PPB September 2018

Rising Stars | FEATURE JoshuaWhite, 36 General Counsel and SVP Strategic Partnerships BAMKO J oshua White was working as an attorney in private practice and counted Los Angeles-based BAMKO among his clients when President Phil Koosed recruited him to join the company in 2013. Today, he spearheads the distributor’s strategic growth and brand strategy initiatives focused on the singular goal of turning BAMKO into the best distributor in the industry. White knows what’s required to achieve big goals—seven years ago he was 100 pounds heavier than he is today and he set his mind on making a dramatic change. “By focusing on what was simple but hard to do, I was eventually able to overcome my own self- imposed limitations and transformmy body and my life. That experience completely changed my perspective on the ability that I have to shape my own destiny,” he says. His nominator, Stephanie Bass, BAMKO’s senior manager, global human resources, says, “What impresses me most about Josh is a relentlessly positive attitude that places any goal within his grasp.” White leads BAMKO’s mergers and acquisitions efforts, and in a brief two-year window the distributor has made major headlines. In 2016, it was acquired by the publicly traded supplier and uniform manufacturer Superior Uniform Group in a $15.8 million cash deal. A year later BAMKO capitalized on its backing by Superior to complete two acquisitions of its own: Los Angeles-based Public Identity and Chicago- based Tangerine Promotions. “BAMKO continues to set out new challenges for Josh, and he continues to conquer them, no matter how audacious,” adds Bass. “The common theme to all of those successes has been hard work, persistence and an irrepressibly positive attitude that embraces all challenges that come his way.” Best Advice Do not try to substitute complexity for hard work. Most things worth having are actually pretty simple, but they require hard work. The combination of positivity, persistence, focus, and effort applied over a long enough period of time are almost always enough to accomplish anything you set your sights on. TheNext 24Months BAMKO is going to become the best distributor in the promotional products industry. I intend to play a significant role in helping make that happen. We are building the industry’s best company by attracting the best talent, developing the best suite of core competencies, and working tirelessly to cultivate an environment where individuals can grow into the very best versions of themselves. ChangeHe’d Like To See I would like to see a paradigm shift in how our industry thinks about what we do. Our industry’s myopic product-specific focus fails to adequately convey the value we can bring to our customers. We should see ourselves as brand builders, unlocking the power in brands. Promotional products are the means by which we build brands, foster connection and inspire action. Promotional products are a tool, the means by which we accomplish those ends. I’d like to see the industry shift its perspective in that direction. | SEPTEMBER 2018 | 51