Pleasanton, Calif.

The Chicago-based Quality Certification Alliance (QCA) has formed a distributor advocacy group that formalizes the relationship the organization has with distributors who understand the value compliance programs have in building stronger relationships with suppliers, creating competitive advantage in the marketplace and building loyalty with their end-buyer clients.

Cleveland-based Proforma recently welcomed four new owners to its network and also announced two owner acquisitions that took place in August. The new owners are Henry and Joan Dinneen, Proforma First, Tulsa, Okla.; Mark Losiak, Proforma Sonic Business Solutions, Minooka, Ill.; Greg Stefanowski, Proforma NS Print, Newtown, Pa.,; and Peter Winger, Proforma Pac 'N Ship, Minot, N.D. In August, Michael Baucom, owner of Proforma Print Source in Durham, N.C., acquired Printing & Graphics, Inc. of Statesville, N.C.,; and Jeff Leuchi, owner of Proforma J.C.L. Print Associates in Pleasanton, Calif., acquired Proforma PLUS of Danville, Calif. For more information, visit www.proforma.com.

Platinum Award: Promotional Products. Thinking Inside the Box. It seems like everywhere you go these days there are more and more billboards and banners imploring you to "think outside the box." Yet, for Keith Beck, sometimes it's best to just stay inside. For instance, thinking inside the box helped Beck, president of ProForma Pacific Systems in Pleasanton, Calif., put together an award-winning gift box package. And it was thinking inside the box that led Beck to use a design abandoned by a failed dot-com instead of paying to design a new one. A design, in hindsight, that seems to have been destined for this particular customer. Of course,