Offering you industry-leading products and services takes a dedicated, passionate team of professionals. Today we are pleased to announce the promotion of Jeff Hoyle to the newly created role of Manager, National Accounts.

To meet the overwhelming response to our creative decoration platform, Trimark has purchased the operating assets of Talking Threads. In addition to the purchase, Alan Meinstein will join the Trimark Management Team as our Managing Director of Production and lead this growing and inspiring department...

Trimark Sportswear is pleased to announce that Julie Cates will be joining us as a Sales Representative...

Announcing a change to our Senior Management team...

Trimark appoints two new National Sales Managers.

On July 9th, we are launching The Fresh Solution in partnership with our sister company Leed's.

Derrick Milne, CEO of Trimark Sportswear, is pleased to announce that Michael Snyder has joined Trimark as Director of US Business Development.

Polyconcept North America, a division of the world's leading promotional products supplier Polyconcept, announced today that it has acquired Trimark Sportswear Group, a leading Canadian apparel supplier. In the transaction, Polyconcept North America has purchased a controlling interest in Trimark from Weston Presidio, a private equity investor focused on growth.

Trimark Sportswear Group Named Title Sponsor of Ontario PGA Spring Championship (Pickering, Ont., - March 17, 2011) - The Ontario PGA is pleased to welcome Trimark Sportswear Group as their newest partner.

As we approach the end of 2010 and begin to forecast into 2011, I wanted to share our outlook at Trimark Sportswear Group. While there are definite signs that allow us to be bullish in 2011, the Road Ahead will require some careful navigation.

The economy in Canada has a strong financial foundation and continues to show strength relative to the US. Having said that, both markets are rebounding well, with an increased demand in many industries. While there is still uncertainty, we are cautiously optimistic as we forecast growth for next year. Keep in mind many industries remain uncomfortable to increase capital expenditures and headcount, instead looking for outsourced or variable cost solutions to support their infrastructure.

As we near the end of 2010 and work through our peak sales period, I am very encouraged by our progress, most notably our achievements within the six strategic initiatives from the management offsite in June, which ignited our focus on corporate culture.

There was the Halloween party and the pumpkin-carving contest, the pizza lunches and the "biggest loser" boot camp. In fact, there's been a lot of action at the Richmond Hill, Ont.-based Trimark Sportswear Group over the past five months, since Will Andrew took over as president and determined that improving the culture was the company's top priority.

"I've noticed an incredible change in a short time," says Trimark's distribution centre manager, Greg Lonsdale. "We've done a lot of little things and it's come a long way. Everybody's coming together and, most importantly, our results are great. I'm really in awe."

Shoppers will have to pay more for clothing next year as skyrocketing cotton prices force companies to take their chances with price increases even as consumer demand remains sluggish.

Hanesbrands Inc, Jones Group Inc. and VF Corp. said they will raise prices for clothing set to hit stores early next year by as much as 10%. When cotton prices began their climb a year ago, retailers and manufacturers were unclear how much?if any?of the cost would be passed along to consumers. But with benchmark cotton now up about 80% since the beginning of the year, apparel companies say they no longer have a choice.

Synthetic linings. Smaller buttons. Less Italian fabric. And yes, even more polyester. Unusually high cotton prices have apparel makers scrambling to keep down costs, but consumers be warned: cotton clothing will be getting more expensive.

"It's really a no-choice situation," said Wesley R. Card, president and chief executive of the Jones Group, the company behind Anne Klein, Nine West and other brands. "Prices have to come up."

Trimark Sportswear Group's selection as the Activewear Licensee for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and ParaOlympic Winter Games has taught the Company how to utilize capabilities on the products design, shipping and fulfillment side.

Hanesbrands Inc, Jones Group Inc. and VF Corp. said they will raise prices for clothing set to hit stores early next year by as much as 10%. When cotton prices began their climb a year ago, retailers and manufacturers were unclear how much?if any?of the cost would be passed along to consumers. But with benchmark cotton now up about 80% since the beginning of the year, apparel companies say they no longer have a choice.

Shortly after our town hall meeting I left for two weeks to travel through Asia to meet with our vendors and understand the current landscape within our supply chain, which is riddled with challenges.

Three meetings in and we are making progress on many fronts. However, an interesting change and resulting insight has taken place, not by what was said but rather where it was said.

When Will Andrew took over as president of Trimark Sportswear Group in June, he had a sense of what he wanted to tackle. The Richmond Hill, Ont.-based logoed-apparel company had come through an exciting time - a big move to a new space from its 35-year home in nearby Markham, and an association with the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver as one of the official licensees.

As Trimark Sportswear Group goes through the early stages of its cultural evolution, there's one thing that comes up again and again: communication ? the need for more of it and more often. If culture is the thing that drives most aspects of the business, which is what Trimark president Will Andrew has discovered, then communication is what drives the culture.

