Distributor Champion Awards, Inc. (PPAI 103877) has been acquired by Toof American Digital Printing and is now Champion Promotion. Both companies are located in Memphis, Tennessee. The company was acquired from the estate of founder Mike Bowen and his immediate family for an undisclosed sum. Bowen passed away unexpectedly in early February.

Champion provides screen-printed and embroidered apparel, promotions and awards to schools, businesses and other organizations, and offers company store management and fulfillment services for several Memphis-based businesses. The company will continue to operate from its 50,000 square-foot facility on Winplace Drive, employing 50 people.

Founded in 1864, Toof American Digital Printing is reportedly the oldest and largest commercial printing company in the Mid-South. It offers sheetfed, web and digital printing services, direct mail services and warehouse fulfillment services to customers throughout the United States.

“We see this as a partnership opportunity increasing the broad range of services and products we currently offer to our traditional print customers, as well as offering our services to Champion Promotion’s customers,” says Stilly McFadden, president of Toof American Digital. “Mike’s tragic passing came at the very end of a deal we’ve been working on since last September. Mike and his wife Suzie did a great job taking the company more into brand promotion, and Toof’s customer base offers many opportunities to take it to the next level.”

Champion Promotion also announced the hiring of Lee R. Marshall as its new president and Steve Hergenrader as vice president of finance. Current employees and investors Brandon Conners and Jay Martin, Jr. were promoted to chief operations officer and executive vice president of brand promotion, respectively.