Counselor Top 40 distributor HALO Branded Solutions (asi/356000) is beefing up its leadership team with executive appointments and an addition to its board of directors.

Melanie Whelan, Dan Shedivy and Christine Fong, HALO Branded Solutions (asi/356000)

The second-largest distributor in the promotional products industry has added Melanie Whelan to its board of directors, appointed Dan Shedivy as chief financial officer and welcomed Christine Fong as executive vice president and general manager, merchandising and marketing.

“We’re building the leadership team and governance to match the opportunity ahead of us,” said CEO Jim Hilt, a member of the Counselor Power 50 list of the most influential people in promo. “Brands today are looking for partners who can help bring their stories to life across every physical touchpoint.”

He added that Whelan, Shedivy and Fong “each bring a unique combination of leadership, operational excellence and brand expertise that will strengthen our ability to serve clients, empower our team members and accelerate HALO’s next chapter.”

Whelan, who was appointed to HALO’s board of directors, currently serves as an advisory partner at Summit Partners and sits on the boards of FIGS, PostPilot and RISE Youth Sports Platform. Previously, she served as CEO of SoulCycle, where she helped build the well-known boutique fitness brand. Throughout her career, Whelan has built and advised companies centered on consumer engagement, brand growth and category-defining experiences, according to HALO.

“HALO is a platform for entrepreneurs,” said Whelan. “The thousands of account executives and sellers who run their businesses inside HALO are true builders. They bet on themselves, own their client relationships and create real value every day.”

She added that helping brands “show up in the physical world” is more relevant than ever and expressed pride in being a part of HALO’s future growth.

Shedivy, HALO’s new CFO, brings more than 25 years of experience in finance, corporate strategy and business transformation. Most recently, he served as CFO of Medical Solutions, where he led finance, accounting and corporate development for a healthcare services company with more than $3 billion in revenue. Earlier in his career, he held leadership positions at William Blair, J.P. Morgan and McKinsey & Company, helping organizations improve performance, navigate transformation and create long-term value, according to HALO.

Fong, joining HALO as executive vice president and general manager, merchandising and marketing, will lead the distributor’s newly integrated merchandising and marketing organization. She most recently served as general manager at Mars Science & Diagnostics and previously led the gifts and home business at Shutterfly.

Across her career, Fong has built deep expertise spanning merchandising, product development, marketing, e-commerce, business strategy and general management, according to HALO. She will lead HALO’s integrated merchandising, sourcing, marketing and creative teams.

Sterling, IL-based HALO has more than 1,900 employees across 37 global offices and serves 156 of the Fortune 500 companies. With $964.7 million in 2024 North American promotional products revenue, HALO ranks second on Counselor’s most recent list of top distributors. New rankings are due out later this month.