Tracey McCarthy, interior designer, on the new look for Trimark Sportswear

When you walk into the Trimark Sportswear Group lobby, there is little to indicate what actually goes on there. In fact, the new, huge two-storey building in Richmond Hill, Ont., into which Trimark moved in March, is vast and creamy beige. There is nothing that speaks to the company's 35-year history, let alone to its successes in the logo-ed apparel world or to the fact that it was one of the official licensees of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

The amazing thing is each person is simply putting one foot in front of the other, and despite the simplicity the impact is euphoric. Inside the dynamics are those who organize the event and those who are participating.

In its 35-year history, Trimark Sportswear Group has never had a full-time human resources person. The previous president dealt with issues as they arose; when that became too cumbersome, he hired a consultant to work part-time, to help with the annual employee survey and structure significant HR-related events, among other things.

But when Will Andrew took over as president in June and decided to focus on evolving the company's culture, he realized he needed an HR manager on staff, full-time, to work closely with. "I wanted somebody who was going to live and breathe with the staff," says Mr. Andrew. "We interviewed a number of experienced older people but my fear was they wouldn't connect with the staff."

I must admit I have never had to write as much as I have during the past few months. This exercise has definitely taught me the value of effective communication. Transparency is a challenge and we are embracing it, but at times clarity is required.

As part of our Culture Series on theglobeandmail.com our very own Will Andrew had the chance to sit down and learn from Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappors.com

Meeting Tony Hsieh was definitely an interesting experience and brought with it some intriguing insights.

As I thought about what I might ask Tony, I realized this task might be better if I had the company involved. So instead of drafting questions, I invited the staff to help me. I offered them links to information on Zappos.com and then asked them what they would like to ask Tony. As a result, the Trimark staff generated the questions in the accompanying video.

Who has the say over furniture, and other corporate ponderings

Priority No. 1: Moving file cabinets???

There's plenty of skepticism around the concept of culture change. Some people hear the phrase and think it's just a soft way of saying the boss is making changes and everyone either better get on board or get out.

But if company leaders are truly aligned in a new vision and committed to the long process of change, experts say, the end result can be good for most everybody.

When Will Andrew was appointed president of Trimark Sportswear Group on June 1 this year, tinkering with the culture of the Richmond Hill, Ont., company wasn't exactly his top priority. But he has since envisioned the possible benefits. Here he chronicles the start of the process.

In theory, the process of evolving a good corporate culture into a great one, as Trimark Sportswear Group president Will Andrew is trying to do, should be relatively straightforward and easy. After all, who wouldn't want a workplace to improve ? particularly if it meant a better bottom line?

But because human beings are involved, it's not quite that easy. Changing isn't something many of us do with ease.

The next challenge is how do we empower staff, especially those on the front line, to resolve customer issues on their first call? This quickly moves to training, which is where we are focused at the moment.

Many companies prefer to command and control staff, but I feel that providing a trust and track environment is far more powerful in the long run.

5 Hiring & Selection Questions with Will Andrew: President of Trimark Sportswear, Top 40 Under 40 for 2010.

Will Andrew was recently named one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40 for his work with Trimark Sportswear Group, official licensee for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. He's also been asked by Canada's national newspaper,The Globe and Mail, be to part of a special feature column on company culture.

The next challenge is how do we empower staff, especially those on the front line, to resolve customer issues on their first call? This quickly moves to training, which is where we are focused at the moment.

Many companies prefer to command and control staff, but I feel that providing a trust and track environment is far more powerful in the long run.

Early in my career I built a company from my parents' basement, and what drove me to work endless hours and give up many other aspects of my life was not money or freedom (I certainly didn't get that). Rather, it was the idea that I was creating something larger, something that mattered to my customers.

When Will Andrew took over as president of Trimark Sportswear Group in June, he was well aware that the leadership change could create anxiety among the staff. Though he had been at Trimark for five years, Mr. Andrew was coming at his new job from a different perspective than his predecessor.

On the whole, they are optimistic about coming changes

Last week I had time to visit customers and see first hand our sales force in action. It also gave me a chance to chat about the cultural development at Trimark. Clearly many business owners are faced with similar challenges and opportunities and welcome the discussion. Many of our customers are constantly working on their own cultures and are looking to different sources for ideas and directions.

To some people, "culture," in the corporate sense, is a bit of a fuzzy concept. Still, even if they can't exactly define it, anyone who has worked for a company with an unhealthy culture knows it. And anyone who has pushed for culture change in a workplace understands just how difficult that exercise can be.

