There’s a middle school across the street, but I’m getting an education on the factory floor of Vantage Apparel (PPAI 113235, Platinum), the No. 14 supplier in the 2026 PPAI 100.
I couldn’t ask for better teachers during my late March visit: Ira Neaman, MAS, who broke ground on the branded merch academy a half-century ago, and Rob Watson, who prefers a Chromebook to the blackboard.
Touring the 250,000 sq. ft. flagship facility in Avenel, New Jersey, resembles a field trip. I’m led through the screen-printing process, the quality assurance lab and rows of embroidery heads. Steam rises from what I’m told is the largest laser etching decoration footprint in the industry. There’s even a machine that automatically folds shirts.
As Neaman and Watson explain the layout of the facility, I feel like Ray Kroc learning the fast-food model from the McDonald brothers. The lean manufacturing workflow process is designed to get products from one end of the building (the inventory warehouse) to the next (the point of shipment) in as few steps as possible. Efficiency is paramount, as everything is done in the best interest of the supplier’s distributor partners.
You can’t argue with the results. Vantage Apparel generated $95 million in revenue in 2025, growing nearly 20% over the past three years. The company has racked up PPAI 100 High Marks in Revenue, Growth, Industry Faith, Innovation, Responsibility and Employee Happiness. That’s in addition to unprecedented accolades for Vantage’s decoration techniques.
The tenet of today’s curriculum: If you’re always evolving, you never have to change.
An Opportunist
When asked for Vantage’s origin, Neaman, 73, gets a couple sentences about himself out before digressing into the history of apparel in the branded merchandise industry. It’s only appropriate because his story is intertwined with that of wearables, which has become the top product category in the market.
Entrepreneurship is in the Pittsburgh native’s DNA. His mother sold greeting cards around the neighborhood, and his father worked in the wholesale district as a controller for a sporting goods company. Every car ride became a math test – his dad grilling him on addition, subtraction and times tables to the point that numbers became second nature. In fact, you won’t catch him pulling out a calculator for the tip at nearby D’Italia Restaurant, a favorite haunt where he enjoys a slice of pizza with grilled chicken on top.
As early as 5 years old, Neaman set up lemonade stands and delivered newspapers. In college, he managed snack bars and other food businesses, meeting the drunk munchie demand. “I got my 10,000 hours in business, according to Malcolm Gladwell,” says Neaman, the founder and now president and executive chairman of Vantage. “I’ve always been good at seeing opportunities, finding a need and fulfilling it.”
Ira Neaman, MAS
Founder, President & Executive Chairman, Vantage Apparel
Neaman graduated from Syracuse University in 1974 and earned his MBA from Harvard two years later. He was interested in retail, communications and advertising but didn’t realize that branded merch is the intersection of those three avenues. So, he underwent a 19-month “corporate indoctrination” working for Time and HBO, whose preppy offices inspired the foundation of Vantage Apparel. (He chose the name because it suggests forward vision and positioning.)
“I thought there would be a market for custom-made polo shirts,” Neaman says. “The thought process was that there would be less competition in selling a better piece of apparel with embroidery than trying to deal with the T-shirt world.”
Content with eating bologna sandwiches while he followed his entrepreneurial spirit, Neaman hustled around New York City, buying fabric, having shirts made to order locally and then customizing them with a direct embroidered logo. He remembers walking Fifth Avenue with Sy Rosenfeld of Allied Premium as he explained what was then known as the “ad specialties” industry.
“You’re just a sponge absorbing everything and building case histories every time you meet someone,” Neaman says. “I’d spend half the day dealing with production issues and the other half calling distributors. Apparel was relatively new to them at the time. They didn’t want to sell things with sizes.”
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Neaman estimates that wearables accounted for only 5% or 6% of the merch market in the late ’70s and early ’80s. But as technology advanced and business casual became an emerging trend, the apparel segment exploded. Representing nearly 10% of distributor revenue, polos are now the third-largest product category, according to industry research.
“We were in the right place at the right time to ride the wave,” Neaman says.
‘We’re The Rock Stars’
Rose Marie Juba – whose roughly 300 coworkers refer to her as Rosie – is Neaman’s third-longest-tenured pupil.
