Some 400 salespeople, promo suppliers and associates from around the United States and United Kingdom attended Top 40 promotional products distributor Geiger’s (asi/202900) recent “Galleria,” an annual education and networking event, sales conference and trade show that the Lewiston, ME-based firm held this year in Charlotte, NC.

Seminars that focused on sales tactics, global shipping, social media, Geiger’s ecommerce tools and industry product search engines like ESP provided value to attendees, executives said. A tradeshow with about 200 top Geiger suppliers afforded opportunities for networking and product discovery. So did a special showcase of the newest products in the industry and an informational display that spotlighted products from suppliers that donate a portion of proceeds to charitable organizations.

Geiger pros at the ‘Galleria.’

“When you have a group of people that love to work together, learn together and play together, it's really special,” said Chris McKee, Geiger’s SVP of Sales and Marketing. “Our team of sales partners, associates and production partners are committed to helping each other grow their business. There is no doubt they will be successful.”

The Galleria included an awards ceremony in which Geiger’s Mid-South region earned the award of “Region of the Year” for its exceptional growth and what executives described as superior service. Meanwhile, Geiger pros garnered individual accolades too, with Angela Morris receiving the Edge Award for excellence in marketing technology and Gail Goldstein taking home the Chairman's Club award for her achievements in corporate programs. The Spirit Award for outstanding sales partners went to James and Jay Shaw, while Connie Mandula was honored with the Endeavor Award for being a top-notch new sales partner.

Geiger’s annual gathering, which included attendees from recently acquired U.K. companies, featured a motivational talk from CEO/President Jo-an Lantz. “To continue our decades of growth and success, we and our clients must evolve from consultative selling to active engagement and live experiences,” Lantz said. “We must have a growth mindset and say to ourselves, every day, 'I can, I will, I’ll try'.”

With reported 2018 North American promotional product revenue of $210.6 million, Geiger ranked 10^th on Counselor’s latest list of the largest distributors in the industry.