(Editor’s Note: PromoWire by PPAI Media is a running digest of news releases and updates submitted from organizations around the industry. PPAI Media edits these only slightly, including for length, and will consider newsworthy entries from any member organization.)

June 30, 2022

Facilisgroup Hosts Its Biggest Event Since 2018 At Its Partner Summit And Supplier Showcase
The star-studded guest list enjoyed branded moments in an all-encompassing event experience

Facilisgroup, a leading software-as-a-service company and partnering community within the promotional products industry, hosted more than 700 attendees at its largest event since the pandemic. Hosted at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, Florida on June 14-16, 2022, the Partner Summit and Supplier Showcase welcomed over 130 distributors and 60 suppliers to the multifaceted festivities.

“Our community was hungry for an amazing, immersive time together,” said Facilisgroup President Ashley McCune. “We’ve made the best of virtual events and webinars, but our community knows there’s no substitution for building relationships in-person while learning from each other and having a great time.”

Guests enjoyed sessions geared towards their professional development, Facilisgroup product updates, and overall industry knowledge and motivation. In total, there were 28 sessions, ranging from training to panels, given by members of the Facilisgroup community and other industry leaders.

Some of the speakers and topics included:

  • ASI President and CEO Tim Andrews presented on the current and future state of the industry.
  • alphabroder President and CEO Dan Pantano provided an in-depth supplier perspective on the state of the industry.
  • HPG CEO Chris Anderson discussed the supply chain.
  • Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer David Clifton with alphabroder examined the client experience and emerging trends.
  • SanMar Senior Manager of Sustainability, Emily Gigot, presented on the importance of an ESG strategy
  • Acclaimed author and TEDx speaker Stan Phelps discussed the best ways to empower employees.
  • Facilisgroup Senior Vice President of Technology Liam Conlan and Vice President of Product Amy Rabideau reviewed the company’s latest and upcoming tech innovations during the Tech Reveal session.

In addition to the sessions, the Supplier Showcase tradeshow floor was filled with 62 of Facilisgroup’s Preferred Suppliers. Besides top products from suppliers, attendees experienced promotional products in several new ways. The Rock the Block Fashion Show featured apparel and accessories modeled by Facilisgroup staff, as well as members of Facilisgroup’s reigning Distributor Partner of the Year, SCG & Associates. A live cooking demonstrated from HPG Brands brought kitchen products to life, including a delicious, branded recipe.

“The whole week was excellent,” said Todd Deacon, General Manager of Action Athletic Wear. “Facilisgroup does a great job of bringing its members together and making us feel like one team – with such attention to detail. Wow!”

Attendees still found time to give back and leave the city better than they found it. Through a partnership with United Way, the latest Facilis Cares event made blankets for local organizations: Harbor House, Vitas Healthcare, Seniors First and the Osceola Council on Aging.

A Facilisgroup event would not be complete without unique, memorable social activities. A Block Party was held on the hotel’s 1,500-acre property, complete with live music, an ice cream truck, branded games and caricature artists. At a separate Sea World event, Facilisgroup reserved the new Ice Breaker™ roller coaster and a private party area for a one-of-a-kind experience for all in attendance.

Proforma Reaches 6,000 eCommerce Store Milestone
The Proforma Network continues its legacy of rapid, innovative expansion with its latest feat in the eCommerce sphere

Proforma, the $500 million technology and business success leader, recently celebrated the launch of its 6,000th eCommerce store, made possible by the company’s built-in-house, user-friendly, and customizable eCommerce solution – ProStores.

“Our team is just scratching the surface of what we believe is possible,” explained Proforma Director of eCommerce, Brian Roney. “Milestones such as this are a testament to the strength of our technology and people.”

Proforma’s eCommerce footprint has increased by a whopping 300% in the span of just six months. This exponential growth can be attributed to the dedicated in-house development team and their work to ensure an easy set-up and management process. The company is confident that their team’s hard work will allow the Proforma Network to sustain momentum and, in the near future, celebrate its goal of 10,000 ProStores built.

“We’ve seen a spike in ProStores development that can be directly attributed to our eCommerce certification program,” explained Proforma Chief Strategy Officer, Stan Maxwell. “These classes offer our Owners and their teams a chance to become ProStores Certified Consultants and exemplify how, with our streamlined process and guidance from our Support Center Team, they can utilize this valuable tool made specifically with them in mind.”