With a few end-of-year regional shows still remaining and the onslaught of the national trade show season swiftly approaching, there are hundreds, if not thousands of industry executives, distributors and suppliers always on the road requiring comfortable, home-away-from-home accommodations. Evident solution: hotels, resorts, extended-stays, bed-and-breakfasts—the pickings are plentiful. While it would seem that these establishments are an obvious target for promotional products distributors, it still begs the question: How many of these businesses are actually purchasing their ad specialty products from the very distributors that converge on their grounds month after month? In 2005, American hotels were able to turn a healthy 8.8 percent rise in
Read MoreDigispec Installs New Press
Digispec, Las Vegas, continues its commitment to technology with the installation of another six-color Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 74 UV printing press to meet the increasing demand for mousepads and counter mats, along with the growing requests for lenticular products. This is the third press of its kind that the company has installed, and its second with ultraviolet integration. In 2002, Digispec was said to be one of the first North American companies to install such a press. The 2.2-million-dollar equipment will allow for amplified flexibility in meeting demanding schedules, tight deadlines and high volumes. “The addition of new equipment demonstrates our continued
Read MoreWhite New CEO at Imperial Headwear
Imperial Headwear, Denver, recently announced the appointment of Richard White as the company’s new CEO. White was most recently CEO of publicly-traded Phoenix Footwear Group, Pheonix, a diversified footwear, apparel and accessories company. Prior to that role, he held leadership positions at Major League Baseball, Nike and Reed Exhibitions North America, the organization that owns and manages the annual PGA Merchandise Shows in Orlando, Fla., and Las Vegas. “We are extremely pleased to add Rick to the executive team at Imperial,” said S. Garrett Stonehouse, chairman. “His strengths and successes in business development, brand building and customer growth initiatives will be well-received internally
Read MoreSanMar Hires Lawson as Regional Sales Manager
SanMar, Seattle, has added apparel industry veteran Tom Lawson as manager for the southwest region. In this role, Lawson will represent Oklahoma and manage sales representatives in Texas, Kentucky, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Missouri. “We are ecstatic to have Tom join us,” said Dan Tushar, national sales manager. “He brings apparel experience of the highest level and a keen understanding of what our customers need.” Lawson’s involvement in the apparel industry has spanned more than 20 years. Some of his key positions have included regional apparel sales manager and national department store manager for Nike, and national sales manager for Marika, a womens’ sportswear manufacturer.
Read MoreHolloway Sportswear Wins Big
Mark Rigney, art director at Holloway Sportswear, Sidney, Ohio, was recently awarded a $500 gift certificate to Stahls’ for capturing the top prize in the appliqué category of Stitches Magazine’s annual Stitch-Off competition. With increasing amounts of custom work finding its way to Holloway Sportswear, Rigney was encouraged by his colleagues to enter the annual competition. The winning submission, created by staff digitizer Kris Boerger, was an embroidery design transformed into an appliqué. It featured an embroidery setting, and encompassed more than 100,000 stitches. After a battery of design experimentation, the final submission was created for the West Michigan Whitecaps, a minor league baseball team based
Read MoreBoxercraft Introduces 100 New Items for 2007
Atlanta-based Boxercraft has added more than 100 new products, now available for purchase, to its 2007 catalog. The 32-page catalog features 15 new flannel pants, 10 new sport-imprinted pants and 10 novelty-printed pants. In addition, women’s cut boxers, matching pant and tee sets, sling bags and jersey capris add flavor to the product mix. The company has also expanded its print and embellishment services by adding 16 new stock rhinestone transfers and tee transfers to match its sport and novelty pants. It also has added individual names and numbers, printing, and custom airbrushing. For more information, visit www.boxercraft.com. Boxercraft’s 2006-2007 catalog offers distributors a
Read More0906_News_Got News?
Got News? New president? New partnership? New product? The biggest news stories in the industry appear here first. Let the Promotional Marketing staff know about the most important events, and they may appear in an upcoming issue of the magazine or the online newsletter. Please send any hot leads to Cynthia Graham at [email protected].
Read MoreNew Avaline Employee Juggles Work, School and Play
Jennifer Olivencia, the recently appointed marketing and tradeshow coordinator at Avaline, Parsipanny, N.J., will be receiving her associates degree in graphic design this year, and is expanding her hobby of jewelry design. Olivencia, who is currrently enrolled at the Kathrine Gibbs School of Business, Technology and Graphic Design in Livingston, N.J., will handle a variety of marketing and graphic design responsibilities at Avaline. “I will be designing all of the fliers, brochures and sell sheets for the company, and assisting Lynn Schatz with tradeshows,” she said. “I look forward to helping the company grow.” In her spare time, Olivencia also designs jewelry, something that
Read MoreIMC Creates New Position to Complement Marketing Efforts
International Merchandise Concepts (IMC), Agoura Hills, Calif., appointed Doug Smith to the newly created position of creative services manager. Smith will coordinate the production of all marketing materials, manage the graphics department and assist the vice president of sales and marketing in developing and implementing IMC marketing strategies. Smith brings with him 16 years of experience in art creation and production, sales and account management and marketing. His sales and marketing experience has included the development of national marketing programs and account acquisitions. Of the new position, which he has held for a little over two weeks, Smith said, “The slower season is starting
Read MoreNorwood Takes Introspective Look with “The Mighty 8”
In an effort to learn how it could better serve distributors and improve its overall service, Norwood Promotional Products, Indianapolis, recently hosted a focus group consisting of eight distributors, dubbed “The Mighty 8.” “Getting feedback was important to us because we wanted to learn how we could give our distributors the best service, which may include calling more often, improving order status or helping them custom-source products,” explained Allison Avin, manager of marketing communications. Members of Norwood’s leadership team, including company president Paul Lage, engaged the group in dialogue about the company’s perception in the industry, its past performance and plans for the
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