After assisting at her sister’s bridal shower, the high school senior was offered a job by the late Emily Gola, who played a pivotal role in shaping and guiding Vantage for more than 30 years. Juba joined the then-five-person team in July 1982, quickly becoming a jill of all trades.
Rose Marie Juba
Production Supervisor, Vantage Apparel
“Because I was young, you could throw me anywhere,” says Juba, her Easter-egg nails tapping the conference table. “When it snowed, nobody wanted to drive, so I’d go pick them up and take them home because you had to work. We were growing.”
Currently a production supervisor, Juba handled the company’s first in-house embroidery order some 40 years ago. She recalls being trained on the initial machine by a Polish woman in Long Island, New York, who couldn’t understand her and vice versa. “When I got back to the office, they asked if we were ready to begin embroidery tomorrow. I said, ‘Tomorrow? We need needles, thread, backing, wait ’til you see this thing!’ We didn’t know what we didn’t know.”
That naivete has matured into mastery. Vantage’s stock-in-trade has become embroidery, offering specialty threads, unique stitch techniques, custom monogramming and an ample selection of appliqués. One of the largest embroiderers in North America, the company operates more than 1,200 embroidery heads across its facilities in Avenel, St. Louis and Santa Ana, California.
There’s hardware to prove the team does it as well or better than anyone. Vantage earned its 30th consecutive PPAI Golden Pyramid Award for embroidery decoration this year – a feat no other company in the branded merch industry has achieved.
Since 1958, the annual awards have honored creative excellence in the industry and recognized dependable suppliers, outstanding promotions, creative campaigns and exceptional craftsmanship by Association members. And for the first time in 2026, both submissions in the program and Pyramid wins counted toward companies’ final rankings in PPAI 100, in line with the Association’s updated mission to “elevate the industry.”
Neaman considers Vantage’s three-decade streak of Golden Pyramid Awards to be validation of its commitment to operational consistency and continuous investment in people, technology and process.
“The millions of pieces we do every year become represented by the award winner,” Neaman says. “We know we’re the best at embroidery. We like pushing the envelope, and the digitizers like to be challenged. We take pride in raising the bar. It’s not that we walk on water, but we know we’re the rock stars.”
Threading The Needle
WinterPalooza is a series of events in New England that include winter-themed sports along with festive food and drinks. Vantage partnered with a top merch distributor to create the award-winning design for WinterPalooza 2025.
The design, applied to the Vantage Roadie Denim Jacket, required nearly 60,000 stitches alongside direct-to-film embroidery to add depth and texture to the visually striking decoration.
The guitar centerpiece was elevated with a laser-cut appliqué base, serving both aesthetic and functional purposes. By building the foundation with embroidery, the Vantage team could incorporate metallic gold threads – a notoriously challenging thread type due to frequent breakage – for the guitar strings. This approach minimized stress on the metallic thread, ensuring clean, uninterrupted runs while enhancing the design’s dimensional appeal.
By using advanced equipment capable of handling high stitch counts and intricate detail, the team was able to maintain the highest level of craftsmanship throughout the process. Perhaps most impressive is that lead digitizer Dave Buzinkai pulled it all off on his first try.
“It takes a lot of work, but we try to do things that push the boundaries,” says Buzinkai, who came to Vantage right out of college and hasn’t needed to update his résumé in 32 years. While surveying an array of previous Pyramid Award-winning designs in Vantage’s showroom, I’m blown away by the eye-popping colors and imagery. Buzinkai remembers the painstaking precision that went into each.
Dave Buzinkai
Lead Digitizer, Vantage Apparel
“Our customers trust our creativity,” he says. “My favorite part of the job is when someone asks, ‘This can’t be done, can it?’ I’ll go out of my way to make sure it can be done.”
Neaman says the team has always been obsessive about quality – the best thread, the best fabrics, the best yarns.
“If you make it better than everybody else, you’ll always have a market,” he says. “You never want to be in a race to the bottom. If you have competition, let them cut corners, because eventually the truth wins out. The distributor who’s looking out for the customer will get the best product for the customer.”
Setting Sail
Yearning to sit under Neaman’s learning tree, Watson, 47, requested to be at his table during an awards dinner more than a decade ago.
