquely qualified to explain how the Facilis Group business model can help distributors grow their sales, increase margins, reduce costs and ultimately increase their profits.” Conley brings more than 20 years of industry experience to a growing Facilis team, including more than six years in promotional product sales, 10 years as the owner of a leading distributorship
Read MoreSnugZ Sold: Mackay and Johnson Acquire 100 Percent Equity Stake in Company
SnugZ USA CEO and president Brandon Mackay and vice president Charley Johnson announced they have acquired 100 percent ownership of the company. Based in Salt Lake City, SnugZ USA produces a promotional product line that includes lanyards, eyewear retainers, personal-care items, flashlights, candle sets, picnic items and electronics. Prior to the acquisition, Mackay and Johnson were minority owners in the company. Mackay and Johnson completed negotiations for the acquisition with two other unnamed SnugZ owners on Dec. 9. “By becoming the sole owners of SnugZ USA, Charley and I will be in a position to move the company forward faster and more efficiently.
Read MoreEconscious First to Earn the Global Organic Textile Standard Certification
Petaluma, California-based Econscious, announced it is the first, and, currently, the only U.S. supplier certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). The GOTS certification ensures that the entire manufacturing process adheres to a strict set of standards, including criteria detailing allowable dyes and closures, prohibited substances, and how waste water should be dealt with. The GOTS also includes important social components to ensure living wages are paid and a safe, hygienic work environment is provided. Dale Denkensohn, Econscious president, said, “Our goal is to be the most trusted source for organic and sustainable promotional products.” Denkensohn continued, “The GOTS certification is a
Read MoreAmerican Apparel Reports November 2008 Sales
American Apparel Inc. announced the company’s comparable store sales for the month of November 2008. The company reported that for the month of November 2008, sales for stores open for more than 12 months increased 6 percent over last year’s period, on a constant currency basis. For the month of November 2007, comparable store sales increased 42 percent. There were 153 stores in the sales comparison for November 2008. In addition, American Apparel opened 12 new retail stores during the month of November. About American Apparel American Apparel is a vertically integrated manufacturer, distributor and retailer of branded fashion basic apparel based in downtown
Read MoreVoltaic Launches First Solar Bag to Charge Laptops
New York-based Voltaic Systems announced the release of its new solar bag, the Generator. The bag produces enough solar power to fully charge a laptop from less than one day in the sun. The new Generator features a high-efficiency 15 watt solar panel that recharges a custom-designed battery pack in about five hours and stores solar power until needed. The battery holds the equivalent of a full laptop charge and can also be charged from a wall outlet. CEO Shayne McQuade stated “Since the release of our first bag, our customers have been asking about charging laptops. By using 20 percent efficiency solar cells,
Read MoreNeely Manufacturing Has Record Year
Neely Manufacturing will be ending 2008 with record sales led by USA Made tote bag line which had an estimated increase of 48 percent. This has been a breakout year for Neely. The company attributes this success to its return to U.S.-based manufacturing, nationwide sales coverage, a more than $2 million stockpile of inventory and an 35 percent increase in operational staff. Despite tough economic conditions, the company feels it is well-positioned to support its customers with more products having shorter lead times. About Neely Manufacturing Neely Manufacturing has more than 65,000 sq. ft. of plant space and is one of the largest producers
Read MoreAIA Fights Hunger with Food Drive
To fight hunger on a local level, Neenah, Wisconsin-based Adventures In Advertising (AIA) organized a food drive benefiting Advocap of the Fox Valley. Advocap—a nonprofit community action agency— serves low-income families in Wisconsin’s Fond du Lac, Winnebago and Green Lake counties. According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the Food Research and Action Center, there are nearly 25,000 people living in poverty in Advocap’s service area. The two-week donation blitz divided the 65 AIA staffers into teams that competed not only on the amount of food collected but also on the “sculpture” they created with the goods, on which the network of AIA owners
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