Ross Silverstein, a member of Counselor’s Power 50 list of promo’s most influential people, has announced that he is retiring as president and CEO of Top 40 distributor iPROMOTEu (asi/232119). His retirement will be effective Jan. 31, 2024.

Taking Silverstein’s place as CEO will be another industry executive leader – Lori Bauer, who has been serving as the Massachusetts-headquartered firm’s senior vice president of affiliate sales and support.

Ross Silverstein and Lori Bauer, iPROMOTEu.

“iPROMOTEu started as nothing but an idea, and it has evolved into one of the largest and most successful distributor organizations in the industry,” said Silverstein, who founded the company in 1999. “Presently, iPROMOTEu is in the strongest and best condition in its 24-year history. This is a melancholy moment for me, but the time is right to make this transition, for me and for the company.”

Silverstein has spent nearly a quarter of a century in promo and is one of the industry’s most well-known executives, having appeared on the Power 50 list 18 times. He was Counselor’s Distributor Entrepreneur of the Year in 2005.

“Ross has led iPROMOTEu through remarkable growth and he will be greatly missed,” said Bauer. “The extraordinary iPROMOTEu community is a testament to his vision, work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit. Ross is a great leader who has always been invested in setting up his team and iPROMOTEu’s affiliates for tremendous success. I sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence he has in me to lead iPROMOTEu into the future.”

Bauer won ASI’s Supplier Woman of Distinction award in 2019. She was a longtime leader with Top 40 supplier Koozie Group (asi/40480), having served as senior vice president of sales before joining iPROMOTEu in 2021. At iPROMOTEu, she has introduced new initiatives to further strengthen the development and growth of the iPROMOTEu affiliate network.

Recently appointed to the board of directors of Promotional Products Association International, Bauer has also served as president of the Promotional Products Association of Florida (PPAF) and as board chair of the Promotional Products Education Foundation (PPEF).

“With iPROMOTEu’s stature in the industry, its incredible staff that is committed to the company’s core values, and its outstanding affiliate network that is second to none, iPROMOTEu is poised for continued excellence and success,” said Bauer. “The future is bright at iPROMOTEu, and I look forward to continuing our mission to provide the best economic and lifestyle opportunity for promotional products distributors and salespeople.”

Based on reported 2022 North American promotional product revenue of $209 million, iPROMOTEu ranked 15^th on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest distributors in the industry. The revenue tally represented 16% growth over 2021.

Over the past year, iPROMOTEu has leaned heavily into tech upgrades like the implementation of its iSUITE technology, a proprietary order/business management system that enables our affiliates to be more productive and more profitable.

iPROMOTEu's affiliate network consists of more than 1,100 independent distributors and salespeople throughout the United States and Canada. The firm supports them through a range of solutions, including: order financing, order processing, sales/marketing assistance, accounting, technology services, invoicing, accounts receivable/payable, and discounted pricing from industry suppliers.