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SOI 2007
Survey Reveals: Top Products, Best Markets & New Opportunities
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THE VOICE OF THE INDUSTRY
State
07
of the
Industry
Everything You Need To…
Achieve Double-Digit Growth ❉ Recruit Better Reps
Land A Million-Dollar Account ❉ Build Business On The Web
Squeeze Deadbeat Clients ❉ Sell Your Business, And Much More
+
The Exclusive Top 40

07State
of the
Industry
36 State of the Industry
2007
Our how-to guide gives you
all the information you need to
drive your business.
41 Profitable Business
How Companies Measure
Profi tability
BY SHANE DALE
46 Top Markets
How To Penetrate
The Pharmaceutical Market
BY KEN HEIN
50 Recruiting/Retaining
Salespeople
How To Hire And Retain
Salespeople
BY SHANE DALE
54 Client Payment
How To Get Reluctant
Clients To Pay Up
BY BETSY CUMMINGS
58 Sales Volumes
How To Sell A Business
BY KEN HEIN
24 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
Counselor State
of the Industry 2007
Volume 54, No. 8, July 2007
62 New Clients
How I Nabbed
A $2 Million Account
BY BETSY CUMMINGS
66 Incentive Programs
How To Jump
Into Incentive Programs
BY SHANE DALE
70 Creative Selling
How I Use Creativity
To Close Deals
BY BETSY CUMMINGS
76 Web-Based Business
How To Increase Business
On The Internet
BY ELAINE WONG
81 Purchasing Habits
Why I Buy Products
From Outsiders
BY KEN HEIN
84 Top Products
How To Be An Apparel
Sales Pro
BY ELAINE WONG
continued on page 30
WWW.COUNSELORMAG.COM
PUBLISHER, SR. VICE PRESIDENT
Richard Fairfield, rfairfield@asicentral.com
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Melinda Ligos, mligos@asicentral.com
EDITOR
Andy Cohen, acohen@asicentral.com
MANAGING EDITOR
Joe Haley, jhaley@asicentral.com
SENIOR EDITORS
Michele Bell, mbell@asicentral.com
Matthew Histand, mhistand@asicentral.com
AWARDS EDITOR
Karen Akers, kakers@asicentral.com
ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR
Joan Chaykin, jchaykin@asicentral.com
SENIOR WRITER
Betsy Cummings, bcummings23@nyc.rr.com
EDITORIAL INTERN
Elaine Wong
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Kenneth Hein, Shane Dale
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Jim Lang
SR. DESIGNER
Pierre Schnog
DESIGNERS
Hillary Braubitz, Tim Dupnak, Monica Fisher
PHOTOGRAPHER
Mark Pricskett
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT
Christine Beaver
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Carole Seymour, cseymour@asicentral.com
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
Haitham Barakat
ASSISTANT PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
Jodi Tashman
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
Denise Iavecchia
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
& ANALYSIS DIRECTOR
Debra Brill
E DITO RIAL ADVISO RY BO ARD
DISTRIBUTORS
Jo-an Lantz, Geiger
Jack Levine, CorpLogoWare
Robert Ross, Evigna
Marc Simon, Halo Branded Solutions
David Woods, Adventures In Advertising
SUPPLIERS
Carol Constantino, Noteworthy
Mary Ann Farmer, Magna-Tel
Brandon Mackay, SnugZ USA
Lon McGowan, iClick Promos Inc.
Tom Riordan, Maple Ridge Farms
COUNSELOR (ISSN 0011-0027) is published monthly, except
semi-monthly in July. Subscription rates $75 per year in the United
States and Canada; $90 per year in all other foreign countries.
Publication offices are located at ASI • 4800 Street Road •
Trevose PA 19053-6698. Periodical Postage Paid at Langhorne,
PA and additional offices.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Counselor, 4800 Street
Road, Trevose PA 19053-6698.
Imprints, logos or trademarks displayed on products in this magazine
are for illustrating purposes only; are not available for sale and
do not represent implied or actual endorsement of the products on
which they appear by the companies these logos and trademarks
represent. Views expressed by columnists or interviewees are not
necessarily those of Counselor or ASI.

07State
of the
Industry
32 Contributors
Catch The Fever
34 Editor’s Letter
The Road to Greatness
89 Top 40 Distributor Charts & Stats
The 2007 edition of Counselor’s exclusive listing of the
distributors with the most industry revenues during 2006.
97 Top 40 Supplier Charts & Stats
The 2007 edition of Counselor’s exclusive listing of the
suppliers with the most industry revenues during 2006.
105 Top 40 Distributor Profiles
Sales history and comments from the industry’s
largest distributors.
BY KAREN AKERS, ANDY COHEN, MATT HISTAND,
SHANE DALE
134 Top 40 Supplier Profiles
Sales history and comments from the industry’s
largest suppliers.
BY KAREN AKERS, ANDY COHEN, MATT HISTAND,
JAMES STURDIVANT
169 Multimillion Dollar Roundtable – Distributors
Complete listing of distributor companies with more than
$2 million in sales.
192 Multimillion Dollar Roundtable – Suppliers
Complete listing of supplier companies with more
than $5 million in sales.
200 Quotables
A selection of this issue’s sources.
30 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
WWW.COUNSELORMAG.COM
VICE PRESIDENT/SUPPLIER SALES
Ron Ball, MAS (800) 546-1430
rball@asicentral.com
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Edwin Koehler (800) 546-1261
ekoehler@asicentral.com
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Judi Cavaliere, jcavaliere@asicentral.com
ADVERTISING SALES
Suzanne Bahnatka, sbahnatka@asicentral.com
Vincent Deissroth, vdeissroth@asicentral.com
Daniel Dienna, ddienna@asicentral.com
Alice Higgins, ahiggins@asicentral.com
Cindi Mann, cmann@asicentral.com
Barry Melito, bmelito@asicentral.com
Phyllis Mutnick, pmutnick@asicentral.com
Henry Nagel, hnagel@asicentral.com
Craig O’Connor, coconnor@asicentral.com
James Padilla, CAS, jpadilla@asicentral.com
Mary Sells, msells@asicentral.com
Barbara Tepper, CAS, btepper@asicentral.com
A DVERTISING SPEC IALTY INSTITUTE
CHAIRMAN
Norman Cohn
PRESIDENT & CEO
Timothy M. Andrews
PRESIDENT OF ASI SHOW
Matthew Cohn
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT/
GENERAL COUNSEL
Steve Bright
VICE PRESIDENT, SR. COUNSEL
Charles Machion
SR. VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES
Christine Lovell, MAS (800) 546-1478
SR. VICE PRESIDENT
Vincent Bucolo Jr.
SR. VICE PRESIDENT
Dale Denham
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Vincent Mendola
VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
Carol Albright
SR. VICE PRESIDENT OF DISTRIBUTOR
& INTERNET SALES
Dan O’Halloran
VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING
Susanne Curry

SOI 2007 CONTRIBUTORS
By Melinda Ligos
Catch the Fever
Here in the editorial offi ces,
we call it SOItis – the condition
some of us get right
at deadline as we’re putting
together our annual mam-
and was belting out, “You can dance if you
want to. . .!” as we watched the bizarre
collection of singers, which included – for
no explicable reason – a guy with a rooster’s
head. We went on to sing along with
Intern Elaine Wong. Their work appears
in our “how-to” guide in the fi rst half of
this book. Take your time with this: There
are lots of ideas and tactics to help you
move your business forward.
moth State of the Industry issue. The signs Squeeze (Remember Black Coffee in Bed?), d Simultaneous to the survey being con-
are telltale: a tendency to giggle when Rick Springfi eld ( (Jesse’s Girl l,
of course) ducted, Counselor r editors began research
someone delivers bad news; marked and a once-scandalous, MTV-banned to identify the industry’s biggest compa-
fatigue; punchiness; and, most notewor- version of Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s nies, blanketing the industry with Top 40
thy, a great affi nity for ’80s music.
Relax, which involved a sumo wrestler census cards and e-mails and following
Such was the state many of us were wearing shaving cream.
up with hundreds of phone calls. Once
in one Friday night as we were putting Yes, we all had an acute case of SOItis, the Top 40 was identifi ed, a team includ-
on the fi nishing touches to this issue. As the result of spending so much time ing Awards Editor Karen Akers, Senior
I sat in my offi ce, I suddenly heard the collecting, reporting on and analyzing Editor Matt Histand, Andy Cohen,
the most comprehensive Editorial Assistant Carole Seymour
collection of data in the and Contributing Writers Shane Dale
industry. Indeed, pulling and Jim Sturdivant worked to interview
together this annual issue executives from all 80 companies.
takes a lot of work by a lot Our editors’ and reporters’ work was
of different people. This then envisioned by Editorial Designer
year, the work began in Hillary Braubitz. “My goal was to create
the fi rst quarter of 2007, a fun, easy read that fl owed well and
when Counselor r mailed provided a consistent look,” Hillary says.
out separate surveys to I believe she’s accomplished that with
distributors and suppliers. the wonderfully user-friendly guide you
Counselor r received a total have before you.
of 583 usable distributor Once Hillary laid out these pages,
surveys and 182 usable sup- our team of copy readers, including Joe
plier replies.
Haley, Assistant Managing Editor Joan
The team that worked on the State of the Industry: y (bottom, left The surveys were then Chaykin and Karen Akers, pored over
to right) Hillary Braubitz, Melinda Ligos, Andy Cohen, Monica tallied and analyzed by every page to make sure we got it right.
Fisher; (middle, left to right) Jim Lang, Joan Chaykin, Pierre Larry Basinait, executive As readers, many of you also played
Schnog, Matt Histand; (top, left to right) Larry Basinait, Karen director of membership an integral part in this issue, graciously
Akers, Denise Iavecchia, Joe Haley, Elaine Wong, Carole Seymour services for ASI, and taking time to answer our phone calls and
Marjorie Cooper, Ph.D., provide valuable insights into what makes
song Safety Dance blaring from within the Business Education and Research, Baylor your businesses tick.
department. Not one to ignore such a University. They provided us with two Of course, by the time you’re reading
thing, I went to investigate.
massive reports totaling more than 120 this, I’m sure all of us in the editorial
What I saw was truly horrifying: Two pages of analysis. Once the reports are department will have fully recovered
staffers, Managing Editor Joe Haley and given to Editor Andy Cohen, our writers from our once-a-year health condition.
Senior Editor Michele Bell singing and hit the reporting trail in an effort to pres- But come next year, if you witness any
shimmying their hearts out to the old ent the data to you in a comprehensive, of us singing something to the likes of,
Men Without Hats video, which Joe meaningful form. Those efforts included “Cause your friends don’t dance and if
found on www.youtube.com. Faster than the work of Senior Writer Betsy Cum- they don’t dance, well they’re no friends
the bleach blond in the video could shout, mings, Contributing Writers Kenneth of mine. . .” you’ll know precisely what’s
“And Sing!”, however, I too was transfi xed Hein and Shane Dale, and Editorial happened.
32 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com

SOI 2007 EDITOR’S LETTER
By Andy Cohen
The Road To Greatness
T
here’s a fi ne line between
greatness and mediocrity.
Take Tiger Woods, for
example. There’s no debating
the fact that he’s a great
golfer. He might even be the best ever
to hit the links. However, for one Sunday
in June, he was simply mediocre.
At the U.S. Open last month, played
at the exceedingly diffi cult Oakmont
Country Club in Oakmont, PA,
Woods went into the fi nal round one
stroke behind the leader. He ended
the tournament the same way, and you
could tell how frustrated he was by the
second-place result.
“I didn’t get it done. I put myself
there and I didn’t get it done,” he said,
repeating the refrain for effect.
Of course, he had one rather easy
chance – easy, at least by his standards
– to make up one stroke. It was on the
13th hole of Sunday’s fi nal round. He
had hit a perfect tee shot on the 183yard
par three hole, which left him with
a fi ve-foot putt for birdie. He makes
these in his sleep. He eats these up. You
could just imagine it: He sinks the putt,
offers a stirred-up crowd his famous
fi st pump, and proceeds to a Father’s
Day victory in honor of his dad who
passed away just over a year ago.
Except, he missed. Woods’ fi ne line
between mediocrity and greatness
that day was about two inches. That
was how far he missed that putt just to
the right of the cup. He knelt down in
agony just after seeing the putt slide
past the hole, and tugged his Nike
baseball hat over his eyes. He knew he
had just blown the tournament. It was
his best chance to make up any ground
– even though he still had six holes left
to play – and he missed. His day was
34 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
defi ned by two inches. I bet he wishes
he had a road map to success on that
13th hole.
What’s the difference between
greatness and mediocrity at your company?
Whether it’s revenue or profi ts
or customer satisfaction or a motivated
workforce, I’m sure there’s a fi ne line
that determines success. And that’s
where this issue comes in. This State
of the Industry is designed as a how-to
manual for advertising specialty practitioners.
The front half of the magazine
is based on our annual State of the Industry
survey, which asks in-depth questions
of both suppliers and distributors
to fi nd out how the market is doing and
where it’s headed.
The data overwhelmingly reports
that both distributors and suppliers
believe the industry is thriving right
now and is headed toward even better
times ahead. And we’re here to help
you take advantage of the wealth of
opportunities in the industry today.
We’ve broken up our coverage of the
survey into 12 separate how-to sections
that are sure to provide tips for success.
It leads off with an article titled “How
to Achieve Double-Digit Growth,” and
has other pieces that offer strategies
for selling to the number-one enduser
market, measuring profi tability,
recruiting top salespeople, and
getting deadbeat clients to pay their
bills. We’ve got you covered for just
about any task you could take on in any
given day.
It even has articles for how to sell a
business, how to gain a million-dollar
client, how to set up an online presence,
how to sell incentive programs,
and how to make even more money
from apparel – the number-one product
segment in the market, representing
Tiger Woods’ day was defi ned by two
inches. I bet he wishes he had a road
map to success on that 13th hole.
about a third of the industry’s overall
revenues. In short, it’s the type of roadmap
to success for any situation – the
kind of detailed strategy guide that
Tiger Woods could have used at the
U.S. Open last month.
Of course, this issue also highlights
the Top 40, Counselor’s annual ranking
of the largest – as measured by 2006
industry revenue – ad specialty distributors
and suppliers. While we offer a
variety of data about each Top 40 company,
we also have profi les of the companies
that explain the reasons behind
their success – or in some instances,
why they’ve faltered recently. For companies
of all sizes in this market, these
profi les add to the how-to-guide feel of
this issue. No, everyone can’t be
as big as the members of the Top 40 –
or as good as Tiger Woods – but everyone
can learn from their mistakes and
their victories.

B
36
$$
Y
FOR SALE
38 41 46 50 54 58

S I v ˝ a
62 66 70
76 80 84
37

SOI 2007 REVENUE RAMP-UP
How To Achieve
Double-Digit Growth
Jaw-dropping growth. What distributor
or supplier doesn’t want
to see year-over-year growth of
10%, 20%, even 500% or more?
Yes, the industry averaged 4.5%
growth between 2005 and 2006 – and its
members overall are giving the industry
a fairly high rating in terms of health
– but there are some companies in the
industry that are off the charts in terms
of growth.
Take Patriot Marketing Group
(asi/291551 ( ). Two years ago, the company
won a Counselor r Spirit Award as the
Fastest-Growing distributor, growing
by more than 900%. Last year, the
BILLIONS
$$
Counselor State of the Industry survey. ©2007
38 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
company grew another 100%, with
more than $10 million in annual sales.
The company’s secret: pressing hard
on a new niche – advertising agencies.
“We’ve been partnering with creative
agencies, whose clients are moving away
from traditional media campaigns and
into logoed products,” says President
Dennis Borst. “That’s where all of our
focus has been this year.” The targeted
approach has paid off for Patriot: This
year, the company sold its biggest
program in history, partnering with a
creative agency to sell more than $1 million
in logoed dogtags to a hair-cutting
chain for a back-to-school promotion.
Industry Revenue Soars
The ad specialty market saw a revenue increase of 4.5% between 2005
and 2006, to a record $18.6 billion.
$16.5
$16.9
$18.6
‘We’d never broken the million-dollar
mark before for one sale,’ ” Borst says. In
a second deal, Borst’s team worked with
an advertising agency to provide 20,000
gift bags – each containing $22 worth
of promotional products – for the New
York Auto Show.
A similar strategy has paid off for
Custom HBC Corp. ( (asi/47934).
When
it was founded in 2000, President Larry
Wilhelm says, its mission was to only
sell health and beauty products – and it
hasn’t wavered from that core competency
since. Wilhelm, who served
in executive positions at Procter &
Gamble, Colgate and Palmolive, and
was the CEO of Soft Soft Enterprises,
has gathered a team of executives from
those and other health and beauty companies.
“We have very deep experience
in all facets of health and beauty care
product development, manufacturing
and sourcing,” he says. “That gives us a
huge edge.” Apparently so. With sales
over $5 million, the company grew
more than 68% last year. The two previous
years it was on Counselor’s Fastest-
Growing supplier list as well, netting
more than 800% growth in 2004 and
more than 900% in 2005. Indeed, Wilhelm
attributes the company’s exclusive
focus on the health and beauty niche
as one of its main secrets to success.
“A lot of suppliers try to be all things
to all people,” says Wilhelm, whose
company’s hand-sanitizer pocket spray
it its biggest seller. “We don’t pretend
to do that.”
Certainly, another strategy that is
working for companies both in and out
of the Top 40 is a focus on hiring top
salespeople – and letting them do what
they do best: sell. Many of those interviewed
for Top 40 profi les indicated
that giving salespeople more time in
the fi eld was a key to growth this year.
Ross Silverstein, president of distribu-

Industry Health Ratings
This measure, which looks at the confi dence that distributors and suppliers
have in the market right now, is at the highest level since 2000. Both
suppliers and distributors are asked to provide a rating of the industry’s
health. Each respondent chooses a number between 1 and 5, where 1
equals “ailing” and 5 equals “robust.”
3.86
3.56 3.42
3.26
Counselor State of the Industry survey. ©2007
torship iPromoteU ( (asi/232119),
partially
attributes his company’s 63% growth in
2006 to his company’s efforts to provide
back-offi ce support to its affi liates.
“Distributors spend
too much of their
time participating in
non-revenue-generating
activities,” he says.
iPromoteU’s services,
which include following
up on orders, gives reps more
time in the fi eld, Silverstein says. Such
services, provided at a fee lower than
the industry norm, have also helped the
company attract more affi liates, according
to Silverstein. iPromoteU signed up
114 distributor affi liates in 2006, for a
grand total of 314.
3.34
Distributors
Motivating reps in the right way can
certainly be a catalyst for growth as
well. Borst recognized this when this
year he set up an incentive program
called “Operation
Agency” for his reps
to go after creative
agencies. The reps
earn gift cards for
every agency lead and
sale they generate.
But the real carrot is the end-of-year
reward: Whoever brings in the
most revenue from creative
agencies wins a week-long trip to
Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico or
Hawaii. “It’s winner takes all,” Borst
says, “and you can bet that’s a big
motivator.” – Melinda Ligos
Watch The Video!
ndustry confi dence is at a near-record
high. Go to asicentral.com/soivideo
to watch Editor Andy Cohen discuss
the reasons why companies are so
enthusiastic about the present and
future of this market.
3.74
3.52
Suppliers
3.83
3.54
Four Steps
To Double-Digit Growth
1Consider a new niche.
Has your company seen an
ptick in pharmaceutical
sales – or perhaps reps are
noticing new customers
popping up in a
previously
untapped
industry. Go
after it quick
– before your
competitors do.
2Focus on
your core
competencies. Don’t try
to be all things to all people.
Figure out what your company
does best and capitalize on it.
3Just sell, baby. Figure
out how to give your
salespeople more time on
the street, doing what they
do best.
4Focus on incentives.
Amp up your motivational
programs to get salespeople
jazzed about a new
initiative. Offer an over-the-top
prize for whomever has the
most success. The payoff will
be worth it.
www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 39

SOI 2007 • PROFITABLE BUSINESS
A gauge of business success
How Companies
Measure Profi tability
Some distributors measure
the profi tability of each
client or the profi tability
of each order. Many
do neither. The latter,
though, is a mistake that industry companies
can’t afford to make.
Craig Nadel, president of Top 40
distributor Jack Nadel International
(asi/279600
( ), in Culver City, CA, says
measuring by each order is his preferred
method. “By client is diffi cult,”
he says. “We fi nd many clients are more
than one client. If you sell to two divisions
of one company, we treat them
separately and bill them under different
client numbers.”
Profi tability
Uptick
In 2006 the majority
of industry companies
– both suppliers and
distributors – increased
their profi tability from the
prior year. Distributors
who experienced jumps
in profi tability averaged
an increase of 17%, while
suppliers averaged 18%
profi tability growth. Translation:
A whole lot of ad
specialty companies saw
double-digit increases to
their bottom lines last year.
Counselor State of the Industry survey. ©2007
Nadel says JNI seeks a gross profi t
margin between 35% and 40% for each
order. From there, he then calculates
expenses in terms of rent, salaries and
payroll taxes allocated to the offi ce,
before looking at the numbers. “Some
distributors may not know where the
costs, other than cost of goods, are in
the business, and before you can cut
rent, offi ce expenses and advertising,
you should know how much is spent in
each area,” he says. “The big expenses
offer the better opportunity for big
savings.”
Jerry Kelley, CEO of Mirror Sales
Inc. ( (asi/273703),
in Knoxville, TN, has
similar expectations in terms of profi t
margin. “If our gross margin is less than
30%, we didn’t make money on the
job,” he says. “We try to take catalog
prices and add 10% to the retail price.
This is an administrative fee that helps
cover our order processing cost. When
we are working from a cost basis, we
still add the 10%, even if we are calculating
commissions.”
But the question remains: Why is
it important for a distributorship to routinely
measure profi tability – or more
basically, why is it important to understand
the meaning of the word “profi t”?
For one thing, Kelley, whose company
has been in business for 35 years,
says profi t margins will increase if
measured routinely. “For individual jobs,
we take cost of goods vs. retail price,”
he says. “Make sure to fi gure markup on
retail price and not on cost price. It will
make a big difference in profi t.”
To increase profi ts, Nadel takes an
approach that includes trying to raise
DISTRIBUTORS
Increased
Decreased
Stayed the same
SUPPLIERS
Don’t know/Not applicable
continued on page 42
www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 41

SOI 2007 PROFITABLE BUSINESS
prices and capitalize on value-added
services. “Raising prices is the obvious
way to increase profi t and sometimes
can be done with the guts to ask,” he
says. “In the simplest form, profi t is
the difference between price and cost,
so the only options are to get more on
the price side, or pay less on the cost
side. More on the price side is not
limited to the item price, but could
also include setups and other sell price
aspects of the order. A hotel room is an
Distributors
achieved a
35%
gross profi t margin
in 2006, an
increase from
34%
in 2005.
example where the fi nal bill is typically
much higher than the room price, but
most people only think about the room
price. The other aspect of the equation
is costs. Sometimes you can get a better
net price from a supplier.”
Other distributors also focus on
reducing costs to improve their profi ts.
Rick Martines, the owner of Custom
Graphic Designs ( (asi/173159),
who says
he aims for a 50% gross profi t margin on
every order and measures his company’s
overall profi ts quarterly and annually,
focuses on not giving things to custom-
42 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
ers for free. “I used to give away free
samples and sometimes free shipping,”
he says. “Now, I show samples but I
rarely give them away, and now I usually
add on shipping costs to make money
there also. You can’t worry about having
the lowest price. Sell the features and
benefi ts of doing business with you over
others, and stand behind what you sell.”
Kelley would agree with such an
approach. He believes when a company
is focused on improving its profi t
margins, then it worries less about price
and focuses more on how to service its
customers. “We are not the cheapest
business to deal with, but our customers
know that we will do whatever it
takes to meet their schedules,” he says.
“We have worked many a weekend and
many a night to meet deadlines, and
most of the time, don’t charge extra
for this service.”
However, Kelley believes that suppliers
in the industry should also have
this type of service approach – and not
always look to charge for it. “It’s so
frustrating when one of our vendors
says they can meet our deadlines, but it
will cost an additional 25% or more,” he
says. “My thoughts are, if you can meet
my deadline, then do so; don’t gouge me
because you may have to go out of your
way a little. We treat our customers like
we would like to be treated. If all businesses
would keep that thought as the
number-one goal, I’ll bet their income
and margins will increase.”
Nadel says that as with anything, good
measurement tools are important, and a
solid-as-steel measuring stick for profi t
margin is essential – particularly for the
promotional product industry. “This
business is a low-margin business when
all costs are factored in,” he says. “As a
distributor, net profi t as a percentage of
sales will always be quite low compared
to some other industries.” – SD
Four Steps
To Measure Profi tability
1Pick a number and stick
to it. Whatever you determine
– 35%, 40%, 50% – to
be your optimal gross profi t
margin, make sure all of your deals
adhere to the goal.
2Measure profi tability of
each order. The more rigid
a company is with its profi tability
measurements, the
higher that profi tability tends to be.
3Figure in all costs. Many
distributor fi rms are too
focused on the cost of
goods when calculating
profi tability. This will give an accurate
gross profi t, but distributors should
have a regular and honest assessment
of their net profi t by factoring in
all of their costs to every order.
4Raise prices and keep
costs in check. It sounds
simple, but more companies
need to watch their
expenses – stop giving
things away for free
– and ask for
higher prices.

SOI 2007 TOP MARKETS
Y They keys to the #1 market
How To Penetrate The
Pharmaceutical Market
The brand manager for Zyrtec
is a busy guy. He’s got his
mind on fending off other
prescription allergy medicines
like Singulair while at
the same time battling over-the-counter
solutions like Claritin. “These people
have a lot to do. They have to deal with
a sales force, research people. There are
legal considerations. If they are a publicly
held company, they have to pay attention
to what’s going on in fi nance,” says Joe
Carey, vice president of Warjo Promotions
Inc. ( (asi/355440),
a distributor in
New York. “The heavy promotional products
buyer spends less than 5% of their
time dealing with promotional products.”
Marketers at some pharmaceutical
companies spend less. So how can
distributors get in and make the sale to
companies in the number-one end-user
market in the ad specialty industry?
Those who have succeeded say distributors
need to be willing to fi ght past the
gatekeepers and that they must be prepared
for the few precious minutes they
have to sell. Then, of course, there are
“price and logistics considerations,” says
Sammy Lasker, president of Rushking
Promotions ( (asi/315085).
“You want to
bend over backwards because they have
the ability to order mega dollars worth
and they usually do.”
It’s no wonder. U.S. prescription drug
sales alone were $274.9 billion last year,
according to IMS Health. This was up
8.3% from the prior year. And advertising
by companies in the market totaled
a staggering $11.4 billion, according to
46 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
Nielsen Monitor-Plus. This was up 12%
from the prior year. GlaxoSmithKline
($1.1 billion), Pfi zer ($642 million) and
Johnson & Johnson ($618 million) are
the biggest spenders. Promotional
products are most often used as a leave
behind for drug sales representatives
visiting doctors’ offi ces or hospitals or
attending trade shows.
When visiting practices, the doctor is
the central target for promotional products
followed by nurses and nurse practitioners
who can write prescriptions.
Then there are the lab technicians, followed
by the offi ce staff that actually get
them time to see the doctors. “It’s hard
enough to reach doctors as a patient
continued on page 48
TOP END-USER MARKETS
The pharmaceutical market is the number-one target sector, as it accounts for more
than 10% of overall ad specialty revenues. Here is the full list of markets and how
much overall revenue each accounts for in the industry.
1. Pharmaceutical
Markets Percentage of Industry Revenue
2. Financial
3. Health/Medical/Hospitals
4. Ad agencies/Full-service
promotion marketing companies
5. Education/Schools/Universities
6. Other
7. Associations/clubs/civic groups
8. Manufacturing
9. Automotive
10. Nonprofi t/Not-for-Profi t
11. Consumer products
12. Restaurants/Travel/Lodging
13. Technology
14. Real estate
15. Government
16. Professional services
17. Retail
18. Utilities
4.1
3.7
2.9
2.8
2.6
2.5
1.9
1.7
5.1
7.4
7.4
7.3
6.9
6.8
8.3
10.2
9.6
9.0
Counselor State of the
Industry survey. ©2007

SOI 2007 TOP MARKETS
Four Steps
To Cracking The Pharma Code
1Fight past
gatekeepers. It’s a
market built on
relationships.
Make the effort to get to
decision-makers, and work
past those responsible
for protecting those
decision-makers.
2Be prepared. Buyers in
this market don’t have a
lot of time, so hone your
pitch to even less than
that of an elevator ride.
3Think low-cost.
Regulatory restrictions
have caused
pharmaceutical
companies to pare back their
marketing expenses, so they can’t
spend lavishly anymore on bigtime
giveaways.
4Be creative. Marketers
are willing to spend big
dollars – large quantities
of low-cost items – but
they won’t dedicate
a lot of time to
thinking creatively
about them. Be
their creative
outlet for ad
specialties.
48 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
Step one for reaching the
decision-maker at a pharmaceutical
company is being able to get past
the purchasing department and the
services department.
much less as a rep doing a sales call,”
says Carey. “The average sales call time
is 90 seconds. All these factors have to
be thrown into the mix.”
Step one for reaching the decisionmaker
at a pharmaceutical company is
being able to get past the purchasing
department and the services depart-
ment to get to the
people who are making
decisions on a marketing
level. Hank Peacock,
president of Canadian
Connection ( (asi/156452),
says, “Everything is so politically motivated.
It’s a nasty, tough industry to
break into. It’s all about who you know.”
Along those lines, it’s often easier to
get in early with smaller pharmaceutical
companies that don’t have multiple layers
yet, Carey says. And of course it helps
to be located in their own backyard. Jean
Rosenheck, president of Princess Advertising
Specialties ( (asi/299420)
in New
York, says location plays a role although
the Internet has changed that of late.
“You sell the same,” she says. “Find a
product and adjust it to fi t their needs.”
She’s sold numerous pill holders, thermometers
and other products over the
years to her clients. Other typical items
include tissues, hand sanitizers, wall dispensers
and calendars.
Carey describes it as a very sophisticated
sale. “There is a lot of preliminary
work that has to go on,” he says. “You
need to get in there early to talk creative
at the onset just like ad agencies. You
have to present creative ideas, versus
asking them to pick out of a catalog.”
Making the process eminently more
complicated is the fact that the restrictions
regarding the use of promotional
products are tightening every year.
“There used to be higher-end giveaways
for doctors and other people, but the
industry cracked down,”
says Lasker. “Now it’s all
lower-end products. They
love paper … any paper
products, scratch pads,
notebooks, Post-its.”
This is a far cry from the golden days
when they wanted “everything leather,”
Lasker says. “Leather bags, goods, golf
bags. It was a tremendous business.”
Today, the American Medical Association
(AMA) offers guidelines, as do the
“new PhRMA guidelines” – created by
the pharmaceutical companies to police
themselves. There are even watchdog
groups like Nofreelunch.org.
“It’s a very diffi cult industry to be
involved in because the ground rules
are frequently changing from a governmental
standpoint,” says Carey.
“Marketing is constantly being attacked
as a major cost component in the cost
of drugs. Because the industry is heavily
regulated, some fi rms don’t want to
give any impression at all of any improprieties.
You have to be aware of the
culture and category that you’re in. But
the rewards can be very generous from
a percentage standpoint. It’s a very
large dollar sale.” – KH
Watch The Video!
Go to asicentral.com/
soivideo. to see Editor Andy
Cohen offer tips to capitalize
on the number-one market.

