Supplier Sponsors Rising Star
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The first time he saw Emmy Kaiser, she made an unforgettable impression on him. Playing with a tennis pro at a northern Kentucky club, Kaiser, a teenager, repeatedly pounded the ball, twisting along the baseline, using just the right angles. Barry Dyas knew instantly that he was watching a special player and an even more courageous person. “In a time when lots of people are excuse makers, Emmy takes adversity and uses it as a catalyst,” Dyas says. “She’s just amazing to watch.”
Only 19, Kaiser has trained to become one of the top-ranked wheelchair tennis players in the country. She has dreams of being the best in the world. She refuses to allow physical challenges to keep her from great achievements. “She’s traveled internationally for tournaments, to France, Italy and lots of places,” Dyas says. “Her athleticism will blow you away. Her serve is so forceful and the topspin she puts on it is incredible.”
Kaiser is one of about 70,000 Americans living with Spina Bifida. It’s the most common permanently disabling birth defect in the United States. There is no known cause, no cure and varying degrees of injury. “I’m just like other people except I sometimes have to find a different way to do things,” says Kaiser. “If people want to help, they can ask and I’ll tell them. But I don’t want any sympathy. There are a whole lot of people worse off than me.”
Inspired by Kaiser and her consistently positive attitude, Dyas recently started to think what he could do to turn his admiration for her into support. As president of J. Charles Crystalworks (asi/62985), Dyas decided to financially sponsor Kaiser. Basically, he’s helping to defray some of the costs so she can keep succeeding in her sport. “He’s awesome, so amazing,” Kaiser says of Dyas. “It’s nice to know that there are guys out there who want to help.”
A freshman at Thomas More College, Kaiser spends several hours on the tennis court each week. During this off-season, she’s added weight and agility training to her regimen to try to strengthen her play. “We’ve done tension training, medicine ball work and some speed drills,” says Ron Tolley, a conditioning coach. “Emmy is so upbeat and doesn’t want anybody to feel sorry for her. Don’t tell her she can’t do something, because that will motivate her even more and make her more competitive.”
A true student-athlete, Kaiser is majoring in psychology, carrying 17 credits this semester. Her full-scholarship is purely academic. She was able to transfer nine AP credits from high school. After her professional playing days, she hopes to become a sports psychologist. “It’s a way to combine two things I really enjoy,” she says.
And, Dyas is encouraging other businesses to embrace Kaiser’s dreams. “When you help Emmy you know your support is going to someone who is exceptional at helping themselves,” Dyas says. “We hope that our industry friends will feel the same and will help in her quest to be the world’s best.”
For more information on Kaiser’s cause, contact Barry Dyas at BDyas@jcharles.com.
Distributor Overcomes Arson Attack
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Harvie Ann Cox will never forget that September night. After getting a phone call that every business owner fears, she rushed to her downtown store. Her company, Heritage Embroidery & Design (asi/224599), was surrounded by fire trucks. Flames and smoke had already charred the century-old building. “I couldn’t believe that it was happening,” says Cox. “We lost everything in the store.”
Investigators would later tell her that the blaze was a case of arson. Someone, probably as part of a Halloween prank, had set hay bales on fire outside of the shop. Three businesses were damaged, a large window was smashed, and a metal support was melted. Merchandise was wrecked. In the aftermath, Cox and her 10 employees would spend the next three weeks re-tracing inventory. Yet, she still counted her blessings. “We made a decision very quickly that we were going to reopen the store,” she says. “We could have left the town a long time ago, but we stayed. It’s a great place to live. I was so glad, too, that we could keep everybody at the shop working.”
Along with her husband Jim, Harvie Ann started her embroidery and promotional products business in 1993. They sell everything from apparel and bags to gadgets and snacks. Their daughter Courtney also works at the shop, which is one of the gems of Moultrie, GA. The town is known for its antique stores and its inviting southern hospitality. After the fire, it lived up to its reputation.
“Everybody has been so wonderful,” Cox says. “A restaurant brought us breakfast and lunch for a week and they wouldn’t let us pay. Downtown merchants have paid for advertisements. The Chamber of Commerce named us the business of the month for December. The community, the insurance company, just everybody was incredible.”
After months of repairs, Heritage Embroidery was reinvented with new carpets, new paint and new products. Giving its owners an early Christmas present, the store was ready to be reopened in time for the holiday shopping season. And this year, energized by grand reopening events like a formal ribbon-cutting, Cox has high hopes as well. “We have a great baby department and I’m going to spend time on that and our bridal registry too,” she says. “We’re going to do a lot with monogrammed linens and home décor.”
Asked if she forgives whoever set the fire, she quickly answers with kind conviction in her voice. “Most definitely, because I know it wasn’t done maliciously,” she says. “It could have been so much worse.”
Air-Traffic Controller Turned Distributor
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It’s 9:00 on a Wednesday night and Bryan Thompson’s day is far from over. At arguably the busiest airport in the U.S., Thompson is working as an air traffic controller, nearly finished with his shift. About eight hours earlier, he arrived in the tower, after working all morning at his “day job.” And he still has energy left to burn. “Usually, after work I go to the gym for a while,” he says.
