PPB June 2020

In Memoriam: John Bennis John Bennis, president of multi- line rep firm, Sequel, Inc., in Virginia Beach, Virginia, passed away on April 12. He was 71 years old. Few promotional products multi-line reps have a background as broad in scope and as rich in diversity as Bennis. By the time he founded his own rep firm in 1981, Bennis’s career was in full-throttle. After graduating from the University of Illinois, he was hired to teach scuba diving at the Playboy Club in Jamaica but was wooed away by his father’s best friend to become a premium rep. Over the next few years, he was a national sales manager for apparel lines Swingster and Modern Jacket. Before launching his rep firm, he opened a hat manufacturing business and later, a clothing firm that manufactured NASCAR apparel. The latter began his long sales relationship with the racing industry, where he learned the ins and outs of NASCAR sponsorships and product licensing. His interest in the track waned in 1992 when his son, Max, was born. He decided to call it quits with his NASCAR clients because he didn’t want to spend 20 weeks on the road and every weekend at the races. Bennis went back to his roots selling for Klouda-Lenz, the national sales division for what was then the clothing manufacturer Munsingwear. The company later became Premiumwear and eventually was acquired by River’s End Trading Company. Bennis also lectured at the University of Georgia business school in the areas of sports marketing and events, and he held two patents acquired in the 1980s for a handheld credit card transcriber used by Mary Kay, Tupperware and Avon. He was honored as a PPB Best Multi-Line Rep in 2016. “Our industry has lost an icon, someone who has mentored hundreds of people—distributors, suppliers and other multi line reps,” says friend and colleague Harvey Mackler, president of Gempire. “He was loved by so many in our industry. He leaves a void that cannot be filled.” Bennis is predeceased by his beloved son Max and is survived by his wife Gina and daughter Dana. A memorial service will be announced at a later date. a player, where he produced custom-shaped radios depicting NFL football helmets, top-shelf liquor bottles, Brut cologne bottles and Pepsi vending machines. The liquor industry soon became Siegel’s niche and some of his most prominent work included ceramic figurines, metal signs, Lucite bottle embedments and the ubiquitous metal restaurant table crumber. He was also responsible for creating and producing the trophy for the Clio Award, the highest honor for TV commercials. His design is still awarded today. Siegel was also one of the first to start the concept of company store catalogs and he produced them for mega brands including Pepsi and Met Life. His creativity, along with his out-of-the-box thinking, earned him prominent coverage in a 1974 issue of Counselor magazine. Although Siegel officially retired around age 75, he never stopped working in the business or sharing his advice. “Up until his death my dad would go on his iPad and connect to my business email every evening. Then, he would call me to discuss the day’s activities. My dad would give his opinion but mostly listen proudly to what we were accomplishing,” Steve remembers fondly. Today, the company continues to thrive on the foundation Siegel built with a focus on serving clients in the beverage industry. Although Siegel cherished his business, his family came first. He and his late wife, Joyce, who worked for many years in customer service at Industrial Contacts, were married for 65 years. They enjoyed traveling and spending time with their four grandchildren. Siegel was also an avid tennis player and golfer for many years. “Nothing brought him more joy than spending time with family and watching the successes and achievements of his kids and grandchildren,” says Steve. “He will be missed, not only by his family and friends, but by anyone who had the pleasure to meet him.” | JUNE 2020 | 87 CONNECT