SOI 2007 RECRUITING/RETAINING SALESPEOPLE
Attracting the best in the business
How To Hire And Retain
Top Salespeople
While many industry
companies – both
suppliers and distributors
– say they’ll
be adding to their
head counts this year, most will fi nd the
effort challenging. Indeed, ad specialty
executives go through a lot of trial and
error before attracting the right people
to work for their companies.
Count Jody Ferrer, owner of The
Perfect Promotion ( (asi/293518 8),
in West
Hartford, CT, among the ranks of
frustrated distributor principals when
it comes to hiring the right salespeople
immediately. She has had her share of
struggles with her sales force, particularly
in an area that is a common problem for
ad specialty distributors: industry knowledge.
“Training and getting them started
Sales Hiring Trends – Distributors
While distributors overall reported having an average of 8.8 salespeople
(including part-timers and independent contractors), here is the breakdown
of sales force size in 2006 by company size (small distributors had less than
$250,000 in 2006 revenues and large had more than $1 million).
1.2
Full-time sales Part-time sales and independent contractors
Counselor State of the Industry survey. ©2007
50 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
5.7
18
10.6
can be extensive, and they will not see
the fi nancial benefi ts for a while,” she
says. “That can be disconcerting to them.
The challenge is to keep them motivated
in the beginning.”
How does she overcome this issue?
Hire salespeople at the beginning of
their careers. Ferrer has found success
by roping in new and promising salespeople
before they enter the real world.
“I’m fi nding that by hiring interns while
they are still in college, I’m able to teach
them the business and capture their
enthusiasm for the industry,” she says.
“When they go back to school, they act
as independent contractors selling on
their campus. Combine the money and
the enthusiasm with the right person,
and you have the best salesperson.”
Again, keeping sales reps content
is vital, according to Ferrer. “I treat
my salespeople as part of the team,”
she says. “They are not just numbers
people, and they are not a means to an
end. I work with them to support their
efforts.”
That kind of environment can have a
great effect on the motivation levels of a
sales force – and in turn, helps to retain
the best salespeople. Brian Gould, vice
president of LSC Marketing ( (asi/321000)
in Little Rock, AR, says he has never
lost a salesperson to another distributor.
One of the keys to keeping them isn’t a
big secret: Treat them well. “We strive to
treat everybody fairly – customers, vendors,
employees – everybody,” he says.
“Frequently, we’ll be contacted by people
working with other distributors, but in
exchange for being treated fairly, we’re
also expected to set the curve inasmuch
as work ethic is concerned. Many people
are unhappy because of their workload.
They wouldn’t fi t in here.”
Gould’s fi ve salespeople have worked
for LSC for fi ve, 10, 15, 22 and 24 years.
continued on page 52

SOI 2007 RECRUITING/RETAINING SALESPEOPLE
Four Steps
To Hiring Top Salespeople
1Start them early. Many
industry distributors like to
hire recent college grads so
they can train them on the
market and have a polished earlycareer
salesperson. If you follow this
strategy, make sure to have a solid
training program in place and some
clients signed up that they can easily
work with to get started.
2Network constantly. You
never know where your next
great hire will come from, so
you have to have your eyes
and ears open at all
times. Even if you’re
not currently looking
to fi ll a position, network
as if you are.
3
Start them slowly. Don’t
let new hires start in the
fi eld immediately. Have them
work on inside sales fi rst –
or even sales support – so they can
get a period of training time before
they’re actively calling on clients by
themselves.
4Keep them
in the fi rst
place. The
best way to
ensure you have top sales
talent is to retain your
best people. Provide the
training, compensation
and incentives necessary to keep
salespeople motivated and satisfi ed.
And remember: Motivation isn’t
one-size-fi ts-all.
52 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
Sales Hiring Trends – Suppliers
Suppliers report a sales force averaging 8.1 people (including independents).
Here is the breakdown by size of company of the sales force head count for
suppliers in 2006.
89
3.9
Counselor State of the Industry survey. ©2007
“We hire adults, we treat them like
adults,” Gould says.
Gould says three of his fi ve salespeople
are “homegrown,” while one spent fi ve
years with another distributor, and another
is a former print broker who segued into
the sales world. “Part of me thinks that
you’re better off hiring an order coordinator,
writer, researcher or inside salesperson,
and that the principal of the distributorship
should handle the heavy lifting as far
as outside sales are concerned,” he says.
“But if you have somebody who wants to
just sell, take them on a trial basis fi rst.”
Of course, many industry distributors
are family-oriented businesses, and
they have a whole host of other problems
when it comes to hiring and retaining
salespeople. If David Puntney, president of
Independent Forms ( (asi/230885)
in Joliet,
IL, treated his two sales reps in a negative
2.8
2.7
Part-time sales and independent contractors
manner, he would have family problems;
his daughter and brother-in-law make up
his sales team.
Puntney says it’s vital that family and
business be separated in this kind of environment.
“When at work, it is work. Away
from work, it is family,” he says. “In doing
this, you minimize favoritism issues. Everyone
knows that promotions are earned.”
Though most distributorships don’t
have immediate family in their sales
department, it could be a bonus to have a
family feel to the company, ensuring that
sellers aren’t looking to climb the socalled
ladder to larger companies.
It also means that taking risks on new
sales reps is unnecessary. “Everybody
interviews well, but the demands of this
job are such that one can only see how
well a salesperson will do after they’re
hired,” Gould says. – SD

SOI 2007 CLIENT PAYMENT
Dealing with the deadbeats
How To Get Reluctant
Clients To Pay Up
Brian Abrams can wield
power when he needs
to. The former lawyer
turned ad specialty
purveyor knows that bill
collection is one of the most thankless
– and important – parts of being
a promotional products owner. Still,
Distributors Tighten Billing …
54 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
Abrams, president of Corporate Imaging
Concepts Inc. ( (asi/168962),
doesn’t
take his legal prowess out on just any
old client – only those deadbeats who
push him to the brink. A few years
ago, Abrams phoned up a customer to
remind him he hadn’t paid a $1,000
bill. The client’s response? “Go F off,”
The State of the Industry y measurement that evaluates how well distributors
are getting their clients to pay invoices is days of sales outstanding. This
looks at how many days on average a distributor waits before clients pay
their bills. In 2006, distributors were able to reduce this number to the lowest
level in the last fi ve years, an average of 34 days.
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS SALES OUTSTANDING
… But Play The Float
Suppliers historically have had to wait longer than distributors to receive
payment for invoices. However, this is also getting better, as distributors are
receiving payments quicker from their clients and are, in turn, paying their
vendors a bit quicker.
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
42 39 43 42
AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS SALES OUTSTANDING
Counselor State of the Industry survey. ©2007
43 36 36
Abrams says, “you’ll never collect it.”
That was a fatal fl aw. “That only excited
me more,” Abrams says. “I enjoyed it,
quite frankly.”
Abrams, a University of Michigan
Law School grad, practiced for fi ve
years before walking away to a more
enjoyable career in ad specialties, he
says. Now, going after the infrequent
client who won’t pay is almost an
amusing pasttime – something Abrams
says he does with less than one tenth
of his clients, but which he pursues
wholeheartedly when he does. “It takes
me about fi ve minutes to draft a new
lawsuit,” Abrams says. “I have the form
sitting in my computer.” Representing
himself means he pays no legal fees
– not true for his defendants.
In this case, the wayward client
thought he’d ditched Abrams and the
bill, only to see the sheriff visit his
offi ce three times to serve him with
legal papers. Unwilling to accept, the
deadbeat customer went conveniently
missing each time the sheriff showed
up. Aware of his games, Abrams concocted
a scheme to fool the client. “I
had my father appointed as a special
process server,” Abrams says, then
sent him to the client’s offi ce with a
pizza box, posing as a grateful supplier
bearing food as thanks. “When the
guy came up to get his pizza, my father
served” the complaint to him, Abrams
says. “I got my money about three days
later.”
Not every distributor, however, has
a law degree to fall back on when trying
to make deadbeat clients pay. That
doesn’t make them any less powerful.
Just ask Michael Reisbaum. During
the dot-com boom Reisbaum started
ProCon Marketing Inc. ( (asi/299836 6),
a
distributorship in New Jersey, just 30
minutes outside Manhattan, where an
continued on page 57

SOI 2007 CLIENT PAYMENT
Four Steps
To Getting Deadbeat
Clients To Pay
1Get your systems in
order. Make sure bills are
going to the right person
at your client’s company.
Often, invoices go unpaid because
they end up on the wrong desk.
2Follow Up Frequently.
Immediately after an invoice
due date, pick up the phone
or send an
e-mail. At this point,
it should be a
friendly message
– almost a way
to expand the
relationship
– but you’ll
make a point
as well.
3Show Up In Person.
With true deadbeat clients,
phone messages and
e-mails simply won’t work.
Don’t be afraid to show up on their
doorstep asking for payment.
4Use Fear. Nobody wants
to incur the extra cost of
legal representation, but a
simple lawyer’s note
can go a long way
toward your receiving
at least a piece
of what is owed
to you.
exploding online gaming
company couldn’t
blow cash fast enough on
promotional products to
build their brand. “They
had a huge influx of cash,” Reisbaum
recalls – so much that the pens,
T-shirts, cups, softball jerseys, squeeze
balls, and van wraps custom built to
encase company vehicles, resulted
in more than $100,000 in sales for
Reisbaum’s fledgling company. “I got
wrapped up in the romance of the
sale,” Reisbaum says. And then the
ax fell.
After a few months, “numerous
phone calls, passionate conversations
and veiled threats of collection agencies,
I realized I was getting nowhere
over the phone,” says Reisbaum. So
he went in person – every Friday for 15
months. “I showed up every Friday at
8 a.m. and would camp out in front of
the accounts payables director’s offi ce
and wait,” he says.
Anywhere between 8:15 a.m. and 9
a.m. the fi nance director would stroll
by and see Reisbaum sitting with an
offering – a cup of coffee and a bagel
in exchange for a check. “Sometimes
I would get a check at 9:30,” he says,
“and sometimes it would be 2:00 or
even 4:30 in the afternoon,” though
thankfully only a couple of times.
Sometimes the CFO would say, “I
don’t have any money for you, and I
Watch The Video!
would say, ‘You will have
to call security then,
because I’m not leaving
without my check,’”
Reisbaum says. That
line always worked. Inevitably, usually
by mid-morning, Reisbaum was
handed a check. The amounts varied
– $300 some weeks, $700 on others, as
much as $1,200 on the most generous
days – but the balance the client owed
slowly whittled downward.
Reisbaum, who skipped only two
Fridays in those 15 months, admits
now he missed conducting initial due
Want to collect from
deadbeats? Watch the video
on the best ways to do it at
asicentral.com/soivideo.
“I showed up every Friday
at 8 a.m. and would camp out in
front of the accounts payables
director’s offi ce and wait.”
– MICHAEL REISBAUM, PROCON MARKETING INC. (ASI/299836)
diligence on the client. “I got swept up
in the emotion of writing the business,”
he says. When such large bills
went unpaid, “I felt I owed it not only
to myself ” – not to mention his wife
and kids counting on that income for
food and housing – “but to the people
who worked for me, because I didn’t
want to get beat.” He didn’t want his
staff, he says, to lose respect for his
leadership or lose sight of what he
thought to be one of his company’s
most important credos: “We don’t
accept clients who don’t pay.”
Today he’s still fired up about
his bold move to collect. “Of the
$125,000 they owed me I got well over
$100,000. I was convinced that if I
had sent e-mails or made phone calls
I wouldn’t have gotten a third or even
10% of it.” – BC
www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 57

SOI 2007 SALES VOLUMES
FOR SALE
Capitalizing on big sales increases
How To Sell A Business
Richard Francis at Francis
& Lusky Co. ( (asi/197700)
sold his business to Halo/
Lee Wayne (asi/356000 ( )
in November. Like many
business owners in the advertising specialty
industry, he was more than happy to
seize the opportunity to become part of
a larger, more powerful company. Others,
like Fred Goldstein of Tasco Promotions
(asi/341700 ( ), decided it was time to cash
out and start his retirement.
Acquisitions are about as common
to the ad specialties market these days
as missed payments from customers.
“There is a large number of deals happening
right now on both the supplier
and distributor sides,” says John Schimmoller,
a partner with the industry
brokerage Certifi ed Marketing Consultants
in Huntertown, IN. “Merger and
acquisition activity is as high as we’ve
seen it; 2005 and 2006 were very good
years. Indications are that 2007 will be
as good or better.”
Companies like Halo have been
extremely aggressive on the acquisition
front. It has made four acquisitions in
the last 12 months, including its purchases
of Francis & Lusky and Tasco
Promotions.
But, how exactly does one sell a
distributorship? Experts say a number
of factors come into play. First and
foremost is sales volume. Strong sales
volume will help draw the eye of a
potential suitor. Profi tability is helpful
but not altogether necessary, as bigger
players factor in their own economies of
scale for pricing and superior customer
service technologies when making a
decision. Where a business is located
58 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
and the ways in which the company goes
to market are also crucial. “We focus on
the quality of the sales force and the client
base,” says Halo CEO Marc Simon.
“Revenue retention is a key element of
an acquisition for us. It leads us to look
at our compatibility with the sales force
and our ability to add value to the sales
force.”
Francis says having sales volume of $2
million to $4 million is the baseline for
a large distributorship’s being interested
in acquiring a smaller business. Once
you have that kind of revenue, then
continued on page 60
A Volume Game
Merger-and-acquisition experts say that consistent sales volume growth is the
number-one criteria for acquiring fi rms. Using that measurement, there are a lot
of attractive distributorships right now in the industry. When asked whether they
increased their sales volume in 2006, more than 70% of distributors said yes.
Increased
Decreased
Stayed the same
Don’t know
The amount that distributors say their sales increased is also impressive,
as the average increase was more than 25% in 2006:
Sales Volume
Increased 27%
Counselor State of the Industry survey. ©2007
Sales Volume
Decreased 17%

SOI 2007 SALES VOLUMES
Four Steps
To Selling A Business
1Focus on increasing
sales volume. Many
believe that
profi tability
is the key to selling
a business, but
volume is what’s
coveted in the ad
specialty market.
2Gross margin is job-one.
Big distributors can take
care of operating expenses
when acquiring smaller
companies, so they’ll be looking
at the ones with impressive gross
profi t margins, not net profi ts.
3
Know the
value of your
company.
Factors such as
cash fl ow, capitalization
of earnings
and liquidation
value will lead
an owner to get
an accurate assessment
of his company’s worth.
Don’t go into the process blind.
4Don’t look desperate.
Experts say that a company
that’s seeking a buyer tends
to get 25% less in a deal
than companies that are sought
after. Focus internally on growing
sales volume and gross margins,
and make key relationships in the
industry.
60 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
the focus will turn to profi t margins.
“You have to have good margins,” he
says. “The company that acquires you
can take care of operating expenses,
but they can’t do much to change gross
margin.”
Because Francis says his business was
generating strong volume for a consistent
period of time, a broker working on
Halo/Lee Wayne’s behalf contacted him
and the acquisition deal came together
rather quickly.
Bruce Walter, founder of Business
Evolution LLC, a small business training
and development company based in
Morristown, NJ, says being courted is
the ideal situation for a seller. In fact,
he believes that a seller can lose up to a
quarter of the value of their business if
they’re actively seeking a buyer. “Take
25% off the value of the company once
you hire someone to sell your company,”
Walter says.
For distributors who are considering
the possibility of searching for a
buyer, Schimmoller says the fi rst step
is to determine the real value of their
companies. “People know the value of
their home and the value of their car,
but many times their business is the
biggest asset they have,” he says. “You’d
be surprised, though, that they have no
idea what their company is worth. Even
if it’s two, three, four years before you
sell the business, you want to have it in
the back of your mind what your company
is worth and do things to enhance
the business between now and then.”
Distributors can get a rather clear
valuation of their businesses by using
appraisal methods including discounted
cash fl ow, industry comparables, capitalization
of earnings and excess earnings
and/or liquidation value or adjusted
book value.
One of the biggest considerations
a buyer may make is how the company
A seller can lose
up to a quarter of
the value of their
business if they’re
actively seeking
a buyer.
will function without the owner should
he decide to retire. A proprietor should
have an exit strategy in place that shifts
many of the responsibilities onto the
employees who will remain with the
company. “Spreading out some of the
dependency helps enhance the value of
the company,” says Schimmoller.
Having low turnover is also helpful,
as fl eeing talent is a red fl ag. “Turnover
is more of a refl ection of management
and leadership than the employees
themselves,” says Walter. “It smells of
deep distrust in the organization. No
one wants to acquire that bag of rocks.”
Next, the potential buyer will try
to determine if the two companies are
a good fi t fi nancially, geographically
and whether they are a sales employee
model or independent contractor
model. If you have a potential buyer that
uses an independent contractor model,
then companies with actual employees
may not be a good strategic fi t, says
Schimmoller.
Terry McGuire, senior vice president
of marketing and communications for
Halo, says that in the case of Tasco,
Halo looked at two factors: the similarities
of their respective business models
as well as the likelihood of being able to
retain the salespeople who derive all of
the revenue. “Fred wanted to fi nd a good
home for all of his employees. It was a
good fi t philosophically.” – KH

SOI 2007 NEW CLIENTS
The secret to closing big deals
How I Nabbed
A $2 Million Account
David Gray knows that
sometimes to make a
million dollars, you have
to start off with nothing.
“They’re tough,” Gray
says of landing large accounts, “especially
living in Florida, as opposed to up
north where big companies are. If it’s a
$100 piece of business, I’ll take it. I treat
everybody the same.”
Still, Gray is nobody’s fool. He knows
the key to huge windfalls in this business
is landing a few giant accounts rather than
a vast quantity of little ones. But turning
down anything can mean missing out on a
Competitive Threats
So, who are you facing in the fi eld to get that prized big client? Here is the ranking of
the biggest competitive threats, and the percent of distributors that chose each one.
62 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
large opportunity down the road.
With one $2 million account, Gray
started small. The fi rst order? Three
hundred portfolios, for which Gray, who
owns David Gray Enterprises ( (asi/213025 5),
made only $300. That, he says, was a
windfall. On other orders he broke even.
Ask any distributor, and they’ll tell you
the same thing: Large orders are sometimes
a waiting game, nudging a small
client up into bigger and bigger orders,
making sure to be on hand as the go-to
person when a client grows and moves
toward the seven-fi gure mark.
But the key to reaching the million-
Competitive Threats Percentage of Distributors Selecting
1. Other local distributors 30
2. Web sites selling ad specialty items
3. Mail-order distributors/catalogers
4. Crossover distributors, offi ce products,
trophy dealers, screen printers, business forms
5. Large distributors selling in your territory
6. Industry suppliers that sell direct
7. Other/Don’t Know
8. Ad agencies/full-service promotion
marketing companies
9. Non-industry suppliers that sell direct
6.8
6.1
9.4
9.0
3.1
1.4
10
13
22
*Totals more than 100%
due to multiple responses
10. Client in-house distributorships Counselor State of the Industry survey. ©2007
dollar mark – aside from relentlessly
following up on cold calls, which is how
Gray landed this particular million-dollar
client – is to yield profi t for quality.
“I care about my client’s image,” says
Gray, who has been in the business for
49 years. “I’ll have the opportunity for
the next order because I made them look
great. That’s what I do, and I’ve done
that all my life.”
That advice may seem daunting in a
business where the stress of landing the
next order can overshadow all else. But
it’s also a tactic reserved for the industry’s
most ambitious players. How does Gray
help clients look good? For starters, he
steers them away from poor quality products,
toward comparably priced, higher
quality ones – information that anyone
outside the industry wouldn’t be privy to.
On their second order, the client, a
management consulting company, wanted
pens. “Inexpensive pens,” Gray
says. “I know inexpensive pens
just aren’t right.” Instead, he sold
them higher-quality pens, but at
the same price. “I broke even,”
he recalls. But his credibility
skyrocketed. Ultimately, “I lose
business if they want something
inexpensive, and I tell them, ‘I
can’t afford to sell it to you,’ ”
Gray says. “It’s not the money,
it’s a matter of my image. If I sell
something that’s not going to
look good, I may have met your
budget, but you’re not going to
remember it.”
Next came another order for
portfolios. This time the company
wanted a cheaper version,
one with sharp edges – a detail
some may not notice, but one
Gray knows is the sign of a lowerquality
product. Gray brought
them what they requested, then
continued on page 64

SOI 2007 NEW CLIENTS
Number Of New Clients Gained
Here is the average number of new clients that distributors of varying sizes
gained in 2006.
21
Counselor State of the Industry survey. ©2007
he brought his own ideas – actual products
they could touch, feel and compare.
The key, he says, was not bringing catalogs
but actual products, which are far
more impactful in person. “It made the
purchasing guy look very good, because
he got stuff that was really nice, but I kept
it within the budget,” Gray says.
Time and time again Gray curried
favor with the company’s buyer, nudging
their orders slightly higher with a product
a step above their original request. When
a client would ask for pens or coffee
mugs, for example, Gray didn’t see the
request as an opportunity for easy cash
as some distributors might – taking the
order over the phone and collecting on an
invoice a month later. Instead, Gray got
busy searching for the best-quality pens
at that price point, then he took such
orders one step further. He would suggest
the next best pen at a price point still
well within the client’s range but at a level
that would deliver a product that much
64 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
46
93
more durable and reliable. Again, he told
himself, it’s the quality, not the price, that
keeps this burgeoning business returning
to Gray’s door.
That line of thinking paid off as the
company grew to trust Gray as a source
that could fi nd them reasonably priced,
high quality goods. As a result, orders that
called for a few hundred items eventually
grew to 10,000 once he’d gained
the company’s confi dence with quality.
Purchases that high boosted his profi t
margin to well over 30%. And the account
grew to more than $2 million a year.
His strategy, Gray says, involved
constantly showing top-quality products,
even if it meant slimmer margins. And
increasingly larger orders meant Gray,
over time, could reduce his costs with
suppliers by guaranteeing certain-size
orders. “I’m very cautious about quality,”
Gray says. “I want to keep my customers,
and the best way to keep them is to sell
them the best.” – BC
Four Steps
To Closing a
Million-Dollar Deal
1Start small. You can’t sign
up a large client with one
order. Gain their confi dence
by starting off with smaller
orders before you go after the bigtime
business.
2Yield profi ts for quality.
When shooting for big
deals, distributors often
have to yield profi ts in favor
of quality. Don’t be afraid to bid
low in the hopes of winning a big
client’s favor.
3Be creative. Big clients
often say they know what
they want, but they also
need creative ideas. This will
help to sell your company’s services,
and will position you as an expert in
the minds of big clients.
4Offer superior service.
The biggest clients have a
lot of purchasing choices,
so it’s important for a
distributor to wow them with great
customer service. It may take more
time, and you’ll have to give up some
profi ts to do it, but excellent customer
service will lead to a valuable
long-term partnership in the end.

SOI 2007 INCENTIVE PROGRAMS
S
Selling clients on motivation
How To Jump Into
Incentive Programs
If your distributorship isn’t in the
incentive program business, it
should be. After all, the payoff
can be huge.
This comes from Russ
Remaley, owner of A to Z Promotions
(asi/101588 ( 8).
“Everyone has a differ-
ent perspective on what an incentive
program is,” says Remaley, who has done
heavy business in incentives during his
12 years in the industry. “There’s no real
set formula on how you do incentive
programs. You see if you’re dealing with
a tech company, for example, and they
have a sales force. We might do something
every four months for them if
they’re hitting their numbers.”
Remaley says A to Z has helped its
clients set up incentive programs for
employee longevity recognition. “How
it works out is for every year of service,
you want to spend about $10 to $15
per year, so a guy who’s been there for
20 years, his gift is going to be $200 to
$250,” he says. “The upper-end gifts are
maybe a brand-name watch on which
you engrave the back, and for fi ve-year
people, it could be an embroidered blanket
with a travel mug. It’s an easy way to
sell it when the customer comes to you
and says, ‘We want to do an incentive
program for years of employment here.
How can we do it?’ The fi rst question we
ask is, ‘What’s your budget?’”
Remaley says keeping with a theme,
such as safety products for safety programs,
is important when selling a client
on an incentive plan. “An example would
be if power companies go X amount
66 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
of hours without an accident,” he says.
“Safety kits, fl ashlights, jumper cables,
they might get something like that, or
a nice fi rst-aid kit. I’ve done fi re extinguishers,
CO2 detectors – something
safety-related for a safety program.”
Like Remaley, Bob Walker, president
of JMA Promotions ( (asi/268680),
is a
big fan of higher-end items for such
programs. “The goal of an incentive
program is to motivate someone to do
something they would not normally do
on their own,” Walker says. “Based on
this, the perceived value of the incentive
item must be high enough to motivate a
change in behavior. Usually, the greater
the desired change in behavior, the
higher the perceived value of the incentive
item must be.”
Walker says JMA has used a smorgasbord
of promotional products as
incentives for end-users. “I have worked
on incentive programs to one degree
or another from the beginning 23 years
ago, and they come in all shapes and
continued on page 68
Room For Growth
While many distributors are profi ting from big sales in the incentive market,
a little more than a third of all distributors reported no revenue from incentive
sales in 2006. However, it seems larger distributors are having more
success with incentives than are their smaller counterparts. Here is the
percent of distributors who claim varying amounts of annual revenue coming
from incentive programs.
6%
13%
34%
% of Small
Distributors
5%
15%
48%
% of Medium
Distributors
Counselor State of the Industry survey. ©2007
16%
55%
6%
% of Large
Distributors
None 1-10% 11-25% Over 26%
14%
6%
46%
% of Total
Distributors

SOI 2007 INCENTIVE PROGRAMS
Four Steps
To Selling Incentive Plans
1Know your audience.
Whether it’s the marketing
department or the human
resources department of your
clients’ companies, it’s vital to understand
the audience that they’re
trying to reach.
There are vastly
different incentive
programs for
employees and
customers.
2Think safety. Many companies
you sell to already
could probably use a safety
incentive program. This is an
under-tapped section of the incentive
market that distributors can
capitalize on.
3Recognition
counts. Every
human resources
department is looking
for a creative way
to recognize employees
for good work and
longevity. Be the person
that provides creative solutions
for their recognition needs.
4Name brands count.
When it comes to motivating
employees, companies
are looking for high perceived
value from the prizes they
give out. Gravitate toward name
brands and high-quality items.
68 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
sizes,” he says. “In these programs, we’ve
used everything from tubes of golf balls
to Howard Miller grandfather clocks as
incentive items.”
Walker recalls one program his company
did for a bank that wanted to fi nd
out from their customers if they planned
to borrow money for capital equipment
within the next 12 months. “In an effort
to motivate their 20,000 customers to
supply the bank with this information,
a tube with two golf balls and nine tees
was sent with each survey,” he says. “The
response rate was 18%, and it generated
leads resulting in more than $400 million
in loans.”
Walker advises those new to the
incentive section of the industry to fi nd
out their customers’ most signifi cant
problems and opportunities. “Once you
have a good understanding of the issues,
you can start formulating an incentive
program that will motivate their employees
or customers toward the desired
change needed to solve the problem or
capitalize on the opportunity,” he says.
Remaley says that while
upper-end wearables come
cheaper with the same
quality from distributorships,
clients are still looking
for the name brand
stuff, such as Adidas and Ashworth.
“Perceived value to the end-user is big,”
he says. “People gravitate to those brand
names,” especially when the item is
meant to motivate people to take action.
It’s also important to give clients a
high volume of ideas for incentive programs,
according to Remaley, as there is a
greater probability of an end-user signing
on to one idea when it has 10 choices
instead of just two or three. “You give
your customers 10 or 20 ideas,” he says,
“and you’re going to hit on something.”
Remaley says incentive programs
need not be the crux of any distributor-
Distributors are
swarming to the
incentive market.
of all ad specialty
sellers say they
were involved
in the awards
and recognition
business in 2006.
ship, but if the company heads in that
direction – and it should – it’s important
to know one’s audience. “If I had any
advice, I’d say each customer is different
in the industry they’re in, and you have
to get a little background
into what they do,” he
says. “It’s going to help
you get ideas into what
you can do for that
particular customer. Just
cold-calling, that’s pretty tough.”
For others, incentives represent a
majority of their annual business. Tim
Watch The Video!
Editor Andy Cohen gives
hot tips on breaking into
the incentive market at
asicentral.com/soivideo.
44%
Merritt, an independent sales rep for
Kaeser & Blair ( (asi/238600),
says that his
business is fi rmly rooted in the incentive
market, to the point where an overwhelming
majority of his revenues come
from big incentive sales. “Eighty percent
of my annual sales come from 20% of
my recognition and rewards customers,”
he says. “When companies show
appreciation and recognition to enhance
employee motivation, it really adds to
their bottom line.” – SD

SOI 2007 CREATIVE SELLING
I Win business with a unique approach
How I Use Creativity
To Close Deals
Agoat is no doubt the oddest
promotional product
Brian Gould has ever
slapped an imprint on.
No, not a stuffed, fuzzy,
give-it-to your-kid-so-he-can-cuddlewith-it
kind of goat. A real, live, stinking-like-hay,
shoe-eating goat. The
stunt, cooked up for an Arkansas shoe
manufacturer through a Nickelodeon
licensing agreement, required the
four-legged creature to bear a promotional
logo on its side while wearing
sunglasses and riding a skateboard.
“As goats go, he was pretty cool,” says
Gould, vice president of LSC Market-
ing ( (asi/321000).
The promotion landed LSC a great
deal of notoriety – and additional
business – among its target audience,
area ad agencies. It also resulted in
Gould being slightly crushed by the
goat when it fell on him as Gould attempted
to put a stenciled sign on the
animal’s side. That, however, followed
a long day of dealing with an otherwise
uncooperative animal.
When Gould fi rst got the call, he
couldn’t believe the request.
“Brian?” said his ad agency account
rep – “a real neat girl, 4 foot 10, 90
pounds soaking wet,” Gould adds.
“Yes?” he responded.
“I need you to put a logo on a goat.”
Gould stopped short. He’d never
heard of such a ridiculous request. But,
as luck would have it, his girlfriend at
the time was a “vet tech.” “I asked her,
‘What are goats like?’ ” Gould says,
70 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
eliciting an alarmed reaction from his
girlfriend, “like I was suggesting some
threesome,” he says.
He quickly explained his promotional
need for the animal. After a crash
course in goat behavior, Gould visited
a local sign company and stocked up on
stencils. “Something propelled me to
cut various sizes of stencils, because I
had not yet met the goat,” which, he was
told, was about four feet at its shoulder,
and his temperament was anyone’s best
guess. To assuage the goat’s nervousness,
Gould enlisted his assistant to calm the
animal during the shoot. “So I gave her
a Counselor, and she’s reading stories
to the goat and the goat is transfi xed,”
Gould recalls. That is, until the animal
got hungry. “The next thing I know, the
goat is eating the magazine,” he says.
continued on page 74
Creativity Counts
Distributors report that their clients are increasingly requesting more services
more from them than just the sale of promotional products. This branching out
– and using creative sales to provide more value-added services to clients –
can yield big revenues and profi ts for distributors. Here is how distributors
responded when asked to rate their level of agreement with the statement
that clients are seeking more services.
Strongly Disagree
Somewhat Disagree
Neither Disagree
Nor Agree
Somewhat Agree
Strongly Agree
Counselor State of the Industry survey. ©2007

SOI 2007 CREATIVE SELLING
Watch The Video!
Check out Editor Andy Cohen,
as he provides camera-ready
tips for using creativity to
win more business. Go to
asicentral.com/soivideo.
In the meantime, Gould was busy
stenciling the creature’s side. “I get out
my paint brush and put a stencil up
against the goat. When you push up
against a goat, they push back,” Gould
says. “So I put up my stencil, the goat’s
happily being read to and gazing lovingly
at my assistant. I take my hands off,
and the goat falls over onto me. Mad at
me, he starts to kick.” Gould, he says, is
thinking, “I don’t want any part of this.
I’m not assigned to be kicked by goats.”
An animal rights advocate had been
summoned by Gould and the crew to
More than
22%
of large
distributors
believe that their
clients don’t shop
primarily based on
price, while only
11%
of small
distributors
have the same
sentiments.
74 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
make sure the animal wasn’t harmed in
any way during decoration or production,
but Gould never considered that
he would need his own advocate looking
out for his welfare.
“Somebody was there to make sure
we were not abusing the goat,” Gould
says. “I’m like, ‘I’ve got a goat on top
of me. Nobody seems to think there’s
anything wrong with me.’ ”
What’s more, Gould was now covered
with the sugar, salt and food coloring
combo he’d concocted to safely
paint the animal in the fi rst place, the
logo having smeared all over Gould
when the goat fell on top of him.
If the animal wasn’t falling over, he
was contorting his body to lick the
sweet and salty confections off his
torso. “It took six tries” to get the goat
properly adorned and ready for the
shoot. “Everything I put in the mixture
wouldn’t work or the goat would
lick off part of it,” Gould says. Finally,
“I had to give the goat a peanut butter
sandwich” just so he would forget
about his painted body.
Ten takes later the Nickelodeon
logo was fi nally painted perfectly and
the goat, cooperating as much as he
would, was ready to be fi lmed – on a
skateboard, even.
The commercial aired several
months later and created a buzz among
local ad agencies, with Gould’s name
always mentioned in the same breath.
“What it did for us,” Gould says, “is
that it showed folks, if your fi rst choice
in distributors says it can’t be done, the
goat incident set me up as being the
company that could get it done.”
Gould’s efforts paid off nicely, he
says, “three months later I get the
same call. ‘Why don’t you put a logo on
an elephant?’ ” his ad agency account
rep asked. “I said, ‘That’s where I draw
the line.’ ” – BC
Four Steps
To A Creative Sales Approach
1Never say no. Being a
creative partner to your clients
means fi nding a way to
always say “yes” to unique
requests. Be the go-to distributor for
the wackiest of promotions.
2Think of new products to
use. Many distributors look
for untraditional products –
not normally found in the ad
specialty industry – so that they can
surprise their clients. This approach
will make you stand out.
3
A budget isn’t always a
budget. Clients will often
spend more than they
planned for a creative promotion
that will gain them attention.
Offer options within their budgets, as
well as other slightly more expensive
options that will gain you notoriety.
4Position yourself in a
creative manner. Distributors
should be spending
more time promoting
themselves in unique ways to gain
attention for their services. You can’t
expect to be able to charge for creative
services if you don’t promote
your company as one that will surely
get attention for its clients.

