ASI Announces Recipients of the Coveted 2020 Counselor Awards
The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) recently announced the winners of the 2020 Counselor Awards, an annual event that recognises the industry's outstanding individuals and companies. This year's ceremony, held as a virtual presentation (#ASIawards), honoured a diverse range of honourees who have made significant contributions to the promotional products industry.
Honouring the Industry's Best
Carol de Ville, President of The Branding Co. (asi/145376), was named Woman of Distinction. Meanwhile, Marty Lott from SanMar (asi/84863) received the Lifetime Achievement Award. The City Paper Company (asi/162267) was named Distributor Family Business of the Year, and Jornik Manufacturing (asi/63549) was named Supplier Family Business of the Year.
Jordan Bartlett, Scott Henderson, and Logan Altman of Doing Good Works (asi/222095) were named Bess Cohn Humanitarians of the Year, while Ryan Moor, CEO of Ryonet (asi/528500) and Allmade Apparel (asi/34341), was named Supplier Entrepreneur of the Year.
In the distributor rankings, 4imprint (asi/197045) once again topped the list with a record-setting $839.3 million in sales. HALO Branded Solutions (asi/356000) and Staples (asi/120601) were number two and three on the list of Top 40 Distributors. Alphabroder (asi/34063) and S&S Activewear (asi/84358) were number two and three in the list of Top 40 Suppliers.
Recognising Industry Innovators
Sobe Promos (asi/245603) saw its CEO, Spencer Kramer, VP of Business Development, Chris Ferriter, and CFO, Scott Latimer, named Distributor Entrepreneurs of the Year. Sai Koppaka, President/CEO of BEL USA, was named Technology Executive of the Year.
ASI also acknowledged everyone in the industry who donated to the #ASIcares food bank fund drive. The drive raised a total of over $100,000 to benefit food banks and pantries nationwide. ASI matched the over $50,000 raised through individual and company donations and donated it to the nonprofit Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization.
A Special Recognition
Jo-an Lantz, President/CEO of Geiger, was named Person of the Year, and Michael Freter, Managing Director of PSI, was named International Person of the Year. These awards are a testament to their dedication and significant contributions to the industry.
The annual SOI survey, used by Counselor magazine to provide coverage and analysis of what matters most to the promo market, was updated to reflect the economic disruptions caused by the pandemic. ASI President and Chief Executive Officer Timothy M. Andrews hosted the ceremony.
The Counselor Awards are chosen by the editors of ASI's award-winning Counselor magazine. This year's ceremony was a celebration of resilience, innovation, and the spirit of community within the promotional products industry. Each honouree's acceptance speech, shot by them individually, served as a reminder of the passion and dedication that drives this industry forward.
