Ira Neaman, MAS, president of New Jersey-based Vantage Apparel (PPAI 113235, Platinum) – the No. 12 supplier in the PPAI 100 – has been named a recipient of the 2024 NJBIZ ICON Awards.
- The award honors New Jersey business leaders for their notable success and exemplary leadership.
“This honor is truly the result of hundreds of talented team members that have called Vantage home over our 47-year history,” Neaman says. “As we continue to push the boundaries of innovation, our very best years at Vantage are yet to come.”
Neaman’s Impact
Neaman, a former chair of the PPAI Board of Directors, has been at the helm of Vantage since he founded the company in 1977.
- Under his leadership, the firm has taken significant strides toward reducing its carbon footprint, imposing sustainable fashion into its line and promoting eco-friendly practices throughout its operations.
- He is also known for his philanthropic endeavors, such as supporting Clean Ocean Action, a New Jersey-based non-profit organization focused on reducing waste on beaches and preserving the ocean’s ecosystem.
Neaman has been an active volunteer in the promotional products industry for more than 40 years, having served on several PPAI volunteer committees, including the Leadership Advisory Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee and the Marketing and Research Committee, as well as the Promotional Products Education Foundation (PPEF) Board and several industry task forces.
- In 2002, he became the inaugural recipient of the PPAI Education Lifetime Achievement Award.
Neaman was nominated by Vantage Apparel CEO Rob Watson.
“Ira is a titan whose visionary stewardship has forever shaped not only Vantage, but also the broader landscape of the promotional products industry,” Watson says.