SOI 2007 WEB-BASED BUSINESS
v Moving fast into e-commerce
How To Increase
Business On The Internet
At Absorbent Ink.
(asi/295819
( ), the top sales
channel is the company’s
Web site, www.absorbent
printing.com. Each week,
this sales-savvy guru garners 40,000
online hits, which account for 95% of the
distributor’s business.
“In the last three years, our online
promotional products sales have grown
1,079%,” says Absorbent Ink. President
Lee Eldridge, whose company established
the Web site in 2000. “We get
orders anywhere from a couple hundred
dollars to thousands of dollars for a single
order over the Web.”
Eldridge’s company isn’t the only
one to take advantage of the Internet’s
selling and marketing powers. In today’s
vibrant e-commerce world, distributors
are looking for ways to launch – and more
importantly, bolster – a Web site that’s
sure to go ka-ching!
A key part of attaining online sales is
getting the word out, says Rick Martines,
owner of Custom Graphic Designs
(asi/173159 ( ). (His company’s Web address
is www.customgraphicdesigns.net.) He recommends
including your company’s Web
site in e-mails, brochures and any other
correspondence with clients.
“I have it on my order forms, on my
catalogs, on my invoices. It’s on everything
that I put out,” Martines says. “I
tell my existing customers to use it as an
extended catalog.”
For organizations that have yet to
carve out a niche on the Web, here’s
a helpful starting tip: Don’t go into it
76 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
blindly. Familiarize yourself with the
latest design software, and pay attention
to applications such as an online shopping
cart, checkout counter and other
interactive tools. The other alternative is
to hire an in-house team of Web designers
and technicians, which, according to
Eldridge, is well worth the investment.
“If we had to go out and hire a com-
pany to build our Web site for us, it would
have cost tens of thousands of dollars,”
Eldridge, whose company has been in
business since 1991, says. “To have people
on staff that have that knowledge makes
it a lot more feasible.”
The key is to offer users an interactive
experience that is easy. A few of Absorbent
Ink.’s notable features that make
for a positive online customer experience
include a special discounts section,
a searchable database of products, and
an inviting home page with photos that
change each time the page is refreshed.
“Some of our advantages are the fact that
our Web site can physically do a number
continued on page 78
Electronic Marketing Heats Up
Suppliers are rapidly increasing their use of e-mail and the Internet to market
their products and services to distributors.
SUPPLIERS’ TOP METHODS OF SELF PROMOTION
Counselor State of the Industry survey. ©2007
E-mail promotions Internet Web site

SOI 2007 WEB-BASED BUSINESS
19%
of distributors say that
most of their new business comes from
the Internet. This ranks fourth behind
referrals, networking and cold calls.
of things that other competitor sites
don’t appear to be able to,” Eldridge says.
As far as ways to pick up sales online,
customers are looking for “ease of
navigation,” says Hal Small, president
of Kent Business Products ( (asi/241325),
a distributor in Florida. “They don’t
want it too cluttered. Make sure that
your Web site has plenty of white space.
Why Suppliers
Have Web Sites
Here are the top purposes that suppliers
name for having a presence on
the Internet.
THE PRIMARY PURPOSE
OF THE WEB SITE
Distributor communication/education
Marketing
Customer service
Order generation
Other
Counselor State of the Industry survey. ©2007
78 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
Make your shopping cart very similar to
Amazon.com’s” – which keeps a running
tally of online orders with a toolbar to
the right of the screen.
It’s also important to make your Web
site safe to purchase on. “When someone’s
going to be entering their credit
card online, they want to have a comfort
level that makes them think it’s a reputable
company that’s going to do things
safely and securely,” Eldridge says.
Of course, where many companies go
wrong online is that they think a Web
site can be a channel entirely on its own.
Rather, combining an effective Web site
with a supportive customer service team
is a vital strategy. Small, whose company
recently redesigned and relaunched its
Web site, encourages his customer service
staff to assist a client with an online order.
He gives the hypothetical scenario of
a customer ordering a pin. “We can go
to the Web site together and we can talk
about some items that I think would be
a good fi t for what they’re looking for,”
Smalls says. “The customer may be in a
hurry. He can see what he’s interested in,
and we can kind of close the deal there.”
Even for companies with a signifi cant
Web presence, it’s often reassuring for
customers to know there’s a live person
who’s ready to help in a pinch. “There
are a lot of people who want to call in,”
Eldridge says. In May, his company
received 33% of its orders over the
phone. “They want to be sure there’s
someone on the other side of the phone
who will pick up, and that it’s not just a
Web site.” – EW
Four Steps
To Building An Online Business
1
Get the word out. Put
your Web address on every
piece of correspondence
you have with customers.
Put it on all brochures, business
cards, invoices, everything.
Customers need to know that they
can purchase on your site.
2Don’t go online blindly.
Learn about all the technologies,
like shopping carts,
search engines and checkout
tools, so you can easily explain
their applications to customers.
3
Make it easy to navigate.
Customers will be
turned off and frustrated if
they can’t easily get around
your Web site. Use white space
so the pages aren’t cluttered, and
make the shopping experience as
easy as possible.
4
Add service. A Web site
on its own won’t work. Your
online
presence
should be
enhanced with
live customer
support in case
customers need
help.

SOI 2007 PURCHASING HABITS
˝
Distributors change channels
Why I Buy Products
From Outsiders
How else can I compete with them? A lot
of them have direct importers. It’s not
like the average supplier can penalize
them, and turn off the big guy and say
I’m not going to do business with you.”
He says while he uses ASI-listed suppliers
as much as possible, he does look
for alternatives as a way to cut costs. “If I
can cut 25 cents off of it and it’s a couple
hundred thousand pieces, I will,” says
Cole. “It’s competitive. If I don’t do it,
someone else will.”
Others in the industry believe, though,
that remaining competitive within the
traditional channel is entirely feasible.
“We made a decision, and our
philosophy as a company is to
“
In the old days you would get
your throat cut if you went
outside of the industry,” says
Jeff Cole, sales manager for
Eagle Graphics ( (asi/185192).
According to a number of distributors,
there are two signifi cant reasons as
to why they will wade out of the mainstream
buying channel. One common
reason is that a distributor may need to
However, these days many members search for a product that is not currently
of the promotional products realm have
sheathed their weapons.
available from ASI-member suppliers.
The fact of the matter is
distributors buying direct Outside Sourcing
stay within the ASI channel,”
from factories overseas, as Do you purchase promotional products from domestic says Dale Kirby, director of
Cole does, is becoming more suppliers outside of the industry?
marketing for Promopeddler
and more commonplace. And
.com ( (asi/300367 7).
“We are still
those who are not partaking
able to maintain our margins
in the practice have accepted
and also retain clients, which
it as a necessary evil that has
is always the challenge. Once
overtaken the industry.
they have booked overseas,
The proper ad specialties
they’ll say, ‘Here’s your order,
chain is linked together like
can you do it overseas for
this: an end-user contacts a
me?’ We’ve been in those
distributor who in turn calls
situations. We still will do
a supplier who sources the
not do it.”
product. However, today
Price aside, distributors will
many links are being made
often cast a wandering eye for
that had rarely happened
goods that are currently not
before. An end-user may
available, cannot be custom-
contact a factory on its own.
ized in the way they need it or
A supplier may sell directly
bear a brand name that is not
to an end-user and a dis-
involved in the industry.
tributor may buy directly
from overseas. In fact, 85%
Yes No
Netknacks Tennis Awards
Inc. (asi/282349
( ), for example,
of distributors responding Counselor State of the Industry survey. ©2007
specializes in tennis-themed
to the State of the Industry
products. The problem is,
survey reported that they purchased But, the primary reason is the need to many suppliers have a limited assort-
products last year from domestic suppli- capture the best price possible in order ment of tennis-related items or don’t
ers outside of the ad specialty industry. to satisfy their customers.
carry any tennis merchandise at all. This
Further, 35% of all distributors said they “The advantages are it’s usually less forces owner Marcy Hirshberg to visit
directly imported promotional products expensive,” Cole says. “It’s a money game. gift shows to fi nd suppliers that meet
in 2006.
A lot of the bigger companies are doing it.
continued on page 82
www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 81

SOI 2007 PURCHASING HABITS
Importing on the Rise
Have you purchased any promotional
products directly from manufacturers
outside of North America?
33.7% 32.8% 35.0%
Yes
Counselor State of the Industry survey. ©2007
her needs. Here, she also gets to make
connections with overseas associates.
“Sometimes direct representatives are at
the shows,” she says.
Gift shows or not, there are more and
more importers contacting distributors
directly, Cole says. “There used to be one
or two, now there are fi ve or 10. They
realize that the business is there.”
Because of this easy access, more
distributors are dealing direct today.
“Whereas it used to be a mystery, now
it’s more commonplace,” says Cole.
“People know what they can and can’t
do. Companies over here have factories
over there. We’ve had some contact us
directly. Some distributors go to Asia
and create their own relationships with
the factories.”
Hirshberg sources brass and silver
tennis balls from India because “they
just are not available here,” she says. “If
we want a custom design there is not a
lot to choose from.”
82 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
However, quality from
suppliers outside of the
traditional industry often
becomes a problem for
distributors and their
clients. That’s the precise
reason why many distributors,
like Howard
Weisberg, proprietor of
Specialties Unlimited
(asi/331399 ( ), choose to
forgo outsiders entirely.
Weisberg says quality
control is why he “won’t
go looking for merchandise
outside of the U.S.
personally. Maybe I’m not
sophisticated enough.
My clients are satisfi ed.
I wouldn’t want to do
anything to lose them.”
Dan Ortiz, owner of
Diversifi ed Advertising
Novelties ( (asi/181296 6),
agrees. “Once it’s on the boat coming
over here, it’s yours,” he says. “If it sinks
or whatever, you can get burned. It’s
better to just deal with suppliers who
have the connections and good relations
overseas. If I can’t sell a product because
of the dollar value, because they’re trying
to get it cheaper, I don’t need that enduser.
I won’t play the game.”
Still, clients sometimes want brandspecifi
c items that often lead distributors
to supplier channels that are outside
of the ad specialty industry. Dennis
Hoffman, owner of Awards & More
Inc. ( (asi/128215),
had a large order for
Columbia brand fi shing shirts and had
to go direct. “I try not to because you
have to set up accounts and there are
minimums,” he says. “But if I can’t fi nd
it anywhere else, I have to go direct. As
far as the fi shing shirt experience, we got
the product for the customer and that’s
all that matters.” – KH
Four Reasons
Why Distributors
Go To Outsiders
1Clients are looking for
unique products not
offered by traditional
suppliers. This is the
number-one reason, with 33% of
distributors citing it.
2Better prices. Many
distributors say that they’re
able to achieve higher profi t
margins by sourcing products
directly. Of
course, shipping
and customs
issues often
cause on-time
delivery problems.
3Brand-name requests.
Clients sometimes come to
distributors with requests
for brand-name products
that aren’t offered by any suppliers
in the ad specialty market.
4
Ease of
access.
Overseas
factories are
increasingly contacting
distributors
directly, making
importing easier
for the average
distributor.

SOI 2007 TOP PRODUCTS
a Selling the number-one category
How To Be An
Apparel Sales Pro
Jack Murray wears what he sells
every day of the week – literally.
The owner of J.P. Murray
and Co. ( (asi/278575),
says there’s
no better way to grow apparel
sales than by sporting the garments
yourself. As a result, the South Carolinabased
distributor can often be seen in
his company’s line of moisture-wicking
performance gear around the clock.
“That’s the way I’ve been selling
them, not through the Web or catalogs,”
Murray says. “You can’t feel it,
you can’t see it,” he adds of the fi rst two
approaches. “With these new fi bers, you
really need to wear it.”
Of course, there are other ways
to increase a company’s apparel sales
without being a human billboard for it.
A good starting point, suggests Joseph
Scott, vice president of Scott & Associates
( (asi/321502),
is to make sure that
end-users know your company offers
apparel. Oftentimes, a distributor’s
line of promotional products is so vast
that buyers may simply overlook the
range of wardrobe choices. “I know for
a fact that our clients have no idea of
84 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
all the things we can do, and we cannot
assume that our clients know that we
sell apparel,” Scott says. “That includes
uniforms.”
Once end-users know who you are
and what you sell, it’s up to the distributor
to brainstorm and pitch possible
sales opportunities. Nancy Asher, presi-
dent of The Image Group ( (asi/229916 6)
in Oklahoma, utilizes a three-step
approach to selling more clothing:
employee-uniform programs, special
events, and an open-enrollment purchasing
period for small or large companies.
Although the last strategy tends to
involve simple requests such as a logo
screen-printed onto a T-shirt or a polo
that needs embroidering, it can be an
easy way to guarantee future customers.
“Don’t be afraid to pitch a program.
That’s what’s made our business successful,”
says Asher, whose company garners
$1 million per year in apparel sales.
“When people think about a wearables
program, they think of dealing with a
customer that has big, multiple locations.
It doesn’t have to be that big,” she
Wearables accounted for
33%
of overall industry revenue
in 2006 – a total category haul
of more than $5.7 billion.
continued on page 86
Most Popular
Ad Specialties
Here is a list of the 10 products
that distributors say their clients
purchased the most of in 2006:
# 1
# 2
WRITING INSTRUMENTS
# 3
DESK/
OFFICE ACCESSORIES
# 4
RECOGNITION AWARDS/
TROPHIES
# 5
GLASSWARE/CERAMICS
# 6
CAPS/HEADWEAR
# 7
BAGS
# 8
CALENDARS
# 9
SPORTING GOODS/
LEISURE PRODUCTS
# 10
BOOKS/CARDS/STATIONERY
Counselor State of the Industry survey. ©2007
unzip

SOI 2007 TOP PRODUCTS
says, adding that her company recently
outfi tted employees with uniforms at a
two-location restaurant.
“To tell an end-user that you’ll be
able to stock certain inventory or have
it within a certain period of time” can
ensure repeat business, Asher says.
As far as selling smarts go, the next
step is offering customers a variety of
apparel options that meet their needs.
Sales professionals who demonstrate
mastery of what they sell have a decisive
advantage over those who prefer to let
their clients leaf through books.
“What end-users are looking for are
people who know apparel, and what I
mean by that is to be able to literally
bring in three garments – good, better
and best – and lay them side by side,
turn them inside out, and be able to talk
to the client about construction technique,
fabric,” Scott says. “If you can
provide a teaching and coaching function
as a salesperson, that differentiates
you from people who just sell stuff.”
Factors to take into consideration
include who will be wearing the apparel,
color options, fabric features, comfort
and fi t. When piecing together an
ensemble, creativity and the ability to
come up with different, practical combinations
that don’t stretch the budget are
essential.
“If somebody has a $50 budget, you
can show them a $50 polo or a $25 polo
86 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
and a $25 vest,” Scott says. “You have
to demonstrate that you have a wide
range of options for them. Sometimes
you can be pleasantly surprised. If you
can explain what they’re getting for
the extra money, every once in a while,
someone will say, ‘Let’s go with this
instead.’”
Some strategies for homing in on
the deal include showing a customer a
sample with their logo already embroidered
onto the fabric. To obtain a
company’s logo, Asher suggests taking
a look at the organization’s Web site or
examining employees’ current uniforms
and coming up with something similar
in style and appearance, and, if possible,
at a lower price.
$ 50
“If somebody has a budget,
you can show them a $50 polo or a
$25 polo and a $25 vest.”
– JOSEPH SCOTT,
SCOTT & ASSOCIATES (ASI/321502)
“You’ve made that step forward as
opposed to someone else going in and
just dropping off a catalog,” Asher says.
“As a buyer, the fi rst step is already done.
The logo is digitized, the sample looks
nicely done. They’re at least going to
give you a second look or an opportunity
to quote it.”
Oftentimes, what determines a winning
deal or not is a sales professional’s
attitude toward what they sell. Murray,
who wears his uniform even during the
hottest days of summer, says an apparel
sales expert has to believe in what he’s
selling. “It makes it a lot easier for me
to sell a product,” Murray says, “because
I’m sold on it myself.” – EW
Four Steps
To Growing Apparel Sales
1Wear it. It will be easier to
sell promotional apparel if you
wear the clothes yourself. Put
your company’s logo on a
comfortable shirt, and make it your
uniform for all of your sales calls.
2Use samples. It’s important
when selling apparel to have
as many samples to show
clients as possible.
Human resource and
marketing execs shouldn’t
be buying promotional
apparel
out of a catalog.
Bring along
three options
– good, better,
best – that fi t
their budget; and
let them feel the shirts
and even wear them if
they want.
3Get educated. There are
a lot of new fabrics on the
market and new technology
being put into apparel every
day. To effectively sell apparel, you
have to be as knowledgeable as
possible about it, so you can answer
questions and help to fulfi ll client
needs.
4Be creative.
Once you know
your client’s
budget, offer
solutions that will surprise
him. Don’t just show one polo. Show
a less expensive polo, along with a
T-shirt, socks or towel, depending on
their goals.

SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
Top
40 p
40
The 2007 edition of Counselor’s r exclusive listing of the distributors
with the highest revenues during 2006.
What does it take to
make it onto the
distributor Top 40
list for 2007? Well,
$33 million in sales
would do the trick.
Welcome to this year’s Top 40,
Counselor’s list of elite distributors
with the largest amount of industry
revenue in 2006. It’s made up of
highly successful companies that
are leading the way for the advertising
specialty industry. In fact, the
total sales of all of the 40 companies
on this list is $3.8 billion. In other
words, these 40 distributors currently
represent 20% of the overall industry
revenue. With more than 18,000
distributors currently listed with ASI,
that’s an extreme amount of revenue
concentrated in just 40 fi rms.
And their stories of success can
certainly be an inspiration to everybody
in the market. On the following
pages, you’ll fi nd the revenue numbers
for each of the Top 40 companies,
as well as fi rst-hand accounts of how
the companies fared in the industry
last year. Whether it’s because of
acquisitions or organic growth or
management changes, we have the
inside scoop on what led to each of
the company’s results during the past
year. And there’s even a revelation
about each company: We dug up a
fact about each member of the Top 40
that is sure to surprise.
So, don’t delay. Turn the page and
check out the results.
www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 89

SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
2007
Rank
1 2 WEARGUARD-CREST $240.0 $224.0 $16.0 7.1% 1952 6 500 0 $480 410,000 $585 1 0 Uniforms/Promo prods
2 1
3 3 PROFORMA INC. $227.5 $202.0 $25.5 12.6% 1978 16 0 650 $350 50,000 $4,550 650 50 General
4 4
5 7 BENSUSSEN-DEUTSCH $198.7 $144.9 $53.8 37.1% 1984 23 92 0 $2,160 750 $264,933 21 2 General
& ASSOCIATES INC.
6 5
7 8 GEIGER $172.5 $138.2 $34.2 24.8% 1878 129 0 530 $325 74,000 $2,331 20 1 None
8 6
9 9 ADVENTURES IN ADVERTISING $135.0 $128.0 $7.0 5.5% 1981 25 0 310 $435 1,000,000 $135 310 0 General
10 11
11 10 NATIONAL PEN CORP. $130.0 $113.8 $16.2 14.3% 1966 38 260 0 $87 1,000,000 $650 5 3 Writing Instruments
12 17
13 12 TIC TOC $99.1 $96.2 $2.9 3.1% 1974 33 45 2 $2,109 100 $991,000 5 2 Telecom, Financial
Serv., Pharma
14 13
15 15 SUMMIT MARKETING GROUP $87.1 $85.0 $2.1 2.5% 1996 11 55 5 $1,452 20,000 $4,355 8 0 General
16 16
17 18 MID WEST TROPHY CO. $81.0 (E) $81.0 $0.0 0.0% 1971 36 D D D D D D D Recognition Awards
18 21
19 19 KAESER & BLAIR INC. $78.0 $76.0 $2.0 2.6% 1894 113 0 3,900 $20 D D 1 0 General
20 14
2006 2005
North North # of
American American 2005/2006 Years Employee # Of Sales Per Average Total # Of Total # Of
2006 Sales Sales Difference % Year In Sales Independent Rep Total # Sales Per Offi ces Offi ces
Rank Top 40 Distributors ($ Millions) ($ Millions) ($ Millions) Change Est. Industry Reps Sales Reps ($ Thousands) of clients* Client Worldwide Outside U.S. Market Specialization
E = Estimate D = Declined to provide information * Some distributors defi ne clients as the number of companies they sell to; others calculate total number of purchasers.

SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
2007
Rank
2006 2005
North North # Of
American American 2005/2006 Years Employee # Of Sales Per Average Total # Of Total # Of
2006 Sales Sales Difference % Year In Sales Independent Rep Total # Sales Per Offi ces Offi ces
Rank Top 40 Distributors ($ Millions) ($ Millions) ($ Millions) Change Est. Industry Reps Sales Reps ($Thousands) Of Clients* Client Worldwide Outside U.S. Market Specialization
21 22 VERNON CO. $72.6 $66.4 $6.2 9.4% 1902 105 430 0 $169 30,000 $2,420 5 0 B2B
22 24
23 23 BROWN & BIGELOW W
$67.1 $65.3 $1.8 2.8% 1896 111 245 0 $274 D D 19 0 Calendars and
Promotional Products
24 20
25 25 ARTCRAFT PROMOTIONAL $61.1 $52.5 $8.6 16.4% 1946 60 0 10 $6,110 2,800 $21,821 3 0 General
CONCEPTS
26 29
27 26 CORPORATE EDGE $58.8 $48.8 $10.0 20.4% 1990 25 28 0 $2,100 500 $117,600 5 0 Across Industries
28
N/A
29 27 NEWTON MANUFACTURING CO. $49.6 $48.2 $1.4 3% 1909 98 300 500 $60,250 80,000 $603 4 0 General
30 28
31 31 MERIT INDUSTRIES INC $42.23 $38.5 $3.7 9.6% 1956 50 11 0 $3,836 1,500 $28,133 1 0 Eco Products
32 33
33 30 THOMAS DIRECT SALES $40.0 (E) $40.0 $0.0 0.0% 1986 21 D D D D D D D General
34 N/A
35 38 NORSCOT GROUP $34.8 $30.5 $4.3 14.1% 1970 37 17 75 $378 28,000 $1,243 10 3 Corporate Programs
36 32
37 35 ECOMPANYSTORE INC. $34.0 $32.2 $1.8 5.6% 1994 13 25 2 $1,259 1,500 $22,667 8 0 Corporate Programs
38 40
39 39 GOLDMAN PROMOTIONS $33.1 $29.7 $3.4 11.4% 1960 47 65 26 $297 3,000 $11,000 7 0 General
40 34
E = Estimate D = Declined to provide information * Some distributors defi ne clients as the number of companies they sell to; others calculate total number of purchasers.

SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
By The Numbers
$ 207.2
million
The amount of revenue
difference between the
number-one company on
the list and number-40
company on the list.
Biggest tG Growth Firms
Here is the top 10, by percentage sales
increase between 2005 and 2006:
1. Workfl owOne 42%
2. CorpLogoWare 40%
3. EmbroidMe.com 38%
4. Bensussen-Deutsch & Associates 37%
5. 4Imprint 35%
6. Geiger 25%
7. Halo/Lee Wayne 23%
8. Corporate Edge 20%
9. Group II Communications 19%
10. Artcraft Promotional Concepts 16%
96 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
2
The amount of companies
that are new to the Top 40
this year: G&G Outfi tters
and Positive Promotions.
Who’s Off The List
This is the average amount
of revenue growth that the
Top 40 0 distributors realized
between 2005 and 2006.
Ones To Watch‰
Here are fi ve companies that fell just short of the Top 40, but have
positive sales results:
2006 Revenue Increase over 2005
1
Veasey Ad Ventures. After
debuting on the list last year at
number 36, Veasey ran into major
problems in 2006. The company
lost its biggest customer, fi led for
Chapter 7 bankruptcy and went out
of business.
Cyrk Inc. The company fell
2 from number 30 to number 37
last year, and now has fallen off the
list after reporting 2006 sales of
$30.6 million.
11.25%
✽ IPROMOTEU $29.8 million 63%
✽ SUNRISE IDENTITY $28.3 million 16%
✽ ZOUIRE $27.8 million 3%
✽ PROMOSHOP $27.6 million 15%
✽ BARKER SPECIALTY $27.6 million 7%
D T
Methodology
To determine eligibility for Top 40
ranking, Counselor r uses a multi-
level approach. Before requesting
fi nancials, only those fi rms that have
been ASI members for a minimum
of one year can participate. All fi rms
then considered viable candidates
are requested to submit their gross
promotional products sales for
calendar/fi scal 2006. Only North
American sales (U.S., Canada,
Mexico and Central America) are
used to build the rankings. For companies
with a common parent fi rm,
sales are reported in the aggregate,
unless they operate completely independent
of each other. The 2006
promotional products sales of any
fi rms acquired by a candidate were
also included, provided the transaction
was completed on or before
January 15, 2007.
Distributors are asked to submit
only sales for promotional products,
“sold to clients for promotional,
recognition or public relations
(goodwill) purposes.” Revenues from
print/electronic advertising done
for clients are not permitted, nor is
outdoor, travel, commercial printing
and nontraditional products such as
major appliances. Further, of each
distributor’s promotional products
sales, a minimum of 60% must have
been for imprinted products.
Once all contending companies
have submitted acceptable fi gures,
the determination process begins.
It involves research on each fi rm,
including fi nancial reports, year-end
statements, annual reports and
personal interviews conducted by
Counselor’s r editorial staff. When a
fi rm’s sales fi gures are proprietary,
the same criteria and resources
are used to develop as accurate an
estimate as possible.

SOI 2007 TOP 40 SUPPLIERS
Top
40 p
40
The 2007 edition of Counselor’s exclusive listing of the suppliers
with the highest revenues during 2006.
Nearly half-a-billion dollars.
That’s how much
revenue the biggest
supplier in the industry
garnered last year.
Broder Bros. Co., the parent company
of industry brands Alpha Shirt
Company, Broder and NES, raked
in $447 million in North American
ad specialty sales in 2006. And that
was down 2% from the prior year, yet
still over $100 million more than the
second-largest supplier.
Welcome to the 2007 supplier
Top 40, which ranks the industry’s
suppliers with the most revenue
for 2006. While Broder remains
the top company in the market,
the giant apparel supplier is closely
followed by a newcomer to the list.
Polyconcept North America was
formed last year when the European-based
Polyconcept combined
North American suppliers Leed’s
and Bullet Line into one entity.
The combined operation reports
2006 revenues of $343.1 million.
All together, this year’s Top 40
suppliers attained $4.2 billion in
2006 revenues. It’s quite a haul for
such a small group of companies.
For more information on how these
companies achieved such high
levels of sales, take a look at our
profiles on the following pages.
The secrets to success of each
company are there, as well as some
never-before-heard-of factoids
about the companies.
www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 97

SOI 2007 TOP 40 SUPPLIERS
2007
Rank
2006 2005
North North Client- Total #
American American 2005/2006 Years Multi- Total # Sales Cust. Total # to-Cust. Average Of Offi ces
2006 Sales Sales Difference % Year In Sales Line Admin. Prod. Per Rep Service Dist. Service Rep Sales Per Total # Outside Total # Total # Market
Rank Top 40 Suppliers ($ Millions) ($ Millions) ($ Millions) Change Est. Industry Reps Reps Empl. Empl. ($ Thousands) Empl. Clients Ratio Client Offi ces U.S. Plants Warehouses Specialization
1 1 BRODER BROS. CO $447.0 $456.0 -$9.0 -2% 1919 12 106 0 250 0 $4,217 178 70,000 393 to 1 $6,386 1 0 0 17 Apparel
2
3 2 NORWOOD PROMOTIONAL $335.4 $338.0 -$2.6 -0.7% 1984 23 63 0 D D $5,323.8 D 20,000 D $16,770 11 4 6 D General
PRODUCTS
4 3
5 5 SANMAR $250.0 $214.0 $36.0 17% 1971 17 188 0 206 1,073 $1,329.8 188 D D D 1 1 0 6 Apparel
6 6
7 8 BODEK AND RHODES $140.1 $126.0 $14.1 11% 1939 20 30 0 110 200 $4,670.0 110 14,000 127 to 1 $10,007 1 0 0 5 Apparel
8 7
9 10 ASH CITY Y
$124.0 $114.0 $10.0 9% 1977 30 20 80 25 150 $1,240.0 35 15,000 429 to 1 $8,267 5 4 2 2 Apparel
10 9
11 11 SUNSCOPE $112.8 $101.2 $11.6 11.5% 1943 19 21 0 65 375 $5,371.4 18 9,100 506 to 1 $12,396 30 25 13 6 General
12 13
13 12 RIVER’S END TRADING CO. $95.0 $95.0 $0.0 0% 1981 26 18 18 125 53 $2,638.8 20 40,000 571 to 1 $2,375 2 0 0 2 Apparel
14
N/A
N/A
15 16 GEMLINE $88.1 $82.8 $5.1 6% 1958 49 20 5 100 250 $3,520.0 75 15,000 200 to 1 $5,867 3 2 1 2 Bags
16 15
17 17 THE MAGNET GROUP $81.7 $78.0 $3.7 5% 1983 24 16 0 20 500 $5,106.2 49 17,000 347 to 1 $4,806 7 0 4 4 General
18 14
19 18 TRI-MOUNTAIN/ $71.7 $68.7 $3.1 4.5% 1994 13 D D D D D D D D D D D D 1 Apparel
MOUNTAIN GEAR
20 26
E = Estimate D = Declined to provide information

SOI 2007 TOP 40 SUPPLIERS
2007
Rank
2006 2005
North North Client- Total #
American American 2005/2006 Years Multi- Total # Sales Cust. Total # to-Cust. Average Of Offi ces
2006 Sales Sales Difference % Year In Sales Line Admin Prod. Per Rep Service Dist. Service Rep Sales Per Total # Outside Total # Total # Market
Rank Top 40 Suppliers ($Millions) ($Millions) ($Millions) change Est. Industry Reps Reps Empl. Empl. ($ Thousands) Empl. Clients Ratio Client Offi ces U.S. Plants Warehouses Specialization
21 21 PROFILL HOLDINGS $60.2 $57.4 $2.9 5.1% 1975 32 26 4 27 130 $2,006.6 26 5,000 192 to 1 $8,027 4 0 2 3 Apparel
22 20
23 27 GILL STUDIOS INC. $58.4 $47.5 $11.0 23.2% 1934 60 9 0 74 310 $6,488.8 25 11,000 440 to 1 $5,309 1 0 1 Stickers
24 22
25 25 LANCO CORP. $56.2 $53.9 $2.4 4.5% 1993 14 24 0 70 350 $2,341.6 20 26,000 1,300 to 1 $2,162 1 0 1 1 General
26 23
27 24 PREMIUMWEAR INC. $52.0 $54.0 -$2.0 -4% 1886 13 0 31 38 320 $1,677.4 42 8,994 214 to 1 $5,782 6 2 1 4 Apparel
28 29
29 34 HIT PROMOTIONAL $50.0 $40.0 $10.0 25% 1950 51 15 0 35 300 $3,333.3 45 9,000 200 to 1 $5,556 1 0 1 2 General
PRODUCTS
30 32
31 28 PLASTICAD LINE/ $46.0 $46.0 $0.0 0% 1936 57 7 0 30 200 $6,571.4 8 5,000 625 to 1 $9,200 1 0 1 1 Gift Cards
ARTHUR BLANK & CO.
32 33
33 31 BARTON NELSON INC. $43.9 $42.6 $1.3 3% 1962 44 10 0 36 428 $4,390.0 17 6,835 402 to 1 $6,423 2 1 2 2 Note Cubes
34 30
35 35 STARLINE USA INC. $41.9 $38.1 $3.8 9.9% 1978 25 32 14 34 190 $910.8 42 8,532 203 to 1 $4,911 5 3 3 3 General
36
N/A
37 36 SENATOR USA A
$41.58 $37.8 $3.8 10% 1989 18 11 5 23 20 $2,600.0 8 8,606 1,076 to 1 $4,834 10 8 5 6 Writing
Instruments
38 37
39 38 GOLD BOND $38.2 $35.4 $2.8 7.9% 1946 51 13 5 15 300 $2,122.2 30 13,000 433 to 1 $2,938 1 0 1 2 General
40 39
E = Estimate D = Declined to provide information

SOI 2007 TOP 40 SUPPLIERS
By The Numbers
$ 411.4
million
The amount
of revenue difference
between the
number-one
industry supplier
and the 40th.
104 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
The amount of suppliers
3
who are new to the list
this year: Polyconcept
North America a (a
combination of Leed’s and
Bullet Line), S&S Activewear
and Piller Industries.
Who’s Off The List
Vitronic Promotional Group. The
company debuted in the Top 40 0 at
number 40 last year, but sales fell 1%
in 2006 to $31.9 million.
Biggest tG Growth Firms
Here is the top 10, by percentage sales increase between 2005 and 2006:
1. Hit Promotional
Products 25.0%
2. Gill Studios 23.2%
3. Polyconcept North America 17.6%
4. SanMar 17.0%
5.75%
5. S&S Activewear 15.3%
6. Sanford Business-To-Business 14.5%
7. Sunscope 11.3%
8. Bodek and Rhodes 11.1%
9. Groline 10.7%
10. Virginia T’s 10.1%
This is the average amount of revenue
growth that the Top 40 0 suppliers
realized between 2005 and 2006.
Ones To Watch‰
Here are three suppliers that fell just short of the Top 40, but have
positive sales results:
2006 Revenue Increase over 2005
✽ MODERNE GLASS $30.4 million 7%
✽ CHARLES RIVER APPAREL $30.4 million 9%
✽ HARTWELL CLASSIC APPAREL $29.2 million 16%
D T
Methodology
To determine eligibility for Top 40
ranking, Counselor r uses a multi-
level approach. Before requesting
fi nancials, only those fi rms that have
been ASI members for a minimum
of one year can participate. All fi rms
then considered viable candidates
are requested to submit their gross
promotional products sales for calendar/fi
scal 2006. Only North American
sales (U.S., Canada, Mexico and
Central America) are used to build the
rankings. For companies with a common
parent fi rm, sales are reported
in the aggregate, unless they operate
completely independent of each other.
The 2006 promotional products sales
of any fi rms acquired by a candidate
were also included, provided the
transaction was completed on or
before January 15, 2007.
Suppliers are required to provide
only promotional products sales,
defi ned as, “any product you’ve sold,
with or without imprints or personalization,
provided that you sold it to
and/or through recognized, traditional
promotional products or premium
distributors/resellers.” This eliminates
retail, pure premium sales, direct-sales
fi gures and sales to buyers or retailers
in other industries. Sales to other suppliers
were permitted, but with limitations:
All sales of imprinted goods are
accepted, but only 25% of sales of
blank merchandise.
Once all contending companies
have submitted acceptable fi gures,
the determination process begins. It
involves research on each fi rm, including
fi nancial reports, year-end statements,
annual reports and personal
interviews conducted by Counselor’s
editorial staff. When a fi rm’s sales fi gures
are proprietary, the same criteria
and resources are used to develop as
accurate an estimate as possible.

SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
Distributor Top 40
(Last year’s rank in parentheses)
1WearGuard-Crest (2)
(asi/356061)
Innovation has been the watchword in recent
years for WearGuard-Crest, whose status as
a part of professional services giant Aramark
has not prevented the company from moving
in new directions, including the introduction of
signifi cant new product lines.
✽ 2006 results: Last year saw a 7% sales
increase, helped by an initiative over the last
couple of years to drive direct sales through
the apparel supplier’s rental customers. “We
continue to have great results continuing to
sell direct-sale product,” says Mark Barrocas,
president.
✽ New in 2006: The company expanded its
product categories, seeing good results from
recently introduced high visibility (safety) and
women’s business products. A line of fi reresistant
clothing was new for 2006.
Of all Top 40
distributors,
Workfl owOne
had the
biggest
revenue
growth,
42%.
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✽ Personnel shifts: WearGuard has recently
turned over most of its senior management
team. Since Barrocas’ arrival in December
2005, the company has welcomed Cindi Shapiro,
vice president of merchandising and Chris
Rackers, vice president of human resources.
250
200
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$228
$230
$224
$240
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
2Promotional Markets (1)
(asi/168786)
✽ Top challenges: Barrocas cites increasing
competition from Internet suppliers and
small-business clients being courted by local
competitors.
✽ Outlook for 2007: Things are tracking
well for 2007, with signifi cant national
accounts added to start off the year. New
initiatives focus on improving customer service,
and repositioning and elevating the
WearGuard brand.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
WearGuard services over 300,000 business
customers annually, taking orders as
small as one piece all the way up to thousands.
“I think what really makes us unique
is how diverse of a customer base we
have, and how customer-centric we are,” Barrocas
says. “If we have a customer and they
bring a new employee on, we make sure that
employee is starting work with a uniform.”
Last year’s largest distributor slipped into second
place this year, but there’s no need to worry. Corporate
Express posted a solid, but more earthly
2% growth, after 2005’s impressive 14% growth.
While it was edged out of the top spot, the company
200
$201
remains within striking distance for next year’s list.
✽ 2006 results: “Speed, quality and innovation
$171
delivered to our clients are keys to our success and
$150
resulting increases for 2006,” says Dennis Multack, 150
president.
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
✽ New in 2006: Multack cites the company’s long-term reputation, established infrastructure and
experience for its continued success. “The depth of our relationships, the planning, the strategic link
and the things we do for our clients, is beyond typical merchandise.”
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Worldwide, Corporate Express employs nearly 19,000
employees in 300 locations in 20 countries.
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SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
3Proforma In
c. (3)
(asi/300094)
CEO Greg Muzzillo believes that, while Proforma’s
business model speaks for itself, continued
success hinges on getting as many people
as possible to listen. To that end, plans call for
installing regional developers in 40 different
locations around the country, to meet faceto-face
with potential franchisees. The idea,
he says, is to free business development from
being tied to the support center at company
headquarters in Cleveland. Nine of 40 developers
are in place so far; sales, in the meantime,
were up a healthy 12% from 2005 to 2006.
✽ 2006 results: Muzzillo attributes the company’s
recent success to the quality of its
members. “We do attract very good people
to membership at Proforma – good distributors
looking to grow their business, and good
salespeople who are ready to open their own
business.”
✽ New in 2006: A new company store program
has led to the signing of some important
clients, Muzzillo says, who appreciate the ability
of custom-designed software to easily handle
on-line ordering, warehousing, fulfi llment
and reporting functions.
✽ Top challenges: “Our biggest challenge is
people understanding our model,” he says. “The
challenge continues to be to tell our story to the
distributor marketplace and to the salespeople
who are ready to own their own businesses.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: Muzzillo says Proforma
is tracking up 10% to 20% over last year.
The company is also putting initiatives in
place to “get into 30% or 40% growth” in the
near future.
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150
100
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$140
$161
$202
$228
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
106 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
4Group II Communications
Inc. (4)
(asi/215310)
Todd Cromheecke, director of new business,
credits focusing on current clients
for double-digit growth over the past year.
“In some cases, it was more volume and in
others it was expansion in responsibilities.
But primarily it was organic growth with
current clients.”
✽ 2006 results: The explosive 19.4%
growth last year can be attributed to a few
key projects and expanded efforts with
two Fortune 500 0 companies.
✽ Top challenges: With no major market
forces acting on Group II in 2006, its top
challenge is continuing to streamline the
organization and fi nding ways to operate
more cost effectively.
✽ Outlook for 2007: “Our plan is to
continue to drive year-on-year growth as
we traditionally have,” says Cromheecke.
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200
150
$156
$158
$177
$185
$222
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
That means continued success with current
clients and growth through new clients
will both be key initiatives this year.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
Every cooler or towel that you see on the
sideline from local soccer to the NBA or
NFL, is shipped through Group II.
5Bensussen Deutsch & Associates Inc. (7)
(asi/137616)
Coming off a great 2006, executives
at Bensussen Deutsch & Associates
wanted to do something special for
employees. “As a reward for meeting
2006 stretch revenue goals, Eric Bensussen
and Jay Deutsch took the entire
200
$199
company to Las Vegas for a party and an
exclusive concert with Zowie Bowie and
150
$137
$145
Sugar Ray,” says Vice President of Marketing
Alison Paisley. BD&A’s lucrative
$118
contract with American Idol l producer
and licenser FremantleMedia, which has
been extended through 2007, may have
put them in the concert mood.
100
$101
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
✽ 2006 results: The company’s 37% increase in sales compared to 2005 can be chalked
up to new accounts and a growth in business with existing clients, Paisley says. “We
extended our reach into our existing accounts, and signed new key deals in targeted business
and entertainment arenas.”
✽ Personnel shifts: Three new members joined BD&A executive management in 2006.
Paisley stepped into the vp marketing role, Dan Sullivan became vice president of sales
and Jeff Hansen was named GM and vice president of consumer products.
✽ Top challenges: According to Paisley: ensuring that back-end processes and procedures
effectively support business growth.
✽ Outlook for 2007: The fi rm expects double-digit percentage revenue increases to
continue.
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SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
6American Identity (5)
(asi/120601)
Last year was a year of transition for one of the nation’s biggest corporate branded
merchandise distributors. The departure of company President, Paul Pickard, early in
the year led CEO Roger Henry to serve as acting president until August, when David
Krumbholz was named president and COO. Also, the company was acquired in May by
Staples, the offi ce products giant.
✽ 2006 results: American Identity enjoyed a sales increase of 37%, with growth coming on
the strength of new, large account acquisitions and continued growth of existing accounts,
according to Henry.
200
✽ New in 2006: The company is see-
$191 ing unprecedented gains in international
$185
sales. “Our leadership in global distribution
capabilities is creating signifi cant
growth opportunities with clients requir-
$180 $180 $180
ing worldwide services,” Henry says.
✽ Top challenges: Henry named continued
investment in technology geared to
improving customer service as a top challenge
for the fi rm moving forward.
✽ Outlook for 2007: Business is track-
150
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
ing ahead of 2006, and the outlook for
2007 is “very strong,” Henry says.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: American Identity is over 60 years old, having
been founded as a bowling shirt manufacturer in Bonner Springs, KS. The company has
grown to over 800 employees.
8Cintas (6)
(asi/162167)
Cintas wants people to know that it’s more
than a uniform company. In fact, its business
model provides localized service to
meet its clients’ many needs, but with a
perk that most local companies probably
don’t have – the resources and backing of
a $4 billion company.
200
150
100
N/A
$135
$149
$155
$158
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
108 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
✽ 2006 results: Promotional product sales
grew by $3 million in 2006, reaching $158
million, an increase of 2% over 2005. Jim
Stutz, director of promotional products,
attributes this increase to good relationships
with suppliers, in addition to its team
of merchandisers and program managers
being able to use suppliers’ products to
satisfy their clients’ promotional needs.
✽ New in 2006: Early in the year, Cintas
acquired 20 uniform-rental operations and
fi ve fi rst-aid services operations using the
name Select First Aid.
✽ Top challenges: Staffi ng is always an
ongoing challenge for a growing organization,
Stutz says, “to continue to fi nd top talent
to help us serve our customers’ needs
– fi nding the right people.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: Cintas runs on a fi scal
year that ends May 31. So it recently
wrapped up fi scal year 2007. Compared to
the previous year, Stutz says, “fi scal year
2008 is looking extremely strong.”
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7Geiger (8)
(asi/202900)
With an increase of 25% in revenues, Geiger
rose one spot on the Top 40, from eight to
seven this year. Geiger made two acquisitions
in 2006: Elliott Sales in Tacoma, WA, and Forrester-Smith,
based in Brandon, FL.
✽ 2006 results: Geiger had a record-breaking
sales and profi t year in 2006. The company
attributes its results to its two sizable acquisitions,
as well as solid organic growth. “Our
growth from the existing sales force was more
than double the growth rate of the industry,”
says Jo-an Lantz, executive vice president. “Our
sales reps were successful coast-to-coast at
securing national programs.”
✽ New in 2006: Geiger’s investment in technology
exceeded $2 million. It enhanced its
Geiger Studio, which is an online art storage
system that allows salespeople to catalog
their artwork for prospects and clients. Also,
the company invested in new, integrated Web
sites and enhanced its help desk, which is now
staffed by four full-time employees who provide
technical help to Geiger salespeople.
✽ Top challenges: Lantz says that balancing
relationships between clients, salespeople
and suppliers is key. “We cannot grow at the
expense of any relationship,” she says. “We
need to work diligently to maintain every relationship
at a personal level.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: Geiger is tracking more
than 15% ahead of 2006.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: “Geiger
is the largest, privately held, family-owned and
-managed distributor in the industry,” Lantz
says. “The fi fth generation of Geiger – Jeff Geiger
– has now joined the fi rm.”
200
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100
$125
$121
$125
$138
$173
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
9Adventures in Advertising (9)
(asi/109480)
Last year was the fi rst full year for Adventures
in Advertising since its separation from
former parent company 4imprint Inc.
✽ 2006 results: AIA’s sales grew 5.5%,
from $128 million in 2005 to $135 million
in 2006. “I think part of the increase is
just the professionalism and the maturity
of the system, and part of it is the economy,”
says Rebecca Kollmann, director of
marketing.
✽ New in 2006: AIA decided it was going
to start selling franchises again. “We
decided that midway through the year, and
that may have added to some additional
optimism in the system continuing to grow,”
Kollmann says.
Halo/Lee Wayne (11)
10 (asi/356000)
Acquisition has been the buzzword for
Halo over the past year. In fact, the whole
company was even acquired earlier this
year by public equity company Compass
Group Management. Also, Halo acquired
four distributorships over the past year. Two
of those – Francis & Lusky and Tasco Promotions
– are giving Halo even more sales
coverage across the country. The Tasco
deal alone added about 200 salespeople to
Halo’s coffers.
✽ 2006 results: The company’s sales
increased 23% from 2005 to 2006. Halo
CEO Marc Simon attributes the big year
to three factors: Greater productivity from
110 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
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✽ Top challenges: In 2006 these came
mainly from getting back into the swing of
adding franchisees again, Kollmann says.
150
120
90
N/A N/A
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
its existing sales force, the recruitment of
experienced salespeople and acquisitions
of companies in the Houston and Nashville
markets.
✽ Top challenges: “We view the sales
force as our customers, and the challenge
is always to fi nd new ways to add more
value to their efforts,” Simon says. “We
focus on technology, training and improved
sourcing as major initiatives to support our
sales force.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: Simon say that the
company’s recent acquisitions and addition of
salespeople in new locations is causing Halo
to track “considerably ahead” of 2006.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
“We measure and report on all aspects
“It was something that we hadn’t done for a
two-and-a-half- to three-year period where
we had stopped to reorganize the system
a little bit,” she says. “We had the experience
with the people that we had, but we
really needed to reinvent our development
activities.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: 2007 has gotten off
to a good start for AIA. It has added some
new franchisees as well as some new sales
affi liates this year, “So that’s very encouraging,”
Kollmann says.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: AIA
has more than one business model to offer
to distributors: franchising and sales affi liation.
“We have two different products that
we can offer people, and that makes us
unique,” Kollmann says.
Two new distributors appear on the Top 40 list this year:
G&G Outfi tters
at number
28
$119
$128
$135
Positive Promotions
at number
34
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150
120
90
N/A N/A N/A
$106
$131
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
of our support staff’s performance for our
sales force on a daily and weekly basis,”
Simon says.

Millions
SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
National Pen Corp. (10)
11 (asi/281040)
Its 14% sales increase since last year was
the result of a host of new writing instruments,
desk accessories, and tighter coordination of
its various internal sales divisions. “We have
been focusing in on tighter integration between
all of our channels, which include sales, Web
and mail,” says Gregg Kornfeld, general manager,
National Pen & Pencil Corp.
✽ New in 2006: The biggest change has
been the addition of Rich Schulte as the new
CEO. He spearheaded the purchase of New
England Business Services Inc. (asi/282590) 0
by Deluxe Corp. while president of Deluxe’s
small business division.
✽ Top challenges: The increase in postal
rates is the single biggest obstacle going
forward. “It means that you have to work on
making your dollar work more for you,” says
Kornfeld. “That’s when the integration of the
channels is even more important.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: National feels good
about 2007, especially considering its recent
purchase of fellow Top 40 0 distributor, Atlas
Pen & Pencil Corp. (asi/127000). 0 “I think it’s
challenging for any company to continue to
grow at double digits,” Kornfeld says. “However,
we remain optimistic thus far on the outlook
for 2007.”
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
National has a separate European headquarters
in Ireland and currently services 17 countries
outside of North America, including all of
Western Europe, Japan, Australia and New
Zealand.
150
120
90
60
$74
$93
$110
$114
$130
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
4imprint Inc. (17)
12 (asi/197045)
With a 34% increase in North American
120
$112
sales between 2005 and 2006, 4imprint
fi nds itself in the driver’s seat as new client
General Motors, along with strong growth
100
in existing accounts, powers profi ts. As
$83
reported by Counselor r in February, the
GM deal includes branded promotional
80
items such as keytags, pens, caps and
travel mugs.
✽ 2006 results: Company CFO David
Seekings reports that no major shift in
60
N/A N/A
$73
strategy lies behind the company’s growth. “We’re just doing more of the same, more effectively,”
with sales increases driven by a catalog/Web strategy.
✽ New in 2006: The company announced the acquisition of Supreme Holdings Limited in
November.
✽ Top challenges: Recent years have been great for the industry, Seekings says, with a
welcome shift to the use of more promotional products in the advertising mix. Moving forward,
“The big challenge for everyone is gauging the state of the economy. We’ve all benefi ted in
the past few years from a very buoyant economy. I think in one way or another if there is a
downturn, it could be diffi cult.”
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Parent company 4imprint Group PLC is a publicly
quoted group on the London Stock Exchange, where it has been listed since 1953.
Tic Toc (12)
13(asi/158990) Tic Toc, which is owned by ad agency giant
Omnicom, increased its sales from $96.2
million in 2005 to $99.1 million last year.
✽ 2006 results: Paul Gittemeier, CEO of
Tic Toc, believes the company is doing well
thanks to a combination of factors. First, Tic
Toc last year hired two seasoned new business
development executives who were
only casually acquainted with the ad specialty
market, but are highly knowledgeable
about marketing. “Their sole responsibility
is to cultivate new business opportunities,”
he says. Second, Tic Toc decided to shed
three Fortune 2500 clients that weren’t profitable
and were a drain on the company.
“I wrestled with these decisions just to
be sure they were right,” Gittemeier says.
“They were. We redeployed the people and
resources against other clients and grew
those businesses substantially.”
✽ New in 2006: The company expanded its
digital marketing capabilities in 2006. “We
Millions
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100
80
$91
$86
$95
$96
$99
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
can now support client programs requiring
this discipline, thereby being a more complete
resource to them,” Gittemeier says.
✽ Top challenges: Appealing to new
people in the job market. “The job market
is tight,” he says, “and young go-getters
– who are most of our new hires – are looking
for more than a job and a salary.”
✽ 2007 Outlook: “We are up quarter to
quarter and year-to-date compared to
2006,” Gittemeier says.
www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 113

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SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
Banyan Incentives (13)
14 (asi/342382)
Banyan Incentives is composed of sev-
100
$88 $88 $88 $88
eral companies, including Amsterdam
Printing, Sales Guides Intl., Anderson’s
Paper and Party Suppliers, Anderson’s
School Spirit, Anderson’s School Events
80
and Anderson’s Middle Zone. It is one of 60
several companies that comprise the privately
owned Taylor Corp., a $1.7 billion
company with over 15,000 employees,
$58
according to 2005 fi gures.
✽ 2006 results: Paul Griffi ths, president
40
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
of Banyan Incentives, declined to confi rm Counselor’s $88.2 million estimate.
✽ New in 2006: Griffi ths did break his silence when asked about the company’s focus last
year: “We continued to go more and more aggressively toward retaining the customers we
have and less focused on getting new customers. So it’s a small shift in focus.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: The biggest challenge for Banyan going forward is simple: Postal
rate increases. “It affects our cost more than sales,” says Griffi ths. “We try to put it into the
product cost but it is really diffi cult. There’s no value added. It just ups the costs without
anything getting better.”
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Taylor Corp. president Glen Taylor is owner of the
NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves.
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150
Myron (16)
16 (asi/278980)
Counselorr estimates put Myron’s 2006
sales fi gure at $83.6 million for a second
120
consecutive year. CEO Jim Adler declined
to confi rm the fi gure or provide any additional
information.
✽ 2006 results: The estimated sales fi g-
90
ure fi rst noted last year was gathered from
the latest report from Dun & Bradstreet. In
$84 $84
2006, company President Paul D’Andrea
60
N/A
2001
N/A
2002
N/A
2003 2004 2005 2006
told Counselorr the company’s revenues
were signifi cantly higher than the Dun &
Bradstreet number.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: The company’s fi rst product in 1949 was policy
wallets for insurance documents.
114 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
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Summit Marketing (15)
15 (asi/339116)
The full-service integrated marketing provider
continues to benefi t from a diversity
of clients and services. Last year saw a
2.5% revenue increase over 2005.
✽ 2006 results: Sales numbers can be
chalked up to “organic growth” in key
accounts, along with additional product
work in support of outreach programs
for the U.S. Army, according to CEO
Daniel Renz.
✽ New in 2006: Signifi cant account
growth for the fi rm’s Arlington, VAbased
Government Services Group
was the most notable development in
2006, Renz says.
✽ Top challenges: According to
Renz, the need to “identify and develop
younger people into the industry on the
sales side of the business.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: Renz predicts
double-digit-percentage sales growth
in 2007.
100
80
60
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$65
$85 $85
$87
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
17 companies in the distributor Top 40 had double-digit
growth last year, with an overall average of
11.25%.

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SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
Mid West Trophy (18)
17 (asi/270880)
Mid West Trophy sales remained fl at in
2006, according to Counselorr estimates.
After doubling its sales in 2002 to $74 million,
the company has reported only a $7
million increase the past four years.
✽ New in 2006: The company has a new
building for its corporate division, MTM Recognition.
The building is located on 20 acres
in Del City, OK, and includes both an offi ce
building and manufacturing facility.
✽ Outlook for 2007: MTM Recognition
was selected by the NCAA Offi cial Awards
Program Supplier to produce awards for all
its program needs.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Mid
West purchased Jostens, the well-known
class ring company, in 2001 after supplying
them with product for over 20 years.
100
80
60
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Kaeser & Blair Inc. (19)
19 (asi/238600)
Central to Kaeser & Blair’s success is the
company’s relationships with its authorized,
independent dealers, a fact that has always
made professional support and service the
keystone of its operation.
✽ 2006 results: After a year of essentially
fl at growth, sales at Kaeser & Blair grew
about 3% between 2005 and 2006. The
company attributes much of its increase to
technological effi ciencies – like its order
processing system. “We automate as much
of the order processing as we can,” says
Gregg Emmer, chief marketing offi cer. “We
116 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
American Solutions for 80
18 Business Inc. (21)
$78
(asi/120075)
70
$67
In 2006, American Solutions for Business
continued to work with Novation, a large
health care purchasing organization that 60
ASB landed a contract with in 2004, while
also building profi ts from other areas.
✽ 2006 results: Sales were up just over
$55
50
$10 million, or 16% in 2006, resulting
$49
in a total of $78.1 million. There were $46
many reasons for this increase, including 40
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
a partnership with sales associates from
the recently bankrupted Global DocuGraphix; its continuing contract with Novation; and
a sales force personnel growth of 8.5%. And new capabilities with its proprietary ACES
online technology have helped drive growth as well. “We’re averaging 5,000 orders a
month coming through electronically where our sales reps never have to touch an order,”
says Wayne Martin, vice president of vendor relations. “We’ve got a little over 1,000 customers
using that technology today.”
✽ New in 2006: ASB began the process of establishing a new enterprise resource project
system internally. “We went through a selection process last year, which included a lot
of people from various functional groups in the company, and we’ve been going through
the confi guration phases now all of this year,” Martin says.
✽ Top challenges: Increased competition from non-traditional distributors was a challenge
in 2006 and that continues today. “I see a new type of company evolving, and it’s a
more creative-marketing-agency-type promotional distributor,” Martin says.
✽ Outlook for 2007: Sales in almost all of ASB’s categories are up for 2007, Martin
says. “We’ve got some really good stuff on the radar screen right now, and we’re really
pretty excited about 2007.”
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: One of company President/CEO Larry Zavadil’s
favorite analogies for the company is an amoeba. “An amoeba, when you look at it, it’s
constantly changing its shape and form to meet its environment,” Martin says. “Larry uses
the amoeba over and over again, and it’s so true when you look at who we were and who
we are today.”
still edit the orders with a human, but we
have eliminated most of the keystrokes and cesses,” Kaeser says.
have online checking.”
✽ New in 2006: CEO Kurt Kaeser cites new
80
$78
technology effi ciencies, expanded programs
$76
and new dealer relationships as hallmarks
of 2006.
$76
✽ Top challenges: Staying on top of cut-
$70
ting-edge technologies and programs.
✽ Outlook for 2007: Sales continue to
trend upward through 2007, Kaeser says.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: “We’re
70
probably the oldest distributor in the industry,
with roots back to the 1850s and at the same
$65
time we’re one of the leading distributors with 60
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
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SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
20
Jack Nadel International
(14)
(asi/279600)
Last year saw the death of longtime president
Marty Nadel (in April) and the passing
of the leadership torch to his son, Craig.
Company founder Jack Nadel continues in
his role as chairman of the board of directors,
while Executive Vice President Robert
Buckingham was promoted to chief operating
offi cer.
✽ 2006 results: “Sales were fl at with an
asterisk,” according to Craig Nadel – the
asterisk accounting for a $10 million drop
in revenue from 2005. The entire loss can
be chalked up to one account, a cash debit
118 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
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card business, he says. “There was no margin,
but it was a really big sale and big
chunk of the business.”
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$86 $86
$76
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
The Vernon Company (22)
21(asi/351700) New marketing initiatives and internal efforts to maintain high employee retention rates
have executives at The Vernon Company feeling very positive about the fi rm’s direction.
Adding to the good feeling is a 10% increase in revenue between 2005 and 2006.
✽ 2006 results: Vice President of sales Dave Regan chalks sales success up to three factors:
Large orders and new fulfi llment programs from new and existing clients, employee
retention and the addition of more than 40 experienced industry account managers to the
Vernon team.
80
✽ New in 2006: A new program ties
direct-marketing efforts to specifi c
sales associates, including individual
names and contact information. “The
$73 sales force has been overwhelmingly
supportive of these initiatives, and for
70
$67
$68
that reason we expect to expand our
efforts in 2007/2008,” Regan says.
✽ Personnel changes: Jeff Burnett
$66
was promoted from his former position
of director of marketing to vice presi-
$63
dent of marketing.
60
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
✽ Top challenges: The company sees
industry public relations as a key challenge.
“We have an objective to make sure people in this industry really know who we are,
what we offer and what we are all about,” Regan says.
✽ Outlook for 2007: Regan says the company is running about 6% ahead of last year’s
shipments. “We continue to add good quality people to our sales team via new hires and
a number of acquisitions of small to mid-size distributorships,” he says.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Of the company’s top salespeople, 50% are women.
Millions
✽ New in 2006: The company opened
two new offi ces last year, in Dallas and
Chicago.
✽ Top challenges: “Getting and keeping
good salespeople is always number
one,” Nadel says. “We’re in the people
business.”
Outlook for 2007: With the company’s
fi scal year ending March 31, “it’s too early
to say,” Nadel says. “We obviously, to a
degree, roll with the economy.”
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: With
an eye to greater service and effi ciency, the
company developed its own order-writing
system on the Web, maintaining a version
for clients as well as internal employees.
One top
distributor
challenge:
“Getting
and
keeping
good
salespeople
is always
number
one.”
– CRAIG NADEL,
JACK NADEL INTERNATIONAL

Millions
SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
Evigna (24)
22 (asi/155460)
“We’re a pretty entrepreneurial group and
we’re very committed to driving growth in
this business,” says Evigna President Shan
Mehta. This has meant refocusing the company
to go after long-term, contracted relationships
with big brands, rather than oneoff
sales.
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$80
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
✽ 2006 results: Mehta says that sales
last year benefi ted from new account
growth, but were primarily driven by existing
accounts. “It usually takes a year or two
to really penetrate a new account, so you
really don’t see an uptick in revenue until at
least a year out,” he says.
120 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
✽ New in 2006: Evigna signed contracts
with a host of Fortune 500 companies,
including Bose, Hyatt, Harman/Becker,
Blue Cross national and Ely Lilly, becoming
the preferred, or, in many cases, the exclusive
provider. The new account growth
required a 30% increase in the number
of personnel, to just under 200 employees.
“We’ve invested a great deal in new
technology infrastructure to drive customer
service,” Mehta adds, including new ERP,
call center and warehouse management
systems.
✽ Personnel shifts: Evigna hired a new
head of operations, Pete Reisner, as part of
its effort to increase supply chain effi ciency
and reduce delivery times.
✽ Top challenges: “As we focus on big
brands, they change their strategies very
quickly,” Mehta says. “Each industry has
their own issues and continued shifts from
year to year, and our biggest challenge is to
be able to react to those shifts.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: The company
expects growth of around 20%, dependent
on demand among top end clients.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
Evigna oversees a managed, rather than
commissioned, sales force. “I think that’s a
departure from the way most of the companies
operate in the industry,” Mehta says.
The difference in revenue
between the top distributor and last
distributor on the list is
$ 207.2
million.
Millions
Brown & Bigelow (23)
23(asi/148500) Acquisitions were the big news at Brown &
Bigelow last year. They acquired two companies:
Lemark Advertising, located in Long
Island, NY, and the Costa Mesa, CA IPW
Product Development, which merged with
B&B’s Anaheim, CA, offi ces in October.
✽ 2006 results: B&B was up $1.8 million
over last year, which Executive Vice
President William D. Smith, Jr. says is due
to the new companies. “In 2006, our sales
increased $1,814,000 from $65,268,000 to
$67,082,000, and we attribute this gain to
the acquisition of the two distributors. Both of
these new offi ces will continue to support our
new salespeople locally.”
✽ New in 2006: They weren’t the only new
offi ces last year. The company also opened
one in Salt Lake City and hired three new
sales reps to staff it. The executive team was
expanded with Dave Thorman joining as vice
president of national accounts and Emmett
Taylor as regional vice president of the central
region.
✽ Top challenges: “Continuing to get our
message out to salespeople in the industry:
local support, employee status and a 50/50
split of the gross profi t,” Smith says.
✽ Outlook for 2007: “We are optimistic
about the business prospects for 2007,” says
Smith. “While some companies have had to
reduce their budgets, others are increasing
their promotional spending, and that’s good
for our company.”
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Of the
company’s top 60 salespeople, 63% of them
are women.
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60
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

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SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
EmbroidMe (20)
24 (asi/384186)
EmbroidMe’s expanding network of retail franchise operations has benefi ted from new printing
technologies and product lines as the company continues to refi ne its strategies for sales success.
Sales were up 40 % between 2005 and 2006.
✽ 2006 results: Tipton Shonkwiler, director of marketing, attributes the sales spike primarily
to the addition of new stores. “Between ’05 and ’06 we put about 100 new franchisees in to
the system.” All new stores opened with a direct-to-garment printer that allows franchisees to
generate new sales at the store level, rather than
80
sending orders out to be screen printed.
✽ New in 2006: A new private label product
70
$63 line “really started to get legs” in 2006, Shonk-
60
wiler reports. Sales of the EmbroidMe Collection
were very good, and the fourth quarter saw
50
$45 $46
the introduction of a higher-end product line for
Varendan: golf shirts.
40
✽ Top challenges: “The biggest challenge that
we have is continuing to educate our franchi-
30 $26
sees on the importance of building sales with
20
N/A
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
the strategies we have in place,” he says.
✽ Outlook for 2007: “We’re looking forward to
our best year ever,” Shonkwiler says.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: “Because of the name EmbroidMe, a lot of people associate
what we do with embroidery, but we do a lot of other things for clients, including marketing
campaigns for promotional products, school uniforms and athletics.”
60
50
40
30
$23
$29
$38
$42
$60
20
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Workfl owOne (29)
26 (asi/333647)
Workfl owOne has not made many waves in
the industry, but that’s going to change very
soon. “We’ve turned 180 degrees,” says Dan
Welborne, vice president of the promotional
division. “Promotional products is the number-one
initiative in the company. And that’s
pretty big for a billion-dollar company to pick
a space that we’ve been doing $35 million in
122 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
and say that is our number-one initiative.”
✽ 2006 results: Its new direction has already
resulted in an amazing 42.9% growth in promotional
sales.
✽ New in 2006: Leading the promotional
charge is Welborne, who was hired in
October 2006. He has hired fi ve regional
promotional products directors to oversee
the company’s new direction. “That’s their
only responsibility and my only responsibility,”
he says.
✽ Top challenges: “Getting the massive
number of employees that we have to believe
that we are serious about promotional products
and that we will be good at it,” says
Welborne. “Some of these veterans have 25
year’s experience selling to print. Suddenly
we’re telling them we are a promotional
products company, and they may not have
believed that right away.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: “I believe that we will
have upwards of 200% increase. We are
already on a track of 100% increase,” Wel-
Artcraft Promotional
25 Concepts (25)
(asi/125050)
Artcraft’s knack for strategic expansion
and targeted services has kept the fi rm
seeing black. The Moorestown, NJ-based
distributor, which specializes in custom
product design, enjoyed revenue growth
last year topping 16%.
✽ 2006 results: “Increased sales in 2006
is a confi rmation that our clients value the
expanded services that we forecasted
they would require,” says Vice President
Harold Zimmermann.
✽ New in 2006: Last April, Artcraft purchased
a 50% interest in Anatstat, USA,
a Flemington, NJ-based health education
media company. The purchase “enables
us to offer world-class models and teaching
tools,” Zimmermann says. “Anatstat has
collaborative medical association relationships
and focus group capabilities.” The
company’s direct marketing division also
expanded into several new markets.
✽ Top challenges: Zimmermann puts
continuing to improve value for clients at
the top of the list of challenges for 2007.
✽ Outlook for 2007: Citing the soundness
of business initiatives strategized and
implemented over the past year, Zimmermann
expects 2007 to be “very good.”
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
“The Artcraft difference is simply the
culture,” Zimmermann says. “We hire
good people with passion, and provide
them with the necessary tools to exceed
client expectations.”
40
borne says. 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
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60
50
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$61

SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
Corporate Edge (26)
27 (asi/168860)
Focusing on e-commerce has proved profitable
for Corporate Edge, which designs,
manufactures and distributes promotional
materials. In-house manufacturing means fl exibility
and creative expertise for the company’s
Fortune 5000 clients, but creates supply chain
challenges that have led to some consolidation
of operations.
✽ 2006 results: CEO Scott Levy reports
sales increases in e-commerce and among
existing clients the primary factors driving
20% revenue growth from 2005 to 2006.
✽ New in 2006: The company has brought
its entire e-commerce operation in-house,
124 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
from software platforms to Web design and
hosting, sourcing, billing and warehousing.
The effort brings together “the whole complete
management of the corporate store.”
✽ Top challenges: “The goal in the beginning
of 2006 was to build up that e-commerce
department,” Levy says.
✽ Outlook for 2007: Sales are up 15% so
far, though much of the company’s business
comes in the fourth quarter. Levy estimates a
10% overall sales increase for the year.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: It’s
been fi ve years since the merger of Corporate
Image and Selling Edge created Corporate
Edge. “In those fi ve years, the company has
doubled in size.”
G & G Outfi tters (N/A)
28 (asi/199904)
G & G Outfi tters may be new to the Top 40 0 but the company has been around for 17
years now. Why the sudden emergence? The company decided to get its name out in
the public more, as part of its strategy for growth. “If we’re going to try to continue to
improve that top-line revenue, we realize we’re going to have to be a little more forthcoming
with our numbers,” says Richard
Gergar, executive vice president.
“Clearly by sharing our numbers, we
$58
become more legitimate in the eyes
of any potential customers who may
be looking to see who’s a world-class
provider in this space outside of the
big boys.”
✽ 2006 results: With sales of $51.3
million in 2005 and $58.3 million in
$51
2006, G&G saw an increase of 14%.
The increase in sales can be attrib-
N/A N/A N/A
uted to the company’s many divisions
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 marketing themselves aggressively.
For example, its motor sports and
beverage divisions have people who call on clients in specifi c regions to develop and
implement branded merchandise promotions for those specifi c channels. “That’s really
paid a lot of dividends,” Gergar says.
✽ New in 2006: Both the motor sports and beverage divisions were created in 2006
to better tap into these lucrative markets.
✽ Personnel shifts: G&G appointed Steve Hirschorn regional vice president of its
newly established Overland Park, KS, offi ce.
✽ Top challenges: Managing and maintaining growth have been top challenges for
G&G. “As the top-line revenue number becomes bigger, trying to maintain a 10%,
20%, 15% growth rate becomes that much more challenging,” Gergar says.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: G&G started as a small company that sold
and screen-printed T-shirts. Today, it still does that, but has grown to a company that
also has approximately 160 embroidery heads and a fulfi llment division, along with its
promotional products sales and marketing organization. “Not many, if any, of our competitors
in the marketplace have that manufacturing base as part of their promotional
products solution for their customers,” Gergar says.
60
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50
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60
50
40
30
$30
$32
$41
$49
$59
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Newton Manufacturing (27)
29 (asi/283300)
“Our growth comes from the efforts of our salespeople,”
says Jerome Hoxton, president. To that end,
the distributor has been an innovator in online sales
support.
✽ 2006 results: Sales were up 3% thanks to “a lot
of hard work, good salespeople, cold-calling and
providing more value service to prospects and customers,”
Hoxton says.
✽ New in 2006: “We were able to partner with a lot of
new representatives that had good contacts,” Hoxton
says, also mentioning new online services such as a
Web-based data management program.
✽ Top challenges: Further expansion and evolution
of the services needed to support the sales group,
including “more use of technology to support transactional
processes.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: Hoxton says he expects a
growth year.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Newton Manufacturing
will be 100 years old in 2009, and has been
in business in the same Iowa town since its inception.
Millions
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70
60
50
40
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$47
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$50
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Millions
SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
Gary Mandel Promotional
30 Concepts Inc. (28)
(asi/260340)
This Santa Monica, CA-based distributor has
been selling and designing custom promotional
products since 1976 with President
Gary Mandel at the helm. The company has a
diverse client base that includes brands such
as Kraft, Pepsi, Gap and Pfi zer.
✽ 2006 results: Gary Mandel followed up a
double-digit growth year in 2005 (15%) with a
more pedestrian 7% increase in 2006. While
the company’s growth has slowed a bit, it has
gotten larger – from $28 million in 2002 to its
2006 total of $48 million.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: The
company has been importing products from
Asia for more than 30 years. It even has its
own in-house logistics department staffed with
full-time shipping and U.S. Customs experts.
50
40
30
$28
$31
$39
$45
$48
20
CorpLogoWare (33)
32(asi/168827) For 2006, the growth for CorpLogoWare runs
deeper than the numbers, says President/
CEO Jack Levine. The company had asked 25
of its lower producing account executives to
leave, and added 30 higher producing ones,
resulting in higher profi tability.
✽ 2006 results: CorpLogoWare enjoyed a
40% increase in sales over 2005’s $30.1
million, resulting in $42.1 million in sales for
2006. This can be attributed to the higher
producing account executives, along with
the results of a healthy economy overall. In
addition, Levine says, “Our U.S. Olympic
Team license has continued to provide not
only entrée to new clients but also increased
126 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
31
(asi/268100)
(31)
Company President Herbert Piller believes
quality of service and good research can
trump bargain-basement offerings when
$42
it comes to winning clients. Merit Industries
has found success – sales were up
nearly 10% last year – providing quality
promotional items that deliver both marketing
and public relations benefi ts.
40
$39
✽ 2006 results: Piller credits increased
$30
advertising as a key factor behind rev- 30
N/A N/A
enue numbers, maintaining a monthly
presence in 120 publications.
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
✽ New in 2006: In a strategic move, Merit dropped customers with orders of less than
1,000 pieces. “We have either upgraded smaller clients or cut them out,” Piller says,
bringing the company’s average order size to 3,000 to 5,000 pieces, he says. “It doesn’t
pay to take an order for a couple of hundred pieces,” he says.
✽ Top challenges: “To come up with new, exciting products,” Piller says. The company
has latched on to the green movement, in one instance supplying live trees for a giveaway
promotion run by an oil refi ner seeking to burnish its image after a spate of bad publicity.
✽ Outlook for 2007: Sales are up 22% from where they were a year ago, according to
Piller. The secret? “We’re working our butts off.”
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: “We sell at list prices only, because we put a lot
of research into our suggestions, and large companies are willing to pay our price,” Piller
says. “We’ve had some big customers for 35 to 40-odd years.”
Only fi ve companies had fl at, or 0%
growth last year.
credibility for all of our account executives.”
✽ New in 2006: In late 2006, CorpLogo-
Ware added a NASCAR license, which
Levine expects will have a major impact on
2007 revenue.
✽ Outlook for 2007: Thanks to the new
NASCAR license, CorpLogoWare is also
expecting a strong showing in 2007, Levine
says. And the addition of several higher producing
account executives in late 2006 has
the company expecting 40% year-to-year
growth again for 2007.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
CorpLogoWare combines two different business
models to help make its account executives
successful: carrying licensing and hiring
independent contractors. “We merge both, in
Millions
50
accounts but also have licensed accounts as
a way to bolster their base,” Levine says.
50
40
30
20
10
N/A
$13
$24
$30
$42
Millions pendent contractors who work on their own
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Millions
SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
Thomas Direct Sales (30)
33(asi/343878) Founded in 1986, Thomas Direct Sales is
a family-owned business that started in a
basement in Ironia, NJ. Headed by President
Nancy D’Andrea, it has blossomed
into a $40 million global business and one
of the top woman-run businesses in the
country.
✽ 2006 results: Thomas Direct Sales is
another company joining our no-growth
club, according to a Counselorr estimate.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
Professional Woman Magazine named
D’Andrea to its Top 100 Minority Women
Business Owners list.
40
35
30
$34
35
$33
$35
$40 $40
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Norscot Group (38)
(asi/284520)
Norscot is an international distributor with
locations in Europe, China and several locations
across the U.S., including a headquarters
in Wisconsin. President Scott Stern
says the company’s continued success
comes from its ability to fi nd new clients
and new markets, but prides itself on the
number of referrals it gets from satisfi ed
customers.
✽ 2006 results: Norscot nearly doubled its
growth over last year, with a 12% increase.
Stern cites the addition of several new
major clients as the biggest reason behind
the increase.
✽ New in 2006: The company moved into
a new facility several years ago, giving
Millions
Positive Promotions
34(N/A) (asi/297370)
According to Counselorr sources, Posi-
tive Promotions garnered an estimated
$39.5 million in sales in 2006. While Nelson
Taxel, the company’s president, won’t
confi rm or deny this estimate, it places
Positive Promotions at number 34 on this
year’s Top 400 list.
✽ About the company: Positive, which is
40
$40
based in Hauppauge, NY, has been in business
since 1947. The company’s strategy
35
N/A
2002
N/A
2003
N/A
2004
N/A
2005 2006
is to break its offerings up into market specialties. It’s Web site, www.positivepromotions.
com, has specifi c sections for various events (like Breast Cancer Awareness and Black History
Month), as well as topline tabs for markets such as schools, safety, recognition, and
health and wellness
✽ Go to market strategy: The company tries to be a one-stop-shop destination for its
customers. It offers customers the ability to purchase through any of three vehicles: catalog,
over the phone, or through its Web site. The company even employs event planners and
product-fi nders to help its customers locate the promotional items they need.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Each year, Positive donates a portion of the proceeds
from its National Breast Cancer Awareness campaign to the American Cancer Society. In
2005, Taxel presented a check for $23,500 to ACS representatives.
35
30
25
20
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
it additional space to expand its service
capabilities. In 2006 it was fi nally able to
truly take advantage of all this change, says
Stern: “Now we can photograph products
Millions
4imprint is the company that made the
biggest leap this year, moving up fi ve
spots from 17th on the list to 12th.
N/A N/A
$24
$31
$35
and send them to clients electronically.
We expanded our creative department and
added more artists, because we do all of
our own catalogs and graphics. It just gives
us a lot of fl exibility and helps us introduce
products faster.”
✽ Top Challenges: Norscot manufactures
die-cast models along with being a full-scale
distributor. Unfortunately, it means that the
increases in raw material costs in 2006 hits
them directly.
✽ Outlook for 2007: “We are looking forward
to another year of double-digit growth,”
Stern says.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
Norscot has been an industry distributor
since 1970; Stern has been with the company
since 1974.
www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 129

SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
Atlas Pen and Pencil (32)
36 (asi/127000)
Atlas Pen & Pencil Co.’s 2006 performance
is bound to be overshadowed by National
Pen Company’s May 2007 purchase of the
company (the two will continue to operate
under separate company names and
brands); still, recent infrastructure improvements,
a solid client base and an increasing
diversity of offerings make clear Atlas’
appeal to National Pen.
2006 results: Atlas’ sales in 2006 were
essentially fl at, off a few thousand dollars
from 2005. “Last year, the company
diverted some of its advertising dollars to
enhance our systems and our e-commerce
platforms,” says Gregg Kornfeld, new general
manager of the combined companies.
✽ New in 2006: The company continued
to launch a number of new products in all
divisions, Kornfeld says, seeing good sales
of trendy electronic products, like USB pen
drives and storage devices and MP3 players
and recorders.
✽ Top challenges: Heightened competition,
pressure from imports that continuously
erode profi t margins and the
increasing price of postage. “The dramatic,
arbitrary increase in postage is a huge
challenge for all of the direct marketers,”
37
(asi/185782)
(35)
Maintaining a recent trend, this Alpharetta,
GA-based provider of online corporate
stores and promotional sales strategies
has proven its worth to some of the world’s
best-known brands, including Offi ce Max,
Xerox and AIG. Sales last year topped $34
million, a 5% increase over 2005.
✽ 2006 results: Craig Callaway, chief executive
offi cer, credits the fi rm’s growth to the
expansion of custom order and importing
capabilities, as well as the addition of several
new Fortune 1000 clients.
✽ New in 2006: “We enjoyed several, very
130 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
he says. “It goes right to the bottom line.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: “The 2007 outlook
is of course affected by the acquisition,”
Kornfeld says. “The National Pen acquisition
of Atlas will bring lots of opportunities
in inventory, system synergy, a wider area
product line.”
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: “It’s
the third generation of one family working
in the company,” Atlas Pen CEO Bob Schneider
says. “My father started the company
in 1941, I joined the company in 1973, my
brother Eric joined the company in ’75,
and my son David joined the company six
years ago.”
large custom orders, grew our core online
business and won a few signifi cant new
accounts,” Callaway says.
✽ Personnel shifts: “Same great people,
just a little more gray hair.”
✽ Top challenges: “The challenges continue
to be maintaining product gross margins,
fi nding new sales talent to keep up
with our growth and discerning the best
investments for our future,” Callaway says.
✽ Outlook for 2007: Callaway reports
company sales were up 25% over 2006 for
the fi rst four months of 2007.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: “We
are not Internet geeks,” Callaway insists,
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As a combined
group the
Top 40
distributors
make up
20%
of the
industry’s total
revenue.
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“but people who love to delight our customers
with creative stuff.”

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SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
Gateway/CDI (40)
38(asi/202515) This distributor of promotional products for
corporate events, marketing campaigns and
incentive programs has been working on providing
new distribution options for customers
in order to keep sales moving in their current
direction: up 12% between 2005 and 2006.
✽ 2006 results: Chuck Fandos, president,
attributes sales growth to new fulfi llment/company
store accounts, growth in existing client
accounts and special orders, and the hiring of
new salespeople.
✽ New in 2006: Gateway/CDI is putting a
new emphasis on dropships, or special orders,
including quick-turnaround special orders for
corporate special events. The effort called for
a revamped business model designed by the
Facilis Group, another St. Louis fi rm.
✽ Top challenges: “Finding and training new
people as we continue to grow,” Fandos says.
✽ Outlook for 2007: Sales are healthy, up
132 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
25% in the fi rst quarter of 2007.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
According to Fandos, the company has an
unoffi cial motto. “We kind of joke that our
motto is ‘We climb a mountain, every day, that
doesn’t have a top.’ In other words, in working
to provide better services for customers, the
effort does not end.”
Goldman Promotions (39)
39(asi/209700) Goldman Promotions continued to grow in 2006, capitalizing on a new facility (opened December
2005). The company’s sales were up 11% over 2005 totals.
✽ 2006 results: Ken Goldman, chairman, credits solid recruiting of experienced account managers
with much of the company’s recent sales success. “We’ve strengthened our account
manager support services, which has helped quite a few of our top producers have their best
sales year ever,” he says.
✽ New in 2006: Goldman expanded its licens-
35
$34
ing activity to include the collegiate market,
$33 fraternities and specifi c customer licenses, and
expanded its in-house Web development and
graphic arts capabilities.
✽ Personnel shifts: The company has
30
$29 $29
$30
increased the size of its sales management
team by promoting from within, a policy the
chairman believes inspires regional managers
to become more entrepreneurial.
✽ Top challenges: “The challenges ahead
include keeping our focus on account manager
25
support,” Goldman says. “Our goal is to offer
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
the highest quality of support in the country.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: Four months into 2007, the company was on pace to match its recent double-digit
growth margins, Goldman says. Gross profi t margins are also trending steadily upward.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Proving the not-so-old adage, “if you build it, they
will come,” Goldman moved into its new headquarters with 20 empty desks reserved for 20
future support staff. As of now, “all of those desks are fi lled,” Goldman says.
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40 Caliendo-Savio
Enterprises (34)
(asi/155807)
Caliendo-Savio Enterprises looks to big
names when it comes to companies it tries
to emulate: “It would be Nordstrom’s, Four
Seasons and Ritz-Carlton – we really try to
deliver that level of service,” says Mark Ziskind,
COO.
✽ 2006 results: Sales were up slightly last
year, from $32.5 in 2005 to $32.8 in 2006.
Ziskind attributes the increase to four things:
the company’s commitment to service, creativity,
a new in-house awards division and
new business.
✽ New in 2006: CSE instituted a mistake
prevention incentive program where the
employees are able to split what’s left after
penalties for mistakes are deducted from a
$50,000 pool per quarter. The cost of the
mistake is deducted directly from the fund
if it’s caught while still in-house; if the incorrect
product gets into a client’s hands, the
deduction from the fund is doubled. Since
the plan was implemented, CSE has seen a
58% reduction of mistakes.
✽ Top challenges: Like many growing
companies, the biggest challenge for CSE
is fi nding good salespeople. In addition, the
company has been working to build its offshore
network.
✽ Outlook for 2007: Sales are up 24%
year-to-date, Ziskind says.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Not
only does CSE provide traditional distributor
services, but it also sells uniforms and
awards and has in-house embroidery, digitizing,
and laser-engraving.
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SOI 2007 TOP 40 SUPPLIERS
Supplier Top 40
(Last year’s rank in parentheses)
1Broder Bros. Co. (1)
(asi/42090)
The giant of the ad specialty industry remains
on top this year, even though its revenues fell
from $456 million in 2005 to $447 million in
2006. In an effort to focus on cost controls,
last year the apparel supplier – which consists
of industry fi rms Broder, Alpha Shirt
Co., and NES – consolidated some of its
distribution centers to end up with eight bigger
warehouses spread across the country.
✽ 2006 results: While the company’s overall
revenues decreased by about 2%, Broder
is focused on results outside of revenue performance.
“Though growing sales is important
to us, it’s actually not our top objective,”
says Girisha Chandraraj, vice president of
marketing. “Our sales performance last year
is a refl ection of selling less of the plain,
white T-shirts that you can buy anywhere.”
2 Polyconcept
North America (N/A)
2006 was a busy year for Leed’s parent
company, Polyconcept North America, which
acquired felloww Top 400
supplier Bullet Line
(asi/42424) in August. While Leed’s and Bul-
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134 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
✽ New in 2006: Broder launched new Web
sites last year focused specifi cally on the
business-to-business market. The company
also expanded its inventory and shipping
capabilities so it can now have as much
product available to distributors within one
day as possible.
let Line each operate independently, both companies
benefi ted from the purchase. “While
each company goes to market independently,
the synergies realized in the areas of overseas
sourcing and product development are
even greater than we anticipated,” says Sam
DiBiase, Leed’s vice president of sales.
✽ 2006 results: For Leed’s, sales increased
$44.2 million in 2006 to $275.1 million, a
jump of 19% over 2005’s numbers. Bullet
Line saw its sales jump for the third straight
year, leaping from $60.8 million in 2005 to
$68 million last year.
✽ New in 2006: Leed’s added fi ve new
brands in 2006: Balmain, Stanley, Case
Logic, Wenger and Laguiole. Bullet Line also
refreshed its product line.
✽ Top challenges: “One of our top challenges
in 2006, which continues into 2007, is
our ability to educate our distributors regar-
✽ Management changes: Interim CEO
Tom Myers became CEO and the company
hired Girisha Chandraraj as its new vice
president of marketing. Also, Matt O’Connor
was promoted to vice president, managing
the Broder sales force.
✽ Top challenges: “We are working to offer
better availability of product so that what’s in
the catalog is what’s in the warehouse, and
to offer the best pricing day in and day out,”
Chandraraj says.
✽ Outlook for 2007: The company is
expecting a big year in 2007 as it gets
its distribution centers ramped up and
enhances its offerings to the market. “We’ve
had red-hot sales on our newest products,”
Chandraraj says.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
Broder Bros. is based in Trevose, PA, about
a mile from ASI’s headquarters.
ding all our products and services available,
to best meet their needs,” DiBiase says.
“We need to be very effi cient in delivering
this message in a way that distributor
account executives remember all that we
bring to market.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: Most signs look good
for 2007, with most distributors reporting an
active marketplace, DiBiase says. In addition,
the company is hitting its goals for
growth so far this year. One caveat: “The
real unknown is how increased energy and
a continued softening of the housing market
will affect the overall economy in the second
half of 2007,” he says. But, despite the
uncertainty, “we remain cautiously optimistic
about the year.”
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Bullet
Line was the innovator of rush service in the
industry.

Millions
SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
SUPPLIERS
3Norwood Promotional
Products (2)
2006 was a year to right the ship for Norwood.
After the company’s revenues fell
more than 11% between 2005 and 2006,
Norwood began to turn itself around in 2006
and was down less than 1% from 2005.
✽ 2006 results: With 2006 revenues of
$335 million, Norwood ranks as the thirdlargest
supplier in the ad specialty industry.
“Over the past year we’ve gone a long
way toward repairing relationships with our
customers and with our own employees,”
says Paul Lage, Norwood’s president. “We
had to win the confi dence of a lot of people
back before we can really begin to build it
all up again.”
✽ Personnel changes: Paul Lage, formerly
of BIC Graphic USA, was hired to be president
of Norwood in June 2006. Also, Bill
Steckel came on as chief fi nancial offi cer and
Jim Simone joined the organization as chief
marketing offi cer.
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4Ennis Inc. (3)
(asi/52493)
Ennis’ growth in 2005 was spurred on by its
acquisition of Alstyle Apparel (asi/34817). While
Ennis is best known as a giant in the businessforms
market, that category isn’t what it used to
be, says Zak Smith, marketing manager. “The traditional
business forms side of the market continues
to decline,” he says.
✽ 2006 results: The apparel and promotional
divisions represent steady growth, but business
forms still account for the majority of Ennis’ sales.
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
✽ New in 2006: Upon joining the company,
one of the fi rst things Lage did was form a
small advisory board of Norwood’s distributor
customers, called The Mighty 8. This group
provides Norwood with feedback and offers
direction on how it can improve its relationships
with distributors. Also, the company
consolidated its shipping and warehousing
facilities, closing its last one in Los Angeles
The slow growth in business forms resulted in a
much slimmer 2% growth in 2006.
✽ New in 2006: Ennis added a few locations to
its business forms business, but it was the addition
of the Dunbrooke and Reebok lines that was
most notable for industry distributors.
✽ Top challenges: Education remains the biggest
challenge. As the company diversifi es into
other product avenues, distributors need to recognize
the new face of Ennis. “From the printing
standpoint, everyone knows us,” says Smith. “But
most people don’t go past business forms to see
that we do tags, labels, envelopes, promotional
printing and now the apparel side as well.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: Ennis will continue to pursue
acquisitions in the print fi eld whenever they fi t
the business model and make sense to its shareholders.
They are also pushing for more crosssell
across products lines. “We want to educate
promotional products distributors about print,
and traditional forms distributors to sell more promotional
product items,” says Smith.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: The cover
of the Alstyle 2006/2007 catalog featured male
model, Tyler Denk, co-winner of The Amazing
Race 10.
the fi rst month that Lage started. “There will
be no more plant closings,” he says.
✽ Top challenges: One of Lage’s major
initiatives is to emphasize and promote Norwood
as a brand, as opposed to the 16
individual companies that the overall organization
consists of. “It’s tough to do because
the individual names are rooted in the industry,
but we have to get the Norwood brand
to mean something to distributors,” he says.
To that end, the company is putting all of its
divisions on the same phone, computer and
software systems – each had operated independently
previously.
✽ Outlook for 2007: “In the next three to
fi ve years, we’ll be in every major category in
the industry, and I think we have the potential
to be a $1 billion supplier,” Lage says.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: The
walls of Norwood’s headquarters, based in
Indianapolis, are decorated with dozens of
original prints that were fi rst created for the
company’s calendars.
Five
Top 40
suppliers
experienced
negative
growth in
2006.
www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 137

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SOI 2007 TOP 40 SUPPLIERS
5SanMar (5)
(asi/84863)
Sticking to the basics of excellent customer service and fast turnaround on quality products
led to another outstanding year for the apparel supplier.
✽ 2006 results: Sales in 2006 reached $250 million, a 17% increase over 2005. “There are
two vital questions heard daily by industry suppliers: ‘Do you have the product in stock?’ and
‘How fast can you get it to me?’ SanMar’s ability to answer ‘Yes’ and ‘Faster than ever’ led
to an increase in sales for 2006,” says Marty
Lott, president. To keep up with demand, in
$250 2006 the company expanded its warehouse
$214
capacity by 20% overall and its one-day shipping
territory by more than 5%.
$186
✽ New in 2006: In January SanMar partnered
with Nike Golf, added new products
to its Port Authority, Sport-Tek, District
Threads and CornerStone brands and intro-
$156
duced a new brand for infants and toddlers,
$145
Precious Cargo.
✽ Top challenges: Unseasonable weather
and unpredictability of business in general
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 were top challenges in 2006 and have continued
into 2007, Lott says. For example, the company was taking very large orders for down
parkas and leather items in the spring. “Normally big leather sales come in fall – people really
don’t think of leather in May … and people don’t buy down parkas this time of year. But
they’re doing it,” Lott says. “Obviously we had the inventory and were able to take the orders,
but it’s creating more scrambling to get our inventory back up to where we want it to be.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: So far, 2007 is going well for SanMar. “Sales are up for 2007,”
Lott says.
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100
7Bodek and Rhodes (8)
(asi/40788)
Sales again climbed substantially in 2006.
The supplier has opened two new warehouses
in the past two years. “Our pricing
has never been more competitive than over
the last few years,” says Mary Ellen Hudicka,
director of marketing. “We have huge product
line increases and fi ve new brands, including
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
138 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
Tommy Hilfi ger. Our customer service has
improved even more, with error level improvements
of 25% to 35% in 2006.”
✽ 2006 results: Sales increased from $126
million in 2005 to $140 million in 2006, an
11% jump. Bodek and Rhodes has seen
annual increases of 3% or more since 2001.
✽ New in 2006: “We added a new distribution
center in Norton, MA, and over 30 new
styles to our private label, UltraClub, including
many performance fabrics,” says Hudicka,
who adds there have been no changes in
senior management in the past seven years.
✽ Top challenges: “Managing growth,
increasing our product line 20% and increasing
our sales staff by 20%,” Hudicka says.
✽ Outlook for 2007: “We are meeting all
our business projections and forecasts,
including sales growth,” Hudicka says. She
adds that customer service reps are answering
calls within 20 seconds 99% of the time,
another goal of the company.
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6BIC Graphic USA (6)
(asi/40480)
When people think of BIC, most will think of
pens, but the writing instrument company has
been expanding its offerings of other business
essentials. And these additional product
lines have helped drive sales for the company.
“As we continue to add more product categories
into our portfolio, those new categories
are some of the key contributors to growth, as
well as new products within existing categories,”
says Jason Miller, director of business
development.
✽ 2006 results: BIC’s sales grew 3% in
2006, to $174 million. Some of this growth
can be attributed to the expansion of the Solis
category, which was added in 2004, as well
as other new products, Miller says.
✽ Personnel changes: In early 2006, Paul
Lage left his position of global vice president,
which created opportunities for other employees
within the organization and triggered some
restructuring, Miller says.
✽ New in 2006: Notebooks and keyrings
were among the new products offered by BIC
in 2006. It also continued to add more writing
instruments within its Solis category.
✽ Top challenges: Miller says that service
and importing from China are two of BIC’s
biggest challenges right now “and they pretty
much go part and parcel with one another,”
he says. “We have generally been a manufacturer,
and as we migrate from manufacturing
to manufacturing/importing it brings with it a
whole new host of issues and challenges.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: “We’re optimistic that
we will exceed last year’s sales numbers,”
Miller says.
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

