A promo executive with experience at Top 40 suppliers has taken a new leadership role at Vantage Apparel (asi/93390).

Josh Appelbaum is now vice president of digital transformation at the Avenel, NJ-headquartered company, itself a perennial Top 40 firm. Vantage executives said this is a new position.

Josh Appelbaum, Vantage Apparel

“We’re thrilled to expand our commitment of offering world-class experiences with a faster, more intuitive ecosystem here at Vantage, and having Josh join our team will allow us to realize those ambitions even faster,” said Rob Watson, Vantage’s chief experience officer.

Watson continued: “As we look to reimagine solutions that offer efficient, top quality programs in decorated apparel to our customers, Josh’s expertise in sales and technology leadership will help us deliver on that promise.”

Appelbaum was most recently vice president of apparel at Top 40 supplier Hit Promotional Products (asi/61125), a role he held for about three years. Among other work experience, the Madison, WI, resident also was director of key accounts at Top 40 supplier Cutter & Buck (asi/47965).

“Josh has spent the last decade as a leader in apparel and decoration on demand, working with some of the largest apparel companies in the industry,” Vantage said in a statement. “He has earned countless awards in sales and innovation throughout his industry tenure and has spearheaded digital partnerships before they were cool.”

With reported 2021 North American promotional product revenue of $39 million, Vantage Apparel ranked 37th on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest suppliers in the industry.