In the wake of Paul Lage’s retirement from the promo industry and departure from the board of Tattoo Manufacturing International, parent company of California Tattoos & Promotional Products (PPAI 111028, Silver), the Tucson, Arizona-based supplier has gone through a restructuring of its leadership.

Included in those changes are two key outside hires.

  • Jason Kern has been hired as the company’s president of sales and marketing.
  • Jill Stirnkorb will also join as vice president of sales.


The restructuring will also include Chris Huff, who previously served as the sole president of the company, now taking on the title of president of operations.

“I’m excited to be joining the California Tattoos & Promotional Products team, who have an already impressive track record within the industry,” Kern says. “I look forward to leveraging my experience to drive innovation, expand our market presence and deliver exceptional value to our distributor partners.”

I’m excited to be joining the California Tattoos & Promotional Products team, who have an already impressive track record within the industry.”

Jason Kern

President of Sales & Marketing, California Tattoos & Promotional Products

‘Driving Growth and Innovation’

Kern comes to California Tattoos with years of experience in contributing to the growth of startups and young companies through sales-based strategies.

  • He spent a decade at the start of his career with Altria, a company dedicated to transition smokers away from cigarettes. He was the youngest executive to be responsible for operational control of the company.
  • Kern leveraged that experience to a role with NJOY, a startup that focused on e-cigarettes, eventually becoming vice president of sales.
  • Since then, he has held VP, president and partner roles at three different emerging companies, most recently as partner of Arête Growth Partners.


According to California Tattoos, Kern will be focused on continuing to build a loyal customer base in his strategic leadership role. He has overseen growth restructuring while leading companies that have had to establish new priorities and processes as they reached new heights.

Stirnkorb, on the other hand, comes to the role of VP of sales with three decades of experience in the promo industry.

  • Her career has largely taken place at Koozie Group, PPAI 100’s No. 9 supplier, where she most recently served as vice president of national accounts.


Working in promo sales throughout various regions, Stirnkorb was also involved in corporate acquisitions while at Koozie Group.

“Jill’s leadership and deep industry insight will be instrumental in driving growth and innovation at California Tattoos & Promotional Products,” Kern says of his new colleague.