SOI 2007 TOP 40 SUPPLIERS
83M Promotional Markets
Dept. (7)
(asi/91240)
Though it does not break out its special
markets division, this conglomerate posted
2006 revenues at more than $22 billion.
The company entered the market in 1983
with the oft-imitated Post-It note. It has introduced
dozens of products over the past
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
140 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
two decades, including note cubes, diecut
note pads, document fl ags and writing
instruments.
✽ 2006 results: Counselor’s estimate puts
3M fl at for the year.
✽ New in 2006: The latest products from
3M feature combinations of products into one
multifunction unit, such as a pen with fl ags.
There is also a great move toward customization,
says Deb Leptine, national sales manager.
“We are working with our manufacturing
to be more fl exible to the needs of our customers
by offering truly custom products.”
✽ Top challenges: Customers were demanding
a more personal touch from 3M in
2006. “The distributors want to see more
face time, and that’s one of the reasons we
have hired a lot of multiline reps to reach
more people more frequently,” says Leptine.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: 3M
stands for Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing
Co.
Staton (9)
10 (asi/89380)
Despite a fl at year, confi dence in what the future holds could not be higher. “Our product
offering is changing,” says Lea Robinson, vice president of sales and marketing. “Our product
line is more attractive to the ad specialty market than we have been in the past, and this
additional business increases our sales.”
✽ 2006 results: After a 10% upswing from 2004-2005, sales slowed down for Staton, with a
marginal increase to $122 million last year from $121 million in 2005, a jump of just 0.8%.
✽ New in 2006: Robinson says Staton introduced three new product lines last year: Arnold
Palmer, NYNE and Pace Race wear. “In addition, we added Alo and Bella Baby to our existing
Bella line,” she says. “Sierra Pacifi c introduced their Business Ready concept, and that
addition gives our customers access to the entire Sierra Pacifi c line.”
✽ Top challenges: “To communicate to the industry that the best value for their dollar is
Staton’s personal service, availability of branded products and reliable delivery,” Robinson
150
says. “Bigger is not always better. ‘Free’
usually has a cost attached.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: “Our sales are
strong, and we are excited that our new
commitment to the ad specialty market
$121 $122 has given us new focus,” Robinson says.
120
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
The launch of Staton’s new Web site earlier
this year has increased Web business
$110
by over 20%, according to Robinson.
“The site allows our customers to man-
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age their account with just a click of their
mouse,” she says.
9Ash City (10)
(asi/37127)
A large introduction of new products, including
new styles for wovens, outerwear, caps, polos
and twills, is a key reason for Ash City’s continued
climb. “We truly try to be the frontrunners in
design and materials, and attempt to offer what is
being seen at retail in Europe and America,” says
Paul Kory, vice president of sales. That could be
why the company’s sales have been in the triple
digits since 2004.
✽ 2006 results: Sales leapt from $114 million
in 2005 to $124 million in 2006, an increase of
nearly 9% that matches Ash City’s sales boost
from 2004-2005.
✽ New in 2006: The U.S. sales division was
divided up between the newly-appointed vice
presidents of sales: Kory, Mike Rozier and Chris
Clark to help Ash City focus on its key national
accounts. An improved “retail looking” catalog,
direct marketing campaigns to its customer base
and new materials – including bamboo polos
– were also added, according to Kory.
✽ Top challenges: Correct product offering,
the stability of the economy, the number of trade
shows the company will attend, and the right
inventory levels for new products are the company’s
primary concerns, according to Kory.
✽ Outlook for 2007: “Sales are up double digits,
and distributors are reacting very positively to
our new product introductions and the fashion
forward product offering that we have in place,”
Kory says. “With the addition of our new distribution
center in Kansas City opening in August, we
expect to have a great third and fourth quarter.”
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Ash City
manufactures all of its apparel and has fi ve distinct
product brands.
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SOI 2007 TOP 40 SUPPLIERS
Sunscope (11)
11 (asi/90075)
Sunscope keeps rising as the company has
been able to keep current. “We launched
our new 600-plus-page catalog that featured
over 200 patented products,” says
Stephen Jackson, director of marketing.
“We also increased our printing capabilities
by adding wraparound multi-color mug silk
screening machines, YAG laser engraving
machines for personalization and printing
machines for our new line of personalized
paper products.”
✽ New in 2006: Sunscope added Jackson as
director of marketing and Darryl Hanks as its
southern states sales manager. It also hired
American Apparel (13)
(asi/35297)
American Apparel made headlines last year
when it was purchased by Endeavor Acquisition
Corp. The company will be taken
public later this year with founder and CEO
Dov Charney at the helm. In 2006, sales
increased only 2%.
American Apparel has maintained a
slow but steady upward trend. “We lost a
couple of major programs and experienced
inventory issues throughout the course of
the year due to growth,” says Mark Smalley,
director of marketing. “And end-users
purchased competitor garments cheaper
overseas.”
13
100
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80
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River’s End Trading (12)
(asi/82588)
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
142 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
additional customer service reps and implemented
new processing software. As a result,
✽ 2006 results: Despite the setbacks and
the fi nancial resources it has invested in
expansion of plants and products, American
Apparel’s sales grew from $93 million
in 2005 to $95 million in 2006.
✽ New in 2006: The company expanded
its product offering with the introduction
of fl ex fl eece (a polyester/cotton blend), a
50/50 polyester/cotton jersey, along with a
track shirt and summer shirt family.
✽ Top challenges: Managing inventory
due to retail growth, growth in retail store
locations, and growth with retail-exclusive
styles (the latter two are the basis behind
last year’s inventory issues, according to
Smalley).
average order turnaround time decreased
by 32 hours, according to Jackson.
✽ Top challenges: Locating available
warehouse space for its massive increase of
stocked catalog inventory was job one for
Sunscope last year. “Our 120,000-squarefoot
Los Angeles facility was not large
enough,” Jackson says. “We have already
raised the walls of our annex, which provides
an additional 65,000 square feet of space
dedicated to warehousing catalog products
to support the day-to-day ASI business.
✽ Outlook for 2007: Business looks “exceptionally
promising,” says Jackson. “Sunscope’s
fi rst-quarter revenue has increased by 28%
compared to the same period in 2006.”
Millions
✽ Outlook for 2007: American Apparel is
up 20% at the wholesale level compared to
the middle of 2006, according to Smalley.
Company sales were fl at in 2006. Sales for each division were greatly mixed, says Lori
Anderson, marketing manger, with some up and others fl at or down for the year.
✽ 2006 results: Anderson says activewear sales were one of the weak-performing segments
but points to some changes that should have a positive effect on next year’s performance.
“Certainly the reason why private label and retail brands are up is because we added some
pretty exciting new retail brands, with Nike, Tommy Hilfi ger and Lacoste,” she says. “There was
a big need for that in the industry, and that’s where we saw some good gains.”
✽ New in 2006: In addition to the retail brand, Dri Duck was added to its offerings. River’s
End also addressed one of its supply-chain concerns by consolidating two facilities in
Denver and Anaheim, CA. “We opened a new location in Reno, NV, to help serve our customers
better through improved shipping rates,” says Anderson.
✽ Outlook for 2007:“We feel that we’ve got the perfect business model: retail brands,
private label and activewear,” says Anderson. “We have the right mix.”
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Millions
SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
SUPPLIERS
S&S Activewear (N/A)
14 (asi/84358)
This apparel supplier debuts on the Top 400 with $88.8 million in sales, a 14% increase in revenues
from 2005. It has previously been quiet in the market, but has ramped-up its marketing presence.
“We were so focused on our business and our growth previously,” says Margaret Crow,
marketing director for S&S, “but we see an advantage of now being out front in the industry.”
2006 results: S&S is now the ninth-largest apparel supplier in the industry. Crow attributes the
company’s success to a couple of factors: “We’re constantly focused on our inventory levels and
making sure we have enough product on-hand to meet increasing demand,” she says. “We also
100
increased the number of trade shows we exhibit
at and the amount of advertising that we’ve
done in the market.”
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✽ New in 2006: S&S moved into a new
450,000 square foot warehouse and distribution
center in Bolingbrook, IL. The space
80
practically doubles the size of the company’s
previous warehouse.
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✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Every
spring for the past nine years, S&S has held its
own trade show in its warehouse. It’s called the
60
N/A N/A N/A
S&S Open House. This year’s event attracted
more than 2,000 attendees.
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Gemline (16)
15 (asi/56070)
“We attribute our growth in 2006 to our continued
ability to execute our core strategy of
providing customers with innovative, retailinspired
products, value-added services
and deep inventories,” says Stuart Babb,
director of marketing and product management.
“More and more customers are taking
advantage of our Global Solutions division
for direct-import and custom products.”
✽ 2006 results: Gemline did $88.1 million
in sales in 2006, up from $83 million in
2005, a 6% increase. The company’s sales
have increased by nearly 30% since 2003.
✽ New in 2006: A leading industry supplier of
bags, gifts and business accessories, Gemline
is always looking for new, innovative products
and services that fi ll a niche in the marketplace,
according to Babb. This includes
developing a multi-category product offering
designed just for women, expanding its gift
category product offering, and introducing
enhancements to its Fast Track program.
✽ Top challenges: “In such a global economy,
one of the top challenges experienced
by most suppliers is managing the dynamic
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and continually changing overseas marketplace,”
Babb says. “Gemline is extremely fortunate
to have an experienced team in place
both in the U.S. and overseas.” The company
has also put a lot of effort into being an
industry leader when it comes to regulatory,
social and customer-specifi c compliance
issues, according to Babb.
✽ Outlook for 2007: “Based on the fi rst
quarter, we expect 2007 to be another good
year,” Babb says.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
Gemline will celebrate its 50th anniversary
in January.
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(asi/90305)
“Last year was a signifi cant transition
time at Sweda,” says Joseph Schembri,
vice president of sales and marketing.
“Every one of our top management position
changed.”
✽ New in 2006: Jim Hagan was named
president, with Schembri taking his former
role. The company also created the
new position of vice president of merchandising,
as well as naming a new
chief operating offi cer and vice president
of fi nance.
✽ Top challenges: There’s been a major
push for improving turnaround times, and
that has meant several adjustments on
Sweda’s part. One of the biggest has
been depending on domestic production
to close the gap.
✽ Outlook for 2007: “We just came off
a record fi rst quarter,” says Schembri. “A
lot of the things we are starting to put in
place are starting to pay off. For example,
we had gone from 18-24 months with
our full-line catalog to now producing
one every year, plus other supplemental
releases. Moving forward, we are going
to be in a much better position in 2007
than we were in 2006 in terms of following
our business plan and living up to our
mission.”
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
Sweda is known for electronics and
watches, but its top-selling product
categories are writing instruments and
drinkware.
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Millions 16 Sweda Co. LLC (15)
$83 $83
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www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 145

Millions
SOI 2007 TOP 40 SUPPLIERS
The Magnet Group (17)
17(asi/68520) Magnet had another strong year in 2006. It added several new lines, including an aggressive
launch of a new line of upscale bags from The Bag Factory, as well as the creation of Innovations
by Magnet LLC (asi/62663), a line of magnetic home and offi ce peripherals with a focus
on debut designs and trend-sensitive products.
✽ 2006 results: Magnet was up 5% over last year for a total of $81.7 million in sales. The reason
for the growth can be attributed to three things, says Bob Tidwell, vice president of sales:
Continued steady growth from Magnet’s core
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brand, The Bag Factory’s new line and impressive
growth from Benchmark’s crystal line.
✽ New in 2006: The biggest change last year
was the beefi ng up of the company’s inside
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sales reps but they work strictly over the
telephone and handle our medium-to-small
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accounts,” says Tidwell. “I think that has had a
huge impact on our business.”
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✽ Top challenges: “A company our size,
with as many lines as we have, focusing our
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
resources is always a challenge,” says Tidwell.
“Our brands are seasonal, so we shift gears
a lot. Benchmark is huge in the late third and
fourth quarters and The Bag Factory is a spring and summer brand. I think it’s placing the right
emphasis on the right line at the right time.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: “We’ve got a lot more of our year ahead of us so it’s hard to tell,” says
Tidwell. “All of our indicators are very positive at this time. I’m cautiously optimistic.”
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Magnet started in the founder’s garage, and his fi rst big
move was into an old car wash.
Corvest Promotional
18 Products (14)
It has been another year of change for Corvest,
as it announced on April 30 that the
three suppliers under the Corvest umbrella
(Adva-Lite, Toppers and It’s All Greek To
Me) had been acquired by a subsidiary of
Cerberus Capital Management, a private
investment fi rm headquartered in New York
City. The acquisition will allow Corvest to
regain momentum following its Chapter 11
bankruptcy fi ling earlier this year. “Cerberus
is a fi rst-class operation with a reputation
for innovative thinking and inter-company
collaboration,” says Mark Holland, vice president
of marketing for Corvest. “We believe
that this mindset, combined with the new
capital structure, positions all the Corvest
brands for an extremely successful future.”
146 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
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✽ 2006 results: After consecutive $88 million
sales years, Corvest slid to $76.4 million
in 2006, a drop of 13%. Corvest’s peak
year was $91 million in 2001.
✽ New in 2006: Corvest’s challenges
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Hit
Promotional
Products
experienced
the most
revenue
growth in
2006 with a
25%
jump.
didn’t prevent it from launching more than
400 new items, says Holland. “We developed
and launched new Web sites for each
line and increased the size of our fi eld sales
force and customer service staff.”
✽ Top challenges: Restart the upward
trend in sales that Corvest hasn’t enjoyed
since 2004 – along with maintaining its staff
of about 350 in its offi ces in Florida, California
and New Jersey.
✽ Outlook for 2007: Corvest is in prime
position to turn things around quickly,
according to Holland. “We are tracking
positively from last year.”
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
Adva-Lite (asi/32145), a supplier of fl ashlights,
writing instruments, drinkware and
tools, is a 2005 and 2006 Counselor
Distributor Choice Award winner.

Millions
SOI 2007 TOP 40 SUPPLIERS
19 Tri-Mountain/Mountain
Gear (18)
(asi/92125)
After business dropped in 2005 for Tri-Mountain
following Hurricane Katrina, sales have
resumed an upward trend. “Sales were up
between 2005 and 2006 because of our new
collection and different incentive packages
offered to customers,” says Danny Tsai, director
of marketing. In fact, sales hit an all-time
high last year for the West Coast company.
✽ 2006 results: A jump from $68.7 million in
2005 to $71.7 million in 2006 – an increase
of over 4% – is Tri-Mountain’s biggest singleyear
leap since 2001-2002.
✽ New in 2006: Tsai says Tri-Mountain put
new sales representation in place in the
southeast U.S. In addition, the supplier introduced
a new product line that includes a
new silk camp shirt collection in Tri-Mountain
Gold. “We also added women’s tall sizing, a
fi rst in the industry,” he says.
✽ Top challenges: Tsai hopes his new sales
reps will help Tri-Mountain to further saturate
the American market. “Increasing market
share and developing ways for distributors
to consider us fi rst when buying apparel” are
top priorities, he says.
✽ Outlook for 2007: “We plan to launch a
brand-new Web site that features distributor
sales tools, user-friendly navigation and a
new online ordering system,” Tsai says.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Tri-
Mountain is a family-run business and has
been since it opened in 1994. “And our fi rst
employees we hired in each department are
still in the Tri-Mountain family,” Tsai says.
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148 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
Sanford Business-to-
20 Business (26)
(asi/84833)
Sanford has increased its annual North
American sales by 41% in the past three
years. “Double-digit sales growth was
fueled by the introduction of several new
and innovative products,” says Lisa O’Leary,
marketing director, “and by the steady
growth across distributor partners selling
Sanford products.”
✽ 2006 results: Sanford’s sales in North
America rose signifi cantly again in 2006, up
to $60.7 million from $53 million in 2005, a
leap of nearly 15%.
✽ New in 2006: Sanford introduced 25
new items via entirely new products and line
enhancements, making it “poised in 2006 to
meet all writing instrument needs,” according
to O’Leary. The introduction of several
new sampling vehicles, such as kits, special
self-promotion offers and sample packs,
provided distributors with the selling tools
needed for a professional sales presentation
to their consumers.
ProFill Holdings (21)
21
In 2005 ProFill Holdings acquired Georgia
Tees, so 2006 was the fi rst full year under
the acquisition. “Anytime you assimilate two
companies together, you are bringing two
management teams together. There were
changes, but we were able to leverage all
the strengths of both companies toward our
advantage,” says Rick Mouty, ProFill CEO.
✽ 2006 results: Sales were up 5% in
2006, reaching $60.2 million. This increase
was mainly attributed to ProFill’s focus on
the basics. “While other wearables suppliers
have concentrated on fashion, ProFill
has stayed focused on and benefi ted tremendously
from the exploding popularity of
T-shirts and fl eece,” Mouty says.
✽ New in 2006: In 2006, the company reintroduced
its Tultex brand in a line of combed
ring spun tees and fl eece. It also purchased
Dayton, OH-based apparel wholesaler Sol
Shultz and Co. midyear, consolidating it into
ProFill’s Cincinnati facility.
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✽ Top challenges: “Always a top priority is
to continually try to enhance our customer
service experience,” O’Leary says.
✽ Outlook for 2007: “We are projecting
double-digit growth,” she says.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
“Many distributors still fi nd it surprising that
we are the sole manufacturer and marketer
of Paper Mate, Sharpie permanent markets,
Sharpie Accent highlighters and EXPO dryerase
products.”
✽ Top challenges: “Changing the buying
habits of the prospective customer – for
us that means getting a distributor to take
notice of the simplicity, service and convenience
we have built around sourcing decorated
wearables,” Mouty says.
✽ Outlook for 2007: ProFill’s outlook for
2007 “is the best we have ever seen,” Mouty
says. This positive view is driven by the
popularity of the recently reintroduced Tultex
brand in 2006.
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SOI 2007 TOP 40 SUPPLIERS
Vantage Apparel (20)
22 (asi/93390)
After its peak at $69 million in sales in 2001,
Vantage has hovered under the $60 million
mark each year since 2002 – though sales
have seen a slight increase in the last two
years. The reason for the standstill? “Vantage
traded an increase in units versus an
offset of lower sell prices in 2006,” according
to Ira Neaman, president.
✽ 2006 results: Sales inched up from
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Gill Studios Inc. (27)
23 (asi/56950)
A supplier that emphasizes political-based
sales, Gill Studios thrived once again during
last year’s election cycle. The company’s
sales yo-yo each year – down during
odd-numbered years (non-election years)
and up during even-numbered ones. “Political-related
sales were very strong in 2006,”
says Tom Carrico, president, “and many
other products were helped by the stronger
economy.”
✽ 2006 results: Gill saw its typical 20-25%
bounce during the 2006 election cycle, as
sales increased from $47.5 million in 2005
to $58.4 million in 2006, However, last
year’s sales were an all-time high.
✽ New in 2006: “We expanded our digital
printing capabilities, and continued to
improve our service levels, such as adding
online proofi ng services,” Carrico says.
✽ Top challenges: An election off-year
isn’t the only hurdle, as signifi cant raw
150 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
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$59 million in 2005 to $59.4 in 2006 – an
increase of just under 1%.
✽ New in 2007: Vantage added a successful
veteran of the industry to its team in Fran
Ford, who was named western regional and
new-business sales director this year. Ford
is cofounder of Ford-Howsmon LLC, a business
consultant group that provides management
and advisory services to industry
clients.
✽ Top challenges: Comprehensive sales
and marketing to a rapidly growing distributor
base, according to Neaman.
✽ Outlook for 2007: Continued strength
and signifi cant growth in unit volume,
says Neaman, who adds that Vantage
has recently added two new lines: Verve
(youth-inspired apparel) and Vansport (performance
apparel), and has added digital
printing.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Neaman
says Vantage is the largest contract
embroiderer in the U.S. and the fastestgrowing
screen printer.
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
material cost increases in petroleum and
steel-related products are a concern, says
Carrico.
✽ Outlook for 2007: “The political business
is not nearly as strong in an odd-numbered
year, so we are emphasizing other products,”
Carrico says.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Forest
P. Gill, founder of Gill Studios, developed
the fi rst self-sticking bumper sticker.
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24
Cutter & Buck (22)
(asi/47965)
Cutter & Buck was recently purchased
by European apparel giant New Wave
Group AB, with net sales of $512 billion
in 2006. The purchase should strengthen
Cutter & Buck’s inventory, distribution
and service. It will also likely increase
its style offerings over the next several
years. In addition, the company this year
continued to navigate the high-end golf
apparel markets in the promotional arena
while maintaining a loyal customer base
in the green grass market. “We stuck to
our formula,” says Brian Thompson, vice
president and general manager. “We
kept the brand prestigious and continued
to do all the things that have been
working well for us.”
✽ 2006 results: Thompson attributes
the modest 2% increase to three things:
the introduction of an opening pricepoint
performance piqué knit, expanded
performance wear offerings and a host
of upgraded women’s styles.
✽ New in 2006: The biggest change in
2006 was the appointment of industry
veteran Jeff Smith as corporate national
sales manger.
✽ Outlook for 2007: “It looks fantastic,”
says Thompson. “I really think 2007
will be our biggest year ever in corporate
wearables.”
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
Cutter & Buck will be adding several
new lines from its new owners in 2007.
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Millions
SOI 2007 TOP 40 SUPPLIERS
25
Lanco Corp. (25)
(asi/66224)
After a monumental 33% jump in sales from
2003 ($39 million) to 2004 ($52 million),
Lanco has come back to Earth but continues
to rise steadily. Why the continued upswing? “I
would have to say it’s been our changes in customer
service, more quality time with our customers,”
says Brian Landow, president. “And
we have really expanded our product line.”
✽ 2006 results: A jump of about $2 million
for the second year in a row: up from $53.9
million in 2005 to $56.2 million last year, a
4% bump.
✽ New in 2006: Lanco has committed itself
to bulking up in every area of business, personnel-wise.
“We have strengthened our
middle management level and we also have
increased our training in every department,”
Landow says.
✽ Top challenges: Improving said training
PremiumWear Inc. (24)
27 (asi/79393)
In 2006, PremiumWear was still feeling the
effects of its September 2005 acquisition
by The John Forsyth Co. from former parent
Deluxe Corp. But, while sales were down,
profi ts were up, and the company continued
to strengthen its position as a single-source
vendor offering products and decoration.
✽ 2006 results: 2006 saw sales decline by
4%, from $54 million in 2005 to $52 million
in 2006. This is solely attributed to Premium-
Wear ending an unprofi table business relationship
with former parent company Deluxe, says
Tim Klouda, president. “It was decided that for
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
152 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
programs, according to Landow, along with
maintaining growth effi ciency. Lanco’s North
American sales have risen by nearly 59%
since 2001.
✽ Outlook for 2007: Landow estimates
another 2004 for Lanco. “Our growth for this
year will be 25% to 30%,” he says.
2006 we would not continue to service the
Deluxe promotional products business. As a
result of this decision, our volume was down
for 2005, but our profi t was up,” he says.
✽ New in 2006: PremiumWear added a
director of East Coast sales, Thom Goodyke.
✽ Top challenges: In addition to the issues
that always stem from an ownership change,
PremiumWear’s biggest challenge has been
getting out its message of being a single
source for apparel. “Today, we probably only
decorate one out of every two shirt orders
that come in here. When I started, it was
probably 10% to 15% of our business. So
we’ve grown it, but we just want to continually
push that message.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: The new year has been
one of steady growth for PremiumWear, with
sales already outpacing 2006’s by 10%.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Roots
of PremiumWear go all the way back to 1886,
when Edward Tuttle and Frank Page founded
the Northwestern Knitting Co., which eventually
was renamed Munsingwear Corp. Additionally,
Munsingwear created the famous
Penguin logo golf shirts in 1955, which
PremiumWear brought into the advertising
specialty industry in 1996.
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PromoResource One
26 Inc. (23)
PromoResource has remained fl at over the
past several years, hovering around the $55
million mark in North American sales since
2003. That didn’t change much last year.
“In 2006 we did not have as much success
with new product sales,” says Steve Holm,
president of Adimage Promotional Group
(asi/31969). “In past years, polycarbonate
bottles, pedometers and other new stainless
items fueled our sales growth. Cost
increases from our suppliers forced us to
increase prices, which also impacted sales.
Our large quote activity was down as well,
as we suspect some customers may be
going direct to Asia to source product.”
✽ 2006 results: The company’s sales
rose ever so slightly in 2006 to $56 million,
up from $55.3 million in 2005 (a 1%
increase).
✽ New in 2006: “We added many new products
across all sales lines and increased the
amount of e-mail promotions we do,” Holm
says. “We also added new representation
to the south central United States.”
✽ Top challenges: Continuing to develop
new, innovative products and processes,
along with balancing investment in inventory
with customer demand, according
to Holm.
✽ Outlook for 2007: “Sales are fl at to
2006,” Holm says.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
PromoResource is comprised of seven
supplier companies, all under the umbrella
of Taylor Corp.
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SOI 2007 TOP 40 SUPPLIERS
28
Virginia T’s (29)
(asi/93917)
Virginia T’s has nearly doubled its annual sales since premiering on the Top 400 in 2002.
New product lines and a commitment to supply higher-end product lines are the major
reasons, according to Jay Frink, president.
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✽ 2006 results: Sales soared another 10% for Virginia T’s in 2006, from $45.5 million
in 2005 to $50.1 million last year. Surprisingly, this is the smallest jump for the company
40
$38
since 2002; sales increased by at least 12% from 2002 to 2005.
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✽ New in 2006: “We added IZOD, Hilton Apparel, WickID and OOBE,” Frink says.
✽ Top challenges: “We have a broad range of product categories in our offering, yet we
30
are still known for supplying the basics,” Frink says.
$26
✽ Outlook for 2007: “The outlook for this year is good,” Frink says. “We are expecting 20
another year of growth.”
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Despite its monumental growth in the 21st century, Frink says that Virginia T’s “will continue to cater
to individual needs without regard to the size of the account.”
29
Hit Promotional Products
(34)
(asi/61125)
“Sales were up in 2006 for several reasons,
including the addition of 180 new
products,” says Bill Schmidt, Jr., president,
who adds that a large investment in inventory
in the company’s top-selling products
was a driving factor in another recordbreaking
year.
✽ 2006 results: Just your run-of-the-mill,
modest 25% jump in sales last year for Hit
Promotional Products, up to $50 million in
2006 from $40 million in 2005.
✽ New in 2006: C.J. Schmidt was pro-
154 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
moted to vice president of sales. “We also
completed our new 40,000-square-foot
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state-of-the-art warehouse and added a
second shift,” Schmidt says. The company
also entered into laser engraving with a substantial
investment in three laser machines.
✽ Top challenges: “The major challenges
are the ability to attract qualifi ed and
capable new employees for both production
and customer service,” Schmidt says,
“and adapting to a much more diffi cult
pricing and production environment in
China, where we source the majority of our
product.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: “We are off to an
excellent start, with sales up 28% from last
year,” Schmidt says.
Groline (32)
30 (asi/58295)
Things are looking green for Groline in more ways than one. Record earnings helped the company move up two spots on the charts. And with
the current trend towards all things green and environmentally conscious, Groline continues to gain ground. “What we offer is related to the
environment, and they’re low-cost items,” says Herbert Piller, president.
50
$47
✽ 2006 results: The environment helped Groline realize an 11% increase in sales over last
year’s fi gures, and earn $47.3 million selling an assortment of trees, fl owers and plants.
✽ New in 2006: Groline added several new products last year, including aloe vera, feng shui bam-
$43
boo, bulbs and bookmarks embedded with seeds. The company also began offering tree-planting
kits that have a longer life span than standard live trees.
✽ Top challenges: While green marketing is growing, the challenge is still trying to educate
40
distributors more used to selling mugs and pens than live trees and plants. “It’s such a different
product that we have to give them a sample and explain,” says Piller.
✽ Outlook for 2007: “If we had an expensive item I would be worried, because the economy might
$33
fl atten out or companies don’t have as much money to spend this year,” says Piller. “But when you
can give away an item that can help the environment and costs only 99 cents, I don’t worry.”
30
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2002
N/A
2003 2004 2005 2006
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: A sizable portion of Groline’s workforce works from home
fulfi lling orders, including a number of disabled workers.

SOI 2007 TOP 40 SUPPLIERS
Plasticad/Arthur Blank
31(28) (asi/78690)
Just as the numbers for the Top 40 were
being fi nalized, Arthur Blank was purchased
by American Banknote, a global supplier of
secure documents, services and systems
with international operations on six continents.
Top management, including President
Stuart Blank, is staying on to manage
the North American operations.
✽ 2006 results: After a year of impressive
growth of $7 million in 2005 to $46 million
in total sales, the company was fl at for the
year.
✽ New in 2006: The biggest news in 2006
was the introduction of the environmentally
friendly CornCard. The new gift card is
made from corn and is identical in look and
feel to a traditional petroleum-based card.
✽ Top challenges: “The development of
new and innovative products,” such as the
CornCard, which helped to anchor sales in
the fi rst quarter,” says Suzanne d’Amonville,
market development specialist.
156 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
✽ Outlook for 2007: “Production capacity
will increase 20% due to the ability to ship
product from a new facility in Nashville, TN,”
says d’Amonville. The purchase will also
nearly double American Banknote’s U.S.
operations and make Arthur Blank the sole
provider of its plastic card operations in
North America.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
Arthur Blank was created in 1934 to produce
plastic wallet inserts and menu covers
from reclaimed X-ray fi lm.
Dard Products Inc. (33)
32 (asi/48500)
50
$45
In 2006, Dard set up a new system to bet-
$42
ter handle customer service calls, and it
$39
increased its advertising and trade show
attendance as well. An expanded warehouse
and off-site showroom were other
40
$35
additions that helped Dard bring its selection
of products to distributors in 2006.
30
✽ 2006 results: For Dard, sales in 2006
increased $3.2 million to $45.3 million,
$27
an 8% jump over 2005. The company’s
increased marketing efforts, as well as a
20
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
new customer service system headed up by its new general manager, helped lead to the
gain, says Cary Shevin, president. In addition, the company started to have two full shifts
and an additional late carrier pickup, allowing Dard the opportunity “to get out every possible
rush order,” Shevin says.
✽ New in 2006: Dard added a new general manager, who implemented a new customer
service system. In addition, it added an off-site showroom and another full shift to produce
orders faster.
✽ Top challenges: Dard’s challenges in the past year stemmed mainly from the implementation
of a new computer system. “When you add a new computer system there’s normally
some confusion, training, and adjusting,” Shevin says.
✽ Outlook for 2007: 2007 sales are beating 2006 sales, Shevin says.
Millions
Barton Nelson Inc. (31)
33 (asi/38670)
Sales have moved slowly but steadily
upward for this family-owned and -operated
company. But there is more good
news beneath the surface. “In 2006, Barton
Nelson increased sales over 3%, while
our order count and product volume was
up over 15%,” says Gabe Nelson, vice
president of sales. “This gap is explained
by a strong trend where our clientele are
switching from industry standard notepad
sizes to more economical sizes. For example,
it has become more common for a distributor
to order a 41 /4” by 5 3 /4” adhesive
notepad as opposed to a 4” by 6” note.
The perceived value of the notepads are
equal, but we can provide the 41 /4” by
5 3 /4” adhesive notepad at a signifi cantly
lower price.”
✽ 2006 results: This is the third
straight year that sales have risen for
Barton Nelson.
✽ New in 2006: “We expanded our product
line in several categories: magnets,
fl a g dispensers and plastic-molded combo
pads,” says Nelson, who was appointed to
VP of sales just last year.
✽ Outlook for 2007: “We’re off to an
excellent start in 2007, and we are ahead
of where we were at in 2006 by a nice margin,”
Nelson says. “I foresee our business
continuing to grow through the year.”
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
There are currently nine second-generation
and six third-generation family members
working for the company.
Millions
50
40
$41
$40
$42
$43
$44
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
SUPPLIERS
34
Prime Line (30)
(asi/79530)
Rebranding was the name of the game at
Prime in 2006. The company developed a
new logo, catalog and a larger product mix.
It also focused on training and expanding its
sales force, with a greater concentration on
selling deeper with existing clients. “We did
surveys, we did blogs and we got feedback
from distributors about products and the company
as a whole,” says Jeff Lederer, executive
vice president. “We found that what makes
the distributor and us money are products
that are all about form, function and fun.”
✽ 2006 results: Prime’s sales were down
4% from last year, from $45.3 million to
$43.3 million. The drop was not a surprise,
says Lederer. Prime’s focus on remaking itself
to be more competitive in the future required
sacrifi ce that management knew was worth
any short-term losses.
✽ New in 2006: Everything was new in
2006. Prime increased its sales force by
Millions
50
40
$40
$43
$47
$45
$43
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
40% while improving its training of current
and new employees. It added a bag and
drinkware line – its fastest-growing line – to
improve its overall product offering. “We
purposely add to our product mix to make it
more broad,” says Lederer. “The goal was to
make it more diffi cult to copy us through the
sheer breadth of our line.”
✽ Top challenges: “Keeping focused on
what we were doing,” says Lederer. “We had
to remind ourselves that we were doing the
right thing now for growth in the future.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: Prime is way ahead
of last year with product categories’ sales
up across the board and order counts up
10% to 40% every day.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Prime
fi rst introduced the robot calculator to the
industry.
New to the
supplier list
this year:
S&S Activewear &
Piller Industries.

