1. Rising Stars | FEATURE
Kenny Ved joined San Diego-based
supplier Goldstar in April 2001 and was
still getting acclimated when terrorists struck
the U.S. that September. Along with all the
losses the country endured, businesses were
hard hit nationwide as sales slowed for a time
in reaction to the devastation and aftermath
that ensued.
The tragedy of 9/11 wasn’t the only
disaster Ved has had to circumvent. For
years Goldstar had a huge presence in
the pharmaceutical industry with its pens
making their way into doctors waiting
rooms and hospital pharmacies nationwide.
He came to Goldstar with connections
to the heathcare industry from his
previous employer, supplier Belding
Sports, and he expected to build that
piece of business. But when PhRMA was
enacted in January 2009, the voluntary
code discouraged its healthcare members
from giving away non-educational
promotional products. It was the first step to
a devastating loss of business in that sector for
the promotional products industry.
With PhRMA, “the writing was on the
wall but our organization didn’t believe it,”
remembers Ved, “and one day the faucet just
shut off and sales stopped. The company took
a major hit. We had to rebound quickly.”
Understanding the marketplace and
where Goldstar would fit in was a big
challenge, and Ved wasted no time taking
it on. He immediately started knocking on
doors, pitching the company’s capabilities,
working with multi-line reps and rebalancing
how Goldstar marketed itself. “It was tough
but it made us stronger,” he says.
Sixteen years later Ved’s passion about the
job is still rock solid and, at 40, he continues
to make a memorable impression on everyone
he meets. “Kenny is really a hard guy to
miss,” says nominator RJ Hagel, marketing
manager at Goldstar. “He is outgoing, friendly
and quite honestly fairly flamboyant when it
comes to his dress at trade shows. If it isn’t
hot-pink pants, you might find Kenny with
a stars and stripes suit or a ‘pen jacket’ that
he custom tailored to showcase the line of
Goldstar pens he sells. He is always coming
up with something new and thinking outside
the box. If you spend enough time with Kenny,
you start to build anticipation for ‘What is
Kenny going to do next?’”
Hagel also calls Ved a hustler—but only
in the most positive way. “He works hard and
he keeps his head up. When challenges arise,
he works them through and keeps moving.
He is exactly the type of supplier salesperson
that we need more of in the industry,” says
Hagel. “He is passionate about the products
he sells and he is equally passionate about
helping people solve their challenges.”
During a time when suppliers
and distributors are struggling to find
opportunities to grow together, Ved leads
by finding common ground to help
distributors add value to the supply chain,
says Hagel. “To be honest, this nomination
is way overdue for Kenny; he has been
a rising star for quite some time now.”
During his years with Goldstar, Ved has
seen the company grow 500 to 600 percent.
He regularly travels across the U.S. and
Canada meeting with clients and supporting
his sales staff, sometimes for four weeks at
a time. Still, he clears his schedule to give
back to his industry as a board member
for Promotional Marketing Association of
Northern California (PMANC) and has worked
to partner with a number other key industry
suppliers to find synergies and opportunities
to offer more value to distributors and the
industry as a whole.
For Ved, the lessons he’s learned in
his career have been the best teachers.
“Take risks,” he advises. “Calculated risks
and decisions tend to lead to the biggest
awards.” He also believes in giving respect
to others and love to friends and family.
“Everyone wants to be loved. Respecting
everyone you cross paths with will make you
a stronger person.”
Away from work he spends time with his
two children, Jay and Alyssa, and enjoys
playing, coaching and watching sports,
especially basketball, and recharges by
taking short vacations. “Sometimes all you
need is some fun in the sun,” he says.
Kenny Ved
VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES | Goldstar
HIS INSPIRATION
His parents. “My mom is
the most patient and caring
person, and my father taught
me the foundation for sales
success. I find my balance in
life with their upbringing.”
THE INDUSTRY
IN FIVE YEARS
He wants to see more
education geared towards
the industry and more young
talent to add value to the
traditional distributor model—
especially for innovative and
creative ideas for end clients.
ON HIS TO-DO
LIST NOW
Continue strong
double-digit growth
and make 2016 a
banner year.
2016
| SEPTEMBER2016 | 31| SEPTEMBER2016 | 31