As we embark on this journey it is clear that we need to keep many things in mind and watch the balance between execution and the development of our culture. The goal is to improve performance, both at a corporate level as well as a personal level. Culture and core values play a critical role in guiding us through our decisions, but we must be mindful of the law of diminishing returns. If we focus on culture too much, we may sacrifice our daily performance, so there has to be a point where we recognize that our effort is not worth the return. I am keeping this thought in the forefront of my mind.

When Will Andrew was appointed president of Trimark Sportswear Group on June 1 this year, tinkering with the culture of the company wasn't exactly his top priority. Instead, the 39-year-old was focused on enhancing the Richmond Hill, Ont.-based company's sales and marketing efforts – capitalizing, in part, on its momentum as one of nine active-wear licensees for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and Paralympic Games.

TORONTO, Ontario - Trimark Sportswear Group of Richmond Hill, ON., announced today that President and COO Will Andrew has been recognized as one of Canada's emerging leaders. Mr. Andrew has recently been selected as one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40™ for 2009.

It is with both great appreciation and sadness that I advise you that Stuart Campbell will be retiring from Trimark Sportswear Group Inc. effective June 30th, 2010. Stuart and I began discussions on his succession over two years ago and he kindly agreed to stay on until the move to our new facilities was completed. Stuart will continue to work one day per week during a transition period over the next six months.

SUPPLIER SALES REPRESENTATIVE OF THE YEAR

GOLD CHAD MAYBURY – TRIMARK SPORTSWEAR GROUP INC.

I regret to advise the promotional trade that Terry Slattery and Slattery Enterprises Ltd., will be terminating their relationship with Trimark Sportswear Group effective December 31, 2009. Terry joined our company as a sales consultant and has been a strong contributor to our sales and marketing success as a company and specifi cally within the GTA. Terry assisted our sales team during our lengthy search for our National Sales Director, Diane Barrow. Terry has also helped with the integration of Diane into our industry.

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Michelle Wilson as Inside Sales Representative (focusing on the Western based accounts), effective November 16, 2009.

Trimark Sportswear Group will be implementing price changes to our existing styles effective September 15, 2009. With Trimark's 15-Day Price Assurance Program, your current pricing is guaranteed until October 1, 2009.

Today, I am proud and excited to announce the appointment of Trimark's New National Sales Director, Diane Barrow.

Shaun Rolfe of R2 Agencies, as the New Southern Alberta Sales Agency."I am absolutely thrilled to be Representing the Premium Line of Apparel in the Promotional Industry and very honoured to be joining one of the most Dynamic Sales Teams in Canada."

Friday, June 5th, 2009 (Vancouver, BC) Surrounded by eager and inspired Aboriginal Youth in Vancouver yesterday, Elevate Sport, an Official Licensee for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, announced a partnership with the Downtown Eastside's Urban Native Youth Association (UNYA). The youth were gathered at UNYA's activity centre to provide a demonstration of some of the fitness and self defense skills they've learned as participants in the Aboriginal Youth First program (AYF).

MaElevate Sport recently announced that it has hired b*co communications, Vancouver, as its public relations agency-of-record.

b*co will manage all communications activities for Elevate Sports, including targeted media relations campaigns for its 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games' licensed products, as well as business and trade outreach.

As part of a new initiative Trimark decided to create the Trimark Tackle Box. It was created to give our clients a collection of incentives and initiatives designed to help them "Lure in" and land that "Big Fish". The Tackle Box went on to win the Silver Supplier Self Promotion Award at the recent PPPC Image Awards on January 25th, 2009.

With temperatures dropping on the course at this time of year, the hot fabrics of the 2008 ONTOUR collection from Trimark Sportswear Group will keep golfers warm and help them squeeze more rounds out of the season. Core warmth plays a pivotal role in creating a consistent and manageable golf game.

Elevate Sport is a wholly owned subsidiary of Trimark Sportswear Group. Elevate Sport was founded by Will Andrew and Derrick Milne to establish a retail brand that will service the independent retailers and franchise retailers alike.

OnTour™ is developing a considerable following as a Canadian-based apparel company, and has obviously been making noise for the brand's parent to be awarded a major license from the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Trimark Sportswear Group is pleased to announce that it has been selected as an official licensee for Lifestyle / Active Wear by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). A new subsidiary has been established to develop and sell products bearing the Vancouver 2010 emblems and the Olympic and Paralympic brands to Canadian Retailers. These Retailers include; HBC and affiliates, Department Stores, Souvenir, Gift, Tourist, and Specialty Retailers, Duty Free shops, Sports stores, and all other Apparel stores.

Trimark Sportswear Group puts on a spectacular performance at the 2006 Western Imprint Show Canada. With the votes being cast by the shows attendees, Trimark was awarded for having the "Best Sales Environment".

"The launch of a Brand New Generation has ignited our sales and resulted in aggressive targets being achieved by Trimark Sales Personnel across the country" - Tom Lappala, National Sales Manager.