Feb. 27, 2025 – ST. PAUL, Minn. – www.crystal-d.com – Crystal D, leading supplier of crystal awards and gifts, has added industry veteran Ray Rodriguez to its sales leadership team and promoted Tawauna Garner to solutions manager.
After consulting with Crystal D over the last six months, Rodriguez joins the company as its vice president of sales.
Ray Rodriguez, vice president of sales
“Ray’s deep industry knowledge, along with his extensive experience with strategic planning and relationship building, have already made him a trusted advisor for Crystal D,” said Bridget Dahlgren, executive vice president of marketing and sales. “Ray’s commitment to serving our customers and maintaining high standards align with Crystal D and our passion to be the very best.”
Dahlgren said the company is “ecstatic” for Rodriguez to lead the sales team in articulating the value and ROI of recognition, while coaching and guiding customers on growing their award sales businesses profitably.
With more than 30 years of experience in sales management roles within promotional and premium businesses, Rodriguez has earned the reputation as an industry expert, as well as a widely respected sales and marketing leader.
His resume includes roles at top 40 suppliers and distributors, and he has also owned and managed his own real estate brokerage. In addition to his role at Crystal D, Rodriguez will continue to run 5Ppromo, his consultancy for suppliers and distributors, and navigate the Mexico market with AmeriMex, a division of 5Ppromo.
Rodriguez is especially passionate about helping suppliers refine and grow their businesses, and he has hit the ground running as Crystal D’s sales leader.
“Awards is an exciting and creative category to represent! As salespeople, it’s uncommon to present a product where a buyer can easily identify a return on their investment,” Rodriguez said.
“Selling awards is a high-purpose sale and the value of recognition, to the recipients as well as to the business, can easily be articulated. My team and I are excited to share our winning formula for success that will impact the bottom line for both our customers and theirs.”
As a coach to his team and customers, Rodriguez will be training and developing sales proficiencies to help successfully implement, execute, and grow awards and recognition programs.
“I am blessed to work with Crystal D and its team,” he said. “They are committed to being the best in the awards and recognition space. I’ll see everyone on the road!”
Promotion of Tawauna Garner
Longtime, award-winning Memory Maker Tawauna Garner has been promoted to solutions manager. It’s the latest in a series of progressions Garner has made as a leader on Crystal D’s inside sales team, known as the Solutions Team.
“Tawauna has been our lead solutions specialist for the past year and she has consistently gone above and beyond,” Dahlgren said. “She’s demonstrated outstanding leadership and care for her team, as well as her customers, and we’re excited to see her step into this new role.”
Tawauna Garner, solutions manager
With the Solutions Team reporting to her, Garner carries on her responsibilities for making the project idea, design and quoting process simple, easy and fast, while building a team that consistently delivers a memorable experience.
“Tawauna’s passion for serving and partnering with our customers is second to none!” Dahlgren said.
Garner has been with Crystal D since 2016 and has held several roles with the company’s customer service and sales teams, earning accolades from both inside the company and within the industry.
About Crystal D
Crystal D (www.crystal-d.com), leader in crystal awards and gifts, has been delighting recipients with the highest-quality recognition products for more than 30 years. We are known as the Home of “The WOW Effect” ® because every item is designed by our artisans in St. Paul, Minnesota, and this meticulous attention to detail turns the emotion of a recognition experience into a lasting memory. Crystal D offers over 1,500 innovative and elegant awards and gifts, guarantees an industry-leading production time of just six to eight days after art approval, and has earned five-star status for our customer service. Contact us at (800) 544-1131 or email sales@crystal-d.com. Interested in joining our team of Memory Makers? Visit Crystal-d.com/careers.
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