In the formative days of Evans Manufacturing (asi/52840), there were times that co-founder Alan Vaught would sleep on the factory floor to ensure essential injection-molding machines ran through the night.

Vaught never stopped exhibiting that same passionate commitment to Evans – or the promotional products business throughout his 31 years in the industry.

Alan Vaught, Evans Manufacturing

It’s a key reason why Evans became not only one of the biggest companies in promo as a Top 40 supplier, but also one of its best places to work. It’s why Vaught has a reputation as a first-rate executive and a valued mentor – a leading factor in why he appeared on Counselor’s Power 50 list of promo’s most influential people for 15 consecutive years through 2022.

And now, with that legacy of success and respect assured, Vaught has announced that he will be retiring effective June 30.

The move comes following the sale of Evans to Top 40 supplier HPG (asi/61966), a deal announced in January. Evans is now a subsidiary of HPG and Vaught has continued to lead the way as the firm’s president.

While he’ll conclude that role at June’s end, he’ll remain a significant shareholder in HPG and trusted adviser to the company and CEO Chris Anderson, also a Power 50 member. 

“The HPG team wishes Alan a fulfilling and joyous retirement and expresses deep appreciation for his unwavering dedication and remarkable achievements during his tenure,” says Anderson. “Evans and HPG remain committed to upholding the legacy Alan leaves behind.”

Vaught tells ASI Media that his proudest accomplishments are Evans’ collective achievements, such as winning Distributor Choice Awards and customer service recognitions, as well as maintaining a five-star rating in ESP. The fact that Evans was the highest-ranking large company on Counselor’s 2022 Best Places to Work list was a standout moment, he says.

“We have both customers and employees who have recognized Evans as a great company,” says Vaught. “That’s pretty hard to beat.”

Vaught says HPG’s interest in acquiring Evans was another confirmation that the company, which has locations in Garden Grove, CA, and Nogales, Mexico, has done things the right way.

“HPG is aggressive in their growth strategy, but they are very disciplined,” Vaught states. “They only acquire great companies with strong management teams. After 30 years of work, I can’t think of a better way to finish my career at Evans than handing the reigns to HPG. Having our team join the HPG family makes it very easy for me to sleep at night.”

Established in 1983 as an injection-molding company primarily focused on retail end-markets, Evans entered the promo products industry in 1992. Currently, the company specializes in plastic and fabric products in categories that include healthcare, household, office, drinkware, pet, writing instruments, travel, auto, golf, outdoor, tech, spirit and education.

Evans designs and manufactures the majority of its line in-house. The firm produces and decorates more than 200 products in its U.S. manufacturing facility. In Mexico, Evans performs in-house production of tote bags and other cut-and-sew items.

With the day-to-day responsibility of running the bustling business behind him, Vaught intends to sail into the sunset – literally. His plans include doing lots of sailing and spending quality time with loved ones.

“It has been an incredible journey working with the talented individuals at Evans Manufacturing,” Vaught says. “I’m immensely proud of what we have accomplished together. People might ask, ‘What will Evans be when Alan is gone?’ The answer is simple: Evans will be Evans. Evans is way more than me or any one person.”