ASB Appoints Justin Zavadil to CEO and President;

Larry Zavadil to Continue as Founder and Chairman of the Board



Glenwood, MN - ASB recently announced the promotion of Justin Zavadil to Chief Executive Officer and President. Founder Larry Zavadil will transition from his role as CEO to Founder and Chairman of the Board.

After 45 years leading ASB, Larry is passing the role of CEO to the next generation of leadership following extensive succession planning with ASB’s Board of Directors. Larry founded American Solutions for Business in 1981 and has grown the company into one of the largest employee-owned distributors of promotional products and print in the industry. While stepping away from day-to-day executive responsibilities, he will remain focused on fostering the company’s culture and people. Larry will also continue serving as President of Canadian Solutions for Business, overseeing the strategic vision and execution to support the company’s continued growth.

Justin has been a leader within ASB for 18 years and has served as President for more than nine years. Throughout his tenure, he has helped drive the company's evolution while strengthening its people-first culture, expanding strategic initiatives, and positioning ASB for long-term success. As CEO and President, Justin will continue leading the organization with a focus on innovation, customer relationships, associate success, and the values that have been the foundation of ASB since 1981.

“I’m so proud of Justin’s transition to CEO and President of ASB,” expressed Larry Zavadil, Founder of ASB. “It’s been our vision for quite some time, and over the past year specifically, Justin and I have worked closely with the Board of Directors to ensure a seamless leadership transition. As I step into my role as Founder and Chairman of the Board, I look forward to continuing to add value to the American family while supporting Justin and our leadership team. I’m excited to continue working alongside Justin to preserve the culture that has made ASB so special while helping it evolve for the future."

"My dad has built and nurtured an incredible culture,” shared Justin, CEO and President of ASB. “We listen to our customers, treat everyone with kindness and always “do the right thing for the right reason.” I could not have had a better mentor and role model.

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue to drive our culture forward. As long as I am here, that direction will not change. We will always do what’s in the best interest of our stakeholders and what’s needed to be the last company standing.”

This transition reflects ASB's ongoing commitment to thoughtful leadership, long-term stability, and its enduring mission of putting people first. Together, Larry and Justin will continue working alongside the Board of Directors and ASB's employee owners to build on the company's strong foundation while positioning it for continued growth for generations to come.

PCNA Appoints Josh Militello as CEO

New Kensington, PA - PCNA recently appointed Josh Militello to the role of CEO, following a comprehensive search.

Militello will succeed Neil Ringel, who is retiring after more than seven years leading the company and who will remain actively involved as an adviser and member of the Board of Directors.

Militello joins PCNA following a career leading consumer products, branded goods and go-to-market organizations. Most recently, he served as president of Dometic Mobile Cooling, where he led the Dometic, Igloo and Cool Gear brands. Prior to Dometic, he served as senior vice president of Igloo Products and held senior leadership roles with Masco Cabinetry, Bang & Olufsen America, HoMedics, Coleman and Lava World International.

“What drew me to PCNA was the quality of the business Neil and the team have built – the brands, the relationships and the people,” said Militello. “I’ve spent my career in businesses where staying close to the customer is what drives growth, and that’s exactly how I intend to approach this role. I’m looking forward to getting to work with this team and continuing to build something our customers and partners can count on.”

Ringel expressed his gratitude for the chance to head up PCNA for seven years. “Leading PCNA has been the privilege of my professional career,” he said. “I am incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished together and grateful for the dedication, resilience and passion of our employees.” He added that Militello is “an exceptional leader,” and that he’s confident in his ability to lead PCNA into the future.

“Neil and the team have built a great business at PCNA – an industry leader with marquee brands, loyal distributor relationships and a commitment to operational excellence,” said Jesse Ge, managing director at Charlesbank Capital Partners, a private investment firm that has invested in PCNA. Ge also praised Militello for his work as “a customer-centric leader” with a “track record of growth.” “We look forward to supporting Josh and the PCNA team as they continue to grow and innovate in their industry,” he added.

Geiger Expands International Footprint With 2 New German Acquisitions

Lewiston, ME - Geiger recently announced that it has acquired GF Werbemittel and Pro-promotion, two Germany-based firms that Geiger says further expand its presence in the German market.

“It was especially important to me to know that my team and loyal customers would be in good hands,” said Doris Fischer, managing partner of GF Werbemittel. “Our discussions were characterized by mutual trust from the very beginning.” Fischer added that Geiger’s services will allow her team to serve our customers “even better in the years ahead.”

These two deals add to the Lewiston, ME-headquartered distributor’s growing investment in the European market and particularly in Germany. Earlier this year, the firm’s Germany subsidiary, Geiger GmbH, inked a deal to purchase S&P Werbeartikel and UP Werbemittel. To date, the firm has made 14 international acquisitions. And in April, the company announced plans to expand into Austria with the acquisition of Vienna, Austria-based distributorship Nowak Werbeartikel.

The additions of GF Werbemittel and Pro-promotion reflect the company’s continued investment in serving customers with strong local expertise backed by global resources, explained Chris McKee, executive vice president and chief revenue officer at Geiger.

“Businesses today need partners who can support them consistently across markets while still delivering the local relationships they value,” he said. “Both companies have earned the trust of their customers over many years, and we’re committed to building on that foundation while providing access to the broader capabilities Geiger offers around the world.”

What Happens When AI Exposes Pricing Secrets Of The Branded Merch Industry

John Corrigan • Deputy Editor • PPAI Media

Although AI has made supplier pricing codes easier to uncover, distributors argue that the real differentiator has never been the price sheet.

It started with a simple Google search.

Out of curiosity, a distributor typed the letter codes from a supplier’s catalog into a search engine. In the branded merchandise industry, those letters have long served as shorthand for distributor pricing – information not intended for end buyers.

But this time, artificial intelligence delivered the answer instantly.

Suddenly, the codes were no longer a mystery. AI could explain exactly what they meant and what distributors might be paying suppliers. In theory, that meant a curious client could also uncover how products are priced, and how much margin a distributor might earn on an order.

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