Ross Silverstein, former president and CEO of Counselor Top 40 distributor iPROMOTEu (asi/232119) has embarked on a new business venture: he’s now the CEO of the Association of Promotional Products Salespeople (APPS), a for-profit firm owned by Silverstein and investors that he’s established.

Ross Silverstein, Association of Promotional Products Salespeople

“I’ve long considered salespeople to be an underserved and underappreciated constituency within the promotional products industry, and this was always surprising to me given the incredibly important role they play in our industry – arguably the most important role,” he says. “Salespeople constitute the largest group of individuals working in the promotional products industry and are responsible for the majority of promo sales.”

APPS will offer support for distributor sales representatives by encouraging peer engagement and relationship-building, providing resources for professional development and empowering sales reps to pursue opportunities. These three pillars – Engagement, Education and Empowerment – benefit both professionals within promo as well as the industry’s reputation as a whole, according to Silverstein.

While membership in APPS is reserved for salespeople who work for distributors, a “supporting member” category is also available for suppliers and independent distributors.

Silverstein founded iPROMOTEu in 1999 before announcing his retirement in December 2023.