One of the promotional products industry’s most influential leaders of the last several decades has officially retired.

Paul Lage, Counselor’s 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award winner, announced Feb. 24 that he was calling time on his latest role in promo, which saw him serving as a board member for Tattoo Manufacturing International (TMI), the parent company of California Tattoos & Promotional Products (asi/43530).

Paul Lage

It wasn’t the only big news coming out of the Tucson, AZ-based supplier this week. California Tattoos shared with ASI Media that it has moved to a new co-president leadership structure – an evolution made necessary by what the firm described as significant sales growth. 

As part of the leadership structure change, TMI/California Tattoos has hired Jason Kern as president of sales and marketing. Chris Huff, formerly the sole president, has moved into the role of president of operations.

"I'm excited to be joining the California Tattoos & Promotional Products team who have an already impressive track record within the industry," Kern said. "I look forward to leveraging my experience to drive innovation, expand our market presence and deliver exceptional value to our distributor partners."

Lage’s Legacy

Counselor’s 2007 Person of the Year, Lage built a successful career over the course of nearly 40 years in the promotional products industry. He was long a perennial fixture on Counselor’s Power 50 list of promo’s most influential people, including having formerly ranked as number one.

An accomplished executive, Lage led advancements in service and product offerings, and delivered industry-guiding leadership at some of promo’s top suppliers over the years, including former large supplier Norwood, which was acquired by BIC Graphic and has since rebranded as Counselor Top 40 supplier Koozie Group (asi/40480). Lage then joined BIC Graphic. He was also CEO of Counselor Top 40 supplier Gill Studios (asi/56950), leading the firm to impressive growth. Relatedly, he influenced and mentored many promo professionals, creating an impressive leadership tree.

“Paul has been an amazing, selfless superstar who has made the promotional products industry better for everyone,” Counselor Power 50 member Memo Kahan, CEO of Counselor Top 40 distributor PromoShop (asi/300446), told ASI Media.

Kahan continued: “It was never about him. Paul has helped hundreds if not thousands of people in both their professional and personal worlds. With amazing grace and smarts, he created environments where people could succeed. Always leading by example and with grace, Paul leaves our industry a better place than when he started. He forever will be remembered as a trailblazer.”

Lage was serving as president of IMAGEN Brands when Koozie Group acquired the former Counselor Top 40 supplier in 2020. Lage did not make the transition, but that didn’t mark the end of his promo days.

“Always leading by example and with grace, Paul leaves our industry a better place than when he started. He forever will be remembered as a trailblazer.” Memo Kahan, PromoShop (asi/300446)

Instead, he took the role of interim president and board member at TMI, helping to lead California Tattoos back to growth. He became a board member only at TMI after Huff became president in 2022.

“My role was focused on setting direction, helping structure the company, and working alongside a talented management team,” Lage told ASI Media. “There comes a point when you realize that your input is no longer needed, and the team is driving forward on their own with strength and clarity. It’s been amazing to watch them evolve, and I feel great about this being the closing chapter of my career in the industry.”

Indeed, Lage shared that he’d been contemplating retirement for a while and, after his time with California Tattoos, the timing “just felt right.” He’s proud that a hallmark of his career includes stepping in at companies that had been struggling and then helping turn them around.

“By focusing on shared values, strategic direction and fostering communication, we were able to drive real change,” Lage told ASI Media. “I’ve been blessed to work with some of the best people in the industry, and many of them I had the pleasure of collaborating with multiple times. I truly wish that everyone could experience a journey as rewarding as the one I’ve had.”

Co-Presidents

As Lage looks to a new future, so too does California Tattoos & Promotional Products.

The provider of temporary tattoos, coasters, activity sets, booklets, fan banners and other solutions believes it’s poised to continue its upward sales momentum with its co-president structure.

Jason Kern and Chris Huff, California Tattoos & Promotional Products (asi/43530)

“We’re going through fun changes in 2025,” said Wendy Flaherty, director of marketing. "We’ve also increased our customer service support and added new products so we can continue to offer innovative and affordable solutions to help our distributor customers grow their businesses.”

Leading the charge now are the tandem of Kern and Huff. Huff has been with TMI for nearly 20 years, with extensive experience focused on operations. Prior to becoming president in 2022 and now co-president, Huff was chief operating officer. Before that, he served as vice president of operations. Operations will be his focus as co-president.

Kern, who’ll be heading up sales and marketing, has an extensive background in leadership in those fields. He began his career at Altria—a then Fortune 20 company. Early in his career, he took operational control of a $350 million business unit, setting the stage for future successes.

It was only the beginning, though. In 2012, Kern joined NJOY, a startup that moved him to Arizona. As one of the first six employees, he was key to driving NJOY’s growth, contributing to its inclusion on the Fortune Unicorn list alongside companies like Lyft, DocuSign and Credit Karma. His success there led to executive roles at other companies, including president/general manager of supplement maker Doctor Safe and executive vice president of sales and marketing at Healing Solutions | Essential Oils.

“Throughout his career, Jason has helped startups and emerging companies achieve their potential through commercialization strategies, growth structuring and building loyal customer bases,” read a statement from California Tattoos & Promotional Products.