Feb 1, 2021

BAMKO acquires Gifts By Design

BAMKO,  the promotional product and branded merchandise arm of Superior Group of Companies, Inc. announced that it has acquired substantially all of the assets of Gifts By Design, Inc. of Seattle, Washington. The transaction closed effective as of February 1, 2021. Gifts By Design is a promotional products and branded merchandise agency that has established itself as an industry leader in developing corporate awards, incentives, and recognition programs for some of the world’s biggest brands.

Gifts By Design delivered approximately $18.2 million in revenue in 2020 and is expected to be accretive to SGC’s fiscal year 2021 operating results. Gifts By Design will operate as the Awards, Recognition, and Incentives Division of BAMKO.

“The acquisition of Gifts by Design immediately positions BAMKO to become an industry leader in corporate awards, incentives, and recognition programs,” said Jake Himelstein, chief operating officer and chief financial officer of BAMKO.

“This acquisition will provide BAMKO with the opportunity to develop the Awards, Incentives, and Recognition program vertical across our existing portfolio of clients and leverage our salesforce to extend that vertical to future clients. We also have an immediate opportunity to extend the unique suite of capabilities and services that only BAMKO has to offer to develop new verticals across Gifts By Design’s existing customer base. In so doing, we will be able to strengthen and deepen those client relationships and expand our sales footprint with them,” said Himelstein.

“Joining forces with BAMKO is not a decision we arrived at lightly,” said Jamie Stone, president and founder of Gifts By Design. “I’ve known the BAMKO team for years. As I’ve watched their growth and success in recent years, it became clear that BAMKO is something very different from the rest of the industry. BAMKO has distinguished itself with its unmatched technological capabilities, an award-winning creative team, an incredible overseas sourcing operation, and an unparalleled ability to win and service major program business for the world’s biggest brands. Joining forces with BAMKO creates incredible opportunities for our employees, offers our clients access to the most impressive set of capabilities in the industry, and gives us a platform upon which to build the best and most technologically advanced Awards, Incentives, and Recognition solution in the entire industry.”

“What excites me most is the opportunity to become part of such a positive, enthusiastic, and hard-working team. BAMKO’s culture of empowering individuals to relentlessly pursue personal and professional growth is something truly special. We’re excited to partner with BAMKO and build something special here,” said Stone.

“Jamie and her team have built an exceptional culture that we think will fit right in with the special group we have here at BAMKO,” said Phil Koosed, president for BAMKO. “By joining forces, both companies will immediately become better with increased capabilities and product offerings. We are adding talent and proven leadership whose positive impact will reverberate throughout the entire organization. Our employees and clients will benefit substantially from the opportunities that this acquisition creates, and we cannot wait to get started.”

Stone will remain with the business as the President of BAMKO’s newly-formed Award, Incentives, and Recognition Division.