News June 18, 2025
Starline Hires Former Amazon Engineer To Drive Tech Innovation
The Counselor Top 40 supplier noted that Kristopher Kingston, the firm’s new director of information technology, has past experience at Lockheed Martin and Amazon.
Key Takeaways
• Strategic Tech Hire: Starline (asi/89320) has appointed Kristopher Kingston as director of information technology.
• Experience: Kingston has previously worked as a systems engineer for defense/aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Martin and in software development engineering for Amazon.
• Looking Ahead: “[Kris’] ability to lead and innovate in complex, fast-paced environments will be a powerful asset to Starline’s continued growth and digital transformation,” Starline said.
Savvy promo suppliers believe that continually improving through technology advancement is pivotal to powering success in the modern marketplace.
Counselor Top 40 supplier Starline USA (asi/89320) believes it has found the right tech pro to propel such efforts within its business.
Kristopher Kingston, Starline (asi/89320)
Starline announced June 18 that it has hired Kristopher Kingston as director of information technology for the Grand Island, NY-headquartered firm. Holding a computer engineering degree from Villanova University, Kingston previously worked as a systems engineer for defense/aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Martin and in software development engineering for Amazon.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Kris to the Starline team,” said Starline President Jeff Hassler. “His extensive background in both operational and customer-facing technologies brings fresh perspective to our IT strategy, and we’re excited for the expertise and innovation he’ll bring to the organization.”
Starline noted that Kingston spent more than a decade with Lockheed Martin, where he specialized in satellite communication technology. He joined Amazon in 2015. There, his work included helping to shape and scale tech infrastructure integral to Amazon’s fulfillment centers and retail website. This included most recently supporting the launch of Amazon’s progress tracker feature.
“[Kris’] ability to lead and innovate in complex, fast-paced environments will be a powerful asset to Starline’s continued growth and digital transformation,” Starline said in a statement.
Based on reported 2023 North American promotional product revenue of $61.2 million, Starline ranked 32 on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest suppliers in the industry.
Starline has also been focused on strategic partnerships of late. In August 2024, Starline announced a partnership with fellow Counselor Top 40 supplier Vantage Apparel (asi/93390). Through the arrangement, Vantage’s web stores host both Vantage’s garments and hard goods from Starline.
In May 2025, Starline shared that it had struck a deal with Symglass (asi/90446) to carry the Tennessee-based company’s drinkware line in the promo space.