Kent Kleist built a strong distributorship, working with clients that included national charities, prominent retail brands, the Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA) and Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA).

Still, Kleist was reaching a point in life where he was ready to retire – and he was looking for the right firm to take over his book of business and keep good care of his customers.

Kleist said he found just that in Grossman Marketing Group (asi/215205), a Woburn, MA-based promotional products distributor that works with a range of household name clients. As such, Grossman has formally acquired the distributor firm that Kleist founded in 1996 – Sarasota, FL-based Links Marketing Group. Financial terms of the deal were not released.

Ben Grossman, Grossman Marketing Group; Kent Kleist, Links Marketing Group.

“I have known the team at Grossman Marketing Group for years, and through their constant dedication and relationship-building skills, I feel confident in passing the torch to this strong organization, knowing they’ll provide my tenured clients with top-notch services,” said Kleist.

The acquisition comes with strategic advantages for Grossman Marketing Group, executives said. For instance, it will enable the firm to extend its geographic footprint to now offer expanded services to clients in the Southeastern United States.

“We are honored to carry forward the trust and reputation Kent has built, and we’re excited to continue delivering exceptional marketing solutions to our expanded client base in the growing Florida market,” said Ben Grossman, co-president of Grossman Marketing Group and Counselor’s 2022 Bess Cohn Humanitarian of the Year. “Over the coming weeks, we will work diligently to ensure a smooth transition for the Links client base. Together, we will leverage our collective expertise and resources to take our company to new heights.”

A fourth-generation family-owned and -operated business, Grossman Marketing Group has been active making acquisitions over the last decade. Since 2013, the firm has acquired companies in states that include New York, Connecticut, Maine, Florida, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Grossman generated about $45 million in 2022 revenue – a number that includes promo business and more.

Beyond promo, Grossman Marketing Group offers solutions that include graphic design, printing and distribution. The company has a roster of blue-chip clients such as the Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, Mass General Brigham, athenahealth, Novocure, Columbia University, Harvard University, Tufts University, Hewlett-Packard, John Hancock, L.L.Bean, Zipcar, CVS and the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Emmy Awards).

Ben Grossman is also the founder of SwagCycle, which offers services that center on responsibly managing the lifecycle of branded merchandise to help repurpose or recycle unwanted promotional products.