Joshua White, head of strategy and general counsel at BAMKO (PPAI 242148, D11) – promo’s fourth leading distributor in the PPAI 100 – is taking a step back from the promotional products industry to pursue some long-standing entrepreneurial ambitions.

His last day working full time in his current capacity will be Friday, February 2.

“It’s time,” White says. “I’ve spent a full decade at BAMKO and accomplished everything I could’ve ever wanted here. I’ve loved every minute of it, am incredibly proud of what we’ve built and have been so fortunate to learn so much along the way.”

Although he’ll no longer serve the Los Angeles-based company on a full-time basis, White says he’ll remain involved with BAMKO at the highest strategic levels “for as long as humanly possible.”

He’ll continue to work with BAMKO on its most high-impact strategic initiatives while using the newfound free time for his own business pursuits.

“By continuing to work with BAMKO, I hope it gives me the opportunity to stay involved in the industry more broadly,” White says. “I’ve obviously made a ton of friends and connections over the years, so I’ll still be answering every call I get and helping those people out however I can.”

PPAI Board Vacancy

A member of the PPAI Board of Directors since January 2023, White will also be vacating his seat on the board.

Andrew Spellman, CAS, current PPAI board chair and vice president of corporate markets at Therabody, will be leading the process and relying on the full support of the board to determine the replacement.

“Josh has been a great board member for PPAI,” Spellman says. “We can only thank him for his contributions and wish him well in his new endeavors. I’m happy he’ll still be working with BAMKO, as I believe talents like his are welcomed and needed in our amazing industry.”

What’s Next?

White, an attorney, plans to launch not one, but two law firms. With the first, Apex Action Advisors, he’ll be working with a select roster of private clients providing strategic guidance in high stakes opportunities and disputes.

He will simultaneously be launching a second law firm, the details of which he is keeping under wraps for the time being.

“I love the fact that law firms can only be owned by lawyers. I’m betting that I can put into practice everything I’ve learned in the world of business to build better companies than the competition,” White says.

White’s Impact

White was working as an attorney in private practice and counted BAMKO among his clients when then-president Phil Koosed recruited him to join the company in 2013.

• Since then, BAMKO has grown from around $20 million in annual sales to nearly $400 million.

• During his tenure, White has helped lead BAMKO’s M&A efforts and brought on the majority of the company’s sales force.

White has spearheaded the distributor’s strategic growth and brand strategy initiatives, development of key partnership opportunities, corporate communications strategy and a number of other focuses.

Additionally, he has overseen BAMKO’s legal department, handling the many compliance and regulatory issues that arise from working in the promo industry.

• He was named one of PPB’s 2018 Rising Stars and the Los Angeles Business Journal's Rising Star General Counsel of the Year in 2016.

Written by: John Corrigan

Published with Permission from PPAI