The data bears it out: Labor challenges persist in promo. According to this year’s State of the Industry survey from ASI Research, nearly 60% of distributors say it’s taken longer to fill positions than in previous years, and more than three quarters had increased turnover in 2023.

That’s where Glen Hersh comes in.

Glen Hersh, Klein Hersh

The industry veteran, formerly of Admints & Zagabor and Counselor Top 40 supplier Hit Promotional Products (asi/61125), is spearheading the launch of a promo industry-specific recruiting practice.

It’s an expansion of the services offered by Klein Hersh, a Philadelphia-area executive recruitment firm that has specialized in the life sciences and healthcare sectors for more than 25 years. Hersh has spent the last three years there as director of business development and finance.

Since 2021, Hersh has focused on filling C-suite and VP-level roles at biotech companies. Now, he’s bringing the skills he’s honed over the past three years to the promo industry, a sector that Hersh said is in need of executive-level recruiting services, talent advisory and personalized recruitment strategies.

“This new venture will be dedicated to helping promotional products companies identify and secure top talent at the executive level – those leaders who can drive growth, innovation and strategic success in this rapidly evolving industry,” Hersh said.

Hersh said promo and executive headhunting are both “network-driven,” adding, “by utilizing the extensive network in promotional products that I’ve built over my 20-year career, and leveraging the experience I’ve gained in executive recruiting over the past three years, I’m uniquely positioned to help companies find and attract leading talent.”

Moving forward, Klein Hersh will help promo firms fill roles at the vice president level and above across departments, including finance, strategy, marketing, operations and product development.

“We’ll work to place the right leaders in roles where they can make an impact,” Hersh asserted. “I’m eager to reconnect with old colleagues and forge new relationships that can support the industry’s growth.”