(Editor’s Note: PromoWire by PPAI Media is a running digest of updates from organizations around the promotional products industry. PPAI Media will consider newsworthy entries submitted by any member organization.)

September 18

Ennis Reports Q2 Revenues Down By Four Percent

Ennis (PPAI 109056, D4) reports financial results for the second quarter ended August 31, 2023. Highlights include:

  • Revenues were $106.8 million for the quarter compared to $111.2 million for the same quarter last year, a decrease of $4.4 million or 4%.
  • Earnings per diluted share for the current quarter were $0.42 compared to $0.47 for the comparative quarter last year.
  • The company’s gross profit margin for the quarter was 31% compared to 31.7% for the comparative quarter last year.

“Our results for the quarter were within our expectations,” says Keith Walters, chairman, CEO and president. “Our recent acquisitions added approximately $6.5 million in revenues and $0.02 in diluted earnings per share for the quarter and $10.6 million in revenues and $0.06 in diluted earnings per share for the six-month period. These increases were offset by sales volume decline as some of our print partners have experienced slowness in their sales and reduced their outsourced work to us. We will continue to explore acquisitions that make sense and hunt for new sales in new markets and new channels. As part of our regular course of business we continue to monitor incoming order volumes so that we can proactively adjust our costs accordingly and maintain our profitability.”

Aprons, Etc. Brings On New VP Of Sales

Aprons, Etc. (PPAI 110868, S5) ) has added Richelle Merckle to its team as vice president of sales, effective July 24.

  • Merckle brings an impressive 15-year track record in manufacturing sales.
  • She will head up the supplier’s sales division as the company heads into the highly anticipated fourth quarter sales period.

“Richelle’s arrival is a pivotal moment for Aprons, Etc.,” says CEO Jeffrey Hoffman. “Her wealth of knowledge and leadership skills will play a crucial role in shaping the future of our company.”

Merckle says, “Just as excited to start on this journey with the remarkable team at Aprons, Etc., I truly can’t wait to start building relationships with our esteemed distributors. I’ve always had a laid-back sales approach, and my ultimate goal is to be the kind of person our customers trust wholeheartedly.”

September 15

commonsku Wraps skucamp 2023 In Austin

Last week commonsku (PPAI 552077, A1) completed its sixth annual skucamp conference; the two-day business planning boot camp took place September 10-13 in Austin, Texas.

  • Among the featured speakers was New York Times best-selling author and “teamwork doctor” Liane Davey who shared insight on ”The Good Fight: Build a Productive Conflict Culture.” commonsku CEO Catherine Graham also led a fireside chat on topics related to technology, supply chain and sourcing with Neil Ringel, CEO, Polyconcept; CJ Schmidt, president and CEO, Hit Promotional Products and Dan Pantano, president and CEO at alphabroder.
  • Over the course of the conference, more than a dozen business owners and industry leaders led presentations and participated in panel discussions sharing their expertise on topics ranging from business growth and sales to entrepreneurship, leadership and innovation. The conference concluded with Tom Rauen, CEO at 1-800-Tshirts, who gave an awe-inspiring talk titled, “In Pursuit of What’s Possible,” on what he learned while running the prestigious UTMB, a 100-mile endurance race.

“This year’s event reached such a high bar from a learning perspective, and that’s not just our reflection, this was echoed by many OG skucampers,” says Mark Graham, commonsku president and chief brand officer. “We were thrilled to bring some of the most ambitious people together in a way that was not only encouraging and inspirational, but that also challenged each of us to get out of our comfort zones and find a new level of boldness.”
This year’s skucamp was sponsored by PCNA, alphabroder, Raining Rose Promos, Numo, Chameleon Like, T-Tycoon Solutions, Knoss, Hit Promotional Products, Ruckus and PPAI.

Hareid Marketing/R J Filut & Associates Welcomes Kristi Lewis

Hareid Marketing (PPAI 599168, R) /RJ Filut & Associates has hired Kristi Lewis as its inside sales manager.

  • Lewis grew up in the industry; her father was a screen printer. She started her career in 1996 at LA Loving, which later became Trimark. Later she joined River’s End, where she was territory sales manager of the Midwest.
  • In 2014, she moved to PCNA as apparel field sales manager covering the Midwest. While there she won the Apparel Rookie of the Year and Apparel Salesperson of the Year awards.

Lewis says, “I am so excited to be back in the industry. I have known Scott for over 20 years, and when he approached me about the role, I jumped at the opportunity. Scott and his team are growing and have some great things coming up, I’m excited to be part of that as well.”

Scott Hareid, CEO/president of Hareid Marketing, and Brett Filut, president of RJ Filut & Associates, say they are excited about having Lewis on their team. “I have known her for years, and we are thrilled to bring Kristi on board,” Hareid says. “Her industry knowledge and experience make her a great fit for us.”