WHO WE ARE


strateGIC partnershipS perfectly executed

Talent runs deep here. Within our walls, there are over 100 employees whose sole mission is to seek and solidify the right strategic solutions for your brand. Everyone from Operations to Human Resources to Sales to Marketing (and more!) play a role in making us who we are today. Our company is the perfect blend of experts in all different fields: the right talent, the right team, the right set of strategic solution-seekers. Always at your service. And always ready to have a little fun along the way.

From company outings to in-office shenanigans, we’ve got that whole work hard, play hard thing perfected. We know how to propel your brand and we know how to party on a holiday (our fave? Halloween!)…is there a better combo?

PERfectly executed—what does that mean exactly? Let’s break it down

STRATEGIC

Meaning we’re thoughtful. Smart. Cleverly calculated and can’t stop, won’t stop until we’ve nailed down just-the-right concept, campaign, product, and promotion for your brand.

SOLUTIONS

Meaning we do our homework. We get to know your business and your brand. We research, forecast, recommend, then finalize the perfect, innovative solutions. We are a promotional agency with marketing experts who understand the path to increased revenue and return on investment.

CHAMPIONS

Meaning we’re alongside you every step of the way. We want to partner with you—to become your brand champions. We are a nimble, flexible agency committed to being your single source solution for all of your promotional marketing brand campaigns. Our seasoned professionals have a combined 100+ years of brand promotion experience and we’d love to share that experience with you!

#1 – Largest Wholly Women-Owned Promotional Agency
Top 50 Distributor Out of 26,000 Nationwide
Diversity Supplier – WBENC Certification
Sustainable Focus – B Corp Pending
Top 1% of United States Promotional Product Distributors

LEADER CARES

We’re also committed to helping others and giving back through Leader Cares, our internal philanthropic program that focuses on empowerment, wellness, and community. Additionally, Leaderpromos has received multiple awards and press throughout the years for our outstanding diversity—and we only plan on keeping that momentum going.

“I believe that Leaderpromos’ commitment to customer excellence and our internal culture centered around “caring” is what continues to drive our success.”
Stephanie Leader

GET ACQUAINTED WITH THE TEAM
Stephanie Leader
Stephanie Leader

CEO

Joe Rezabek
Joe Rezabek

CFO

Tony Thomas ll
Larsen Sharp

COO

Nekko Shefferly
Nekko Shefferly

Vice President of Sales
& Client Relations

Jamie Cmehil
Jamie Cmehil

Executive Director of
National Accounts

Robert Bussom
Robert Bussom

Vice President of
Global Sourcing

Kevin Clark
Kevin Clark

Operations Manager

Nicole Brown
Megan Cates

Director of Strategic Merchandising

James Scott Blanton
James Scott Blanton

Director of Brand + Creative

Derric Hamilton
Derrick Hamilton

Director of Business Development & Inclusion

Karen Mills

Customer Experience Manager

Marty Schmayer
Marty Schmayer

Information Technology

LEADERPROMOS HERSTORY

Over 25 years ago, CEO Stephanie Leader founded Leaderpromos with a vision of helping brands define themselves and communicate their message in an impactful way. With thoughtful leadership, strategy and an emphasis on innovation, Stephanie has led the company to the top of the promotional product industry.

Stephanie’s foray into the branded merchandise business began when she was a student at The Ohio State University. An incoming freshman who needed to find a way to pay for her education, Stephanie quickly saw an opportunity to sell branded apparel and promotional merchandise to the largest Greek Community in the United States.

Stephanie’s business bloomed overnight, and she quickly discovered the power of branded merchandise. She thrived by helping companies and organizations find just the right branded products to best represent their initiatives and their causes. There was no stopping her now!

Stephanie’s passion for marketing became so strong that she completely changed her career course. Initially planning to attend law school after graduation, Stephanie decided instead to follow that passion and immersed herself in the merchandise-based branding industry. In 1995, she began focusing and selling to other corporations, building her client list with phone calls, referrals, and drop-ins.

In early 1998, Stephanie recognized that she was in a unique position to disrupt the traditional promotional products industry by capitalizing on the growing .com craze. And so, in 2000 Leaderpromos.com was born as one of the very first e-commerce based promotional branding companies.

In two and a half decades, Stephanie’s passion and vision for bringing clients’ branding and messaging to life has been the driving force behind the company’s success. Leaderpromos has grown into a full-service strategic branding agency that has earned a spot in the top 1% of all promotional product distributors nationwide. Leaderpromos is also the largest wholly woman owned WBENC certified company in the promotional industry.

While her business was growing and expanding, Stephanie raised two children with her husband, Brian. Often on school holidays, the kids would “work” at the office, and both still stop in when they are home from college. Thankful for her healthy family and thriving business, Stephanie committed her philanthropic efforts to organizations that help women and children. Along with financial support, Stephanie, her family, and employees regularly participate in fund-raising activities such as holiday gift drives, marathons, making meals for those less fortunate, and helping at-risk children.

Stephanie is a driven leader who is committed to her team and considers them family. And while she started the company as an individual, she knows the “we” is much stronger and valuable to their clients than the “me.” After 25 years of success, this entrepreneurial spirit and team mentality lives in the heart of every Leaderpromos Associate.

From her humble beginnings in Columbus, Ohio to being the go-to branded merchandise agency for the hottest brands, Leaderpromos thrives on customer-centric values. These values are laser focused on delivering more than expected to impact key customer initiatives in meaningful ways.

LEADERPROMOS HERSTORY

Over 25 years ago, CEO Stephanie Leader founded Leaderpromos with a vision of helping brands define themselves and communicate their message in an impactful way. With thoughtful leadership, strategy and an emphasis on innovation, Stephanie has led the company to the top of the promotional product industry.

