Every year, we celebrate the people who make the skummunity (and the promo industry) better. The skummunity Awards honor commonsku customers who lead with creativity, generosity, and innovation. The awards recognize the distributors and suppliers who not only drive big results but also lift others up along the way.
This year looked a little different. Instead of gathering in person, we sent the awards directly to our winners and sat down with each of them for video interviews. It gave us the chance to really dig into their stories and hear what makes them tick.
Here are your 2026 skummunity Award winners.
Vanguard Promotions | Operations Manager
If you've spent any time in the skummunity, you've probably experienced what we like to call "the Tony Effect." Tony jumps in, shares his ideas openly, and helps everyone think through challenges (from big-picture strategy to the day-to-day details) all with the biggest smile on his face.
His nominations said it best: "Tony is a tireless connector, supporter, and advocate who never hesitates to jump into an opportunity to assist with both feet. He gives freely of his time and knowledge, openly sharing operational best practices, lessons learned, and both wins and losses from his personal career journey"
His rocket fuel is helping others grow. And with every conversation and connection, he makes our community stronger.
Congrats, Tony. You've made a lasting impact on our skummunity.
This award recognizes a supplier embracing the future of a fully connected promo workflow through strong systems and integrations. As one of our Connected+ Suppliers, SanMar has been a leader in this space.
What we admire most is how thoughtfully they approach progress. SanMar continues to evolve and innovate while staying grounded in the care, consistency, and values that come with being family-owned. That balance has made a real difference for so many in the skummunity.
Thank you, SanMar, for raising the bar for what a connected workflow can be when it's built with intention and care.
Identity Marketing Group has shown what's possible when Shops are used with real creativity and intention. They've built client experiences that feel fresh, exciting, and modern (from pop-up stores to brand drops). They're dedicated to helping customers stay agile through change and keeping merch programs engaging at every step.
What's special about IMG is how every shop they create feels like it's part of something larger. They put so much thought into how their clients experience merch, carefully crafting everything from the way stores are launched to how they keep people coming back and excited to engage.
Thank you, IMG, for being such an inspiring force in our community and for raising the bar for what innovation in Shops can look like.
Ariel Premium Supply | Marketing and Communications Specialist
You'd be hard pressed to scroll through the Newsfeed or PPP Facebook page and NOT see Sara's name. She is constantly answering questions, helping distributors connect to the right products, and offering helpful tidbits of info that help narrow down or move a project along.
Her nomination summed it up perfectly: "What sets Sara apart is that she doesn't just suggest her own products—she connects people to the right supplier even when she can't help. That's the picture-perfect example of a community player who's genuinely caring and helpful"
Sara embodies what it means to go above and beyond to support and elevate distributor partners. She responds with enthusiasm, shares knowledge generously, and approaches every collaboration with authenticity and care.
Congrats, Sara. You're the real deal!
Imprint Engine | CEO & Co-Founder
This award is all about grit, hustle, perseverance, resilience, and creativity. It embodies today's modern entrepreneurial spirit and Caleb is exactly that.
Caleb co-founded Imprint Engine in 2012 in the closet sized living room of a tiny apartment, sitting back-to-back on two folding chairs with his co-founder. Since then, the company has grown from $3M to $30M with nearly 100 industry experts located across the US, Ireland, and India, operating out of a 40,000 square foot facility.
Caleb's growth journey inspires us all to reach deep and go big. Congrats, Caleb!
A huge congrats to all our 2026 skummunity Award winners. You represent the best of what this community is about: creativity, generosity, innovation, and lifting each other up.
And a special thanks to commonsku Connected Supplier, Visions Awards, for their beautiful work creating this year's awards!