SAAGNY RECOGNIZES INDUSTRY LEADERS AT ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARTY

December 12, 2019…Woodcliff Lake, NJ – The Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York (SAAGNY) announced the winners of the association’s annual awards during its Holiday Party, held this past evening at the Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle, NY.  Supplier, Distributor, John J. Pagano Multiline Representative, Customer Service Representative, Humanitarian of the Year, and more were among the awards presented.  The Rising Star Award and the Diamond Award Winners were also announced. 

The SAAGNY Board of Directors established these awards to recognize those companies and individuals that best represent the ideals of the promotional advertising industry.  The winners of these awards were all nominated and voted on by the association’s members in balloting conducted in September and October.  A selection committee determined the winners of the SAAGNY Rising Star Award, SAAGNY Past Presidents’ Continuing Education Award, and the SAAGNY Diamond Awards.  The winners were:

Company Awards

Supplier of the Year (less than $40 million In Sales)                                          Peerless Umbrella                                               

Supplier of the Year (more than $40 million In Sales)                                        Hit Promotional Products

Distributor of the Year (less than $1 million In Sales)                                       All Types Advertising

Distributor of the Year (more than $1 million In Sales)                                    Barker Specialty

Supplier Technology Award                                                               Tekweld

Distributor Technology Award                                                           Stackable Sensations

Decorator of the Year                                                                         Insane Apparel

Individual Awards

John J. Pagano Multiline Rep. of the Year                      Josh Brooks, Brooks & Brooks

Customer Service Rep of the Year                                                  Will Flores, Tekweld

Supplier Representative of the Year                                          Mike Newman, Starline

Humanitarian of the Year                                Gail Deutchman, Distinctive Promotions

Rising Star Award                                                                 Alex Bowen, Barker Specialty

Past Presidents’ Continuing Education Award                  Patricia Dugan, BudgetCard

Diamond Awards

Diamond Award – Goodwill/Non-Profit/Fundraising                   Joyce Ponton, HALO

Diamond Award - Business to Business Programs                                Clearly Branded

Diamond Award – Sales Incentive Programs                                          Clearly Branded

Diamond Award – Internal Self Promotion/Employee Incentive Program   Stackable Sensations

Diamond Award - Distributor Self Promotion                                       Clearly Branded

Members were asked to vote for the Supplier of the Year Award (Sales less than $40 million and more than $40 million) based on the following criteria:

• ·       Provides innovative products and services
• ·       Provides superior customer service
• ·       Is reliable and dependable
• ·       Works diligently, patiently, and equitably to resolve problems
• ·       Is progressive in helping to elevate the industry and its members
• ·       Clearly communicates through their catalog, website, and other media resources
• ·       Is an honorable partner with whom to do business

Members were asked to vote for the Distributor of the Year Award (Sales less than $1,000,000 and more than $1,000,000) based on the following criteria:

• ·       Is progressive in helping to elevate the industry and its members
• ·       Allocated time for factory or in-house presentations by factory/multi-line representatives  
• ·       Increased their business with supplier companies
• ·       Consistently remits payment within their approved credit terms
• ·       Works respectfully and diligently to resolve problems
• ·       Places clear comprehensive orders

Members were asked to vote for the John J. Pagano Multiline Representative of the Year Award based on the following criteria:

• ·       Sets an example of integrity and professionalism for their companies and the industry
• ·       Provides outstanding customer service and reliability to distributor companies
• ·       Recommends creative and effective ideas for distributors' campaigns
• ·       Enthusiastically supports the industry and its members

Members were asked to vote for the SAAGNY Contract Decorator of the Year Award based on the following criteria:

• ·        Consistently provides decorating solutions, new techniques, and quality to customers’ jobs
• ·       Enthusiastically supports the industry and its members
• ·       Is an example of integrity and professionalism for their company and the industry
• ·       Provides outstanding service and reliability to distributor companies

Members were asked to vote for the Customer Service Representative of the Year Award based on the following criteria:

• ·       Consistently provides friendly, professional, and dependable service
• ·       Is an example of integrity and professionalism for their company and the industry
• ·       Works patiently, diligently and respectfully to resolve problems
• ·       Exhibits a thorough working knowledge they apply to all situations
  

Members were asked to vote for the Supplier Representative of the Year Award based on the following criteria:

• ·       Sets an example of integrity and professionalism for their company and the industry
• ·       Provides outstanding service and reliability to distributor customers
• ·       Recommends creative and effective ideas for distributors' campaigns
• ·       Diligently tries to resolve any problems
• ·       Tirelessly elevates the industry and its members through professionalism and enthusiasm
• ·       Is friendly, courteous, professional, reachable, and patient

Members were asked to vote for the Humanitarian of the Year Award based on the following criteria:

• ·       Enhances the image or operations of a charitable entity through their actions and deeds
• ·       Tirelessly volunteers his/her time to charitable endeavors within or outside the industry
• ·       Exemplifies integrity and professionalism for their company and the industry
• ·       Generously donates time, money and/or other resources to charitable endeavors

Members were asked to vote for the Supplier and Distributor Technology Award winners based on the following criteria:

• ·       Social media use - frequency, consistency of messaging, interaction with the message
• ·       Website design, style, and functionality featuring seamless integration of corporate info, search engine, general information, company contact information, blogs
• ·       Mobile marketing tools - accessibility of company and product info via QR codes, smart phone apps, mobile versions of website

The selection committee reviewed the nominees for the SAAGNY Rising Star Award and SAAGNY Past Presidents’ Continuing Education Award and selected a winner from the pool of nominees. SAAGNY Diamond Award Winners were also reviewed by a panel of judges and winners selected.

As Donna Jean, our Executive Director likes to say, "It is a wedding on a Wednesday” remarked Paul Sprunk, SAAGNY President.  “This wonderful evening includes great food, drinks, old friends, and meaningful conversations.  A recent survey found 60% dread attending their office/industry holiday party.   Not true for our Holiday Party- all our attendees will all be back next year!  I hope more members take advantage of this great holiday tradition.” 

About SAAGNY:  The Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York (SAAGNY) represents the distributors, suppliers and decorators of imprinted promotional products in New York and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut.  The association is primarily engaged in promoting business relationships between and among industry practitioners, providing continuing education to industry practitioners and monitoring legislative activities in the three state capitals and in Washington, DC.