(Editor’s Note: PromoWire by PPAI Media is a running digest of news releases and updates submitted from organizations around the promotional products industry. PPAI Media edits these only slightly, including for length, and will consider newsworthy entries from any member organization.)

December 12, 2022

Outdoor Cap Company Hires Peter Cohen

Peter Cohen has joined the Outdoor Cap Company (PPAI 213485, S10) executive team as the new head of product.

  • Cohen has worked with many of the world’s leading companies and brands (e.g., LinkedIn and Levi’s), license-holders (e.g., Harry Potter and Marvel), retailers and supermarkets (e.g., Marks & Spencer & Sports Direct), franchises (e.g., Church’s Chicken & Hardee’s) and Amazon sellers.
  • Cohen will lead the company’s product roadmap and global sourcing strategy.
  • “Peter’s vast background in sourcing and product leadership will bring a high-level focus to crafting our strategic approach moving forward. He will be leveling up that approach, and our leadership team is excited to partner with him on continuous improvement of our people, customer, partner, and product experience,” says Outdoor Cap CEO Jeanelle Harris.

Evans Manufacturing Receives Top Workplaces Honor

Evans Manufacturing (PPAI 110747, S11) has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2022 honor by the Orange County Register Top Workplaces.

  • The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC. The confidential survey uniquely measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization, including alignment, execution, and connection.
  • "It truly is a privilege to be considered for this award and it's even a greater honor to actually win. Our culture is both employee centric and customer centric, which explains why Evans has won multiple Best Places to Work awards," says Ron Williams, Evans chief marketing officer.

December 9, 2022

AAA Innovations Hires New National Account Director

AAA Innovations announced that Cristi Meyer has been hired as its new national account director, managing many of the industry’s largest national accounts such as Staples Promotional Products, Proforma and Geiger.

  • Meyer brings more than 25 years of experience in the promotional products industry. Most recently, she served as a national accounts manager with Sweda/Snugs and was previously an account executive at Corporate Express (Staples Promotional Products) for many years.
  • “It is my great pleasure to introduce and welcome Cristi Meyer to our team,” says Jeffrey Nanus, CEO of AAA Innovations. “Cristi has been successful wherever she’s been and I could not be more excited to have her join our team! It is a very exciting time at AAA Innovations as we have put together our strongest product assortment ever and have added all the necessary resources behind it to continue to move forward.”


December 8, 2022

Spector Opens New 100,000-Square-Foot Facility In Las Vegas

Spector & Co. (PPAI 168328, S10) has announced the opening of its brand-new, state-of-the-art factory and merchandising studio located minutes from the Vegas strip. 

  • With this expansion, the company effectively doubles its capacity to support distributor growth while jointly improving services to both American and Canadian customers. 
  • “US expansion has been an objective of ours for some time now and with the recent hiring of new team members in the areas of IT, logistics, production, and fulfillment, we feel very good about taking this strategic step to better support our distributors,” says Rob Spector, CEO of Spector & Co.
  • With this Las Vegas location, Spector & Co. will be able to offer improved logistics and reduced shipping times throughout more of the US, especially for distributors in the Midwest and western states. This also means a reduction in carbon emissions directly linked to transportation.


Cap America Presents 2022 Distinguished Sales Award

Cap America (PPAI 111597, S10) vice president of sales Grace Schettler and national sales managers Joel Krane and Lauren Allen presented awards to three outstanding members of the company’s multi-line rep force.

  • A new honor, Largest Growth in Stock Units, was presented to Ron Keller of Florida-based Sports Sales. Keller has represented Cap America since 2018.
  • The President’s Circle Award, which is based on improvement in numbers over the previous year, went to Mark Fulwider of WesCo Marketing.
  • The Distinguished Sales Award -- the most prestigious award that Cap America offers and often referred to as the Salesman of the Year award -- was awarded to Jim Maddox of The Maddox Co.