SOI 2007 TOP 40 SUPPLIERS
Starline (35)
35 (asi/89320)
50
Starline made its fi rst appearance in
$42
the Top 40 0 in 2002. A balanced combination
of factory and multi-representation
40
$36
$38
in North America, using in-market senior
sales management, is the key ingredient
$32
to the company’s continued upswing,
according to Daniel Norris, president.
30
“Our new product introductions in January,
April and July were well-received,”
$27
he says. “Starline introduced a multilevel 20
responsive customer service team dedi-
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
cated to quickly providing our client with a live, knowledgeable representative, minimizing autoattendant
and voicemail.”
✽ 2006 results: Starline’s 2006 sales were up to $42 million in 2006, from $38 million in
2005, an increase of nearly 11% and its biggest jump in three years.
✽ New in 2006: The company introduced three factory sales reps and a regional vice president
in the Northeast U.S. in the middle of the year, and added a three-person factory rep sales
team in Quebec. “We leveraged our service and print capabilities to introduce a more pricepoint-complete
bag line in 2006,” Norris says.
✽ Top challenges now: Since Starline’s profi ts have grown 250% since 2000, it is building
an infrastructure capable of supporting a $75 million sales organization without losing personto-person
relationships, according to Norris.
✽ Outlook for 2007: “The fi rst quarter was a couple of points under forecast, with the second
quarter starting above forecast,” Norris says. “We expect to fi nish 2007 with good growth.”
Millions
Piller Industries Inc.
36 (N/A)
(asi/78120)
Piller Industries joins two other companies
owned by Herbert Piller on the Top 400 list
this year. The company produces framed
and matted recognition awards that differ
from year to year. Stamps are the most predominant
theme, but on the higher end Piller
offers such unique items as framed meteor
fragments, ancient coins, antique stock certifi
cates and a limited number of genuine
350-year-old swords.
✽ 2006 results: Piller earned $41.6 million
in 2005 to land on the list at number 36.
Extensive magazine advertising was the reason
for its success.
✽ New in 2006: A new year means new
products and new concepts for Piller Industries.
“Every year we add a whole lot of new
items to the line, so when distributors show
our catalog to a customer, they won’t see the
same thing,” says Piller. “If you don’t go out
Millions
50
40
30
N/A N/A
N/A
$40
$42
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
of your way and offer completely new things,
people are going to be disappointed.”
✽ Top challenges: Attracting the attention
of distributors unfamiliar with the line is
always a challenge, says Piller: “We have to
get the word out by going to trade shows and
doing advertising.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: Piller estimates the line
will do 15% to 20% better next year.
37
Senator USA (36)
(asi/86390)
Senator’s sales force increased from fi ve
to 16 with the effect of 10% growth over
last year. “It’s been going really well having
the face time and personal touch,” says
Jill Randolph, product marketing manager.
“Also since expanding the number of inside
sales reps we have been contacting smaller
accounts and that’s been really successful
as well.”
✽ 2006 results: Senator reduced its print
advertising budget in 2006 because it felt the
ads were underperforming. It instead focused
on doing fl yers, hand delivered sample kits
and sales contests with its larger clients.
✽ New in 2006: Senator hired a new
COO, customer service manager and cost
accountant, but the biggest change was
from Randolph, who introduced a new trade
show booth, as well as new catalogs and
Web site designs and fl yer program.
✽ Top challenges: “We are an 87-year-old
company and huge in Europe,” says Randolph.
“But we are not selling at retail so we
don’t have that household name recognition.
Our biggest challenge is getting our name
out there more.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: A whole host of new
changes are coming this year, including a
new line, existing line extensions and, most
important, a line of offi ce products such as
pen holders and note pads.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Senator
offers 17 original, patented designs,
as well as six different international design
award-winning pens.
Millions
50
40
30
$35 $35 $35
$38
$42
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 161

SOI 2007 TOP 40 DISTRIBUTORS
SUPPLIERS
Millions
40
35
30
$30
$29
$34
$36
25
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Stouse (37)
38 (asi/89910)
“New-customer acquisition is very important
to our goals for growth,” says Michael
Stoeck, president of Stouse. The Midwest
supplier has seen North American business
increase by 34% since 2003. “Stouse has
demonstrated a consistent pattern of growth
throughout its history.”
✽ 2006 results: Sales rose from $35.7 million
in 2005 to $38.9 million last year, a 9%
hike. That beats out the still-impressive 6%
jump Stouse achieved from 2004-2005.
✽ New in 2006: “We expanded our product
offering with an increase in full-color
digitally printed products, which were wellreceived
in the marketplace,” Stoeck says.
“That expansion, combined with a growth
in political product sales thanks to the
This year’s
Top 40 suppliers
collectively
brought in
$ 4.2
billion
in revenue.
$39
even-numbered year, played a role in our
success.”
✽ Top challenges: “Our delivery times
are fast, but we still can’t ship it yesterday,
so the challenge remains.” Stoeck
adds that limiting price increases following
the increase in raw material costs is a top
priority.
✽ Outlook for 2007: “Stouse expects consistent
growth, though probably not as high
a percentage as in 2006, in part due to the
absence of political sales in an odd-numbered
year,” Stoeck says.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
Nearly one-third of the Stouse staff has been
with the company for at least 10 years.
www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 163

SOI 2007 TOP 40 SUPPLIERS
Gold Bond (38)
39 (asi/57653)
Gold Bond is rising in the industry, appearing
in the Top 400 for the third year in a row.
“We worked to bring in new and exciting
products, and it worked for us,” says Mark
Godsey, president. Those products include
an exclusive golf line, the addition of polycarbonate
bottles to its drinkware line, and
fresh additions to the pen line.
✽ 2006 results: Another $3 million in sales
this year. After a leap from $32 million in 2004
to $35 million in 2005, Gold Bond jumped to
$38 million last year – an 8% increase.
✽ New in 2006: Godsey points to the
company’s new marketing efforts under the
direction of James Canning. “James took a
more proactive approach to advertising and
expanded the number of publications we
used,” Godsey says.
✽ Top challenges: “Sales were down in
our pen line in 2005,” Godsey says, “and an
effort was made to freshen the line with new
Millions
40
35
30
N/A N/A
$32
$35
$38
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
colors and styles.” He adds that Gold Bond
discontinued outdated pens and purchased
three new pen presses. “In addition to adding
new items to our line, we took a look
at our printing process for drinkware, and
made the investment to bring in equipment
that allows us to print up to four colors on
our polycarbonate bottles,” he says.
✽ Outlook for 2007: The company met
sales growth projections in the fi rst four
months of 2007, according to Godsey, who
says the fi rst two months are traditionally
slow, with a strong rebound in March, when
the company’s season really begins.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know: Of
Gold Bond’s 303 employees, the average
length of service is six years, and over 21%
have been with the company between 10
and 34 years. “There is a lot of experience
within these walls,” Godsey says.
Off the supplier
list this year:
Vitronic
Promotional
Group.

Millions
SOI 2007 TOP 40 SUPPLIERS
40
35
30
$32
$35 $35 $35
$36
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Noteworthy (39)
40 (asi/74360)
✽ 2006 results: This family business had
a relatively fl at revenue year, growing its
revenues from $35.1 million in 2005 to
$35.7 million in 2006. Carol Constantino,
president of Noteworthy, attributes the small
increase to the purchase of new machinery.
“This allowed us,” she says, “to expand our
product line and improve lead times.”
✽ Personnel changes: Constantino
says part of the reason for her company’s
long-term success has been low turnover.
“Our employees are treated as important
family members,” she says. “Matt, the fi rst
artist that we hired in 1962, is still a loyal,
dedicated and productive member of our art
department.”
✽ Top challenges: Constantino points
to the rigors of keeping up with strict
manufacturing guidelines and procedures
as the company’s biggest challenge going
The Top 40
suppliers
average a revenue
increase of
5.75%.
forward. “It’s important to position ourselves
to be proactive to the environmental issues
concerning plastics,” she says. “As a
manufacturer, we have to be able to stay
compliant with every state’s regulations.”
✽ Outlook for 2007: This year is looking
“very promising,” according to Constantino.
✽ What the industry doesn’t know:
Noteworthy owns an Indian Museum. It
has a collection of more than 60,000
artifacts that pay tribute to the Indians from
Mohawk Valley. “It’s the largest privately
owned collection of Mohawk items,”
Constantino says.
www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 167

SOI 2007 MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR ROUNDTABLE
Presenting the 2007
Multimillion-Dollar Distributor Roundtable
The Multimillion-Dollar Roundtable is a designation presented
to distributors reporting a sales volume of $2 million
and over. Comprised of 1,314 distributors (more than
in 2006), the 2007 Roundtable consists of three levels of
achievement. The Gold designation lauds distributors with
sales volumes of $10 million or more; Silver honors distributors
with sales volumes of $5 million to just under $10
Gold
Sales volume of $10 million and over
101556 A S A P
102905 Accolade Reaction Promotion Group Inc
105360 The Adam Group Inc
108406 Adstracts Inc
108996 Advance Business Graphics Inc
109480 Adventures In Advertising
116308 Albrecht & Co
117230 All-Ways Advertising Company
120075 American Solutions For Business
120601 American Identity
121412 Ampro Sportswear Inc
125050 Artcraft Promotional Concepts
125870 Aspen Marketing Services
126400 Associated Premium Corp
126485 Athletic Supply Company Inc
127000 Atlas Pen & Pencil Corp
128030 Award Incentives & Recognition
128262 Axiom Marketing Inc
128263 Axis Promotions & Events
129175 B G A Pharma Inc
129240 B I dba Of Schoeneckers Inc
131650 Bankers Advertising Co
Banyan Incentives
121500 Amsterdam Printing
342382 Taymark
132690 Barker Specialty Co Inc
133600 Bass Mollett Publishers Inc
136400 Bells Promotional Products Inc
137616 Bensussen-Deutsch Assoc
138500 Best Impressions Catalog Co
141964 Bluegrass Promotional Mktg LLC
144642 Bradley Marketing Group
145037 Brandvia Alliance Inc
147450 Charles G Brown Inc t/a API
148500 Brown & Bigelow
149287 Brymark Promotions
150250 Bureau For At Risk Youth Inc
154758 C C Creations Ltd
154876 C F J Manufacturing LP
155136 C T P Solutions Inc
155460 Evigna
155807 Caliendo Savio Enterprises – CSE
157004 Capital Ideas Inc
157218 Capital Travel & Incentives
158700 Carretta USA Inc
158924 Cary Francis Group Inc
158990 Tic Toc
159262 Cavanaugh
159420 Cedar Graphics Inc
160501 Chamberlain Marketing Group Inc
162167 Cintas Corporation
162979 Clean Fun Promotional Mktg
163770 Coast To Coast Promotional Products
165162 Colonial LLC
166088 Competitive Edge Inc
168781 Corporate Express
168786 Corporate Express Promotional Marketing
168795 C E P M - Canada
168827 CorpLogoWare
168860 Corporate Edge Inc
168979 Corporate Incentive Solutions LLC
169230 Country Cotton Designs Inc
169773 Cravat Club Omex Group BV
169995 Creaciones Artisticas Publicitarias
SA(Capsa)
171951 Van Dyne Crotty Inc
173519 Cyrk Inc
179586 Design Specialties
179853 Design Shoppe
180717 Diga Me Promotions
183080 Dowlis Corporate Solutions
183522 Drike Inc
183776 Dumont Promotional Images Inc
185320 Eagle Promotions LLC
185696 East West Connection
185782 Ecompanystore
186610 Electra Specialty Advg Co
188270 Enbee Company
188490 Epicentre Trading Pty Ltd
188515 Epromos Promo’l Products Inc
189390 Eskco Inc
191085 F S I
million; and Distinguished designation recognizes distributors
with sales volumes of $2 million to just under $5 million.
Listed among the Gold Roundtable honorees are the Top
40 distributors (shown in bold here), profi led on pages 105
thru 132 of this edition. ASI and Counselor r congratulate these
distributors on their accomplishments and welcome them to
the 2007 Multimillion-Dollar Distributor Roundtable.
197045 4 Imprint Inc
199904 G & G Outfi tters Inc
200087 G T Promotions
200520 Gail Company Inc
202515 Gateway/CDI
202900 Geiger Inc
196480 Forrester-Smith Inc
204506 Genesis Marketing Group Inc
204588 Genumark Promotional Mdse Inc
208346 Global Products Inc
209700 Goldman Promotions
209800 Goldner Associates Inc
209944 Golf Graphics Inc
212971 Graphography Limited LLC
213135 Great American Advg Co
215310 Group II Communications Inc
215500 Guardian Products Inc
217597 Hagadone Printing Co Inc
218450 Halo Branded Solutions
197700 Francis & Lusky Co LLC
356000 Lee Wayne
341700 Tasco Industries Inc
221600 Harvey-Daco Inc
223630 Helm Promotions
225400 Hiromori Corporation
227730 Hotlink Inc
229635 Ideas In Action
230069 The Image Group
230094 Imagine This
230137 Imagemark
230166 Imagination Specialties Inc
230284 Image Promotions Inc
230326 Impact Group
230430 Imperial Marketing Inc
230736 Incentive Innovations Inc
231120 Inkwell Promotions Corp
231438 Innerworkings Inc
231537 Integrus Brand Solutions Inc
232119 ipromoteu
232307 J & A Promotions
234950 John Michael Associates Inc
www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 169

SOI 2007 MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR ROUNDTABLE
Gold
234979 Johnny Macs
238600 Kaeser & Blair Inc
239010 Irving Kannett & Assocs Inc
244815 Konik & Company Inc
246743 L C Marketing Communications
258113 M P C Promotions LLC
259540 Made To Order
260340 Gary Mandel Promotional Concepts
260750 Marc Promotions
260870 Marco
261670 Marketing Impressions
262111 Marlow International Ltd Inc
263610 Massachusetts Envelope Plus
267770 Mercury Promotions & Fulfi llment Inc
268085 Merit Impressions Inc
268100 Merit Industries Inc
270150 Mid Ocean Group BV
270880 Mid West Trophy
272250 T R Miller Company Inc
275350 Mo’ Money Associates
276555 Morley Companies Inc
278698 My Private Label LLC
278980 Myron Corp
279600 Jack Nadel International
281040 National Pen Corp
281050 National Premium & Mdsg Inc
281700 Nationwide Advg Spec Co Inc
282473 New Century Promo Prod Inc
283300 Newton Mfg Co
284520 Norscot Group
286300 Nyberg Fletcher & White Inc
287029 Offi ce Express Supplies Inc
287087 Ohio Specialty Products Inc
287658 On Time Promotions Inc
288473 Overture Premiums & Promos LLC
288689 P C Acquisition Inc
288694 P C L SA
294228 Personal Graphics Inc
297370 Positive Promotions
299230 Prestige Graphic Services Inc
299346 Prime Time Marketing Inc
299717 Prologic.com
300094 Proforma Inc
300171 Proforma Print & Promos Inc
300370 Promac Inc
300446 Promo Shop
300729 Promotional Alliance Int’l Inc
303361 R D J Specialties Inc
303585 R P & Associates
307030 Reminders
307074 Renaissance Promotions
307887 The Reynolds & Reynolds Co
309630 Robertson Marketing Group Inc
315984 S C I Promotion Group LLC
316340 St Andrews Products
317830 Sity Communications Inc
319945 Scarborough & Tweed
321999 The Screen Print Dept Inc
322791 Select Design Ltd
326300 Shumsky
326636 Signet Inc
329220 Smith-Southwestern Inc
329778 Solion Corporation
331075 Sparks Exhibits & Environments
331150 Spartan Promotional Group Inc
331605 Specialties Unlimited Inc
332556 Sports Promotion Network
332589 Sportswear Plus Inc
333647 Workfl owOne
338401 Strottman International Inc
339116 Summit Marketing
339162 Sun Business Forms & Adv Spec
339206 Sunrise Identity
339297 Sunfl ower Marketing Group
340705 Swift Printing Services
340973 T-Formation of Tallahassee Inc
341204 T O P Marketing
341500 Talbot Marketing
341691 Target Marketing Inc
342639 Tee-Riffi c Promotions Inc
342701 Tee’s Plus Screen Prtg Factory
343480 The Tharpe Company Inc
343878 Thomas Direct Sales
345448 Topitzes & Associates Inc
345545 Total Brand Delivery
345631 Touchstone Merchandise Group LLC
351700 The Vernon Company
356061 Wearguard Crest
356377 J M Wechter & Associates Inc
358500 Western Associates Inc
360200 Wild Impact Marketing
365552 Zagwear Inc
365782 Zenith Promotion Inc
366094 Zouire Marketing
384000 EmbroidMe
391000 Instant Imprints Franchising Inc
Silver
Sales volume of $5 million and over
100085 A S D Promotion/Advertising
103679 Acme Apparel of Gloucester Inc
104775 Action Sports Image LLC
105630 The Adcentive Group Inc
105710 Ad-Centives West Inc
106742 Addyourlogo-Reklambolaget AB
108200 The Ad Solution Inc
108390 Adstar Inc
110487 Advertising Edge Inc
111385 Advertising Incentives Inc
111600 Advertising Novelties Co Inc
116315 Alcone Marketing Group
116710 Alexander Global Promotions Inc
116995 The Alison Group
www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 171

SOI 2007 TOP MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR 40 DISTRIBUTORS ROUNDTABLE
Silver
117019 All America Concepts & Design Inc
119100 Alpha Graphics, Ltd
119550 AMCLA Pty Ltd
120658 American Minority Bus Forms Inc
122205 Anheuser Marketing Inc
122208 Animal Marketing
122737 Apex Advertising Inc
123041 Applied Graphics Inc
125290 Artina Promotional Products LLC
128184 Award Excellence Marketing LLC
128880 B C Graphics Inc
129170 B F G Communications Inc
129449 B M P Inc
131431 Bamko Promotional Items
133000 L W Barrett Co Inc
137190 Benchworks Inc
141930 Blue Sky Marketing Group
142474 Body Billboards Inc
145008 A Branovan Company LLC
145025 Brand Fuel
145039 Brand I Q
146060 Bright Ideas/Broad Ripple Inc
149459 Budco
152930 Business Innovations
154695 C A M Inc
154720 C X & B United Corp
155110 C & S Sales Inc
155966 The Callard Company
156455 Canary Marketing LLC
157364 Capitv 8 Promotions Inc
158580 Carpe Diem Sales & Marketing Inc
159067 Catalyst Marketing Inc
160686 Chapman Printing Inc
162226 Circe Inc
162850 Alvin M Clayman Enterprises Inc
162968 Clayton Kendall Inc
163427 Club Colors Inc
165945 Commercial Marketing
166070 Communicorp Inc
166235 Concepts & Associates Inc
166445 Concord Promotions Inc
167000 Consumer Contact Company
167326 Continental Binder & Spec Corp
168358 Copilote Inc
168962 Corporate Imaging Concepts Inc
168968 Corporate Image Works LLC
169081 Corporate Images Inc
169184 Cotapaxi Custom Design & Mfg LLC
169186 Cotton Candy Inc
169192 Cottonimages Com Inc
169600 Craig-Richard Prm’l Prds Inc
170480 Creative Concepts Dvr Inc
170594 Creative Impressions Inc
170669 Creative Promotional Products Ltd
170720 Creative Promotions Int’l LLC
172755 Curtis 1000 Inc
173183 Custom Logos
173251 Custom Special Tees Inc
173252 Custom Specialties LLC
173427 Customized Business Services Inc
175755 Data Power Inc
176080 Davene Inc
176850 Davis & Stanton Inc
177258 Developmental Concepts Inc
179558 Design & Source Productions
179669 Devcom Inc
179923 Dewynters Advertising Inc
180260 Diann’s Specialty Advertising Inc
183590 Drive Marketing
184795 The E Group Inc
184797 E Group Inc of MN
184981 E M C Advertising Gifts
185750 Ebsco Promotional Products
186310 E L K Promotions Inc
186655 The Elite Group
186738 Elite Sportswear & Awards Ltd
187639 Emed Co Inc
189775 Etienne International Inc
193040 James Feldman Associates, Inc
194440 First Impressions Sportswear & Cresting
195735 The Flying Logo Sisters
197085 Four Star Marketing Inc
198342 Freestyle Marketing LLC
200095 G W S Inc
200460 Gage Marketing Group, LLC
200500 Gagnon Levesque Inc
203700 General Advertising Products Inc
203760 General Commercial Corp
205947 Gifts By Design Inc
206126 Gifts & Premium S L
212829 Grapevine Designs LLC
213035 The Graphic Edge Inc
214111 Greensboro Offi ce Supply Inc
215320 Groupe Katrio Inc
215444 Grupo Mafra Marketing
216747 H A S Marketing
216807 H D S Marketing Inc
219278 Handicapped Sales Workshop
219413 Hands On Originals Inc
229805 Idegy Inc
230059 Image Group Inc
230076 Image First
230121 Image Source Inc
230189 Immediate Sales Agency Ltd
230276 Imagewear By Mark’s Work Wearhouse
231122 Initiatives International Inc
231220 Industrial Contacts Inc
232850 Jacksonville Spec Advg Inc
233578 Janway Company USA Inc
233579 Jansen Advertising Inc
235965 The Jolesch Group Inc
238367 K - Promotions Ltd
238371 K M G Marketing
238508 K T M North America
242474 King Logo
242475 Kingston
www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 173

SOI 2007 MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR ROUNDTABLE
Silver
243420 Peter Kleine Company
245872 Kreo Inc
245947 Kritzer Marketing
249050 Bob Lanier Enterprises Inc
249309 Lapel Pin and Button Co Inc
254117 Lightning Golf & Promos Inc
254137 Lighthouse Branding & Merch Agncy
254138 Bob Lilly Prof’l Promos Inc
254667 Lithexcel
255247 Logogram Inc
255309 Logovision LLC
255679 Lor & Associates Inc
256250 Loves Park Rapid Print
257000 Lucking Advg Products Inc
258391 Ma Cher (USA) Inc
259100 Mac Mannes Inc
259280 Madden
260987 Marco Sales & Incentives Ltd
261250 Maritz Rewards Inc
261810 Mktg Incentive Resources Inc
261888 Marketing Tools Inc
261911 Marketing Strategies Group Inc
263360 Marudas Print Services & Promotional
Products
264230 Match-Up Promotions
264406 Maxi Distribucion S A
264901 Mccabe Promotional Advg Inc
266976 Media Connection Advg Specs
267038 Medialink Creative Solutions
267631 Merchandise Mania Ltd
267660 Merchandising Incentives Corp
268940 Metromedia Marketing Ltd
269625 Mid-American Specialties Inc
269745 Mid-America Merchandising Inc
269991 Mid Eastern Advertising
270800 Midwest Promotional Group
270950 Midwestern Spec Advg Co
272830 Milner Marketing Corp
277511 Mosquito Inc
279381 N E P M
279385 N I C Inc Advertising
280420 National Bank Products Inc
282400 Network Interstate
282470 New Clients Inc
283582 Henry Ninowsky Sales
283625 Noble Logos Inc
287488 Omnisource Marketing Group Inc
287586 On Target Promo
288406 Out of the Box Group
293570 Performance Award Ctr Inc
293619 Perfect Promotions Inc
294905 Pharmadesign Inc
295985 Pinnacle Printing Systems LLC
295986 Pinnacle Promotions Inc
296325 Plain & Simple Sports & Promo Wear Inc
296485 William J Plogsted & Associates
296982 Polydono AG Prom’l Products
297307 Porter Wallace Corp
297675 Powertex Group
299458 Printable Promotions
299725 Pro Specialties Group Inc
299745 Productopop Inc
299860 Professional Marketing Servces Inc
300367 Promopeddler.com
300408 Promo Depot Inc
300477 Promo Direct
300585 Promotion Plus Inc
300621 Promotion Resource Group Inc
300762 Promotional Designs Inc
300790 Promotional Consultants Inc
300810 Promotional Considerations Inc
300830 Promotional Designs Inc
300870 Allied Promotional Products Group
300872 Promotional Images Inc
301163 The Promotional Specialists
301193 Promotions By Design Inc
301330 Promotions Unlimited Inc
303015 Quality Resource Group
303767 R O K Promotions Inc
303858 R T Marketing Inc
304530 Rambow Inc
305150 React Enterprises Inc
305344 Reba’s Custom Embroidery
306686 Relay Gear LLC
307140 Rennhack Marketing Service Inc
307550 Resources Unlimited Inc
309300 Roberts Advertising Co
309700 Howard Roe Company
313998 Royal Recognition Inc
315640 Connor F Ryan & Co Inc
316955 Sales Dynamics Inc
317151 Sales Packaging Inc
317305 Sales Service America Inc
319240 Sasco Inc
319940 Scarborough Specialties Inc
326552 Signature Concepts Inc
326835 Silkworm Inc
328000 The Singleton Co
330686 Southland Business Group Inc
331275 Special Recognition Inc
332489 AB Sporrong Inc
333600 Standard Buying Service
334909 Star Promotions Inc
336312 Sterling Business Products Inc
337725 Stran & Company Inc
337838 Stratacom
338200 Streff Advertising Inc
338380 Strong & Cutter Company
340210 Sutter’s Mill Specialties Inc
341741 Target Marketing Inc
342420 Tchotchke’s LLC
342485 Team Jedi Marketing LLC
342620 Technovel S A
342844 Tera Enterprises Inc
343432 W S P International Ltd
343919 Thompson Merchandising & Sup
www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 175

SOI 2007 MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR ROUNDTABLE
Silver
345403 Top Promotion Inc
345900 Towsley’s Inc
346070 Trademarks Promotional Products
347790 Tropiano & Son Corp Mktg Inc
348024 USA Screen Prtng & Embroidery Inc
348068 Under The Sun Promotions Inc
350530 Vail Dunlap & Associates
351285 Vatex America Inc
355726 The Watermark Group Inc
355980 Way To Be Designs LLC
356166 Webb/Mason Inc
356448 The Weeks Lerman Group LLC
360450 Williams & Associates Ltd
361850 Wings Sportswear
364869 Ye Ole Printery Inc
365683 Zebra Marketing Corporation
371000 Advantage Golf Franchising Corp
376500 Asgard Promotional Services
Distinguished
Sales volume of $2 million and over
100330 A A Advertising Ltd
101251 A E Litho Offset Printers Inc
101262 A E O/Amer Envir Outfters Inc
101405 A & H Associates Inc
101468 A N Advertising Specialties
101495 A N C Promotions
101510 A S A P Inc
101536 A P S/Advertising Pkg Solutions
101601 A T I P Corporation
102202 Abelanani Creations
102267 Aberson Narotzky & White Inc
102291 Above & Beyond Incentives
102846 Access Uniforms & Emb Works Inc
103085 Ace Marketing & Promotions Inc
103530 Ace Promotional Products LLC
103600 Achievement Products Inc
104683 Action Plus Sportswear & Specs
104915 Adamerica Advertising Spec
104930 The Ad Answer Inc
104977 Adform Advertising
105011 Ad Ideas of Wisconsin Inc
105035 Adirondack Ad Specialties
105230 Ad Promotions Inc
105319 Ad Venture Promotions Inc
106130 Adco Associates
107060 The Ad King Inc
107158 Admar Promotions Group
107316 Ad One Advg Specialties Inc
107727 Adpro Inc
107895 Adroc Productions Inc
108040 Ads Infi nitum
108135 Ad Spec
108535 Advanced Business Products
108957 Advance Promotions
108965 Advanced Promotional Advg of Puerto
Rico Inc
109420 Ad Ventures In Texas Inc
109959 Advertising Anything
110390 Advertising Concepts Inc
111425 Advertising Magic Inc
111774 Advertising Plus Inc
113890 Advertising Spec Assocs Inc
114697 Advertising With Wit Inc
115160 A I M Inc (Always In Mind)
115329 Akran Marketing
116550 Alert-All Corporation
117110 All Star Incentive Marketing
117125 All Sports Promotions
117160 All American Spec Corp Inc
117240 All-Ways Advg Company USA Inc
117246 All World Promotions
117905 Alliance Graphics Inc
118860 All Star Awards & Ad Specs Inc
119183 Alterman Business Gifts
119632 American Ad Specialties Inc
119900 American Advertising Specs
120200 American Calendar Co
120362 American Design & Mfg Inc
120608 American Klassic Designs Inc
120660 American National Ltd
120666 American Outfi tters Ltd
120709 American Products Inc
120763 American Sales Industries Inc
120930 Americap Co Inc
120935 Americhip Inc
121650 Anaconda Sports Inc
121870 Anderson Marketing Inc
122110 George Andrie & Associates Inc
123062 Applied Litho Resource Inc
124500 Arrow Advertising Company
125341 Artistic Promotions LLC
125464 Ascentives
125465 Ash-Allmond Associates Inc
126466 The Athletic Edge
127568 Austin Ad Group Inc
127818 Avalon Corporation
127901 Avatar Brand Management Inc
128039 Award International
128229 Awards Unlimited Inc
128242 Awards.Com LLC
128257 Axiz Group LLC
128270 Axley Incentives
128551 B & B Ad Specialties
128682 B B J Inc
129215 B H S International Inc
129422 B J M Promotions Inc
129699 B2Usolutions.Com
130250 The Baja Man Inc
130700 Margaret Baker Associates
130801 Balady Promotions Inc
131414 Bama Jammer Promotions
132050 Barash Advertising Inc
www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 177

SOI 2007 MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR ROUNDTABLE
Distinguished g
132220 Barbara’s Incentive Programs Inc
133075 Barry Wayne Enterprises Inc
133900 Bates-Wells Inc
137004 Ben Marketing Group
137600 S E Bennett Company
137955 Bergman Incentives Inc
138554 Best Design Inc
138557 Best Promotions Inc
138560 Best Business Systems
140093 Billboard Direct Prml Svcs Inc
140100 Bill-Mar Specialty
140290 Billward Inc
140730 Black Duck Inc
141957 Blue Wave Productions Inc
142835 Bonus Marketing Inc
143070 Borgelin & Co Profi lreklam AB
144100 Bowlmaster Bowling Supplies Inc
145006 The Brandmarket Inc
145011 Brand Innovators Inc
145150 Bravo! Inc
145236 Bravo Promotional Marketing Inc
145242 Breakthru Marketing Inc
145576 Brew City Promotions Inc
145830 Bridges Sportswear & Ad Spec
146026 Bright Ideas
146280 Broadway Marketing Ltd
147812 Brown and Gold Inc
149200 Bryan Advertising Co Inc
149853 Buffalo LLC
149870 Buffalo Specialties Inc
149885 Builder Promotions Inc
150000 Louis Bull Promotional Products
151066 Burrell Promotions
151258 Burston Marketing Inc
152486 Business Forms Specialty Inc
152915 Business Ink Company
154450 C Gerard Marketing
154540 C 3 Marketing
154909 C M T I Inc
155018 C P S Carl Piercey Spec Inc
155128 C S I & Associates Inc
155920 California Mktg Group Inc
156421 Campus Mktg Specialists Inc
157229 Capitol Promotions Inc
157355 Caprina
157388 Caps City S A De P V
157555 Carlisle Printing of Walnut Creek
158292 Carolina Specialties of NC Inc
158910 Carter Promotions
159053 Castlerock Productions
159072 Cat Communication
159600 The Cedarstream Company Inc
160435 Century 2001 Inc
161120 Chase Marketing Int’l LLC
161632 Chestnut Identity Apparel
161795 Chillybear Inc
162165 Cinder Block Inc
163100 J W Cleary Company
163650 Coastline Marketing Group Inc
164612 Collegiate Concepts
164741 Collegiate USA Inc
165177 Color Graphics Screenprinting Inc
165210 Colorado Badge & Trophy Co
165261 Colortech Graphics & Prtg Inc
166010 Commotion Promotions Ltd
166102 Compleat Sportswear Inc
166107 Compas Inc
166148 Completesource Inc
167062 Contact Import-Export LLC
167767 Control Seneca Corporation
167990 Dan Cook Associates Inc
168125 Cooley Group Inc
168160 Cooney Promotions Inc
168743 Corevision Group Inc
168799 Corporate Data Products
168804 Corporate Carrots Inc
168920 Corporate Incentives of America Inc
168923 Corporate Graffi ti Inc
168928 CGA Promotions
168963 Corporate Image Apparel Inc
168990 Corporate Motivators Inc
168999 Corporate Impressions
169021 Corporate Source
169026 Corporate Specialties
169039 Corporate Selections Inc
169059 The Corporate Shop Inc
169585 Craig Specialty Advertising
170250 Creative Advertising Specs Inc
170489 Creative Expression Inc
170522 Creative Corporate Image Inc
170631 Creative Marketing Concepts
170680 Creative Media Development Inc
170760 Creative Services
170769 Creative Solutions
170800 Creative Specialties Co Inc
171500 Cronmiller-McCormick Co
172200 Cubbon Advertising
173036 Custom Advertising Inc
173152 Custom Images Inc
173237 Custom Promotions Inc
173245 Custom Products Corporation
173365 Customcraft Industries Inc
173697 D C I Marketing Inc
174051 D R A Promotions Inc
175676 Data Associates Inc
175701 Data Business Forms Inc
175769 Data Supplies Inc
176197 Junior Davis & Associates Inc
176797 Davis-Humbert Group
177262 Dataguide Inc
178282 Del Mar Embroidery Inc
179525 Design Marketing Inc
179644 Details Diversifi ed Inc
179750 De Vlieger Associates
179900 Dewitt Inc
180198 Diamond State Promotions Inc
www.counselormag.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 179

SOI 2007 MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR ROUNDTABLE
Distinguished g
180870 R A Dinkel & Associates Inc
181040 Direct Advertising Co
181051 Direct Focus Marketing Comm
181211 Distinctive Marketing Ideas
181294 Diversifi ed Concepts Mktg Inc
181620 James A Doherty Inc
182105 Don’s Group Attire Inc
182666 Dovetail Marketing
183320 D Q S-Intl Dairy Queen
183723 Duck Soup Promotions Inc
184844 E Bags Corporate Sales Inc
184937 E J K Promotions Inc
184997 E O Dunbar Associates Inc
185070 E S M Enterprises Inc
185120 E T C Group Inc
185192 Eagle Graphics
185460 Earle Press Printing Inc
185700 Eastern Advertising Novelty Inc
185710 Eastland Apparel
185897 Edel Partners Inc
186055 Edventure Promotions Inc
186230 Efi nger Sporting Goods Inc
186702 Elite Promotions Inc of MO
188335 Enform Graphic Productions Inc
188379 Enterprise Document Solutions
188488 Epic Promotions Inc
188701 Ericson Group Inc
189402 Eskimo Joe’s Prm’l Prds Grp Inc
189950 European Marketing Group Inc
190280 Event Custom Merchandise Inc
190370 Events Made EZ Inc
190421 Everglades Direct
190571 Every Promotional Product
190685 Exceptional Specialty Promos Inc
190689 Executayne Marketing Limited
190903 Executive Mktg Promotions Inc
190936 Executive Promotions Inc
190978 Express Promotions
191017 Eyecon Marketing Group
191035 F G S Inc
191041 F & E Sportswear
191049 F A C Services L P
191361 Facilitations Ltd Inc
191845 Fan Grabber Inc
191881 Fantastic Fabrics Inc
192473 The Farwest Group Inc
192510 Fast Advertising Inc
193427 Ferra Doyle Group
193670 Fiddler’s Rock Communications Inc
194030 Michael C Fina Company
194037 Financial Innovations Inc
194096 Fine Products
194115 Fine Promotions Inc
194400 The Finney Company-Ad Spec Div
194411 First Choice Uniforms
194897 Flagworks Inc
195761 Focus Promotions Inc
195787 Footprint Marketing Inc
196045 C Forbes Inc
196371 Forms Associates/Z Images
197281 Fox Pro Media Inc
198030 Franklin Printing Inc
198264 Frederick Enterprises
198365 Doug Fregolle Promotions
198707 Fresh Concepts LLC
199789 Fundy Textile & Design
199836 Fusion LLC
199849 G B G The Corporate Giftsource
199876 G & A Corp Events & Consulting
200020 G N P Specialties Inc
200590 Galactic Ltd
200900 Galaxy Specialty Company Inc
201366 Gameplanz Inc
201409 Gandy Ink
202287 Gatehouse Gifts & Premiums LLC
202755 Gear ‘N Up
203950 General Graphics Co Inc
203955 General Litho Services Inc
204633 The Georgian Press Inc
204824 The German Advg Advantage
205000 Gettier-Montanye Inc
205205 Gibbs General Prtg Service Inc
207200 Gino’s Awards Inc
208309 Global Direct

