PPB January 2019

Robert Stoltz Joins PPAI As Distributor Major Account Manager Robert Stoltz joined PPAI as the Association’s distributor major account manager, effective October 15. Stoltz, formerly vice president of business development for supplier Gemline, is responsible for establishing and enhancing strategic relationships with the larger PPAI member distributors and their attendance at The PPAI Expo and Expo East. PPB met with Stoltz to discuss his outlook on his new role at the Association and how he plans to apply his extensive industry knowledge. PPB: What was your professional history prior to joining PPAI? Stoltz: I was with Newell Brands for more than 16 years in a variety of positions, across financial, marketing, sales and business development functions. I entered the promotional products industry while with Newell, where I was president of Sanford we are as green as possible in all areas,” says Sampson. “At Anagram, we sell our scrap plastic to companies that make plastic planters or melt it down to put into railroad ties. We are also very involved with groups working to clean up the oceans. We strive to be better and better.” Wadsworth also spoke on how recycling is applied in Logo Mats’ operations. “We have four factories in our town and we make the rubber that goes into the finished product of our mats. When we produce mats, we press either carpet or fabric to these rubber backings and at the end of that process, there’s some excess rubber. We use it in future rubber mats. About 20 percent of all of our products have that recycled material in it.” Frankie Gashler, marketing director at PromoMatting, shared why the company enjoys having distributors visit the factory. “I think a lot about understanding our product and who we are as a manufacturer is to understand how much we manufacture. We custom make each piece, so going through this process, [distributors] see all the machinery out there and know that things aren’t just pulled off a rack and pad printed, painted or flocked. To see that we make these from the fibers and that we lay the vinyl, to really see the whole process of this happening, really opens up distributors’ eyes that this is a true custom piece they are giving their clients.” Gashler also spoke on why they pulled back from automating some processes. “Take our flocking. We thought we could automate that but when we looked at it, the clarity wasn’t there, the personal touch wasn’t there. It didn’t look like one of our pieces. So, we decided to stay with our handcrafted portions and keep making them like we have for years.” Brazil also met with Miles Wadsworth, president of Logo Mats, to learn more about the supplier’s LaGrange, Georgia, operations. PPAI’s Business Development Account Manager Connie Brazil also visited PromoMatting in Cartersville, Georgia, where Marketing Director Frankie Gashler (right) shared the company’s approach on when and when not to use automation, and other perspectives. 108 | JANUARY 2019 | CONNECT