Neaman’s reputation preceded him, and Watson, who had never met his future boss, was drawn to the industry veteran’s knowledge, easy-going nature and endless ambition. “There was something about Ira – he’s the entrepreneur and thought leader, and yet he’s not done,” Watson says. “He has a pulse of where we need to focus. He has his foot on the gas pedal, and he’s not afraid to invest in what’s next.”
Watson, a James Madison University graduate, shares that restlessness, eager to disrupt the status quo. Before entering the branded merch industry, Watson was marketing and revenue manager for Royal Caribbean International, spending every couple of weeks on a cruise ship. Just when he was ready to move back home to Richmond, Virginia, he received a call from a headhunter for a job with New Jersey-based rewards supplier MediaTree.
Ten minutes after the interview, he received an offer. A little over a year later, he became president of the company.
Rob Watson
CEO, Vantage Apparel
ASI was his next destination, accepting an executive role focused on marketing and digital user experience. “I consider myself to be a marketing guy with a tech influence because I understand the consumer experience and their needs,” Watson says. “I’m excited to work with distributors to understand what their end users are looking for and find solutions to help us get there. We’ve gone from being a product-focused industry to a service-focused industry where we use branded merchandise as part of those solutions.”
Watson’s journey also saw him work for various distributors over the years, opening his eyes to their delicate balance of serving both supplier partners and end-user clients. That’s also when he realized there was enormous opportunity in the industry to capitalize on e-commerce and company webstores.
In 2018, with a diverse background covering all facets of the industry supply chain, Watson joined Vantage as chief digital officer and then chief experience officer. It was clear that he was destined to be Neaman’s right-hand man, playing a pivotal role in enhancing customer experience, streamlining operations and driving business development initiatives.
Then, Watson’s mother passed away suddenly. With his widowed father suffering from early stages of dementia, he decided to step away from Vantage in 2022 (while staying engaged in the industry) and move back home to help.
“I couldn’t do the job I had here because I needed to be there,” Watson says. “Even though I left the organization, I talked to Ira every couple of weeks. He’d always ask, ‘When can we get the band back together?’”
On The Cutting Edge
In 2023, Watson returned as CEO, picking right back up where he left off. In fact, hardly a week goes by in which PPAI Media doesn’t receive a press release from Vantage touting a new hire, partnership or technological advancement.
“Vantage has been a silent quality supplier in the industry that’s getting louder and louder and louder,” Watson says.
Under his guidance, the company launched a new webstore platform and created a digital integrations team to facilitate on-demand ordering and fulfillment. As of March, 59% of Vantage’s business comes from orders that are directly integrated with distributors.
Ahead of the curve, the company has offered single pieces since 2008, well before it was fashionable. Now that e-commerce has transformed the industry, Vantage has been well-positioned to benefit. In 2024, 14% of sales came from single piece, print-on-demand orders. Last year, that figure more than doubled to 34%. Taking pride in those orders being net new revenue, Watson says the company is on track to hit 50% this year.
“If I come to Ira with something I think we should lean into or invest in, particularly with AI or technology, there’s not a lot of concern that we’re getting away from what he would consider ‘legacy’ as a means of operation,” Watson says.
The integrations fuel Vantage’s ever- growing strategic partnerships with fellow suppliers.
In 2024, the firm began an exclusive collaboration with Redwood Classics Apparel, becoming the U.S. provider of the Canadian brand’s premium styles. Other partnerships include Starline and iClick, which became hard goods providers on Vantage’s e-commerce POD platform. The company has also expanded its international offerings through Lynka, a Polish decorator that Vantage acquired in 2021.
Vantage is also one of the largest decorators for industry titans SanMar, S&S Activewear and Cutter & Buck. Watson says there are more units belonging to those firms moving through the factory than Vantage’s own orders because of contract decoration, which is a core part of the business model. Integrating systems allow customers to send one purchase order that covers both the goods from another supplier and decoration from Vantage.
“While some folks might consider them our competitors,” Watson says, “we look at them as partners more than anything else.”
Rusty Pepper
Head of Global Markets & Partnerships, Taylor Promo Marketing
Although the integrations come with benefits, they also pose challenges. After all, Vantage is currently supporting two distinct types of customers: integrated and non-integrated. Each requires a different approach and support system. With new tech stacks and platforms entering the industry, it’s vital that Vantage continues to find ways to connect business with efficiency.
