Rob Watson, CEO of Counselor Top 40 supplier Vantage Apparel (asi/93390) passed away suddenly at his home in New Jersey on Friday, Aug. 21. He was 48 years old. 

Born and raised in Virginia, Watson attended James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA, and graduated with a degree in Public Relations, Advertising and Applied Communications. Following stints in the commercial cruise industry, Watson entered the industry where he’d find a home for the next 20 years – promotional products.

Rob Watson, Vantage Apparel (asi/93390)

Watson’s career started at MediaTree (asi/70303), followed by positions at several industry firms, including ASI, Zing (asi/99025), Axis Promotions and finally, Vantage Apparel, a company with nearly $65 million in annual sales. Watson was instrumental in the company’s 16.5% growth from 2024 to 2025, and a key driver of the company’s launch of Swagee, its print-on-demand platform for the promo industry and its decorators.

“Rob was beloved by the Vantage family, as well as his extended family of the entire promo industry,” said Ira Neaman, president & executive chairman of Vantage and a member of Counselor’s Power 50, along with Watson. “Rob had this wonderful quality of making everyone he met feel special and that was something genuine and authentic in him. He cared, he was curious about people and he listened. He had that rare skill set of being extremely intelligent, with wisdom beyond his years. We at Vantage, and the promo and print folks Rob knew throughout the industry, will miss him and his warmth, humor and friendship so very much.”

Stephanie Cohn Schaeffer, a member of the family that owns ASI and co-chair of the company with her brother, Matthew Cohn, said of Watson, who worked at the company for nearly six years: “I remember when Rob first joined ASI in 2011, he fit in so well because he genuinely cared about people – his co-workers and helping them succeed, and our customers and helping them grow. While at Vantage, he thrived in their entrepreneurial environment. As print and promo came together, Rob became an important bridge between the two, understanding early on what print entrepreneurs needed to succeed in our industry. He was a trusted mentor, a great connector and, most of all, a genuinely caring and likable person. He will be missed by the entire industry.”  

Kathy Cheng, president of Redwood Classics Apparel (asi/81627) in Toronto and Counselor’s 2016 Woman of Distinction, notes that it was her connection with and trust in Watson and Neaman that solidified her decision to sell a capsule collection of her apparel line through the Vantage sales channels.

“Rob was so much more than a brilliant leader – he was kind, generous, wickedly smart and deeply human,” Cheng said. “I cannot put into words what a huge loss this is, not only for Vantage, but for all of us who were lucky enough to be in his orbit. We lost him much too early. His ambition to do good in the world was infectious, his determination to bring out the best in people was extraordinary, and his humility was the quiet force that lifted so many of us. I will miss him more than words can properly express.”

Jake Himelstein, president of Counselor Top 40 distributor BAMKO (asi/131431) and a member of Counselor’s Power 50, worked with Watson when Watson oversaw the operations of Zing, and maintains that few people understood this industry the way Watson did.

“He’d seen it from every side: supplier, distributor, his time at ASI,” Himmelstein said. “That kind of range is rare, but what made Rob truly special wasn’t his resume; it was who he was. He genuinely cared about the people around him. He wanted to see them grow, and he put in the real work to make it happen. I watched him do it firsthand during his time leading Zing, and I watched him keep doing it as CEO of Vantage. Rob brought passion, intelligence and a unique sense of calm to everything he touched. He was more than a colleague to me. He was a good friend, and I’m heartbroken. The industry lost one of its best and brightest minds, but more importantly, it lost one of its finest human beings. May his memory be a blessing.”

Of course it’s one thing to have your co-workers, colleagues and clients extol your virtues, but it’s a testament to Watson’s stature and respect in the industry that his competitors also stepped forward to offer their warmest praise for someone whose professionalism inspired others.

Samantha Kates, president of Spector & Co. (asi/88660) and a member of Counselor’s Power 50, points out that she and Watson became presidents of their respective companies around the same time, and what started as monthly check-ins quickly became a friendship she treasured.

“Rob was bold, courageous, brilliant and confident – a true trailblazer who challenged me to take risks, question the status quo and think differently,” Kates said. “Rob became a mentor to me in so many ways. I hope he knew that. Our conversations were always insightful and helpful, but just as importantly, they were fun. He was the person you’d catch eyes with across a crowded room at an industry event because you know he’d make you laugh, and if Rob’s name was on a panel discussion, you made sure you were there. He had far too few years with us, but he filled those years with an extraordinary amount of impact, friendship and life. I will miss him deeply and we are all holding his family and the entire Vantage family close and sending them strength and love during this incredibly difficult time.”

Heather Smartt, global head of Counselor Top 40 supplier Goldstar (asi/73295) and a member of Counselor’s Power 50, shared her profound shock and heartbreak over Watson’s sudden passing. “I feel so lucky to have had such a wonderful relationship with Rob and to have shared so many moments with him around the globe,” Smartt said. “His impact on our industry was tremendous, but what made Rob so special was the person behind all of that knowledge and experience. He was always generous with his time, and always willing to answer a question, share his perspective or offer advice. He made our industry better simply by being part of it.”

Smartt noted, though, that to her, Watson was much more than a colleague. “He was my friend – we bonded over our love of fashion and the special joy we both found in being an aunt and uncle,” she said. “I will always treasure the times we would sneak away for a glass of wine and somehow end up in deep conversations about life, work and everything in between. Rob listened. He cared. And he gave so much of himself to the people around him. One of the things I will miss most is how Rob always made a point of reaching out about our next meet-up, when we would see each other again, and making sure we found time together wherever in the world our paths crossed. I never imagined there would come a time when we wouldn’t be planning that next glass of wine. I will miss my friend more than I can put into words, and I will always carry his friendship, his wisdom, his unmistakable point of view and all of those conversations with me. My thoughts are with his family, Ira and everyone at the Vantage organization during this incredibly difficult time.”

Watson is survived by his beloved sister, Jennifer Watson Waller (Marcus); his adored nephews, Jayden and Jordan; and his “fur babies” Bentley and Dalton. Watson was preceded in death by his mother and father.

Details on a funeral service/celebration of life will be announced shortly.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Watson’s name to Clean Ocean Action at cleanoceanaction.org.

Click through gallery below for more images of Rob Watson.

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