The Allen Company, Blanchester, Ohio, has hired Amy Balash as customer service sales coordinator. A six-year industry veteran, Balash will be responsible for coordinating sales efforts with inside sales and customer service, and handling key accounts, as well as outside sales meetings and trade shows. The supplier has also promoted Dhu Dazey, a 10-year veteran of The Allen Company, to lead customer service representative. In the new role, Dazey will concentrate on helping to maintain the high level of award-winning service to back up the company’s award-winning, innovative, and patented beverageware and related items. In addition, Brenda Kingsland has returned to The Allen Company
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Boxercraft, Atlanta, has acquired the assets of Boxer Rebellion, an apparel manufacturer based in Virginia Beach, Va. “We are excited about the opportunity this purchase presents for the Boxer Rebellion customers and for Boxercraft,” said Jon Carroll, owner of Boxercraft. “We recently expanded our Atlanta based distribution center to offer same day shipment for in-stock items and five-day shipment for custom-printed items, so this acquisition will immediately benefit our new Boxer Rebellion customers.” Well known in the decorator, promotional product and retail markets for its unique pants and shorts, Boxercraft features team-colored flannel, sport and novelty imprints. Both the Boxercraft and Boxercraft Girl brands are identified
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Houston-based Blake & Hollister is now offering a drop needle polo shirt (style #793). The fine-quality, top-of-the-line golf shirt perfectly suits any tournament or golf-related promotion. It is knitted using a fine, vertical, drop-needle pattern, and is made from 100 percent ringspun combed cotton for ultimate softness. The fashionable shirt features a sporty stripe on the collar and welt-knit cuffs. It is available in unisex sizes S to 3XL, in white, black, khaki, red, natural and green. For more information, contact (713) 688-4455 or visit www.blakeandhollister.com
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Michael S. Rubenfeld, vice president of sales and marketing at Hirsch Presentation Systems, Edgewater, N.J., passed away on June 25. A 30-year veteran of the industry, Rubenfeld joined Hirsch Presentation Systems in September 2004, creating a new level of doing business within HIRSCH Liquid Ideas. Rubenfeld was responsible for creating one of the supplier’s best catalogs, mastering the jump from mainstream merchandise to brand awareness. He was also instrumental in successfully researching and developing many new items. Rubenfeld was also in charge of the HIRSCH Crazy Clip Pens line, which he successfully built up in a very short time. Prior to working at Hirsch
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Proforma, Cleveland, has announced four new owners and one owner acquisition that took place this past June. Tom Dougherty, owner of Proforma Castle Promotions & Print, Rochester, N.Y.; Clif Ferrell, owner of Proforma Whitecap Promotions, Wilmington, N.C.; Duane Mertz, owner of Proforma Branding Solutions, Norwalk, Conn., and Diana Siela, owner of Proforma SourceLink, Ft. Wayne, Ind., have joined Proforma’s network. In addition, Joe Noonan, owner of Proforma Corporate Printing, has acquired Proforma Unlimited Print and Promotions. In other news, Proforma announced Dave Fellman, Cliff Quicksell, Jr., Laura Posey, Brian Powers and keynote speaker John Foppe will be presenting at its annual convention and family
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Tampa-based Fast Lane Clothing Company has been named a semi-finalist for the Small Business of the Year Award from the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce. The supplier was nominated by Andrew Cohen, president and CEO of Vertical IT Solutions. “Here at Toucan Dance we are thrilled and honored to be considered for such a celebrated award,” said Lori Davis, president and CFO. “It’s been our top priority for over two decades to take care of our distributors and their clients. We do this by offering exceptional customer service and unique products that make extraordinary promotions. We are so grateful to be recognized for these efforts.” Fast
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SAGE Quick Technologies, Irving, Texas, recently announced SAGE-Online, the company’s flagship research tool for the promotional products industry, will now include Sm@rt Codes developed by PPAI. “Sm@rt Codes enable our customers to efficiently identify minimum artwork requirements for each product type at a glance,” said David Natinsky, president of SAGE. “Often, a graphic designed for use on one item will not be appropriate for another. Sm@rt Codes give distributors product-specific artwork guidelines that eliminates guessing.” Sm@rt Artwork Guidelines define the criteria that determine the readiness of each of four common artwork formats. The guidelines cover both vector and raster art files, and include instructions
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PPAI, Irving, Texas, has announced the nominees for its 2007 Board of Directors. From the eight nominees, two suppliers and two distributors will be elected by PPAI supplier and distributor members. Those elected will serve a four-year term that begins at the conclusion of The PPAI Expo 2007 in Las Vegas. The ballot vote ends on September 15, and results will be announced later that month. In an effort to increase voter participation, each distributor and supplier member, through their designated representative, will have the option of voting by mail or electronically through an independent election administrator. Due to laws governing businesses
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Benjamin Martin, Dedham, Mass., has hired Amber Gracey as director of marketing communications. Gracey is a graduate of Bentley College, where she majored in marketing with a concentration in management. She has previous marketing experience with the NFL and Ford Motor Company. For more information, call (800) 952-0200.
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Boxercraft, Atlanta, has acquired assets of Boxer Rebellion, Virginia Beach, Va. As a result of the transaction, the Boxercraft Girl line has expanded to include matching top and bottom outfits and custom rhinestone transfers. “Though we will miss the customers and industry friends we’ve made over the last 13 years, we are very pleased that our customers will have uninterrupted and immediate access to the Boxercraft line,” said J.P. VanDorn, owner of Boxer Rebellion. “Although we have been competitors for more than 20 years, we have always enjoyed a mutual respect for each other.” Of the acquisition, Jon Carroll, owner of Boxercraft, said, “We
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