Spend even a few minutes talking with employees at Peerless Umbrella (asi/76730), and one theme quickly rises to the surface: People don’t just join the company – they stay.

President Dan Edge is a prime example. Nearly three decades ago, he was hired without a formal job description. “We’ll figure it out,” leadership told him. Over the years, he did just that, growing into the role of president. Today, some of the very first people he hired remain by his side – one for 27 years, another for 26 and a third for over two decades.

Peerless Umbrella (asi/76730) employees strike a pose at the company’s trade show booth.

“That really says something about the ownership and the culture,” Edge says. “People come, and they don’t leave.”

Founded in 1927, the third-generation family-owned supplier, run by Gene Moskowitz, has built its reputation not only on products, but on relationships – both with distributors and internally. That sense of continuity was immediately apparent to Director of Sales Katie Kailik, the 2025 Counselor Supplier Salesperson of the Year, when she joined four-and-a-half years ago.

On her first day, as Edge walked her through the office and factory, she met employee after employee who had been with the company for decades. “When Dan told me the newest hire besides me had already been there five years, I was stunned,” she recalls. “That’s longer than many marriages last.”

For Kailik, who had previously worked in private equity-backed environments, the difference was striking. “A lot of companies talk a great game on paper,” she says. “Peerless is the opposite – they live it. It’s the most authentic company I’ve ever worked for.”

That authenticity starts at the top but extends throughout the organization. Employees are encouraged to operate with independence, treating their roles like their own small businesses. Edge credits that trust with fueling both retention and performance. “As long as it’s an educated decision, I’ll support my team,” he says. “People love having the ability to call their own shots.”

The company also makes intentional space for employee feedback. New hires review leadership at both the six-month and one-year marks – a practice Edge believes reinforces the idea that workplace expectations go both ways.

“It’s a two-way street,” he says. “As much as I want something from employees, they want something from the company. Understanding that is critical.”

Creating that mutual investment requires ongoing effort, and Peerless leans into it. Weekly Monday morning rallies bring the entire office together for quick resets that might include breathing exercises, motivational conversations or simply a collective “Go Peerless!” to kick off the week. Fridays often close with a casual happy hour with Edge humorously referring to the company as “Camp Peerless.”

Peerless’ supportive environment is rooted in a history that stretches back nearly a century. The company originally manufactured parachutes for the military; when demand shifted, leftover nylon became the foundation for what would evolve into its umbrella business. Today, that story still resonates with employees like Kailik.

“Selling for Gene’s legacy – continuing what his grandfather started – is incredibly meaningful,” she says. “You feel like you’re part of something bigger.”

That long-term mindset also informs how the company makes decisions. Kailik recalls leadership placing a massive early bet on pickleball paddles in 2019, ordering tens of thousands of sets before the sport hit the mainstream.

“The confidence and forward thinking were incredible,” she says. “In private equity environments, that kind of move would be unheard of.”

Internally, success comes down to mindset. Kailik looks for people who are curious, adaptable and eager to solve problems – professionals comfortable wearing multiple hats and asking, “What if?”

“My favorite conversations start that way,” she says. “That’s where our real magic happens.”

That emotional connection shows up in defining moments, whether it’s the company-wide holiday celebration that brings factory and office employees together or the surprise party ownership hosted for Edge’s 25th anniversary – a gesture he says made him “truly feel the love.”