“As we introduce new solutions, integrated customers benefit immediately, while non-integrated customers may struggle to inherit the very best that Vantage has to offer,” Watson says. “The challenge is in helping distributors find levels of connectivity that will support and help grow their business.”
To address this gap, the company is focused on creating scalable systems that support both integrated and non-integrated partners without compromising performance. That same focus on scalability and efficiency carries into internal operations, where balancing growth with team capacity has become an equally important priority.
“One of the potential risks we’re mindful of is sustaining year-over-year growth without placing added strain on our team,” Watson says. “As we continue to scale, it’s critical that we invest in AI to create efficiencies in the quote-to-ship process and allow our team time to have more meaningful relationships with customers to share ideas and help grow their business.”
Elevating The Industry
Neaman has been an active volunteer in the branded merch industry for more than 40 years, lending his time and talent to numerous PPAI committees and task forces, including the Leadership Advisory Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee and the Marketing and Research Committee.
He has also served on the board of the Promotional Products Education Foundation, which funds college scholarships for industry professionals or their family members. To date, more than $4 million in scholarships have been assigned through the foundation.
One of the reasons Neaman continues to give back to the industry is because he likes being close to the action. “You want to have a voice,” says Neaman, who is also known for his philanthropic endeavors, such as supporting Clean Ocean Action, a New Jersey-based nonprofit focused on reducing waste on beaches and preserving the ocean’s ecosystem.
“It’s also a great way to learn. If you feel you have something to add and have the bandwidth to do it, you should.”
In 2020, Neaman served as Chair of the PPAI Board of Directors, overseeing the direction of the Association – and to a large extent, the overall industry – amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He presided over weekly virtual board meetings regarding ever-changing government regulations and medical guidance, widespread business disruption and the decision to cancel The PPAI Expo 2021.
It was an unenviable position to be in, but by all accounts, Neaman rose to the occasion with aplomb. Former PPAI President and CEO Paul Bellantone even told him he was the “right Chair at the right time.”
“I grew up with parents who lived during The Great Depression, so you understand budgets and what you can and can’t do,” says Neaman, whose next-door neighbor during the pandemic just so happened to be a senior-level immunologist.
“In an industry with a lot of Pollyannas, I’m a realist. I’ve never been a ‘the sky is falling’ person. There was no question there would be some cure or solution – it was just a matter of timing,” he adds. “It was challenging because it was a different set of variables, but ultimately, it was just another day. After previous financial downturns, you know the drill and to move quick and decisive, but not reckless.”
Chris Alfano
Chief Information & Digital Officer, Vantage Apparel
Although volunteering isn’t mandated at Vantage, the spirit of giving back and encouraging industry involvement has always been part of the company culture. As technology has become increasingly important to how the industry operates, Vantage has been especially supportive of efforts focused on digital transformation, standards and collaboration among suppliers, distributors and service providers.
“We believe that contributing to these conversations ultimately strengthens the entire industry ecosystem,” says Chris Alfano, Vantage’s chief information and digital officer.
As a member of the PPAI Technology Committee since 2024, Alfano has welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with other like-minded technologists while also helping less tech-savvy industry members better understand and adopt new systems and equipment. Being part of the committee has also provided a platform for him to share expertise more broadly through speaking engagements, webinars and working groups that help shape industry education and training programs.
“Being able to contribute to those conversations, support peers and help move the industry forward is incredibly fulfilling and one of the most rewarding aspects of my professional involvement,” Alfano says. “Whether it’s discussing integrations, automation, security or e-commerce, there’s a real need to help organizations adapt their businesses, modernize their operations and stay secure in an increasingly digital environment.”
Ryan Finnegan
National Account Manager, Vantage Apparel
In addition to encouraging participation in PPAI efforts, Vantage also supports employees contributing to their regional associations. There have been years when up to four employees have served as regional association presidents at the same time, Neaman says, amplifying the company’s presence around the country.
“Vantage believes by strengthening regional communities, we strengthen the industry,” says Ryan Finnegan, national account manager at Vantage and a board member of the Philadelphia Area Promotional Products Association. “Volunteering allows me to stay closely connected to my local community while bringing fresh ideas and new opportunities. It gives me the opportunity to connect with distributors to share insights about decorations, apparel, technology and innovation.”