Stephanie’s foray into the branded merchandise business began when she was a student at The Ohio State University. An incoming freshman who needed to find a way to pay for her education, Stephanie quickly saw an opportunity to sell branded apparel and promotional merchandise to the largest Greek Community in the United States.

Stephanie’s business bloomed overnight, and she quickly discovered the power of branded merchandise. She thrived by helping companies and organizations find just the right branded products to best represent their initiatives and their causes. There was no stopping her now!

Stephanie’s passion for marketing became so strong that she completely changed her career course. Initially planning to attend law school after graduation, Stephanie decided instead to follow that passion and immersed herself in the merchandise-based branding industry. In 1995, she began focusing and selling to other corporations, building her client list with phone calls, referrals, and drop-ins.

In early 1998, Stephanie recognized that she was in a unique position to disrupt the traditional promotional products industry by capitalizing on the growing .com craze. And so, in 2000 Leaderpromos.com was born as one of the very first e-commerce based promotional branding companies.

In two and a half decades, Stephanie’s passion and vision for bringing clients’ branding and messaging to life has been the driving force behind the company’s success. Leaderpromos has grown into a full-service strategic branding agency that has earned a spot in the top 1% of all promotional product distributors nationwide. Leaderpromos is also the largest wholly woman owned WBENC certified company in the promotional industry.

While her business was growing and expanding, Stephanie raised two children with her husband, Brian. Often on school holidays, the kids would “work” at the office, and both still stop in when they are home from college. Thankful for her healthy family and thriving business, Stephanie committed her philanthropic efforts to organizations that help women and children. Along with financial support, Stephanie, her family, and employees regularly participate in fund-raising activities such as holiday gift drives, marathons, making meals for those less fortunate, and helping at-risk children.

Stephanie is a driven leader who is committed to her team and considers them family. And while she started the company as an individual, she knows the “we” is much stronger and valuable to their clients than the “me.” After 25 years of success, this entrepreneurial spirit and team mentality lives in the heart of every Leaderpromos Associate.

From her humble beginnings in Columbus, Ohio to being the go-to branded merchandise agency for the hottest brands, Leaderpromos thrives on customer-centric values. These values are laser focused on delivering more than expected to impact key customer initiatives in meaningful ways.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE
TO BE A LEADER?

Just so you know, we’re super serious about bettering your brand and becoming great partners. Here’s a look at the core values we take to heart all day, every day. (Consider us an extension of your team when you work with us!)

LEAD WITH CONFIDENCE
EMBRACE CHANGE & GROW
ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING
DO THE RIGHT THING
EAGER TO SERVE
RESILIENT
THE BUFFALO AWARD

When grazing buffalo sense a storm approaching, they react much differently than other animals. When the storm is just about to roll over the mountaintop, the buffalo will charge directly into the storm. Some may think this is madness, but our team knows better.

By running directly into the storm, the buffalo will minimize the amount of time, pain and frustration they experience. We do the exact same thing at the Leaderpromos Agency.

That is why we award team members that embody this mindset. Recipients of our Buffalo Award are the ones that make the difficult choice to run into the storm instead of hide from it.

Which direction are you heading?

WHAT DOES IT TAKE
TO BE A LEADER?

Just so you know, we’re super serious about bettering your brand and becoming great partners, here’s a look at the core values we take to heart all day, every day. (Consider us an extension of your team when you work with us!)

LEAD WITH CONFIDENCE
EMBRACE CHANGE & GROW
ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING
DO THE RIGHT THING
EAGER TO SERVE
RESILIENT
THE BUFFALO AWARD

When grazing buffalo sense a storm approaching, they react much differently than other animals. When the storm is just about to roll over the mountaintop, the buffalo will charge directly into the storm. Some may think this is madness, but our team knows better.

By running directly into the storm, the buffalo will minimize the amount of time, pain and frustration they experience. We do the exact same thing at the Leaderpromos Agency.

That is why we award team members that embody this mindset. Recipients of our Buffalo Award are the ones that make the difficult choice to run into the storm instead of hide from it.

Which direction are you heading?

THE AWARD GOES TO…

We’re proud of these prestigious awards and honors.

ASI

  • Woman of Distinction
  • Hot List

Columbus Business First

  • #1 Promotional Product Company in Greater Ohio
  • #12 Largest Diversity-Owned Business in Ohio
  • Top 22 Largest Women-Owned Business in Ohio
  • Largest Women-Owned Businesses
  • TOP 50 Women-Owned Business
  • TOP 100 Private Companies in Central Ohio
  • TOP Ranked Women-Owned Business
  • Largest Private Companies
  • TOP Private Companies
  • 25 Women-Owned Businesses

TOP Women Owned Businesses – Columbus CEO

Small Business Leader – Columbus Chamber of Commerce

Top 500 Diversity-Owned Businesses in the U.S – DiversityBusiness.com

Top 10% Businesses – America’s Most Honored

Top 50
Top 50 Distributors – Promo Marketing

Smart 50
#11 Largest Central Ohio Women-Owned Business
#11 Largest Central Ohio Women-Owned Business
Columbus Business First
Columbus Business First
Million Dollar Round Table
Million Dollar Round Table
Rising To The Top
Rising To The Top
Columbus Business First
Columbus Business First
Best Places To Work – Columbus Business First
Best Places To Work – Columbus Business First
Best Places To Work – Counselor
Best Places To Work – Counselor
Readers Choice/Poll
Readers Choice/Poll
Columbus Business First
Columbus Business First
Lead By Example Community Service
Lead By Example Community Service