PPB December 2018

SIGG water bottle, don’t bother.’ So, we learned more about it.” Clearmount currently uses digital printers—the same printers used for acrylic work—to custom print the SIGG water bottles with company logos or related designs. Plummer is heavily involved in Clearmount, with her hands in all areas of the marketing process. But ironically, it was not something she planned for. When Plummer started working for Clearmount “officially” at age 21, she intended to be there temporarily. But 10 years later, she remains dedicated to her family’s business. Recently, her twin sister Gillian followed suit, also joining the family biz. “I used to joke that I was the only family member that could ever work here, because I have the temperament of both my mom and dad,” Plummer says. “Now that’s a lie, because my twin sister is working here as well. She was only going to be here for six months, but she’s been here for about a year now. So, I think she’s going to go the route where it’s a temporary job that turns into full time, like me.” Nicola hasn’t entered the family business just yet. She’s currently working for Global Affairs Canada on its Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations, a pilot project to test a number of strategies to increase women’s meaningful participation in United Nations peace operations. “She is too busy taking over the world!” Plummer says. But the past year has presented a new set of challenges for Plummer and the Clearmount team, as Rosalind, Kate’s mother—a beloved volunteer at PPAI’s Women’s Leadership Conference and a board member for the Promotional Product Professionals of Canada—passed away unexpectedly in April 2017. “This year has been about finding our rhythm and footing again, and finding out what everyone’s new role is,” Plummer says. She says that working in the family business has not always been easy, but she’s enjoyed every bit of it. “I always loved working with my parents, because I really got to know them,” she says. Plummer explains that at Clearmount, there is an inherit trust amongst the family, and her parents have often encouraged her to experiment with new ideas. But like with all families, there were occasional bumps in the road. “I think my mom fired me a few times because I was being an obnoxious child instead of an employee,” Plummer jokes. “But my parents have always been very good about drawing the lines between work and home and respecting them.” The family bond that exists amongst the Plummers is something Clearmount provides to all of its employees. “We have very little turnover, both at the factory and at the office,” Plummer’s father says. “I think it’s because we treat our employees like family as well. We have some employees that have been with us for 30 years now.” Plummer has helped create awards for a range of noted clients, like NASCAR, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Prince Harry, President Barack Obama, Celine Dion and Queen Elizabeth II, along with various prime ministers, princes and princesses, and other royalty. Clearmount also designs point-of-purchase (POP) displays for retail, with some creations currently on display in Sephora stores. “Awards are an amazing product to sell and to know how to sell,” Plummer says. “[Awards] also add to employee culture, which a lot of people don’t think about. There are so many studies out there about how employee engagement goes up when there’s an awards program in place. It’s so expensive to replace an employee, so an awards programmakes the most sense. Our distributors recognize this, and want to get custom and creative, and show off their smarts—as well as our smarts.” Danielle Renda is associate editor of PPB. Pictured here is one of the infinite styles of awards available through Clearmount. Ka t e P l umme r 90 | DECEMBER 2018 | CONNECT