HALO (PPAI 106462, Platinum), PPAI 100’s No. 2 distributor, announced its 2025 Supplier of the Year and Supplier Representative of the Year during the HALO Awards Gala held Monday, January 12, at the Four Seasons Ballroom in Las Vegas.

• Winners were selected through company-wide voting that included more than 1,000 HALO Account Executives and support team members.

Hit Promotional Products was named the 2025 HALO Supplier of the Year. CJ Schmidt, president and CEO of Hit, said, “This recognition reflects our strong partnership and spirit of collaboration with HALO. Our growth with HALO this past year was phenomenal and shows what suppliers and distributors can achieve when they work strategically together.”

TJ Latchford, national sales manager at Koozie Group, was recognized as the 2025 HALO Supplier Representative of the Year. Latchford said, “This is not an individual honor. The entire Koozie Group team continues to be focused on key accounts, like HALO, to grow our business together.”

HALO CEO Jim Hilt commented, “Our supplier network is a core part of how HALO brings creative ideas to life with consistency and confidence. These partners don’t just support our work. They help turn creativity into real execution for our clients. This recognition reflects the trust, accountability and focus it takes to deliver brand experiences at scale.”

Gemline (PPAI 113948, Platinum), PPAI 100’s No. 13 supplier, has announced that it is introducing the Crocs Classic Tote Collection to the promotional products market. The collection will debut as part of Gemline’s Spring 2026 line.

• The Crocs Classic Tote Collection includes three sizes, each available in multiple colors.
• Each tote includes a custom-branded Jibbitz charm.

“We’re excited to bring Crocs, one of today’s most recognizable and in-demand lifestyle brands, to the promotional products industry,” says Frank Carpenito, president and CEO of Gemline. “The ability to pair a custom-branded Jibbitz charm with the iconic Crocs Classic Tote will allow brands to connect with recipients in a personal, creative way, making every piece both a reflection of the brand and an opportunity for self-expression.”

iPROMOTEu (PPAI 218870, Platinum), PPAI 100’s No. 6 distributor, highlighted outstanding performance, leadership and positive community impact at its 2025 Affiliate and Owner Awards Luncheons, held on January 13 and 14 during The PPAI Expo.

The 2025 iPROMOTEu Affiliate & Owner Awards recognized excellence across several categories, including:

• Jacquie McBain of Go To Promotions and Brian and Kris Alston of The Total Source, who received Rising Star Awards.
• Niki Frese of Southpaw Print Company and Gustavo Gilio of Modello Promotional were honored with Breakout Performance Awards.
• Additional recognition was given to Fastest Growing Affiliates & Owners, Most Profitable Affiliates & Owners and Largest Affiliate & Owner Orders.

The celebrations culminated with the presentation of Affiliate of the Year to Sherri Krenk and Shannon Torchia of BrandAways, and Owner of the Year to Craig Stephens of ImprintLogo, LLC.

In addition to sales-based honors, several recipients were recognized for their leadership and unwavering support of fellow affiliates and owners:

• Alison Andreasen of Extend Marketing and Steve Graff of Green Monkey Promotions received Affiliate Appreciation Awards.
• Ellen Orne of Elco Promotions and Bob Simmons of NDS Solutions were inducted into the iPROMOTEu Hall of Fame.
• Jeff Poore of Marketing Works was honored with the David Woods Memorial Award.
• Ross Silverstein was also in attendance to receive the inaugural Ross Silverstein Founder’s Award.

“Our affiliates and owners consistently set a high standard for performance and professionalism,” says Lori Bauer, CEO of iPROMOTEu. “This year’s award winners demonstrate what success looks like in our industry. Their results reflect strong leadership, disciplined growth and a commitment to contributing to the strength of the broader iPROMOTEu network.”

Hit Promotional Products (PPAI 113910, Platinum), PPAI 100’s No. 3 supplier, has achieved ISO 27001 certification, completing both Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits.

• This achievement was led by Hit’s security and infrastructure organization under the leadership of Scott Demauro.
• Hit has also maintained SOC 2 certification for the past two years, and with ISO 27001 now complete, the company has transitioned from a moderate security posture to one that is internationally compliant and globally recognized.

Innovative Digital Systems (PPAI 487287, Standard-Base), a manufacturer of advanced UV LED printers and digital decoration equipment, has announced that Vaughn Pollman has become co-owner alongside his father-in-law Craig Smith, founder of IDS.

• Their partnership has been in effect since the beginning of 2025, operating the business as co-executives.
• Pollman has been with IDS for over 13 years, rising from production manager to plant manager to GM, and now president.

“Vaughn has played a vital role in shaping who we are as a company,” Smith says. “My longtime right-hand man, he understands this industry inside and out – not just the technology, but the people we serve. Making him a partner and keeping the legacy of IDS within the family is the natural next step as IDS continues to grow and innovate.”

This ownership transition comes amid a year of “exceptional growth” in 2025 and a series of strategic leadership moves:

• Jim Tower has been promoted to vice president of operations after serving the company as technical project manager.
• Doron Tal has also been promoted to vice president of business development, following a year as marketing director.
• Fernando Tissnes has recently been hired as vice president of sales. He has come out of retirement to join IDS and will be leveraging his extensive senior management experience with Kornit Digital, Seiko Instruments, Océ-USA and PolyPrint USA.

Facilisgroup (PPAI 493664), a software-as-a-service provider and partner community in the promotional products industry, has announced its SOC 2 Type I certification – a widely recognized security framework that validates an organization’s information security controls.

“Our SOC 2 Type I certification strengthens the trust we provide to distributors and their enterprise-level clients who require rigorous compliance and operational consistency. It also reinforces Syncore’s position as a secure, reliable and enterprise-ready platform,” says Jason Gurran, vice president of infrastructure and security at Facilisgroup.

Strideline (PPAI 658220, Standard-Base) has announced the hiring of Michael Williams as national account manager.

A 2021 PPAI Rising Star, Williams is a 15-year veteran of the promotional products industry, having spent his career at AZX Sport, the No. 56 supplier in the PPAI 100. He rose steadily through the ranks at AZX, beginning in customer service and ultimately serving as director of national accounts.

“Michael is one of the most respected sales professionals in the promo products industry, with a deep understanding of distributor needs and a relationship-first mindset. His experience and leadership make him a perfect fit as we continue to grow our line,” Jake Director, founder and CEO of Strideline.