Business Services
Promo Marketing Media Group (UPIC: PromoMkg)—Stacey McConnell, director of marketing and events
Distributors
A Brand Company (BrandAlliance, Grapevine Designs (UPIC: Grape238) and PerformanceLink)—Angie Farmer, director of global sourcing and compliance
Image Source’s (UPIC: IMAGESCE)—Stacy Garrett, Ladena Heming and Michelle Corcoran, Portland, Oregon-based sales
Suppliers
AGUA Promotions (UPIC: AGUA0001)—Shawn Naeter Associates to represent the company in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas
BrandCharger’s (UPIC: BCR)—Alain Friedrich and Thierry Hémardinquer, French sales operations
Chocolate Inn/Taylor & Grant (UPIC: CHOCINN)—Jaclyn Claude, promoted to assistant customer service manager; and Laurie Serwitz, promoted to service resolution and billing manager
Citizen Watch Company, Ltd., parent of Bulova Corporation (UPIC: BULO0001)—Jeffrey Cohen, promoted to president of Bulova Corporation. He will also continue in his role as president of Citizen Watch Company of America.
Fossa Apparel (UPIC: FOSSA)—Joel Serber, national sales manager
Graphcoline (UPIC: GRAPHCO)—Mitzi McQueary, promoted to head of the media department
Hub Pen Company (UPIC: HUBPEN)—John Gibbons, sales
Identification Plates, Inc. (UPIC: ID-LINE)—Matthew Crownover, promoted to president
Mike Brothers Emblematic Solution (UPIC: MikeBros)—Steve Belosi of Eagle Marketing to represent the company in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio
Quinn Flags (UPIC: Quinn)—Tammy Vaughn, human resources manager
SnugZ USA (UPIC: SNUGZUSA)—Jeff Anderton, senior content strategist
Spector and Co. (UPIC: SPEC0038)—Mozelle Brick, regional sales manager for Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee
Sterling Cut Glass (UPIC: STERL881)—Tessa Trumble, Western territory sales manager
IMA Presents Lifetime Achievement Award To Norma Jean Knollenberg
Norma Jean Knollenberg, CIP, CPIM, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award and a lifetime membership by the Incentive Marketing Association (IMA) at a reception in her honor during The PPAI Expo in January. Knollenberg sold her company, Top Brands, Inc., last fall and announced her retirement to spend more time with her husband, Gus, and family. She also recently completed her term on the PPAI Board of Directors.
One of the original founders of IMA in 1999, she became president of Incentive Manufacturers and Representatives Alliance, one of IMA’s special interest groups, a year later. She has also served as president of IMA, and was honored with its President’s Award in 2012.
“Norma Jean does not stand very tall, but do not let that fool you. She has been a giant in our industry for many years and a mentor to many, including myself,” says Spencer Toomey, CPIM, senior vice president of Luxury Lines by MMSC, who has worked with Knollenberg through IMA. “Norma Jean has been involved in virtually every alphabet soup association, alliance and federation in our industry. Her long-time involvement and dedication to IMA has helped make it the success it is today. She truly is a superstar.”
Sean Roark, CPIM, owner of PromoPros/IncenPros, has also been an IMA volunteer with Knollenberg. “Years ago, I was attending my first IMA annual Summit meeting, and had signed up to take a certification test. Wandering through the lobby, a nice lady asked me if she could assist me—clearly I looked like a lost puppy. She got me to the correct room, and when she saw me after my exam, she started introducing me to everyone in the room. It turns out this lady was the chairman of that year’s Summit, and the incoming president of IMA, Norma Jean Knollenberg.
“Since then, over and over again, Norma Jean has been an essential part of my success in making the transition from strictly promotional products into the incentive industry. In fact, my suggestion to offer Norma Jean a lifetime membership in IMA (which our board of directors unanimously endorsed), was purely selfish. As incoming president of IMA, I absolutely want N-J as a member, confidant and source of wisdom during my tenure. She is one of the great influences in my life, and as much as I miss her, I am delighted that she will have more time at the lake and doing all the other things that she put on the backburner all these years so that she could contribute to the promotional product and incentive marketplace in such a significant way. I am completely comfortable saying that I am a better person, and certainly a better incentive solution provider, as a direct result of Norma Jean Knollenberg.”
In Memoriam: Robert John Pecher
Robert John Pecher, CEO of St. Louis, Missouri supplier Skinner & Kennedy Co. (UPIC: SKINNER), passed away on January 17. He was 93.
Pecher was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Lou Pecher, and daughter Kathleen Black. He is survived by his wife Betty J. Pecher, and children: Mary Lou Pecher; Charles Pecher and his wife, Patricia; Barbara Roman and her husband, Mark; Patti Carter and her husband, Michael; and June Hendrix and her husband Sam; the father of Betty’s children, Bill Knoop and his wife, Kathy; the children, Barbara Kohring and her husband, Mark; and Jane Timme and her husband, Rob; 24 grandchildren and 18 grandchildren.