In addition to scoring for Pyramid Awards participation and wins, the 2026 PPAI 100 also supports industry leadership by introducing points when firms’ employees volunteer for their regional associations, PPAI committees, working groups and the Board of Directors.
Matt Castillo, regional territory manager at Vantage and a board member of the Promotional Products Association of Florida, says volunteering has resulted in many benefits, such as building new relationships at trade shows and events and gaining endless insights.
“Understanding the decision-making process and why one idea versus another is successful gives me a clear perspective on the impact I can have on my customers,” Castillo says. “Volunteering allows me to add value that my customers and peers can benefit from.”
Having served on the PPAI Leadership Advisory Council for several years, Watson emphasizes that as a PPAI 100 supplier, Vantage has an obligation to be a steward of the industry. “It’s our responsibility to give back to the industry, to be a part of the industry and to lend our voice in whatever capacity that is,” he says.
It’s A Relationship Business
David Tate, president and COO of Signet, PPAI 100’s No. 100 distributor, met Neaman in 1978 as they were both getting started in the industry. Tate recalls Vantage having a direct competitor, which failed within a few years.
“Ira prevailed because he’s always innovating,” Tate says. “He was the earliest of our preferred partners when Peernet Group was developing our network. He helped us perfect it. He’s been dependable, consistent and ahead of the curve.”
David Tate
President/COO, Signet
Debbie Abergel, chief strategy officer at Nadel, PPAI 100’s No. 12 distributor, calls Neaman “one of the true innovators” in the industry who helped elevate what branded apparel could be by focusing on high-quality products and decoration “done the right way.”
“What I’ve always appreciated about Ira is that even with his longevity and success, he’s incredibly present,” Abergel says. “He shows up, he’s engaged and he brings a level of intelligence and perspective that comes from decades in the business. Whether it’s an industry event or a conversation about where the market is heading, Ira always has thoughtful insights to share.
“He’s built an amazing company, but more importantly he’s built real relationships across the industry. That’s why he’s earned the respect he has – people trust him, and they know he genuinely cares about the business and the people in it.”
Debbie Abergel
Chief Strategy Officer, Nadel
One of those “real relationships” is with Steve Lipic, president of St. Louis-based distributor Lipic’s Engagement, which was founded in 1863.
“In the ‘80s, when my father reached out to Vantage for an order for Chuck Knight, the CEO of Emerson Electric, Vantage responded promptly and came through for my dad for this first order,” Lipic recalls. “As I later joined my dad in the business, Ira continued to take an interest, coming to St. Louis to visit us, even though at that time we were a small part of Vantage’s business.”
Lipic says that Neaman continued to make time for him, often meeting for drinks at the end of a long day during The PPAI Expo. They’d go on to collaborate on major programs and customers with Neaman helping make sure it was a win for all involved. Even this past January in Las Vegas, Lipic brought several new sales personnel to meet Neaman, who spent most of the dinner learning more about the young professionals and imparting wisdom.
Steve Lipic
President, Lipic’s Engagement
“I know that this has happened with many people in the industry as I’ve watched him make a huge impact as a true leader and mentor,” Lipic says. “I feel very fortunate to have been the beneficiary of his knowledge and steady approach to all situations. He has always been close, calling me on a regular basis just to check in on our family, regardless of the business.”
If Jake Himelstein, president of BAMKO, PPAI 100’s No. 10 distributor, had to describe Watson to someone who had never met him, he’d say to imagine someone with the strategic mind of a CEO and the heart of a mentor, who somehow never lost the curiosity and work ethic of someone still trying to prove themselves.
“What really sets Rob apart is that he’s not just a sharp operator – he genuinely cares about the people around him,” Himelstein says. “He wants to see people grow, he invests in their development and he leads with a combination of intellectual rigor and real human warmth that’s hard to find.”
Jake Himelstein
President, BAMKO
Himelstein also commends Watson’s diverse background of working on the supplier side, distributor side and even the business service side at ASI. “He sees the full ecosystem in a way almost nobody else does,” he adds. “That perspective makes him incredibly effective because he’s not solving problems from one vantage point. He’s solving them with the whole picture in mind.”
