Kenny Ved
VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES
Goldstar
The tragedy of 9/11 wasn’t the only disaster Ved has had to circumvent. For years Goldstar had a huge presence in the pharmaceutical industry with its pens making their way into doctors’ waiting rooms and hospital pharmacies nationwide. He came to Goldstar with connections
to the heathcare industry from his previous employer, supplier Belding Sports, and he expected to build that piece of business. But when PhRMA was enacted in January 2009, the voluntary code discouraged its healthcare members from giving away non-educational promotional products. It was the first step to a devastating loss of business in that sector for the promotional products industry.
With PhRMA, “the writing was on the wall but our organization didn’t believe it,” remembers Ved, “and one day the faucet just shut off and sales stopped. The company took a major hit. We had to rebound quickly.”
Understanding the marketplace and where Goldstar would fit in was a big challenge, and Ved wasted no time taking it on. He immediately started knocking on doors, pitching the company’s capabilities, working with multi-line reps and rebalancing how Goldstar marketed itself. “It was tough but it made us stronger,” he says.
Sixteen years later Ved’s passion about the job is still rock solid and, at 40, he continues to make a memorable impression on everyone he meets. “Kenny is really a hard guy to miss,” says nominator RJ Hagel, marketing manager at Goldstar. “He is outgoing, friendly and quite honestly fairly flamboyant when it comes to his dress at trade shows. If it isn’t hot-pink pants, you might find Kenny with
a stars and stripes suit or a ‘pen jacket’ that he custom tailored to showcase the line of Goldstar pens he sells. He is always coming up with something new and thinking outside the box. If you spend enough time with Kenny, you start to build anticipation for ‘What is Kenny going to do next?’”
Hagel also calls Ved a hustler—but only in the most positive way. “He works hard and he keeps his head up. When challenges arise, he works them through and keeps moving. He is exactly the type of supplier salesperson that we need more of in the industry,” says Hagel. “He is passionate about the products he sells and he is equally passionate about helping people solve their challenges.”
During a time when suppliers and distributors are struggling to find opportunities to grow together, Ved leads by finding common ground to help distributors add value to the supply chain, says Hagel. “To be honest, this nomination is way overdue for Kenny; he has been a rising star for quite some time now.” During his years with Goldstar, Ved has seen the company grow 500 to 600 percent. He regularly travels across the U.S. and Canada meeting with clients and supporting his sales staff, sometimes for four weeks at a time. Still, he clears his schedule to give back to his industry as a board member for Promotional Marketing Association of Northern California (PMANC) and has worked to partner with a number other key industry suppliers to find synergies and opportunities to offer more value to distributors and the industry as a whole.
For Ved, the lessons he’s learned in his career have been the best teachers. “Take risks,” he advises. “Calculated risks and decisions tend to lead to the biggest awards.” He also believes in giving respect to others and love to friends and family. “Everyone wants to be loved. Respecting everyone you cross paths with will make you a stronger person.”
Away from work he spends time with his two children, Jay and Alyssa, and enjoys playing, coaching and watching sports, especially basketball, and recharges by taking short vacations. “Sometimes all you need is some fun in the sun,” he says.
HIS INSPIRATION
His parents. “My mom is the most patient and caring person, and my father taught me the foundation for sales success. I find my balance in life with their upbringing.”
THE INDUSTRY IN FIVE YEARS
He wants to see more education geared towards the industry and more young talent to add value to the traditional distributor model—especially for innovative and creative ideas for end clients.
ON HIS TO-DO LIST NOW
Continue strong double-digit growth and make 2016 a banner year.
