Lori Bauer, VP of sales – national accounts and special markets with BIC Graphic, has been named the Supplier Woman of Distinction by ASI Counselor magazine. This prestigious award is one of the top honors within the promotional industry and is only awarded to those who have made a significant impact on the promotional industry through their dedication and professional representation.
With more than 20 years in the promo marketplace, Bauer has been an integral part of Top 10 supplier BIC Graphic’s growth, with responsibilities spanning across sales and marketing, including new product development, branding, promotions and business strategy. As vice president of sales, managing national accounts and special markets, Bauer serves on the corporate leadership team for BIC Graphic as well as on the senior staff team reporting to the CEO. She oversees a $100M+ segment of overall company sales, handling national accounts that have delivered consistent year-over-year territory growth, out-pacing the rate of overall company gains. Bauer is also the first female in the history of BIC Graphic to be a VP in a sales or marketing role.
“I tell my daughters to never doubt their abilities or be afraid to take chances and get out of their comfort zone; never assume it’s something you can’t do,” Bauer says. “It took me a while in my career to fully embrace my capabilities and push the envelope to expand into new roles, network within different channels and to not allow myself to be boxed into one particular concentration or thought process. I wish I would’ve challenged myself to think this way at a younger age.”
David Klatt, BIC Graphic’s CEO, points out that one of the first things he noticed when he joined the company was the outstanding relationships the sales team has with its customers. “I quickly realized those strong partnerships are largely a result of Lori’s leadership,” he says. “Her clients know they can rely on her to provide best-in-class service, and she’s truly an asset to our leadership team at BIC Graphic.”
Despite a full roster of responsibilities at work and a husband, two daughters and a puppy at home, it’s Bauer’s slate of volunteer work that sets her apart. In 2015, she was honored with the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) RAC Volunteer of the Year Award for demonstrating an outstanding level of volunteerism, leadership and significant, measurable contributions to a regional association. She has served several years on the board and as president for the Promotional Products Association of Florida (PPAF) and is passionate about the work she’s done with the Promotional Products Education Foundation (PPEF), serving on the Board of Trustees for three years and leading the organization as the board chair in 2017. Outside the promotional products industry, she’s a volunteer with Great American Teach-In, the Salvation Army, Give Kids the World Village and the Girl Scouts.
Bauer maintains that her favorite aspect of the industry by far is the people and the relationships that embody it – whether internally at BIC Graphic, with customers or other promo suppliers, who all work together to share knowledge and insights to support each other. “I also love that this industry has such an entrepreneurial spirit,” she adds. “Whether a true family business or not, most companies work within this mindset. As part of this industry, I’ve been fortunate to wear many hats and expand into new roles. There are always new opportunities to challenge yourself.”
All ASI Counselor Award honorees were celebrated at a black-tie optional banquet at the Theatre on the Lake in Chicago, IL, on July 10th. Members of the BIC Graphic executive team, colleagues and Bauer’s family, including her husband and daughters, were in attendance.
More information about the 2019 Counselor Awards can be found at asicentral.com.
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