The Fullarton Group (PPAI 754285) has announced the appointment of Steve Smidt to vice president of business development.

• Based in San Diego, Smidt will lead new business initiatives and play a key role in driving strategic growth across the entire West Coast.
• Smidt previously served as vice president of sales and marketing at SRG.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Steve to the Fullarton Group,” says Keith Addis, president and owner of The Fullarton Group. “His deep industry knowledge and trusted reputation make him the perfect leader to accelerate our West Coast expansion. We’re confident he’ll make an immediate and lasting impact for our distributor members and vendor partners alike.”

Clearyst, parent company of PPAI partner Green Business Benchmark, is hosting a webinar along with Edgecom on how energy management and sustainability strategy works together to drive impact.

This webinar dives into how data-driven decision-making and thoughtful strategies can help businesses achieve meaningful carbon reductions while improving financial performance.

What you’ll take away:

• How to use data to track, analyze and optimize energy usage for lower operational costs and reduced emissions.
• Practical steps for turning broad sustainability goals into actionable roadmaps with measurable ROI.
• Real-world success stories of companies decarbonizing while reaping financial benefits.
• Innovative strategies to address common challenges, scale efforts effectively, and maximize cost efficiency.

The webinar takes place June 18 from 2-3 p.m. EDT. Register here.

Goldstar (PPAI 114031, Platinum), PPAI 100’s No. 16 supplier, has announced the launch of SimplyGlobal, its new one purchase order global solution, which went live at the beginning of June.

SimplyGlobal simplifies the ordering process by allowing customers to place and manage multi-region orders with just one purchase order, ensuring consistent decoration technique, sizing and production standards, regardless of where the order is fulfilled.

• With SimplyGlobal, Goldstar now fully supports coordinated ordering across North America, Europe and Oceania.
• The launch follows Goldstar’s acquisition of Australian-based globalcatalogue earlier this year, further expanding the company’s capabilities and reinforcing its commitment to global service.

“SimplyGlobal is about empowering our partners to grow,” says Heather Smartt, global head of Goldstar. “By bringing everything together under one PO and one process, we’re making it easier than ever to do business globally, with confidence, consistency and simplicity.”

Vantage Apparel (PPAI 113235, Platinum), PPAI 100’s No. 14 supplier, has announced the addition of Mary Bostwick as its new regional account executive for the Southeast region, covering Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama.

• Mary has more than two decades of experience in the apparel industry, having built a distinguished career at Delta Apparel, where she held various roles in sales and marketing.

“Mary’s energy, experience and passion for building strong client relationships make her a perfect fit for our culture and goals,” says Sean Macilvain, vice president of business development at Vantage. “I’m excited to see the impact she’ll make!”

Pop! Promos (PPAI 564497, Gold), PPAI 100’s No. 45 supplier, has announced that its company founder and chairperson Sterling Wilson has been nominated for the second year in a row as a member director for Sedex’s Holdings Board.

• Sedex is an ethical trade nonprofit whose mission is to supply data-driven insights, tools and services to help companies improve the environmental, social and governance of their operations.
• Sedex is well known in the branded merchandise industry for its SMETA audits, which certify that a factory’s products are produced in a way that meets best practices for labor standards, health and safety, environmental impact and business ethics.

Sedex members in promo are encouraged to vote for Sterling’s candidacy either by proxy, or by attending the annual general meeting to vote on June 24 at 7 a.m. EDT.

“Over the past three years, Pop! Promos has made huge strides in strengthening its CSR and sustainability efforts,” Wilson says. “If elected, I will continue to push our efforts while advocating for our industry as a whole.”

S&S Activewear (PPAI 256121, Platinum), PPAI 100’s No. 2 supplier, in partnership with Sportsman Cap & Bag and L2 Brands, has introduced headwear brand Locale to the promotional products industry with a specially curated collection of styles.

• Styles feature materials made from 100% recycled materials and are fueled by the brand’s passion for the great outdoors.
• Entering the channel with three styles and more than 25 unique SKUs to choose from, Locale is “more than just a blank cap.”

Infinity Headwear (PPAI 791471, Standard-Base) has announced a continued charitable initiative benefitting the Wounded Warriors Family Support, a veteran-founded nonprofit dedicated to supporting the families of America’s wounded service members.

Since May, Infinity Her has donated a portion of proceeds from its Hattie Unstructured All Over Print Cap in patriotic navy and red with white stars to Wounded Warriors Family Support.

“As a company, it’s our privilege to donate to organizations that are boots on the ground,” says Ramona Watson, vice president of product development and marketing at Infinity Her. “It’s the least we can do, especially with the Wounded Warriors organization, because soldiers give everything to help protect this country. We’re thankful for these groups and want to help them keep doing more of the wonderful things they do.”