Phil Koosed has had one of promo’s brightest entrepreneurial minds – and one of its biggest hearts.

Now, the enterprising executive, who founded Top 40 distributor BAMKO (asi/131431) as an undergrad and spearheaded its growth into the multi-hundred-million dollar powerhouse it is today, is moving on to something new.

Phil Koosed

Koosed has told Superior Group of Companies (SGC), parent firm of BAMKO, that his final day as chief strategy officer with SGC will be April 19.

Koosed had been in the CSO role for several years, focusing on SGC-wide initiatives, not just BAMKO business. He previously held the title of president with BAMKO, but was no longer involved in the day-to-day running of the distributorship. Executives anticipate no impacts to BAMKO operations as a result of Koosed’s departure. Superior acquired BAMKO in 2016.

“When we started BAMKO, I was 18 years old with no business knowledge and absolutely no clue what the promo industry even was,” Koosed told ASI Media. “Here we are 24 years later and I couldn’t be more proud of all that we have accomplished and I couldn’t be more grateful to all the talented people I was fortunate enough to share the journey with.”

‘A Transformative Leader’

Going forward, Koosed won’t have an official role within SGC/BAMKO, but said he’s given himself the unofficial title of “chief cheerleading officer” for the companies. Professionally, his next step is a question market.

His immediate plans include continuing to focus on philanthropic ventures, such as Save the Syrian Children. The nonprofit, which Koosed founded and runs along with his wife Tamar, provides life-saving medical supplies for the children and other civilians that have been caught up in and directly targeted during the Syrian Civil War.

His top priority is to spend time with his family.

“I’m not sure exactly what the next step will be from a professional standpoint, but the one thing I am certain of is that there is a ton of carpool and soccer practices in my near future,” Koosed told ASI Media.

BAMKO President Jake Himelstein, a member of Counselor’s Power 50 list of promo’s most influential people and Koosed’s successor, was among those sounding a chorus of praise for Koosed.

“More than any other person, Phil helped make BAMKO what it is today,” Himelstein told ASI Media. “He also helped personally shape me into the leader that I am today. His impact on BAMKO’s culture and our people will resonate for decades to come. He is a visionary business leader with a unique ability to see the best in people and help them see it in themselves. He’s not just one of the best leaders I’ve ever worked for, but one of the best people I know.”

“More than any other person, Phil helped make BAMKO what it is today. His impact on BAMKO's culture and our people will resonate for decades to come.” Jake Himelstein, BAMKO (asi/131431)

For the better part of a decade, Joshua White worked side by side with Koosed at BAMKO, serving as general counsel and later head of strategy/general counsel. White recently stepped back from the day-to-day with the distributorship and is now a strategic adviser. He had nothing but glowing praise for Koosed.

“Phil Koosed is the most transformative leader I’ve ever come across,” said White. “Every person and organization he comes into contact with is transformed for the better. Phil possesses a relentless drive to win that elevates every teammate around him to their highest level of performance. He does this without ever compromising his decency or humanity, treating every human being with dignity and respect.”

An SGC filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission indicated that the Compensation Committee of SGC’s Board of Directors approved accelerating the vesting of 28,820 shares of restricted stock to Koosed in “recognition of (his) significant contributions to the company over the past almost eight years of service to the company and its subsidiaries.”

“BAMKO is primed for growth. We expect BAMKO to continue to take market share and to grow organically, as well as through acquisition.” Michael Benstock, SGC

Superior CEO Michael Benstock told ASI Media that SGC had been aware that Koosed would be leaving in the spring of 2024, allowing time to prepare for the move. Benstock said the vacant position will be filled in the coming months, noting that Koosed was instrumental in creating a job description and vetting candidates for what will be a modified version of his responsibilities.

“Phil’s guidance has been beneficial in so many ways,” Benstock said. “Together with our leadership team, we have transformed SGC into a more sustainable business whose foundation is stronger than ever. Phil has left us in a very strong position to thrive, not only at BAMKO, but in the rest of our business segments as well. It has been my honor and a pleasure to work side by side with Phil for eight years.”

After years of robust growth, BAMKO hit some snags in 2023. Executives view that as a hiccup.

“BAMKO is primed for growth,” said Benstock. “We expect BAMKO to continue to take market share and to grow organically, as well as through acquisition.”

Add Koosed: “BAMKO and SGC have never been in a stronger position than right now with an incredibly talented leadership team in place and a company full of hardworking, dedicated team members. The best growth is yet to come.”

Top of the Power 50, Bess Cohn Winner

Koosed founded BAMKO while a student at the University of Southern California. From early days, he was focused on building what he often described as a different kind of distributorship – one powered by cutting-edge technology, a consultative agency-style approach to selling, and a culture that fostered creativity, diversity and fun.

Under his leadership, BAMKO created a proprietary e-commerce platform and in-house-built order processing system that brought competitive advantages. BAMKO also acquired former Top 40 distributor Tangerine Promotions, and expanded into doing business internationally. BAMKO itself became a Top 40 firm under Koosed, and has continued to climb the rankings, placing eighth on Counselor’s most current list based on reported 2022 North American promotional product revenue of $387.9 million.

“Phil Koosed is the most transformative leader I’ve ever come across.” Joshua White, BAMKO

For his efforts at BAMKO, Koosed appeared multiple times on Counselor’s Power 50 list. In 2021, he took the number-one spot, an honor that denoted him as the industry’s single most influential leader of that year.

“The most proud achievement for me was getting the opportunity to be part of such a dedicated, talented and incredible team for so many years,” Koosed told ASI Media. “Being able to be a part of so many people’s career journeys was an absolutely unforgettable experience and privilege.”

Successful in business, Koosed also displayed a heart of gold through his philanthropic efforts, friends and promo peers said. After seeing the atrocities being committed in Syria, he and Tamar started the Save the Syrian Children nonprofit.

Both of Koosed’s grandparents lost their families in the Holocaust, and he previously told ASI Media that “when I see outright genocide, innocent lives being killed without any kind of thought, I have this obligation to my grandparents and their memory to do something.”

His efforts earned him ASI’s 2017 Bess Cohn Memorial Humanitarian Award.

“Even more important than what Phil has done at BAMKO, is what he and his wife do in philanthropy,” C.J. Schmidt, a Power 50 member and CEO/president of Top 40 supplier Hit Promotional Products (asi/61125), told ASI Media when Koosed topped the Power 50. “I love that he has taken his success and helped with the greater good in the world.”