Call it classified ad serendipity.

Eighteen years ago, Seattle-area native Teresa Fang was a new arrival in New York City in need of a hold-over job as she figured out her career trajectory. She responded to a help wanted ad for an executive assistant and landed the gig at then-supplier Jetline. Two weeks later, her talents quickly apparent, she was promoted to director of purchasing.

It was the whirlwind start to a promo products career that’s seen Fang rise to vice president of supply chain at alphabroder (asi/34063) – a role that has her spearheading hard goods sourcing for the $2 billion Top 40 supplier.

Teresa Fang, alphabroder

The fact that Fang swiftly embraced the high-responsibility position at Jetline – while also helping unload containers during busy times – speaks volumes about her character. When challenges or pressure-bearing opportunities arise, some shy away. Others boldly take them on.

Fang is the type of person who assuredly fits into the second category.

Perhaps never was that more apparent than in the incredible sourcing leadership she provided from the first waves of COVID, through the industry’s supply chain crisis, and on into the rapidly evolving post-pandemic present.

And while Fang’s achievements are impressive in and of themselves, they’re also representative of the industry sourcing professionals who navigated the worst of the global supply chain complexities – and ultimately kept the promo industry running.

“No one can do this alone,” Fang says. “I’ve benefitted from having an incredible team and from having fantastic mentors, customers and vendors from whom I have learned. I’m so grateful for all the people who have helped me and taught me so much along the way.”

‘An Invaluable Asset’

Adaptable and fastidious, Fang played an essential role in leading alphabroder’s pivot to selling personal protective equipment (PPE) during the panic-stricken first waves of COVID in 2020. It was a monumental task that included identifying new trustworthy vendors from which to procure products that alphabroder hadn’t provided before, including masks, gloves, face shields and no-touch tools.

Importantly, the effort entailed ensuring products were of high quality and met safety standards, including labelling.

“Teresa was critical in helping us pivot quickly into PPE,” says Eric Levin, the Jetline founder who first hired Fang and current executive vice president of hard goods strategy and growth at alphabroder. (In 2016, Jetline was acquired by Prime Line, which in 2017 was acquired by alphabroder.) Levin continues: “Teresa vetted new vendors. She navigated the complex compliance side while onboarding new vendors as fast as she could.”

As lockdowns and the tightest of the COVID restrictions lifted, demand for all manner of products – including traditional promo items – surged in North America. Thus, a secondary crisis ignited: one centered on overwhelmed supply chains that couldn’t handle the demand, leading to widespread inventory shortages.

“The only thing we can count on is change. The important thing is to plan as best you can and always be ready to adapt.” – Teresa Fang, alphabroder

Undaunted, Fang leveraged the tight vendor relationships she’d built over the years and remained dexterous, making sure that alphabroder was always toward the front of the line with vendors to obtain what product was available. That, plus working in collaboration with alphabroder’s deft logistics team and adapting new practices like ordering more product farther in advance than pre-pandemic norms, among other initiatives, helped keep the supplier in as much stock as was possible during the challenging times. These days, inventory is again robust.

As the crisis has waned, Fang continues to lead on initiatives relevant both for alphabroder and the industry as a whole, such as diversifying sourcing networks beyond China and helping to incorporate more sustainable offerings into the product portfolio.

Teresa Fang may be an executive, but she isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. Here she is a few years ago working with colleagues Lee Cox, Annette Greene, Dan Bock and Paula Stacy on a project that, in part, sought to expand sample room space in a warehouse.

“Teresa has been an invaluable asset,” says Andrea Lara Routzahn, chief merchant at alphabroder. “Developing better, sustainable and branded styles to support our One-Stop-Solution strategy required a fresh look at our sourcing and replenishment models in a post-pandemic supply chain environment. Teresa’s expertise has supported the successful launch of many exciting new products and brands in our hard-goods assortment over the past 12 months and positioned alphabroder for continued success.”

Industry peers sing Fang’s praises, too.

“Teresa is a dedicated and hard worker who always goes above and beyond no matter what the situation,” says Jordie Freedman, president of Connecticut-based supplier Jornik Manufacturing (asi/63549), Counselor’s 2020 Supplier Family Business of the Year. “She’s a real mentor who I know I can turn to for a quick question about pretty much anything.”

While deeply appreciative of the praise, Fang isn’t a fan of the limelight. For her, the joy is in the job itself – the work with her valued colleagues in an industry she loves.

“The past three years have been quite interesting for all of us,” says Fang. “The only thing we can count on is change. The important thing is to plan as best you can and always be ready to adapt.”