News Last Updated: October 22, 2026
In The News - October 2026
Starline (asi/89320), a Counselor Top 40 supplier, has hired Allyson Kosko as Northeast regional sales manager. Kosko has spent more than two decades in the industry, with both supplier and distributor firms. “Her experience gives her a unique understanding of our customers and their needs,” said Brian DeBottis, CRO of Starline. “Allyson’s strategic mindset and passion for building strong distributor partnerships make her a great addition to our sales team, and we’re excited to see the impact she’ll make.”
Rupt (asi/84203) has launched the Rupt Design Lab, allowing distributors to create custom mock-ups and full lookbooks on the supplier’s products in a matter of seconds. Rupt, which offers one-piece minimums, said it can then produce the mocked-up items at one of its 15 worldwide facilities and get them into recipients’ hands “in a matter of days.”
AAkron Line (asi/30270) has named Rick Dolan as Midwest regional sales manager. Dolan joins AAkron from Stormtech (asi/89869), where he was senior director of strategic accounts. He also has experience with Counselor Top 40 supplier PCNA (asi/66887) and IMAGEN Brands, now part of Counselor Top 40 supplier Koozie Group (asi/40480). “Rick is from St. Louis and has strong distributor relationships in the Midwest as well as nationally. We are excited to have him join our team,” said Stan Dohan, executive vice president at AAkron Line.
HIRSCH (asi/61005), a Counselor Top 40 supplier, has appointed Karina Bravo to the role of e-commerce solutions manager, where she will focus on leading the growth of HIRSCH's recently announced Gratigy company store platform. Bravo has a strong background in business development, SaaS sales in promo, recruitment and management.
Proforma (asi/300094), a Counselor Top 40 distributor, has wrapped up its 2026 Energize event series, which brought together nearly 130 Proforma distributor owners and team members, as well as more than 120 supplier partners. The three-city event tour hit New Orleans, LA; Charleston, SC; and San Diego, CA.
Elemental (asi/51846) has launched holiday gift sets that combine stainless-steel drinkware with apparel made from recycled coffee grounds. Each set includes a stainless-steel water bottle or tumbler and a cap, polo or sweatshirt from CoffeeThread, Elemental’s apparel line. CoffeeThread fabric is made by cleaning, drying and milling used coffee grounds, then blending them with recycled fibers.
Nicole McNamee Consulting and Sportified Recruit, LLC, are joining forces to pair recruiting and placement with sales training. Sportified Recruit specializes in placing former collegiate and professional athletes at companies and organizations, while NMC's sales training helps each hire learn the ins and outs of the promo industry.
The Authentic T-Shirt Company/SanMar Canada (asi/84864) has launched a new Coming Soon category on its website, giving Canadian decorators an earlier look at upcoming products and more time to plan for future opportunities. Users can preview upcoming products, plan for what’s ahead and place back orders on select styles before they arrive.
Proforma (asi/300094), a Counselor Top 40 distributor, recently hosted its 2026 Owner Advisory Council, executive, and leadership teams in Cleveland. The Proforma OAC is composed of elected distributor owners across North America representing their respective regions, while its executive and leadership teams consist of key support center team members whose strategic vision accelerates growth, strengthens relationships with supplier partners and the industry, and exemplifies Proforma’s mission of empowering distributor owner success, according to the firm.
Natural Trends (asi/73497) has introduced two new products: The Pocket Fix-All Kit and Pocket Duct Tape. The Pocket Fix-All Kit combines a WD-40 Precision Pen and a 9-yard flat roll of duct tape in a single package, while Pocket Duct Tape offers the same portability in a standalone product.
Orbus (asi/75209) has been named one of the Best & Brightest Companies to Work for in the Nation, marking the supplier’s 12th consecutive year on the list. Presented by the National Association for Business Resources, the award recognizes organizations that excel in employee engagement, workplace culture, leadership and commitment to fostering an exceptional work environment. “This achievement reflects our amazing employees, whose passion, dedication, collaborative spirit and sense of fun continue to shape a culture where people feel valued, empowered and inspired to do their best work every day,” said Todd Papendick, vice president of human resources.
The Branded Merch Network has opened registration for Automate & Elevate, an online industry education event to be held on Thursday, Nov. 12, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. ET. This year, presenters will focus on how promo, decorated apparel and print professionals can better understand and apply AI technologies. PromoPilot is the presenting partner of the event, and both ASI and PRINTING United Alliance are the education partners. Registration is free.
Haptica, a print- and promo-focused media brand under German publishing company WA Media GmbH, has unveiled a unified rebrand, including a new logo, the tag line "Merch & Marketing" and the integration of Haptica's various communication channels.
Essent Corporation (asi/821099) has introduced Essent AI Connect, a Model Context Protocol Connector for PromoStandards, which turns the endpoints a supplier already operates into tools AI applications can use. It is available to any supplier with PromoStandards endpoints, regardless of who hosts them, the company said.
Something Inked (asi/329822), a Counselor Top 40 distributor, has entered into a strategic partnership with FISLL (Faith, Integrity, Sacrifice, Leadership and Legacy), the purpose-driven platform founded by former NBA All-Star and Olympic Gold Medalist Allan Houston. The partnership brings together Something Inked’s production expertise, operational infrastructure and distribution capabilities with FISLL’s growing platform and cultural influence, according to the two brands. "This partnership is about alignment and execution,” said Bill Feldberg of Something Inked. “FISLL has built a powerful identity rooted in faith, character, leadership, sports and culture. Our role is to provide the operational horsepower and production scale to help meet demand and unlock new opportunities for growth and activation.”