The State of Wisconsin has presented 4imprint (PPAI 107200, Platinum), PPAI 100’s No. 1 distributor, with its fourth consecutive Vets Ready Employer Award. The honor recognizes employers that have gone above and beyond to hire and support veterans and their families. 4imprint is one of 22 veteran-friendly employers honored this year.

• 4imprint was awarded a gold certification in the large employer category. Among the ways the company has shown appreciation for veterans’ service are these:
• As an employer, 4imprint provides a Military Leave and Pay Differential Program for military members scheduled for training, drills or a call to active duty. The program supports members of the military in their service and provides continuity for up to 10 days each year.
• The company hosts an annual open house for organizations that assist veterans with employment, attends local job fairs specific to employing veterans, networks with veterans’ organizations and features veteran associates’ stories on the 4imprint website.
• 4imprint offers paid time off for Veterans Day to members of the armed services and their spouses, provides drop-off zones for associates to donate items to veterans across the country, gives a take-home meal and gift for veterans, and annually recognizes associates who are veterans for their service.
• The award is part of the Vets Ready Employer Initiative by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and its Office of Veteran Employment Services. Each year, award applicants are rated based on criteria including the organization’s support for veterans in the workplace, hiring practices to prioritize veteran hires and efforts to connect to the wider veteran community.

Koozie Group (PPAI 114187, Platinum), PPAI 100’s No. 9 supplier, has earned CarbonNeutral product certification for eight of its pens in accordance with The CarbonNeutral Protocol, which provides a clear, credible and transparent framework for carbon neutral programs.

• In September 2023, Koozie Group achieved CarbonNeutral company status and is reportedly the first supplier in the promo industry to offer certified carbon-neutral hard goods.
• To achieve the coveted product certification, the supplier worked with Climate Impact Partners, a specialist in carbon market solutions for climate action, and conducted an independent assessment of all Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions generated by each writing instrument in alignment with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance. The supplier measured these emissions cradle-to-grave, which considers impacts at each stage of a product’s lifecycle. In addition to taking actions to reduce each product’s footprint through internal initiatives, Koozie Group has offset unavoidable emissions through the purchase of high-quality carbon credits.
• The eight pens achieving product certification are BIC Clic Stic Pen; BIC Clic Stic Ice Pen; BIC Digital Clic Stic Pen; BIC Digital Clic Stic Ice Pen; Contender Pen; Contender Party Pen; Metallic Contender Pen and Contender Frosted Pen.

Pierre Montaubin, CEO of Koozie Group, says, “The next step in our carbon-neutral journey felt like a natural one: gaining certification for individual products. Starting with the carbon footprint of the pens we manufacture in-house made sense as we’d already gathered much of that data for our company-level certification. Five years ago, we laid out our initial Keep It. Give It. Social responsibility and sustainability goals, and it’s rewarding to see how we continue to push the envelope in our industry to ensure we’re leaving a positive, lasting impact with our products.”

Quality Resource Group (PPAI 159353, Gold), PPAI 100’s No. 55 distributor, has brought on Bob Schwei as its new director of sales growth & enablement.

• Schwei brings a wealth of expertise and leadership to QRG, with a distinguished career spanning the promo and printing industries. As a former senior vice president at iPROMOTEu, he spearheaded strategic initiatives focusing on print, mergers and acquisitions, and sales leadership. Schwei also previously owned a Proforma distributorship and was a sales executive for a premier printer in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

• In his new role, Schwei will leverage his extensive experience to drive sales growth and empower QRG’s sales team to exceed their goals. He will also help develop a high-performing sales culture and collaborate with QRG’s leadership team to align sales strategies with long-term growth objectives.

“We are thrilled to have Bob join our team,” says Dana Schumacher, chief growth officer with QRG. “His proven track record of business growth and strategic development, combined with his deep industry knowledge, will play a pivotal role in strengthening our sales force and enhancing our ability to deliver exceptional value to our clients.”

Joe Ruedt has joined Miami, Florida-based supplier BEL Promo (PPAI 362224, Gold), PPAI 100’s No. 34 supplier, as strategic sales manager.

• Ruedt was previously an enterprise business manager at distributor ePromos Promotional Products, where he partnered with Fortune 500 clients, spearheaded branded merchandise roadshows and was a key driver of business growth.

“With over 20 years of experience in the branded merchandise space, Joe brings a deep understanding of the industry and a wealth of expertise to our team,” says Tom Clouser, BEL Promo’s national sales manager. “This hire was critical for us to help us bring BEL Promo to the next level for our valued distributor partners.”

Ruedt adds, “I’m thrilled to be joining such a forward-thinking organization with an equally impressive team.”

Port Lucie, Florida-based supplier IDProductsource (PPAI 384049, Silver) has collected a record number of unwrapped toys and $250 in cash donations this year to bring joy to children served by Toys For Tots.

• This is the company’s seventh year of partnering with Toys For Tots. The nonprofit distributes up to 19 million toys to 7.3 million less fortunate children, allowing them to experience the joy of Christmas and receive a message of hope.

Daniel Rufenacht has been named global softlines vice president at SGS (PPAI 528060), while continuing in his current role as CEO of bluesign (PPAI 825888), an SGS company.

• Rufenacht joined SGS in 2008 as vice president of corporate sustainability, where he led global sustainability initiatives and achieved significant advancements in sustainability management systems, programs and branding. In 2017, he was promoted to group vice president, corporate communications and sustainability.
• In 2021, he became the CEO of bluesign, where his focus has been on uniting suppliers, manufacturers and brands to reduce the textile industry’s environmental footprint and create a safer, more interconnected world.