Top 40 distributor American Solutions for Business (ASB, asi/120075) is gearing up to make a big sales push into the sports market.

Brad Cole is poised to lead the charge.

Following a 20-year career with Nike, Brad Cole has come aboard at ASB as director of sports sales. Sports Sales is a new specialized division at ASB that aims to help reps generate more branded merchandise business with end-buyers in the team sports and golf markets.

Brad Cole, American Solutions for Business (asi/120075)

Cole’s role will be to empower ASB frontline sellers’ revenue expansion in these markets, providing guidance that will help them, in the company’s words, “navigate the nuances within the customer base and vendor network.”

“I’m looking forward to working with some great people within ASB to build out the team and sports business,” said Cole. “The goal is to be number one in whatever we do, specifically sports.”

Holding a bachelor’s degree in business management from Minnesota State University, Mankato, Cole spent his entire career prior to ASB with Nike. He worked his way up from customer service to key sales roles, including senior golf sales representative and, later, club sports (golf and tennis) senior partner rep.

“Brad has been an awesome addition to our team and company,” said Dana Zezzo, vice president of vendor relations, marketing and events at ASB. “Our goal is to consistently establish new resources so that our salespeople are never limited in what and how they choose to sell. I can’t wait to see how Brad and this division will positively impact ASB as a whole.”

Based on reported 2022 North American promotional product revenue of $273.6 million, American Solutions for Business ranked 12^th on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest distributors in the industry. Founded in 1981, ASB is an employee-owned company.