Rod Brown, brand ambassador at GXN (Global Executive Network), hosted a dinner gathering of 18 international industry leaders at the Capital Grille in Las Vegas ahead of The PPAI Expo in January.

• Brown, founder of distributor MadeToOrder (PPAI 216503, Gold), now serves as an in-country consultant for international clients interested in the U.S. promotional products industry. He has previously hosted similar dinners at the Global GXN conference and Promotional Product Service Institute (PSI) in Europe.
• His passion for creating connections within the branded merch industry inspires him to host these evenings to engage in thoughtful conversations and global perspectives.
• Guests included those from the U.S., India, China, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Bulgaria and Canada who discussed pathways where sustainability and profitability can directly reinforce each other, along with other topics.

Austin, Texas-based supplier Sock Club (PPAI  692671, Standard Base) has been voted the No. 1 sock supplier on SAGE.

• Sock Club provides an end-to-end customizable sock experience offering woven socks manufactured in the USA.
• The company says what sets it apart is its dedication to brand storytelling through footwear and an in-house design team that goes beyond simple logo placement by conducting in-depth research to create socks that capture the essence of a brand.

“This recognition reflects our commitment to quality, innovation, and exceptional service for promotional products distributors,” says Max Williamson, vice president of sales. “We’ve worked tirelessly to deliver premium custom sock solutions that meet and exceed our clients’ expectations.”

The ranking comes from SAGE’s just released top 200 searched product categories for 2024 and the top five suppliers viewed in each category. These rankings are purely based on total number of product detail views by distributors in 2024.