IDLine (PPAI 111778, Silver), PPAI 100’s No. 84 supplier, has announced the addition of Misty Friedrichs, CAS, as the vice president of sales and marketing.

Most recently serving as national sales manager of 3M Promotional Markets, Friedrichs brings extensive experience in sales leadership and brand strategy within the promotional products industry.

“Misty’s leadership style and deep industry insight make her an incredible addition to our team,” says Patrick Napurski, president at IDLine. “Her focus on collaboration, strategy and execution will help elevate how we engage with our customers and drive growth across all areas of the business.”

Proforma (PPAI 196835, Platinum), PPAI 100’s No. 3 distributor, participated as a title sponsor in the 2025 Halloween in the Village event on Davis Islands for the 11th consecutive year.

• Selecting Candyland as the theme for this year’s event, Proforma brought the whimsical theme to life with festive displays, candy-themed games and support center team members dressed as their favorite candies.
• Proforma also donated all signage, printed materials and custom trick-or-treat bags filled with giveaways for the event, which drew over 1,000 attendees.

“Our team looks forward to Halloween in the Village every year, and this year was no exception,” says Vanessa Edwards, vice president of business development, member of the Davis Islands Civic Association and long-time event organizer. “It’s an opportunity to pour into our local community, strengthen our internal culture and have fun while doing it. Watching our team members light up as they engage with families and kids is incredibly fulfilling.”

Edwards Garment (PPAI 198530, Platinum), PPAI 100’s No. 19 supplier, has announced the promotion of Brian Deissroth from senior director of sales – promotional and international to vice president of sales – promotional and international.

A former PPAI Rising Star, Deissroth is currently involved in PPAI’s Government Relations Advisory Council, the board of directors for MIPPA, the board of directors for Premier Group as well as the Vendor Advisory Council for American Solutions for Business.

“Brian plays a key role in leading our company’s growth, and we look forward to his continued success increasing our brand’s presence in the market” says Jose Gomez, president and CEO at Edwards.

Diamondback Branding (PPAI 655170, Gold), PPAI 100’s No. 64 supplier, has introduced a Happy Hour Collection from RTIC.

• The line of drinkware features a luxe soft-touch exterior, ceramic-lined interior, threaded, leak-resistant lid and full-sip wide mouth opening.
• Make your branding shine with copper laser engraving against elevated color finishes, the company says.

The Michigan Promotional Professionals Association has announced the recipients of its 2025 association awards, which will be formally presented during MiPPA’s Annual Dinner on November 6.

• The 2025 Great Lakes Supplier Rep of the Year Award is presented to Lance Long with SanMar.
• The Volunteer of the Year Award is presented to Don Spencer, CAS, with HPG.

“We are proud to celebrate members who not only excel in their professional roles but also invest in strengthening our community,” says Sydney Dych, executive director of MiPPA. “These honorees represent the spirit of excellence and service that drives our association and industry forward.”

For more information on MIPPA’S Annual Dinner or to register, click here.

L2 Brands (PPAI 895777, Standard-Plus) has announced a partnership with Stetson, bringing the Western heritage style into the collegiate marketplace.

Together with the Collegiate Licensing Company, the two brands have developed a custom-designed hat collection that celebrates the spirit and tradition of seven Division I universities:

• Texas A&M
• University of Texas
• TCU
• Texas Tech
• Oklahoma
• Oklahoma State
• Stetson University

“At L2, we’re thrilled to collaborate with Stetson – a brand synonymous with authenticity and craftsmanship – to create unique collegiate headwear that blends Western tradition with campus pride,” says Lisa Norris, director of marketing at L2 Brands.

World Emblem (PPAI 287527) has announced the launch of Custom Genie to provide custom stickers, labels, pens, pencils, name badges and other promotional products to clients under one unified brand.

• Custom Genie encompasses the operations of World Emblem brands Stickers International, Fast Pens International and Name Badges International.
• As part of the restructuring, World Emblem has reshored all Custom Genie positions to its Norcross, Georgia-based plant to provide more flexible shipping options, improved package tracking and faster delivery times.

“Reshoring jobs to the U.S. and unifying the operations of Stickers International, Fast Pens and Name Badges International under the Custom Genie brand and website will enable us to increase our product categories, improve the customer experience, and make our operations more efficient,” says Randy Carr, CEO of World Emblem. “Furthermore, we believe the enhanced delivery options available through our Georgia facility will lead to improved customer satisfaction along with significant cost savings for our company.”

PromoKitchen, the all-volunteer non-profit that focuses on education and mentorship in the promotional products industry, will be updating how it tickets its annual PK Mixer at The PPAI Expo 2026.

• Tickets for the PKMixer on Monday, January 12, at 5:30 p.m. at the House of Blues will be a $25 donation that comes with a general admission ticket.
• PromoKitchen will also be capping its ticket sale capacity at 350 tickets to avoid long entry wait times.
• At checkout, you’ll have the option to add a free Hit Promo–sponsored tote bag.

Register now.

Business services provider PromoPulse (PPAI 772580) has announced the appointment of Chris Schlemmer as chief technology officer.

Previously, Schlemmer led technology and product initiatives at DistributorCentral for over a decade.

“I’m excited to have Chris join PromoPulse as our CTO, and this is the second time in my career I’ve passed the technology reins to him,” says Jason Nokes, founder of PromoPulse. “When we worked together at DistributorCentral, I saw Chris’ work ethic and know-how firsthand. He made an immediate impact that continues to be a core foundation for the promo industry with OneSource. There is no better technology leader to take PromoPulse into our next phase of innovation for distributors and suppliers.”