It was almost 30 years ago when Thompson enrolled in the United States Marine Corps. At the time, he was a professional photographer, but opted for a change. “The $5,000 bonus helped convince me to sign up,” Thompson admits.
While he came close to choosing a path as a pilot, he decided instead to pursue a different type of career in aviation. Before he left for boot camp, he had never been on an airplane. Today, after stops in places like Tennessee, South Carolina and Louisiana, Thompson works six days a week at O’Hare Airport in Chicago.
“Sometimes it’s stressful, sure,” he says. “I used to love getting up and going to work. I got paid well. More recently, things have changed a bit and it’s more about procedures. But it’s still a good challenge.”
Thompson concedes he’s looking forward to retirement. He actually has a retirement countdown clock ticking on his computer. With his future in mind, he’s started to pour his heart into his promotional products business, Full Moon Rising Inc. (asi/199736). Along with two partners, who are also air traffic controllers, Thompson generates annual revenues of over $400,000.
“We started as basically a non-profit,” he says. “We would sell embroidered items at conventions for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA). People wanted jackets, shirts, belt buckles and key tags.”
While Thompson sold logoed products, he also made time to design the first-ever Web site for the NATCA. Plus, he served as an editor for the quarterly, 48-page union newsletter.
Thompson is also an avid musician. He plays the saxophone, trumpet and piano and recently bought an electric guitar. But he’s not a guitar expert just yet. “I’m trying to find time to learn it,” he says. Working through the office of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, Thompson also shoots photographs of the city’s annual Jazz Fest and Blues Fest. The photos are often used on brochures. “I work pro bono, in exchange for access to the shows,” he says.
And there’s more. Thompson enjoys riding motorcycles as well. He’s ridden cross-country to honor prisoners of war. Despite his growing interests, Thompson is committed to his company. He feels his business is doing well, despite the economic slump. “I take time to talk to people,” he explains. “We send ‘thank you’ cards to everyone who places an order. And we send Christmas cards out, too. I think it makes a difference.”
Thompson says he’s creating more profits by adding more customers and focusing on marketing USA-made apparel to clients. He uses social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook to promote his work. “Recently, the orders haven’t been as big, but we’re getting more of them and that’s helping,” he says. “If you don’t try new things, you’ll never know what works.”
Appointments & Promotions
Facilis Group has added Randy Conley to its U.S. sales team as director of business development.
Gildan has appointed Karla Schoenfeld to the newly created position of director of marketing.
HTT Headwear and Apparel (asi/58842) has hired Dan Pigott and Ron Remer. They will work as part of a new sales group in the New England territory.
Incentives West has announced the addition of Jodi Spangrud to its staff.
iPROMOTEu (asi/232119) has hired Troy Mingo as its business development specialist.
Jornik Manufacturing Corp. (asi/63549) has hired West Coast Branded Solutions to serve as its multi-line sales representative group in the following states: AK, AZ, CA, HI, NV, OR, UT and WA.
Leed’s (asi/66887) has added Jennifer Titus and Sam Hallstrom to its sales team.
Millennium Leather, LLC (asi/71235) has announced the hiring of Brisk Enterprises, Inc. to provide independent sales representation in the New York and Mid-Atlantic regions starting January 1.
Sweda Company LLC (asi/90305) has named Suzie Gunsauls as its vice president of sales, Lou Nicolaides to the position of director of marketing, and James Visperas as inside sales manager.
The Gold Coast Promotional Products Association has announced its 2009 officers and board of directors. The following are among those selected: Bill Lazarus, president; Robert Hechler, vice president; Joseph Miller, treasurer; Ofelia Minagorri, secretary.
The Promotional Products Association of the Midwest has chosen Tim Bayne as its first volunteer of the year.
The Promotional Products Association of the Midwest has named its 2009 board of directors. They are: Ted Fuehr, president; Cheryl Becker, vice president; Jacque McHugh, secretary; Tina VanHoogstraat, treasurer; Joe Keely, past president; Bill Wilder, director; George Smajda, director; John Short, director.
Tru Art Advertising Calendars (asi/92255) has named Tom Rempp to the position of director of marketing.
American Solutions for Business Hires New President
Counselor Top 40 distributor American Solutions for Business (asi/120075) has named Alan Grundei its new president of operations. Previously, Grundei had served as president and CEO of Healthland, which provides information systems to hospitals. “I am very excited to be joining American Solutions for Business,” says Grundei. “I intend to use my background and experience to ensure that the company continues to grow and prosper.”
Larry Zavadil, founder of ASB, will continue with the company as president of sales and chairman of the board of directors. Prior to Grundei’s hiring, Zavadil had served as president of operations at ASB since the company was founded. “I’ve know Alan for many years and I’m pleased to welcome him to the American family,” says Zavadil. “We’re fortunate to have someone with his background and knowledge and I look forward to working closely with him.”
Founded in 1981, Minnesota-based ASB employs more than 1,000 people, including 660 sales associates. The company generated revenues of $266 million in 2007, and was named a Counselor Best Place to Work earlier this year. “We are expecting 2008 to show growth and our planning for 2009 is underway,” says Grundei.
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