Shop Talk Speakers
Marshall Atkinson, Owner, Atkinson Consulting
Mesa, AZ-based Marshall Atkinson is one of the decorated apparel industry’s leading production and efficiency experts. He is the owner of Atkinson Consulting, LLC. As a coach, Atkinson focuses on operational efficiency, continuous improvement, workflow strategy, business planning, marketing, employee motivation, management, and sustainability. He is the host of the YouTube show for Jerzees “Adventures in Apparel Decorating” as well as the podcast “Success Stories with Marshall Atkinson” that is sponsored by S&S Activewear. He hosts the popular “Q&A with Alan and Marshall” weekly industry show with co-host Alan Howe. Marshall also co-founded a decorated apparel industry sales and marketing education company, Shirt Lab, with industry entrepreneur Tom Rauen. In 2020, Marshall was elected into the Academy of Screen and Digital Print Technology (ASDPT) as a member.
Stan Banks, Owner, T-Shirt Side Hustle
Stan created a YouTube channel January 4th, 2017 in which he teaches viewers how to start a custom print shop, a t-shirt line, and/or apparel brand as well as tips and tricks for running heat press and screen print businesses. His passion is to impact peoples lives and he does that by helping people start and run a successful profitable print business from home or wherever they are.
Rodger Blanton, Next Level Apparel
Started in wholesale apparel in 1991 picking and pulling. Excited to spread Next Level Apparel from Virginia to Maine.
Dave Conner, Content Director, STAHLS’ & Transfer Express
With over a decade of experience in the print industry as a marketer and designer, Dave’s passion for print has helped brands stand out and thrive in an increasingly digital landscape. In his current role as an educator and digital marketing manager at Stahls’ Transfer Express, he helps apparel decorators of all sizes achieve their goals with screen printed and digital heat transfer solutions.
Jennifer Cox, President, National Network of Embroidery Professionals
Jennifer joined a family-owned needle arts business as they expanded into machine embroidery. The machine embroidery business was home-based for a year and then moved to the retail store. As that business expanded, Jennifer and her family realized that there was a little industry support for independent business owners in apparel decoration. They founded the National Network of Embroidery Professionals, a professional organization where business owners come together to share best practices, ideas, sources, solutions, volume buying benefits and series. Jennifer was recognized as one of the industry’s “Most Creative Thinkers” and reportedly ranks in the top 40 on the industry’s “power List”. NNEP is 25 years strong and supports nearly 1,000 independent embroiderers and apparel decorators as they grow their dream businesses.
Josh Ellsworth, Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing, STAHLS’
As Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for GroupeSTAHL North America, Josh is responsible for leading and supporting a nationwide team of experienced team members with a focus on growing the company’s enterprise and dealer sales and marketing efforts. His in-depth understanding of the technical side of garment decorating, combined with a sincere interest in seeing businesses succeed, make him a sought-after and trusted resource for information industry-wide.
Milissa Gibson, Sales Director, Lane Seven Apparel
Milissa Gibson is a accomplished sales professional with over 15 years of experience in the apparel industry. Currently serving as the Sales Director at Lane Seven Apparel.
Brian Giddens, Kiwo
I have worked in the screen print industry for 32 years. I have worked for Kiwo/Ulano for the last 21 years. I am an avid outdoorsman. I love live music. I am a proud father of a teenage daughter. I ride Harleys! I do volunteer work to help veterans and underprivileged children.
Alyssa Inkrot, Bella+Canvas
Based in Scottsdale, AZ, Alyssa has been in the promotional products industry for almost 8 years, starting right out of college with 3M in their custom Post-it Notes division. She began in business development and worked her way up to manage all national accounts and buying groups. After 3 years, she was recruited by Raining Rose, a private label beauty manufacturer who produces products for brands found in retail stores such as Ulta, Sephora and Target. There, she managed all large national accounts and buying groups, as well as lead various marketing initiatives. Currently, Alyssa is the national sales executive at BELLA+CANVAS, managing the industry’s top promotional product distributors across the country. She is dedicated to driving brand awareness and affinity while capturing mindshare across the industry. Alyssa has also served in various positions on the Board of Directors for UMAPP (Upper Midwest Association of Promotional Products) was the 2020 President of UMAPP, and Work Group Chair for PPAI SPARK.
Rich Jacobs, Strategic Account Manger Decorator Solutions Team
Kevin Kauth, Technical Sales Rep, Chromaline
Kevin Kauth is Chromaline’s Technical Sales Representative for the midwest/western region and has been with the company for the past 13+ years. Prior to his time at Chromaline, he held the Applications Specialist position at Sefar and has a Graphic Communications Management degree from the University of Wisconsin – Stout. His extensive knowledge base for mesh and emulsion provides the perfect combination of screen room support and he continues to give back to the screen printing community by teaching numerous seminars on the topic as well as being active in the Apparel Decorators Committee for Printing United Alliance.
Sam Lapcevic, Owner, Branded Threads
Sam Lapcevic is owner of Branded Threads in Eighty Four, PA. After graduating from Washington & Jefferson College, he started in the industry in 2017 in his childhood bedroom to now running an award winning automatic screen printing shop in a brand new facility. Along with running the shop he has started an education YouTube channel documenting and teaching the screen printing process.