Rusty Pepper, head of global markets and partnerships at Taylor Promo Marketing, PPAI 100’s No. 16 distributor, has a standing quarterly call with Watson in which they exchange market insights, share what they’re seeing and hearing and catch up on how things are going.
“Rob’s always asking thoughtful questions and never pretending to have all the answers… even though I’m fairly convinced he does,” Pepper says. “That mindset, combined with how well-connected and respected he is across the industry, makes him someone I truly trust and want to do business with. More importantly, he shows up for others, and is always willing to jump in, help out or make the right introduction whenever he can.”
Beyond his comprehensive expertise, Watson is widely recognized as a highly progressive leader who continually acts as a catalyst for industry evolution, according to Jill Albers, vice president of client success at BAMKO.
Jill Albers
VP of Client Success, BAMKO
“He refuses to settle for the status quo, consistently championing digital transformation, modernized operational infrastructure and innovative fulfillment solutions,” Albers says. “His progressive vision also extends to how he builds relationships; he is deeply committed to purpose-driven business, prioritizing sustainable practices and partnerships that bring long-term value to the market. Under his guidance, the focus is never just on navigating today’s landscape, but on actively building the future of the industry.”
Albers adds that Watson has built a reputation for going above and beyond. Whether it involves engineering a custom solution to a complex logistical challenge or elevating the standard for customer service, Watson operates with a “relentless dedication” that transcends typical transactional relationships.
“He approaches his work not just as a business leader, but as a dedicated partner who genuinely invests in the success of his clients, colleagues and industry peers,” Albers says. “His unique blend of cross-functional expertise, forward-thinking innovation and exceptional commitment makes him a truly transformative and invaluable force within the industry.”
Honoring The Past, Preparing For The Future
Before the factory floor and showroom, I’m taken to the cafeteria where more than 90 headshots stare back at me. It’s the Vantage Anniversary Wall, where employees who have been with the company for at least 20 years are celebrated. This monument of recognition will be mentioned in every conversation I’ll have during my visit.
“It’s a family business,” Neaman says. “People spend as much time here as they do with their own family. There are a lot of family trees in the organization.”
Juba’s daughter took her first steps at the office and her first picture on the photocopier. Back in the day, if a colleague was getting married, you went to the wedding. If somebody had a baby, you went to the christening.
“If an order needed to go out, everybody stayed,” Juba says. “It didn’t feel like work. It was fun. [Ira] isn’t my boss; he’s like my brother.”
Those memories are bubbling as Vantage inches closer to its 50th anniversary in 2027. Watson envisions a year-long birthday party. He’s thinking of ways for the team to recognize where they’ve been and where they’re going, and there may be something at The PPAI Expo 2027 that allows customers to join in the celebration.
Conversely, Neaman considers it “just another day in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.”
“It’s not that I’m not sentimental, but I’m not overt,” he says. “I’m along for whatever they want to do, but there’s no coronation at 50.”
That’s because it already happened. Watson is the heir apparent, if he’s not already sitting on the throne. Neaman considers his own role, at this point, more as counsel. Watson is a natural fit, Neaman says, understanding the importance of what marketing is in today’s world and going forward. With his extensive background, Neaman adds, he also understands the relationships the business is based on.
“Some people ask if he’s my son because we’re that close and he just gets it,” Neaman says. “If I was 25 years younger, Rob’s skillset is the one I would want. He’s someone who can carry the business for the next 25 years. We’re not selling tables and chairs anymore. We’re interior designers.”
None of this is to suggest Neaman is retiring anytime soon. Sure, he’s at the stage of his life where he’s regarded as an industry pioneer and his legacy is being lauded – he received the 2024 NJBIZ ICON Award, which honors New Jersey business leaders for their notable success. But he still loves coming to work, and perhaps more importantly, Watson isn’t ready to lose his wise man.
“Ira and I are in constant communication,” Watson says, “and we make most of the big decisions together. How amazing is it to work alongside the founder of the company who brings nearly five decades of ideas, experience and perspective into every conversation? We enjoy working side by side, and honestly, I can’t imagine it any other way.”
For all they’ve built, Neaman and Watson remain students of the game, chasing the next lesson as much as the next win and continuing to push the industry forward.
Corrigan is deputy editor at PPAI.
