ASI Announces Winners of 2014 Counselor Awards

TREVOSE, PA – July 17, 2014 – The Advertising Specialty Institute^® (ASI) today announced the winners of the 2014 Counselor^® Awards, including Norman Hullinger, CEO of alphabroder, as Person of the Year and Suzanne Worwood, merchandising VP of 4imprint Inc., as International Person of the Year.

The awards, chosen by editors of ASI’s award-winning Counselor magazine, the voice of the promotional products industry, recognize outstanding individuals and companies in seven categories. The winners represent the best and brightest entrepreneurs, small-business leaders and CEOs in the $20.5 billion advertising specialty industry.

The winners of the 2014 Counselor Awards are:

• Person of the Year: Norman Hullinger, alphabroder (asi/34063)
• International Person of the Year: Suzanne Worwood, 4imprint Inc. (asi/197045)
• Supplier Entrepreneurs of the Year: Brett Hersh and Steve Weissman, Admints & Zagabor (asi/31516)
• Distributor Entrepreneurs of the Year: Howard Schwartz, Martin Bohinski and Ryan Niggel, HDS Marketing (asi/216807)
• Supplier Family Business of the Year: Lion Circle Corp. (asi/67620)
• Distributor Family Business of the Year: Grossman Marketing Group (asi/215205)
• Distributor Woman of Distinction: Cindy Jorgenson, Brown & Bigelow (asi/148500)
• Supplier Woman of Distinction: Billie Staton, Staton Corporate and Casual (asi/89380)
• Marvin Spike Lifetime Achievement Award: Gary L. Hellinger, Gary Plastic Packaging Corp. (asi/55990)
• Bess Cohn Memorial Humanitarian Award: Raman Agarwal, Akran Marketing (asi/115329)

At the ceremony, which took place Wednesday at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, Counselor also announced the Top 40 Distributor and Top 40 Supplier rankings – the largest companies in the industry based upon 2013 revenue. For more on the 2014 Counselor Award winners and to view the complete Top 40 Distributors and Top 40 Suppliers rankings, go to www.asicentral.com.

The black-tie event took place during the ASI trade show in Chicago, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary. The evening featured video highlights of each winner along with congratulatory speeches. Norman Hullinger, CEO of alphabroder, was lauded for expertly guiding the company through an unprecedented period of change, acquisitions and re-branding.

“Norm Hullinger led his team through an exciting, and dizzying, transition that is still in play and sending ripples throughout the entire promotional products industry,” said Timothy M. Andrews, president and chief executive officer of ASI. “It takes great imagination and innovation to deftly manage a sea change while maintaining customer satisfaction levels and keeping the rapidly changing needs of end-buyers at the forefront. As the company embraces even further international expansion, I am sure its position as the North American industry leader in the promotional apparel arena will grow even more secure.”

Counselor Awards sponsors are AlightPromos (asi/34194), Bic Graphic USA (asi/40480), Dri Duck Traders Inc. (asi/50835), Castelli North America (asi/44305), Dunbrooke (asi/50930), Hanes/Champion (asi/59528), Logo Mats, LLC (asi/67849), SnugZ/USA (asi/88060), Crystal D (asi/47759), Geiger (asi/202900) and Kaeser & Blair (asi/238600).