Dave Makin, Technical Sales Representative, Saati
Dave Makin brings to the Screen Printing industry over 31 years experience in Conventional & UV four color process printing, specializing in Pre Press and advanced screen making including Direct to screen technologies. Dave has been at Saati for 16 years and enjoys meeting and working with so many great people throughout the industry.
Jody Mazade, Director of Sales and Marketing, Howard Custom Transfers
Jody Mazade is the Director of Sales and Marketing at Howard Custom Transfers, an industry leading custom transfer manufacturer. In her current role, she lends a focus to customer acquisition and retention, customer experience and loyalty, company branding, market trends, product knowledge, and content creation. With over 15 years of industry experience, Jody’s motivation is to drive the success of local print shops, high-end apparel brands, and all those in-between by providing innovative transfer solutions and service options in a fast-paced, ever-changing industry landscape.
Justin Moore, Co-Founder, LivePrinting.com
JUSTIN MOORE As the founder of Barrel Maker, co-founder of LivePrinting.com, and a driving force behind the revolutionary brand Allmade, Justin Moore exemplifies a commitment to sustainability, innovation, and excellence. In 2009, Moore founded Barrel Maker, an enterprise dedicated to crafting eco-friendly, retail-ready screen printed apparel. By fostering a dynamic community, Barrel Maker has seamlessly merged artistry with customer satisfaction, transcending industry standards. As a co-founder of LivePrinting.com, Moore has redefined event experiences by offering on-site screen printing, embroidery, laser engraving, and heat pressing. Trusted by major brands such as TikTok, Adidas, Snapchat, Pinterest, Toyota, and more, LivePrinting.com transforms events into unforgettable moments of creativity and customization, doing multiple events each week all around the country. Also, as a co-founder in the apparel brand Allmade, Moore has helped to champion a brand that blends eco-consciousness with comfort, producing sustainable apparel that reflects a commitment to ethical production practices.
Brian Potash, Devilfish Ink-Graphic Arts & Printing
Potash and Devilfish Ink has been bringing a fine art approach to the commercial print world since 1997. Apparel, gig posters, black velvet art, beer/liquor labels, slate shingles, wrenches, license plates, glassware, record jackets, and even his wife have been printed in his quest to rid the world of bad art.
LaTonna Roberson, Lady Print Boss Consulting
Meet La Tonna Roberson, The Lady Print Boss: A creative with 30+ years in apparel, from a wholesale rep to a T-shirt maven. She’s an author, coach, and diversity advocate, leading Lady Print Boss Training & Consulting to empower entrepreneurs and break industry barriers. Join her to create, print, and succeed together.
Rick Roth, Ink Kitchen
Rick Roth is the primary interviewer for “Shop Talks” which are free garment and decoration information sessions at Impressions shows featuring the industy’s best and brightest. Rick has been screenprinting t-shirts since dinosaurs ruled the earth. Actually he started by printing “Save Old Bio” shirts and the classic building on his college campus slated for demolition still stands. He went on to print thousands of shirts in his basement with only a primitive set-up. He formed his unionized company MIrror Image in 1989 and has won every award imaginable and is known for innovation, crazy special effects printing, fine art reproduction, and supporting progressive causes. He and Pam Ikegami run the Ink KItchen a website and youtube channel (and soon a podcast) dedicated to sharing solid information at all levels of the decorating industry and for coordinating projects that benefit the entire community. Besides screenprinting he has two music radio shows on WMBR in Boston (wmbr.org) and is very active in the human rights organization Amnesty International and he is the US representative to the One Caucaus borderland project in the country of Georgia. He founded and still produces a film festival in the City of Pawtucket, RI where he also was just honored by being selected to the City’s Hall of Fame.
Jenna Sackett, STAHLS’
Jenna Sackett is an Educator and Content Creator for Stahls’. Whether you are crafting from home, or running a brick and mortar business, she knows the tips and tricks that make an apparel decorator successful in this ever-growing marketplace.
Jed Seifert, Co-Founder, Stakes Manufacturing
Jed Seifert is the Co-founder of Stakes Manufacturing, a DTG & DTF print-on-demand apparel company out of Cleveland, OH where they are passionate about inclusion and currently employ a number of individuals with different disabilities. Stakes was recently awarded the APSE 2022 National Employer of the Year recognizing their hard work building an inclusive workforce employing people with disabilities. Jed is on the Board of Directors for SEEC, an organization dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities attain meaningful employment opportunities and independent living in the DC metropolitan area, who supports his brother’s employment. He is a Board Member for the National Fragile X Foundation, an organization dedicated to serving all those living with Fragile X with a focus on community, awareness, and research in the pursuit of treatments and a cure. He is a Board Member of U.N.I.T.E. Together, an organization empowering and reinforcing a collective commitment to embrace inclusion in the print industry. He serves on the CEO Commission for Disability Employment founded by Voya Financial, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), to be a source of research and information, actionable steps, and advocacy opportunities for member companies to recruit and onboard individuals with disabilities into their organizations.