PPAI • JUNE 2026 • 47 Suppliers | Must Read relationships at trade shows and events and gaining endless insights. “Understanding the decision-making process and why one idea versus another is successful gives me a clear perspective on the impact I can have on my customers,” Castillo says. “Volunteering allows me to add value that my customers and peers can benefit from.” Having served on the PPAI Leadership Advisory Council for several years, Watson emphasizes that as a PPAI 100 supplier, Vantage has an obligation to be a steward of the industry. “It’s our responsibility to give back to the industry, to be a part of the industry and to lend our voice in whatever capacity that is,” he says. Honoring The Past, Preparing For The Future Before the factory floor and showroom, I’m taken to the cafeteria where more than 90 headshots stare back at me. It’s the Vantage Anniversary Wall, where employees who have been with the company for at least 20 years are celebrated. This monument of recognition will be mentioned in every conversation I’ll have during my visit. “It’s a family business,” Neaman says. “People spend as much time here as they do with their own family. There are a lot of family trees in the organization.” Juba’s daughter took her first steps at the office and her first picture on the photocopier. Back in the day, if a colleague was getting married, you went to the wedding. If somebody had a baby, you went to the christening. “If an order needed to go out, everybody stayed,” Juba says. “It didn’t feel like work. It was fun. [Ira] isn’t my boss; he’s like my brother.” Those memories are bubbling as Vantage inches closer to its 50th anniversary in 2027. Watson envisions a year-long birthday party. He’s thinking of ways for the team to recognize where they’ve been and where they’re going, and there may be something at The PPAI Expo 2027 that allows customers to join in the celebration. Conversely, Neaman considers it “just another day in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” “It’s not that I’m not sentimental, but I’m not overt,” he says. “I’m along for whatever they want to do, but there’s no coronation at 50.” That’s because it already happened. Watson is the heir apparent, if he’s not already sitting on the throne. Neaman considers his own role, at this point, more as counsel. Watson is a natural fit, Neaman says, understanding the importance of what marketing is in today’s world and going forward. With his extensive background, Neaman adds, he also understands the relationships the business is based on. “Some people ask if he’s my son because we’re that close and he just gets it,” Neaman says. “If I was 25 years younger, Rob’s skillset is the one I would want. He’s someone who can carry the business for the next 25 years. We’re not selling tables and chairs anymore. We’re interior designers.” None of this is to suggest Neaman is retiring anytime soon. Sure, he’s at the stage of his life where he’s regarded as an industry pioneer and his legacy is being lauded – he received the 2024 NJBIZ ICON Award, which honors New Jersey business leaders for their notable success. But he still loves coming to work, and perhaps more importantly, Watson isn’t ready to lose his wise man. “Ira and I are in constant communication,” Watson says, “and we make most of the big decisions together. How amazing is it to work alongside the founder of the company who brings nearly five decades of ideas, experience and perspective into every conversation? We enjoy working side by side, and honestly, I can’t imagine it any other way.” For all they’ve built, Neaman and Watson remain students of the game, chasing the next lesson as much as the next win and continuing to push the industry forward. Corrigan is deputy editor at PPAI. “If an order needed to go out, everybody stayed. It didn’t feel like work. It was fun. [Ira] isn’t my boss; he’s like my brother.” – ROSE MARIE JUBA
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