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ASI Announces Winners of Prestigious 2019 Counselor Awards

HALO CEO Marc Simon named Person of the Year; Headwind’s Tom Hung and Michael Hung named International Persons of the Year

TREVOSE, PA – July 11, 2019 – The Advertising Specialty Institute® (ASI), which serves a network of 23,500 suppliers, distributors and decorators in the $24.7 billion promotional products industry, today announced the winners of the 2019 Counselor® Awards, including HALO Branded Solutions CEO Marc Simon as Person of the Year and Tom Hung and Michael Hung of Hong Kong-based manufacturer Headwind Group as International Persons of the Year.

“HALO CEO Marc Simon is a true trailblazer who has made a significant impact on the promotional products industry,” Timothy M. Andrews, ASI president and chief executive officer, said at the black-tie Counselor Awards ceremony Wednesday night at Chicago’s Theater on the Lake. “He is a consummate deal-maker capable of looking into the future and knowing exactly what move his company should make to guarantee success. I’ve no doubt his influence will continue to increase in the years to come.”

Sterling, IL-based HALO Branded Solutions, with a reported $605 million in 2018 sales, is a global leader of promotional solutions. With additional offices in Bangladesh and Vietnam, Headwind’s largest product categories are drinkware, headwear, bags, folding chairs, blankets, plush toys, mobile phone accessories and several other categories.

The annual awards, nominated by industry peers and chosen by the editors of ASI’s award-winning Counselor magazine, recognize outstanding individuals and companies in the promotional products industry. Throughout 2019, Counselor is celebrating its 65th anniversary.

Click here for ASI Facebook livestreams of acceptance speeches from Wednesday’s ceremony during ASI Chicago, where Counselor also unveiled the Top 40 Distributor and Top 40 Supplier rankings – the largest companies in the industry based on 2018 revenue.

Among suppliers, alphabroder was number one, setting an industry record with $1.64 billion in sales, with SanMar and S&S Activewear rounding out the top three spots.

Among distributors, 4imprint was number one, with a record-setting $714.6 million in North American promotional products sales, with Staples and HALO Branded Solutions at numbers two and three.

The 2019 Counselor Award winners are:

  • Person of the Year: Marc Simon, CEO of HALO Branded Solutions (asi/356000)
  • International Persons of the Year: Tom Hung and Michael Hung, CEO and general manager of Headwind
  • Supplier Entrepreneur of the Year: Taylor Tadmor, president of Tekweld (asi/90807)
  • Distributor Entrepreneur of the Year: John Henry III, CEO of JH Specialty (asi/232445)
  • Distributor Family Business of the Year: McCabe Promotional Advertising Inc.(asi/264901)
  • Supplier Family Business of the Year: Stahls’ (asi/88984)
  • Technology Executive of the Year: Jon Norris, VP of operations at Starline (asi/89320)
  • Distributor Woman of Distinction: Anne McKeough, VP of sales at Staples Promotional Products (asi/120601)
  • Supplier Woman of Distinction: Lori Bauer, VP of national accounts at BIC Graphic (asi/40480)
  • Lifetime Achievement Award: Larry Zavadil, founder and CEO at American Solutions for Business (asi/120075)
  • Bess Cohn Humanitarian Award: Brandon Mackay, president of SnugZ USA (asi/88060)

For winner profiles, click here.

Each winner is profiled in the annual Counselor State of the Industry issue. Using data from the magazine’s annual SOI survey, Counselor provides coverage and analysis of what matters most to the promo market, including tariffs and tech threats to consolidation and compliance. New sections in the SOI issue include a five-page pullout spotlighting the most impactful charts in promo, along with exclusive data on search trends, a unique look at company perks and policies, plus forecasts for the next two decades of the industry.

About ASI
The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI®) serves a network of 23,500 suppliers, distributors and decorators in the $24.7 billion promotional products industry. ASI’s flagship product, the technology platform ESP®, manages the industry’s supply and marketing chain. ASI also produces award-winning digital and print content, live events and educational programs that enable companies in 55 countries to be more efficient, productive and profitable. ASI’s Counselor® magazine provides the most authoritative business content in the industry, and the ASI Education Certification Program features 200+ live and online education courses for industry professionals. The company, family owned and operated since 1962, is proud to have been consistently ranked among the “Best Places to Work” in Philadelphia and Bucks County, PA. For more info: www.uat-asicentral.com.