SOI 2007 MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR ROUNDTABLE
Distinguished g
208338 Global Promos & Incentives LLC
209277 Gold-Mark Promotions LLC
209953 Gomez Lee Marketing SA
210555 Goodman Enterprises Inc
211820 Go Promotions Inc
212454 Graftek Systems Inc
212461 Graham Marketing Group
212843 Graphic Apparel Inc
212918 Graphics Systems
Michael’s Realty
Carlson Craft offers a wide variety
of greeting cards.
Each card can be personalized with
your client’s signatures, ink or foil
imprints, and even a multicolored
logo if they choose.
Call 800-580-1707
for your holiday albums.
Mention code COXM77S and
a Soft Creek Hills Specialist
will assist you.
182 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
213122 Graystone Graphics Inc
213138 Great American Business Prods
213175 Great North American Cos Inc
213177 Great Ideas Inc
213753 Green Pond Marketing Group
215366 Grubb & Ellis Management Svcs
215950 Gull Associates Inc
215953 Gulotta’s Inc
216694 Hyde Park Jewelers
ADAM and MITCHELL FIRM
SAGE/50600 ASI/43920 UPIC/CARLSONC
217274 H M Marketing Inc
217276 H P I Direct
217302 H S A Enterprises Inc
217975 Hall Marketing Group Inc
219010 R L Hammette & Assoc
219857 Harbor Marketing Group LLC
221400 The Hartnett Co Inc
222437 Health Impressions
222470 Heavin & Associates
223900 Henderson Associates Inc
225024 High Profi le H P Advertising Inc
225275 Hinda Inc
227701 Hot Ideas Inc
228810 The John K Howe Company Inc
228900 Howell & Windham Advg Co
229164 Brady Hull & Associates
229171 Humphrey Printing Co Inc
229272 Hygrade Business Group Inc
229302 I C M Corporation
229307 I D America Inc
229330 I M G International Ltd
229338 I P S
229383 I S E Offi ce Plus Inc
229428 The Idea Brokers Inc
229440 Identy-Links Inc
229502 Idea Reps Ltd
229524 The Idea Source Inc
229587 Ideas & Details Inc
229643 Ideas’ N Motion Inc
230085 Image Printing Solutions
230088 Image Outfi tters Inc
230126 Image Products Inc
230240 Imagraphics Corp
230376 Impatto Custom Marketing Inc
230464 Impresos Quintana Inc
230490 The Impress Corporation
230562 Imprint Marketing Concepts
230607 Imprint Inc
230722 Incentex Inc
230728 In Record Time Inc
230756 Incentive Media LLC
230759 In-Concept Ltd
230790 Incentive Services Inc
230875 Incentives By Design Inc
230890 Independent Business Group
230908 Indiana Dimensional Prdts LLC
231011 Indoff Inc
231045 Infi nity Watch Corp
231063 Infopak Inc
231086 Informs
231110 Initial Impression
231119 Ink Enterprises Inc
231137 Inman Promotional Team Inc
231152 Inmartgroup Limited
231235 Innovative Marketing/Orinda Ca
231380 Innovative Concepts
231501 Interform Graphics
231553 Inter-Concept Sales Promotion Inc
231555 Innovative Concepts/Your Image
232048 In2Itive Group Inc

SOI 2007 MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR ROUNDTABLE
Distinguished g
232263 Ivars Sportswear Inc
232363 J C B Specialties Inc
232386 J E B Designs Inc
232414 J G E Awards And Promotions
232421 J G Products LLC
232440 J & L Promotions Inc
232532 J K G Group Inc
232638 J R Resources
232661 J P Graphics Inc
232852 Jacobs Agency
233180 James Group Solutions
233420 Jansco Inc
233730 Jarrett & Assoc/Button King
233754 Jaxco Industries LLC
234862 Jibe Promotional Mktg
234936 Joe Henry Inc
234972 The John Gray Awards Company
235914 Joiner Marketing And Promotions
237250 Jones Associates
237905 Just Call Inc
238041 K-Sport Inc
238295 K L K Holdings Inc
238325 K L & P Marketing Inc
239900 Keeler Advertising Inc
240000 Keene Promotions Inc
240315 Keith’s Ii Sports Ltd
241050 Kendall Promotions
241600 Terry Kernan Associates
242345 Keystone Gifts Inc
242358 Killeen Dynamic Designs Inc
242390 Kilroy Creations Corporation
243630 Klondike Advertising Inc
244009 Knight-Abbey Commercial Printers
244500 Koher Advertising
244608 Kohn Design & Printing
246176 Krystal Marketing Inc
246655 Kustomize It
246723 L A Promotions Inc
246736 L F Advertising & Supply Inc
246986 L T’s Inc
247042 Label Systems Specialties
248550 Lane Advertising Specialties
249350 Lapelco LLC
249351 Lapgevity LP
249352 Lapine Inc
250025 Launch! Brand Marketing
252287 Les Productions Rhinoferoce
253164 Levy Advertising Ent Inc
253765 Liberty Flag & Specialty Co
254000 Lidejo Companies
254320 Lindsey Advertising Company
254382 Linjen Promotions Inc
254415 The Linx Group Inc
254650 Lipic’s Inc
255225 Logofx Inc
255235 Logo Inc
255269 Logomotion Inc
255322 Logoworld
255323 Logos And Promotions
255409 Logoworks Inc
255444 Logos Your Way Inc
255496 Mckee-Southern Marketing Inc
256200 J T Lovell Company
257900 M B Promotions
257970 M G I Promotions
258014 M J Marketing Inc
258056 M G R Entertainment Inc
258120 M P G Promotions LLC
258169 M S I Corporation
258374 M T I-Marketing Techniques Inc
258400 Macco Promotions Inc
258405 M W International Group Inc
258917 Mackellar Associates Inc
259286 Mad Design Co Inc
259615 Madison Sales Group Inc
259637 Magagna Associates Inc
259761 The Mainline Embrdry & Design Co
259800 Majaq
259977 Major Saver Fundraising Inc
260262 Manatee Bay Enterprises Inc
260495 The Manfred Group Inc
261592 Market Builder
261596 Market Identity
261599 Market U S A
261648 Marketing Products Group Inc
261698 Mktg Drive Promo Services Grp
261862 Marketing Promotions
261867 Marketing Motivation
& Prom’l Resources Inc
261869 Marketing Partners Inc
261898 Marketnet/PMA
261930 Mark-It Smart, Inc
262890 Martin Marketing Spec Inc
264121 Master Prints of New England Inc
264421 Maxwell Marketing Inc
265326 McCormick Company
265910 McKee Group Inc
266870 Mc Weeney Marketing Group Inc
266971 Ron Mears Appreciated Advg Inc
266972 Mechanical Specialties
267019 Media Sales Limited
267078 Mega Source Hospitality Resources Inc
267436 Mellin Promotional Advertising
268475 Lorne Merkur & Sister Inc
268585 Merrill/May Inc
268613 Merrill Corporation Inc
268680 Jim Mersfelder & Assoc Inc
268930 Metromarketing Services Inc
269404 Micanor A S
269513 Ted Michaud & Associates
270825 Midwest College Mktg Group Inc
271800 Homer Miller Company
274488 Models Plus LLC
275276 Moisant Promotional Products
275306 Momentum
275358 Monaco Design & Mktg Inc
275500 Monarch Sales Company Inc
275700 Monograms & More Inc
275795 Montana Marketing Inc
277370 Morton Suggestion Company

SOI 2007 MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR ROUNDTABLE
Distinguished g
277750 Motivation Consultants Inc
277768 Motivation Excellence Inc
277770 Motivational Concepts Inc
277780 Motivators Inc
277882 Motor Car Dealer Forms
277973 Mulligan Marketing Group Inc
278151 Munoz Athletics
278631 Music T’s/SW Spec Ptrs Inc
279614 Nadler Brothers Company
280160 National Awards
280920 National Imprint Corporation
281041 National Offi ce Suppliers Inc
281930 Nelaine Advertising Ltd
282349 Netknacks Tennis Awards Inc
282610 New England Promotions
282750 New Image Promotions Inc
283126 Newline Printing & Tech Solut Inc
283200 Newport Promotional Svcs Inc
283375 The Next Trend Designs Inc
283520 Nick’s Enterprises Inc
284536 Norseman Apparel Inc
284633 North American Corp of IL
285080 Northeast Promotions
285379 Northwest Sleevewear Inc
286464 O2 Marketing & Design
286510 Oates Flag Company Inc
286680 E R Ochsendorf Company
286685 Octagon Merchandising
286915 Odyssey Marketing Group Inc
287450 Olympia Promo & Distr Co
287671 1Roof LLP
288640 P A C Q Inc
288656 P A W Marketing Inc
288777 P D Q Printing of Las Vegas
288860 P-F Unlimited, Inc
288940 P J Marketing Services Inc
288992 The P O P Shop Inc
288993 P P A G Ltd
290031 Panda Embroidery
291371 The Pascall Principal Inc
291481 Patty’s Premiums.com
292050 Don Payne Inc
292461 Peak Promotional Group LLC
292479 Peak Resource Group
293250 Pennsylvania Promotions Inc
293537 Performance Marketing Inc
293580 Percivall Advertising
293617 The Perfect Impression
293622 Perk International LLC Inc
294929 Philburn Inc
295279 Phoenix Marketing Group Inc
295287 Phoenix Promotional Prods Inc
295590 Piedmont Graphics Inc
295819 Pilgrimpage Inc
296360 Planet Promotions Inc
296391 The Planning Showcase
296416 Platinum Promotions Inc
296750 Polar Graphics USA Inc
297297 Porter World Trade Inc
297322 Positive Impressions Inc
298087 Precision Printing & Supply Co Inc
298300 Preferred Advertising Inc
298562 Premiere Partners Inc
298598 Premiere Marketing Group Inc
298656 Premium Concepts Inc
298862 Premium Research Inc
298968 Premium Works Inc
298990 Premiums & Specialties Inc
299019 Premiums Promotions & Imports Inc
299279 Prezents Inc
299331 Prime Source of Western NY Inc
299349 Prime Time Plus Inc
299417 Print Promotional Services Inc
299441 Print Resources Inc
299491 Print Management Partners
299589 Print-Tex USA
299590 The Printsource Group Ltd LLC
299600 The Cy Prisyon Co Inc
299604 Printing Solutions - Redlands
299644 Printing Inc
299697 Pro Corp Images Inc
299710 Pro Media Inc
299792 Prism Graphics Inc
299815 Print Solutions

SOI 2007 MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR ROUNDTABLE
Distinguished g
299836 Professional Concepts Inc
299837 Professional Duplicating Inc
299841 Professional Forms & Syst Inc
299935 Professional Uniforms Inc
300143 Proforma Graphic Printsource
300152 ProFill Holdings LLC
300235 Progressive Industries Inc
300237 Progressive Promotions Inc
300363 Promarketing Gear Inc
188 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
300398 Promo 540 LLC
300413 Promo Dart
300415 Promoadvantage Mktg Group LLC
300455 Promo Plus Advertising Inc
300470 Promo-Ad & Associates Inc
300475 Promoco
300521 Promobiz.com LLC
300540 Promoting You Inc
300545 Promotion Concepts Inc/Award
300564 Promo Logic LLC
300571 Promotion Factory of Oklahoma
300590 Promotion Products Inc
300605 Promotion Prdts Mktg Group Inc
300644 Promocentric Inc
300752 Promotional Concepts Inc
300786 Promotional Elements Inc
301008 Promotional Marketing Inc
301060 Promotional Media Inc
301107 Promotional Products Plus
301122 Promotional Resource Group Inc
301169 Promotional Solutions Inc
301221 The Promotions Dept
301244 Promotions Hannah Inc
301257 Promotions Pronto LLC
301409 Promotions Unlimited
301413 Promotions 2000 Inc
301443 Promoventures Inc
301452 Promotivators
301518 Propac Inc
301744 Provident Merchandise Sourcing
301878 Publicidentity Inc
302257 Publigraphics S A De C V
302916 Quality Concepts Inc
303057 Quantum Forms Corporation
303070 Quest Promotions
303320 R B S (Ring Binder Supply)
303347 R & D Specialty Company Inc
303556 R L K & Associates Inc
303583 R M I Inc
303763 R & M Specialties Ltd
303794 R&R Recreational Products Inc
303806 R S N Promotionals Inc
303878 Rainbow Advertising Inc
303879 Rage Unlimited
304120 Rainbow Industries Inc
304803 Ranroy Printing Company
304900 Rayko Inc
304980 R’Devie “Art of Life”
305402 Recognition Concepts Inc
305441 Recognition Experts Inc
305642 Red Oak Concepts Inc
306115 Regalia Mfg Co
306240 Regis Marketing Group Inc
306688 Relco International Corp
307080 Render Ad Service Inc
307267 Repco Graphics Inc
309335 R J Roberts & Co
309430 Theresa Roberts Inc
309550 Robert’s Specialty Company
313690 Roush Sports Group Inc
314601 Rudig Trophies Inc
315060 Rush Advertising Specialties
315120 Russell Specialties Corp
315737 J Ryan Industries 5 Inc
316016 S Group Inc
316060 S P S Worldwide LLC
316103 S & S Enterprise Group LLC
316120 S & S Promotional Group Inc
316200 Safe Designs Promotional Mktg

SOI 2007 TOP MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR 40 DISTRIBUTORS ROUNDTABLE
Distinguished g
316309 St Croix Promotions Inc
316328 St Croix Screen Printing Inc
316700 Sales Aids Inc
317040 Sales Makers Inc
317500 Salisbury Sales Inc
318080 Sanders Marketing Group
318377 Sands Promotions
319933 Sayre Enterprises Inc
321410 Scola Specialty Advg Corp
321992 Screen Printing U S A Inc
322009 Screenprinting Specialties Inc
322012 Screen Printers Design
323555 Servaward Inc
324150 Shads Advertising Inc
324237 The Shamrock Companies Inc
324550 Sharp Ideas Inc
324676 Shaw Print & Promotion Inc
325050 Shearer & Associates
325469 Shenk Athletic
325811 Shipmates/Printmates
326179 Show Your Logo Inc
326508 Siegel’s Corporate Gifts
326527 The Sign Cellar
326530 Sigma Marketing
326644 Signs of Success
326704 Silk Screen Printing Company
326710 Silk Screen Shirts Inc
328075 Sisu Marcom Inc
328901 Smart Practice
328914 Smart Source LLC
328944 E Smith & Associates Inc
329120 Smith Promotional Advg Inc
329812 The Solutions! Group
329824 Solutions Ink
329829 Solutions In Marketing Inc
329950 Sooo Special Inc
330000 Souder’s Inc
330070 Source One Mktg Group Inc
330160 South Shore Outdoor Store
330474 Southern IL Book & Supply Co
330675 Southern Specialties
330940 Southwick Specialty Advg Inc
331000 Spalding Companies
331149 Spec Works Inc
331340 Specialties Inc
331392 Specialties USA Inc
331870 Specialty Incentives Inc
331872 Specialty Fashions
332193 Speedway Systems LLC
332278 Spencer Marketing & Promotions
332417 Spirit Products Ltd
332490 Sportdecals Inc
332573 Sportsrock Merchandising LLC
332662 Spotlight Professional Svcs
332750 Cedric Spring & Associates
332900 Richard E Spry Inc
332909 Square One Inc
334185 Stanley Thomas Associates Inc
334634 Staples Inc
334780 Star Athletics Inc
336200 Bob Stephens & Assoc Inc
336492 Stern Group
336952 Stincor Specialties Ltd
337186 Stonestreet Mktg Services Inc
337500 Stowebridge Promotion Group Inc
337875 Strategies Ltd
338151 Streetwise Promotions
338337 Striking Solutions Inc
338407 Stuart & Associates
338528 Success Promotions Inc
339107 Sullivan Group Inc
339615 Suntex Aquisition L P
339634 Super Embroidery Inc
339859 Supersonic Enterprises Inc
339875 Suplidora Industrial Dominican
340497 The Swann Group Inc
340725 Sybar Press Inc
340982 T H P Printing Co Inc
340984 T J Associates Printing Inc
341090 T M Marketing Inc
341098 T N M Promotions Ltd
341100 T N T Inc
341203 T S C Inc
341210 T & P Incentives Inc
341358 Tag! The Creative Source LLC
341537 Tallahassee Engraving & Awards
341588 Tandem Printing Inc
341900 G G Tauber Co Inc
342464 The Team Group Promociones
342478 Team Shop Premiums LLC
342495 Teamco International
342534 Teamworld Inc
343895 Thomas Promotions Inc
345120 Tobie & Friends Inc
345397 Top of The Line Sportswear Inc
345710 Tower Products Inc
346200 Trans-Canada Advg Co Ltd
346355 Treadway Graphics
346520 Trexco Associates Inc
346551 Tri-Media Marketing Inc
346648 Trident Communications Inc
346987 Tri Market Promotions
347037 Trims Unlimited Inc
347055 Triple A Specialties Inc
347065 Triple Crown Products Inc
347089 Trippe Supply Co of Wash DC Inc
347095 Tri-Star Promotions Inc
347400 Tri-State Distributing
347421 Tri-Versa-Global Inc
347513 Trophy Award Co
347550 Trophies Inc
347752 Tugboat Inc
347792 Turnkey Promotions Inc
347878 Twister Inc
347899 2 Oceans Promotions Inc
347981 U P I Promotions Inc
348002 U S A Marketing LLC
348051 Ultra Marketing Inc
348084 Underground Printing
348322 The Union Group Inc

SOI 2007 MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR ROUNDTABLE
Distinguished g
348425 Unique Appeals Ltd
348440 Unique Gifts & Promotions
348520 Unique Specialties Inc
348665 United Print Group
349257 Unitex Sales Ltd
349342 Universal South Inc
349585 Universal Midwest
349590 Universal North Inc
349700 Universal Promotional Prods
349915 Unlimited Ideas Inc
349928 Unlimited Opportunities
349935 Unlimited Promotions Inc
350365 V.N. Products Inc
350617 Harlan Vance Co
350660 Van Pearl Associates Inc
350667 Vanguard Industries West Inc
351130 Van-Smith Marketing
351527 Venture Marketing Inc
351606 Verge Promotional Mktg Inc
351965 Vibrations Sales Promos & Advg
352000 Victor Advertising Service Inc
352212 Viper Marketing Group Inc
352485 Virgo III Ltd
352503 Visions Marketing Inc
352515 Vista Marketing Inc
352528 Visionmark Inc
353190 Vox Promotions Inc
354440 Walker Advertising Inc
354530 Walker-Clay Inc
355050 Walrob Agency Inc
355440 Warjo Promotions Inc
355625 N Wasserman & Co Inc
355716 Waterfront Promo’l Mdsing LLC
355719 Watermark Graphics Inc
356470 Martha Weems Ltd
358760 Western Printing Company
358768 Western Prtg & Graphics LLC
359158 Westminster Prtg & Promotions
359174 Westwind Identity Products
359630 White’s Advertising
360100 J Wilbur Company
360175 Wilcox & Associates Inc
360183 Wilde Advertising
361166 Wilson Dunn Promotions Ltd Inc
361169 Wilson Int’l Products Ltd
361600 Wincraft Inc
361610 Winners Circle Inc
361620 Windjammer Promos
362226 Winter People Inc
363153 Benny Wood
363800 Worrell Bros Inc
364259 The Wright Touch
364510 Wurzburg Print Services
364573 Wyndham Jade LP
365124 You Name It Promotions
365818 Zide’s Sport Shop
372419 Allegra Print & Imaging
372420 Elk Grove Allegra Prt Img Inc
373069 Alphagraphics #370
373094 Alphagraphics #207
398501 P I P Printing #500
398502 P I P Printing #248
398516 P I P Printing #459

Presenting the 2007
Multimillion-Dollar Supplier Roundtable
We are proud to present the suppliers of the 2007 Roundtable
– 241 industry leaders (more than in 2006) who have
each earned an annual sales volume of $5 million and over.
Included in the Roundtable are the Top 40 suppliers (shown
in bold here), profi led on pages 134 thru 167 of this edition.
The Gold designation lauds suppliers with sales volumes
Gold
Sales volume of $10 million and over
30270 Aakron Rule Corp
31570 Advantage Industries
34354 Allstate Printing & Graphics
35290 American Ad Bag Co
35297 American Apparel
36230 Anico Intl (Plush Animals)
36320 Antigua Group Inc
36730 Ariel Premium Supply Inc
37127 Ash City
37128 Ashworth Inc
37210 Atchison Products Inc
37590 Avaline
37940 Bag Makers Inc
38670 Barton Nelson Inc
40480 Bic Graphic USA
40653 Blue Generation
40788 Bodek and Rhodes
42090 Broder Bros. Co.
192 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
34408 Alpha Shirt
72808 NES Clothing
43442 Calibre International LLC
43785 Capitol Sales Co Inc
44620 Charles River Apparel
45450 Clegg Industries Inc
46420 Continental Mktg Svc Inc
46573 Cooper & Clement Inc
Corvest Promotional Products
32145 Adva Lite
62960 Its All Greek To Me
91530 Toppers LLC
46767 Counterpoint
43051 CPS
47520 A T Cross Company
47700 Crown Products
47971 Custom Printing Ii Ltd
47965 Cutter & Buck
of $10 million or more; Silver honors suppliers with sales
volumes of $5 million to just under $10 million. As with the
Distributor Top 40, rankings are bound to hold a surprise or
two! ASI and Counselor r congratulate these supplier sales lead-
ers for their achievements and welcome them to the 2007
Multimillion-Dollar Supplier Roundtable.
48500 Dard Products Inc
48520 Dart Manufacturing Co
49716 Digispec
49807 Direct Connections Inc
50835 Dri Duck Traders Inc
50840 Dri Mark Products Inc
50930 Dunbrooke
51650 Economy Pen & Pencil Company
52493 Ennis Inc
32050 Admore Inc
34817 Alstyle Apparel/A & G Inc
52495 Ennis Inc/Advertising Concepts
52840 Evans Manufacturing
54100 Fields Manufacturing Inc
55145 Fossil Special Markets Div
55549 GA Golden Pacifi c Intl
55990 Garyline
56070 Gemline

Gold
SOI 2007 MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR ROUNDTABLE
56950 Gill Studios Inc
57653 Gold Bond Inc
57668 Golden State T’s
58135 Greater China
58295 Groline
58842 H T T Headwear Ltd
60135 Hartwell Classic Apparel
60930 Hilton/Rawlings Apparel Group
61125 Hit Promotional Products
61960 Hotline Products
61966 Hub Pen Co
62660 Innovation Specialties
62820 International Merch Concepts
91340 Journalbooks/Timeplanner Calendar
63776 KTI Networks Inc
66224 Lanco Corporation
67866 Logomark Inc
The Magnet Group
37934 The Bag Factory
39700 Benchmark Ind
62663 Innovations By Magnet
68520 Magnet LLC
77965 Phonecard Express
68680 Maple Ridge Farms Inc
70122 Meadwestvaco
71685 Mid-Nite Snax (R)
71920 Moderne Glass Company Inc
Norwood
31010 Action Line
33260 Air-Tex
38480 Barlow
51625Econ-O-Line
63110 Jaffa
78105 Pillowline
80330 RCC Koozie
88390 Souvenir
89998 Style-Rite Planners
90454 Symphony Diaries
90740 Tee Off
92185 Triumph Calendars
94120s V-Line
74360 Noteworthy Co
74359 Noteworthy Awards
74600 Nucom Ltd/Premiumwear
74710 Numo Manufacturing Inc
74773 Ogio International Inc
75350 Otto Intl Inc
75420 Outdoor Cap Co
76730 Peerless Umbrella Co Inc
78120 Piller Industries Inc
78690 Plasticad Line
78825 Points of Light Inc
Polyconcept North American
42424 Bullet Line Inc
66887 Leed’s
79300 Precidio Inc
79393 Premiumwear Inc
72725s Munsingwear/Premiumwear
79530 Prime Line
79680 Pro Golf Premiums Inc
Profi ll Holdings LLC
45180 Cincinnati Line/Wear Magic
90518 TSC Apparel
PromoResourceOne Inc.
31969 Adimages Promotional Group
43920 Carlson Craft
66040 Label Works
81500 Regency Thermographers
97270 Windmill Press/Saratoga Pen Co
79914 Promotion Express
80060 Punch Products USA Inc
80150 Quick Point Inc
82588 River’s End Trading
83770 Royal Industries
84358 S & S Activewear
84470 Sabina
84820 Sanders Mfg Company
84833 Sanford Business-To-Business
84863 SanMar
85371 Scarborough & Tweed
86390 Senator USA
88060 Snugz/USA Inc
88877 Sportsman Cap Network
84592 St Regis Crystal Inc
89320 Starline USA Inc
89380 Staton Corporate & Casual
89910 Stouse Inc
90075 Sunscope
90305 Sweda Company LLC
90667 Taylor & Grant Specialties Ltd
91240 3M/Promotional Markets Dept
91320 Time Products Intl
91605 Towel Specialties
91760 Tradenet Publishing
92125 Tri-Mountain/Mountain Gear
93390 Vantage Apparel
93520 Ventura Inc
93917 Virginia T’s Inc
93986 Visions Awards
93990 Vitronic Promotional Group
95280 Warwick Publishing Co
95838 Webb Company
99070 Zippo Manufacturing Co
Silver
Sales volume of $5 million and over
30350 A La Carte
30205 A M Player
30250 A Z X Sport
30050 AAA Glass Corporation
31260 Adcapitol Aprons, Bags,
31940 Addventure Products Inc
32180 Advance Corporation
35375 Amer Cabin Supply/Amer Accents
35500 American Greenwood Inc

SOI 2007 MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR ROUNDTABLE
Silver
35530 American Intercont’l Trade Group
35722 The Americana Company
36901 Arrow Emblems
37390 Atlantis Match Company
37470 Aura Badge Co
37655 Awards Inc
38120 Ball Pro Inc
39250 Beacon Promotions Inc
39590 Bella
42330 Bruce Fox Inc
42868 Business Stationery LLC
42963 Buztronics Inc
43792 Cap America Inc
43993 Carolina Made Inc
44500 Certif-A-Gift Co
44900 Chocolate Inn Ltd
46170 Compass Industries Inc
46755 Cosmo Fiber Corp
47168 Creative Metal Casting
47934 Custom HBC Corp
49675 Dickies Occupational Wear
50150 Dixon Ticonderoga Company
48000 DLX Industries Inc
50873 Drummond Printing Inc
52710 Essef Distributors Inc
51197 ETS Express Inc
53509 Fairdeal Import & Export Ltd
53616 Fanda Enterprise Inc
54040 Fey Line
55675 Galaxy Balloons Inc
55980 Garrity Industries
56080 Gemaco Inc
56778 Giftronics Inc
73295 Goldstar
59080 Halls & Company
61820 Hospitality Mints LLC
62050 Humphrey Line Inc
62860 Iris Ltd Inc
64860 King Louie America
66390 Lar Lu
67230 Lewtan Industries Corp
68190 Lungsal Int’l Inc
68288 M M I International Trade
68480 Magna-Tel Inc
68707 Marathon Mfg/Prestige Lines
68810 Markoff Industries Inc
69718 Maxplus International Inc
70830 Metropak
71235 Millennium Leather LLC
71475 Minimedia Intl Inc
71980 Molenaar Inc
73295 National Design Corp/Goldstar
74248 North Amer Prod Development LLC
75660 Pacifi c Headwear
76675 Pedre Promotional Products Inc
78100 Pilgrim Plastic Products Inc
78128 Pine Island Sportswear
78328 Plasti-Plak
79387 Premium Shapes
79840 Proinnovative Inc
79980 Providence
81808 Rennoc Corporation
80289 RMK Worldwide Inc
86565 Seville Corporation
86850 Shepenco/Shelbyville Pencil
87188 Showdown Displays
87400 Simple Signman Inc
88188 Sonoma Promotional Solutions
90640 Target Industries
91080 Thermo-Serv
91755 Trademarks Embroidery
91880 Tranter Graphics Inc
90507 TRG Group
97292 Wine Appreciation Guild Ltd
98290 World Wide Lines Inc

SOI 2007 QUOTABLES
Compiled By Andy Cohen
Abrams, Brian, Corporate Imaging
Concepts Inc.; on fi nally collecting
money from a deadbeat client who
once told him to “F off,” 54
Asher, Nancy, The Image Group;
on how the company is able to sell
$1 million a year in promotional
apparel, 84
Barrocas, Mark, WearGuard-Crest;
on how the company services more
than 300,000 individual clients every
year, 105
Borst, Dennis, Patriot Marketing
Group; on cracking a million-dollar
account with logoed dog tags, 38
Callaway, Craig, eCompanyStore Inc.;
on insisting that the company isn’t
made up of “Internet geeks,” 130
Carrico, Tom, Gill Studios; on how the
company faces the election-year
yo-yo of revenues, 150
Chandraraj, Girisha, Broder Bros. Co.;
on why growing sales isn’t the company’s
number-one goal, 134
Cole, Jeff, Eagle Graphics; on why
you’d “get your throat cut” in the old
days if you sourced products outside
of the industry, 81
Constantino, Carol, Noteworthy;
on the company owning an Indian
Museum that is the largest privatelyheld
collection of Mohawk items, 167
Ferrer, Jody, The Perfect Promotion;
on why it’s diffi cult to keep new salespeople
motivated in the beginning, 50
Gould, Brian, LSC Marketing; on
painting a logo on a goat and having
the goat fall on him in the process, 70
200 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2007 www.counselormag.com
Gray, David, David Gray Enterprises;
on how he nabbed a $2 million client,
62
Holland, Mark, Corvest Promotional
Products; on the company being sold
to the same private equity fi rm that
recently purchased Chrysler, 146
Hudicka, Mary Ellen, Bodek and
Rhodes; on the company increasing
its product line and sales staff by 20%
each, 138
Jackson, Stephen, Sunscope; on
launching a new 600-page catalog,
142
Kelley, Jerry, Mirror Sales Inc; on losing
money if the company accepts a
deal with less than a 30% gross profi t
margin, 41
Lage, Paul, Norwood Promotional
Products; on the effort to win back
the confi dence of distributors, 137
Lantz, Jo-an, Geiger; on a more-than
$2-million investment in technology,
108; on the “fi fth generation of
Geiger” joining the fi rm, 108
Lasker, Sammy, Rushking Promotions;
on the need to bend over backwards
for “mega-dollar” deals from pharmaceutical
companies, 46
Lott, Marty, SanMar; on distributors’
overwhelming need for speed and
deep inventory, 138
Martin, Wayne, American Solutions
For Business; on averaging 5,000
orders a month through electronic
channels, 116
Mouty, Rick, ProFill Holdings; on
benefi ting from selling the basics –
T-shirts and fl eece – and not fads, 148
Muzzillo, Greg, Proforma; on the
company’s bold goals of increasing
revenues 30% to 40%, 106
Nadel, Craig, Jack Nadel International;
on why he’s happy about the company’s
revenues falling more than 11%
between 2005 and 2006, 118
Nelson, Gabe, Barton Nelson; on nine
second-generation and six third-generation
family members currently
working at the company, 156
Paisley, Alison, Bensussen Deutsch &
Associates; on the whole company
being taken on a trip to Las Vegas for
an exclusive concert with Sugar Ray
and Zowie Bowie, 106
Piller, Herbert, Groline; on profi ting
from an increased consumer focus on
the environment, 154
Reisbaum, Michael, ProCon Marketing;
on showing up at a deadbeat
client’s offi ce every Friday morning
for 15 months to try to collect, 57
Remaley, Russ, A to Z Promotions; on
selling employee recognition programs,
66
Schembri, Joseph, Sweda Co. LLC; on
dealing with all of the company’s top
management positions changing last
year, 145
Simon, Marc, Halo Branded Solutions;
on what the company looks for in a
potential acquisition target, 58
Smalley, Mark, American Apparel; on
how the company overcame inventory
defi ciencies, 142
Welborne, Dan, Workfl owOne; on
how the company achieved 42%
growth last year, and why it’s projecting
200% growth this year, 122