PPB January 2019

in-house helps us to better inform and better arm our distributor partners with content they need.” During their time in the greater Seattle area, Tucker and Massey paid a visit to Greater China, where they met with Brett Cutler, the supplier’s vice president of sales, and Mark St. Peter, its marketing manager. Later, they visited with Cindy Crank and John Lindgren at SanMar, who gave them a tour of the supplier’s facility. Speaking on the company’s customer service philosophy, Lindgren says, “Be nice. I don’t think I could put it any more simply than that. In everything we do, we know it’s a customer service element in how we pack the box, how we take an order and even how we manufacture our clothes.” The conversation with Lindgren and Crank also touched on the company’s manufacturing efforts and its impact on the communities in which the facilities are located. Lindgren says, “Manufacturing has become one of our biggest strengths. We’re now in three different countries in Africa—a new continent altogether for us— and manufacturing is changing people’s lives. We’re also very actively involved in charities and other groups in the communities around these factories.” In Minnesota, Tucker and Business Development Account Manager Brandon Dunaway met with suppliers Anagram in Eden Prairie, Best Way Promotions in Houston and Apogree Commeratives in Crystal. Later, she and Business Development Account Manager Connie Brazil traveled to Georgia to connect with Logo Mats in LaGrange and PromoMatting in Cartersville. The conversations with these industry members covered a wide range of subjects, from new products and services, to this month’s PPAI Expo to the suppliers’ facilities. Cathy Sampson, sales manager at Anagram, and Miles Wadsworth, president of Logo Mats, both touched on green initiatives during the visits. “Our parent company, Party City Holdings, has a big initiative to make sure Dunaway met with John Zieska (left), president of Apogee Commemoratives during a visit to the supplier’s Crystal, Minnesota, facility. Tucker and PPAI Business Development Account Manager Brandon Dunaway (second from right) visited the Houston, Minnesota, offices of Best Way, where they met with CEO Mitchell Bublitz and Rebecca Bunke. SanMar’s John Lindgren, marketing manager, (center left) and Cindy Crank (second from right), supervisor, visited with Tucker and Massey at the company’s Issaquah headquarters. As part of the Greater Seattle-area tour, Massey met with Greater China’s Brett Cutler, vice president of sales (left), and Mark St. Peter, its marketing manager. At iClick, PPAI Director of Business Development Ellen Tucker (left) and Massey met with Mariah Wakeling, senior creative director (right), and Rob Alley, director of marketing, to learn more about the Seattle-based supplier. | JANUARY 2019 | 107 CONNECT