PPB February 2021

To bring the event into employees’ homes, JNI employee were sent at-home kits prior to the event, which included a jogger and tie-dye set, face mask, coffee drip kit, hat, t-shirt, necklace, rave stick, journal, mug, resistance bands and jump rope branded with the Nadel U <remote> logo. And to add a human touch component, Abergel, together with Craig Nadel, JNI’s president and CEO, and Craig Reese, JNI’s senior vice president and director, visited each JNI Award winner at their homes to hand-deliver the awards. “We wanted to make sure our people knew that we appreciate them,” says Abergel. “Our fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, and we had the best year in our company’s history had the pandemic not happened, and we were not going to let that affect it.” Outside of the Nadel U <remote>, Abergel is focusing on other ways to connect and engage JNI’s employees, with a new experience every month. This past October, the company hosted a pumpkin carving event led by a professional pumpkin-carver, and in November, JNI drew inspiration from Netflix’s Nailed It! —a bake-off competition featuring amateur bakers who compete against each other—and all JNI employees were sent cake mix and frosting to concoct their own creations. JNI also operates a boost program for salespeople to share what they’ve done and to recognize their work with monthly awards. “We’ve been working harder than ever to keep the culture alive. That’s what’s going to help us when we come out of this,” says Abergel. “Just because we’re not in the office, that doesn’t mean our culture has changed.” She adds, “The Maya Angelou quote, ‘ … People will never forget how you made them feel,’ I sent that out company-wide. Even if you can’t be there for yourself, be there for someone else, step up. We’re going to be there for each other, we’re going to share that positive energy and we’re going to rise out of this.” To head up these changes, Abergel was armed with her unrelenting confidence in and love for the promotional products industry, its ability to create and enhance experiences and its unique role in the marketing world. “We’re the unicorns spreading joy. I feel like that’s what the industry is,” she says. Abergel, who is originally fromMorocco, was drawn to the industry out of a desire for change and through simple curiosity. With a master’s degree in public administration, Abergel was working in health care for the city of Inglewood, California, when she decided she wanted a break—and one day while driving, there it was. “I drove by this building, and I saw it said, ‘direct response,’ and I thought it was an alarm company, and I was curious as to what they did.” That building was JNI’s office, and after applying for a position there, Abergel was brought on as a part-time employee in the finance department. “I had no idea what they did at Jack Nadel, but I loved the energy,” she says. Eager to learn, Abergel read all she could about the industry, starting with JNI’s archives dating back to 1953, when the family company was founded. After working in finance for about a year, she was asked to head the development of JNI’s online store, also one of the industry’s first online stores, working closely with JNI’s president and CEO, Craig Nadel, CAS, and consultants to do so. Fast forward to today and Abergel has served as JNI’s senior vice president of marketing for more than 18 years, and in her current position as chief strategy officer for nearly four years. “I’ve tried other things and I love being creative, I love merchandising and I love product,” says Abergel. “Beautifully designed product makes me happy.” Danielle Renda is associate editor of PPB. Abergel and her daughter, Sadie, enjoy traveling together. “We’ve been working harder than ever to keep the culture alive. That’swhat’s going tohelpuswhen we come out of this. Just because we’re not in the office, that doesn’t meanour culture has changed.” | FEBRUARY 2021 | 63 THINK