People News

DISTRIBUTORS
Louis Bull Promotional Products (UPIC: BULLPROM)—Robert and Sharon Venable retired

Made To Order (UPIC: mto)—Tad Webster, CAS, vice president and senior sales partner

Motivators Promotional Products (UPIC: MOTIV8R)—Annette Johnson, human resources manager

SUPPLIERS
BCH Unique (UPIC: BCHUNIC)—Gary Rosenberg, national account manager

Bella—Tanner Elza, technical package developer

Chocolate Inn (UPIC: chocinn)—Nicole Interligi, sales coordinator

Gill Studios Inc. (UPIC: gill)—Kevin Burden, marketing

Hub Pen Company (UPIC: HUBPEN)—Ed Osterman and Ed Timmerman of Osterman Sales Associates will represent the company in the Pacific Northwest. Osterman covers Alaska, Oregon and Washington, while Timmerman’s territory includes Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Natural Trends (UPIC: NTRENDS)—Bill McDonald and Gary McMillan of Marketing Group will represent the supplier in the Southeastern U.S. region, including Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, West Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Puerto Rico

Norwood (UPIC: NORWOOD) and BIC Graphic North America (UPIC: BIC)—Lori Bauer, trade marketing director; Carol Fischer and Alicia Swift, assistant trade marketing managers for calendars and paper products; Daniel Gale, assistant trade marketing manager for writing instruments; Mahlon Hayes, assistant trade marketing manager for drinkware, health and office products; Laura High, senior trade marketing manager for writing instruments; Jacqueline Hollis, assistant trade marketing manager for bags, meeting and outdoor products; Christina Jackson, trade marketing manager for writing instruments; Liz Karow, trade marketing manager for calendars and paper products; Erica Lombardo, tradeshow coordinator; Lisa Natisin, trade marketing services manager; Kim Shawa, senior trade marketing manager for other hard goods; Janet Thompson, trade marketing manager for drinkware, health and office products; Sara Yanchuck, trade marketing manager for bags, meeting and outdoor products

RoadPro (UPIC: RoadPro)—Derek Morrison, sales representative; Lisa Zimmerman, customer service representative

SanMar (UPIC: SNMR)—Olivia Thurmond, senior human resources manager

Starline (UPIC: STAR0009)—Kim Reinecker, CAS, regional sales manager for the Southwest region

Superex (UPIC: SUPEREX)—Claude Coté, Serge Coté and Francois Courion, multi-line representatives

Visions/Awardcraft (UPIC: AWRDCRFT)—Rick Carlson, regional sales manager for the Midwest states, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Kentucky and Nebraska; Les Dorman, CAS, promoted to vice president of sales

Vitronic Promotional Group (UPIC: ACHIEVER)—Andrew Landrum and Debbie Pruett, regional sales managers

IN MEMORIAM
Helen H. (Toni) Bagley
Helen H. (Toni) Bagley passed away on September 4. She was the widow of Dan S. Bagley, Jr., and together the two founded Lakeland, Florida, distributor Bagley Advertising (UPIC: BAGLEYAD) in 1952, now known as Bagley Idea Pros.

Survivors include daughter, Linda Bagley Wiggs, and son, Dan S. Bagley III. A memorial service was held September 23. Condolences may be sent to the family at Bagley Idea Pros, 4404 South Florida Avenue, #2, Lakeland, Florida 33813.

R. Neal Hall
R. Neal Hall, the founder and first president of the Puerto Rico Advertising Specialty Association (PRASA), now the Caribbean Advertising Specialty Association, passed away on August 18. Born in 1936, Hall was instrumental in organizing the regional association with other distributors in Puerto Rico in the late 1980s. He founded his own promotional products distributorship, Hall Puerto Rico, Inc., in 1967 with his brother, David. Hall later retired, sold his company and moved to Las Vegas.

Hall met his wife, Virgin, in Puerto Rico, and she, their two daughters and three grandchildren survive him. Services for Hall were held in Las Vegas on August 26. Expressions of condolences may be sent to Mrs. Virgin Hall, 2701 Renwick Circle, Las Vegas, Nevada 89117.

Richard A. Schmidt
Richard A. Schmidt, founder and owner of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, distributor National Premium Inc. (UPIC: NATIONAL), passed away September 15 at age 76.

Following two years in the Navy, he began his sales career for the Weinberg Shoe Company then at Schlage Lock Company before starting his own business, National Premium & Merchandising, Inc., in 1967. Under his leadership, National Premium, with sales offices in Chicago, Minneapolis, Jacksonville, Hong Kong and The Netherlands, has grown to the top of the promotional products and services industry.

Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Kay; sons, Stephen and Scott; daughters, Susan Allen and Mary Phillips; grandchildren Jordan, Sydney and Hailey Allen; Jared McConathy; Hannah and Nathan Schmidt; Tyler Coss; and Monroe and Irene Phillips; sister, Arlene Elsner; and brother, Robert Schmidt.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, 1126 S. 70th Street, Suite S210A, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53214; or Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Foundation, Crohn’s Research, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201.

William W. “Bill” Schwartz
William W. “Bill” Schwartz, 90, of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, died unexpectedly September 19. While a senior in high school, he formed a company, Badger Sound Service.

Soon, the business expanded into several states. Thus began his long career in promotional advertising.

In 1952, Bill and his wife, Dorothy, settled in Sheboygan and formed William W. Schwartz Associates. In 1975, their son, Jeff, joined his father in the family business and it continues on today, expanding into fulfillment and distribution of radio and television personality online stores.

Bill’s accomplishments include induction into the PPAI Hall of Fame in 2005. He was also instrumental in merging the Guild and Advertising Specialty National Association in the 1960s.

In addition to his loving wife, Dorothy, he is survived by his son, Jeff (Wendy) Schwartz of Milwaukee; his daughter, Sandi (Duke) Long of West Bend; grandchildren, Emily (Kevin) Klug of Grafton, David Schwartz of Milwaukee, Sam Long, Ben Long and Emma Long, all of West Bend; two sisters, Virginia Graff of Madison and Susan (Tony) Blinstrub of Pulaski.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in his name for Congregation Beth El, 1007 North Avenue, Sheboygan, Wisconsin 53083, Congregation B’nai Zion, 750 United Street, Key West, Florida 33040, and Tripoli Shrine, 3000 West Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53208. E-mail condolences or visit www.ballhornchapels.com to sign the register book and light a candle.

John Vento
John Vento, one of the earliest Proforma owners, passed away in September. Vento joined Proforma in October 1988. For more than 20 years he played an active role in the company as a member of Proforma’s first Million Dollar Club and the first member of Proforma’s Multi-Million Dollar Club. He served as a pioneer for the Proforma Owner Advisory Council (OAC).

Vento turned to Proforma after serving as a senior executive at the Burroughs Corp. for 30 years.

Vento is survived by his wife, Angela, and sons, Joseph, Paul and John (Dr. “Jay”), as well as six loving grandchildren, John III, Gianna, Nicole, Peter, Danielle and Brandon.