Charles River Apparel Newsletter April 2022

LETTER FROM THE CEO

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DEPARTMENT UPDATES

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NEW TO THE CREW

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INTRO TO REPREVE ®

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OFFICE MAKEOVER

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WORK ANNIVERSARIES

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EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER

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SPECIAL EVENTS

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INDUSTRY NEWS

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LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT & CEO Enabling the Full Potential of our Employees

At Charles River Apparel, there is nothing we wish for more than to offer opportunities to our employees.

Employee advancement opportunities is a strategic goal of the company. To provide these, we’ve evaluated our business to find ways to break down the barriers to advancement, including: • Prioritizing coaching and career pathing skills.

• Communicating active job postings.

• Offering opportunities for employee training and development, including tuition reimbursement (see more details on page 3).

Over the years, we are proud of the many employees who have grown with the company. We congratulate Mike Durazzano for his success in moving up within the organization, from warehouse to customer service and now selling for us in the mid-Atlantic states. Sean Moore also began in the warehouse as a supervisor, and today serves as our Trade Show Manager. Mirela Ratti began as a senior accountant and now leads Human Resources, and we are happy to welcome Emma Prinos in her new role in that department. We would also like to celebrate the promotion of Kaitlyn Montagna to Corporate Project Manager. These are just a few examples of ways we’ve seen our crew members grow within the company, and we hope to foster many more with the help of our managers, whom we encourage to act as mentors and career guides for their teams.

We also want to inspire our employees to act as what I call “intrapreneurs”, or entrepreneurs within the company. Last year, Tsedenia Kiros and Jon Myers partnered with our customers to identify the new black leopard print pattern for our New Englander style. This was an example of two “intrapreneurs” searching for change, responding to it, and finding success.

We are excited to continue creating opportunities with the great people at Charles River Apparel!

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HUMAN RESOURCES COVID Protocols

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WE ARE HIRING! • Outside Territory Sales Manager (MI & OH)

• IT Systems Integration Specialist

• Customer Service Manager

• Warehouse Forklift Driver

• Customer Service Representative

• Order Operations Specialist

• ERP Support Specialist

• Junior Accountant (Paid Internship)

CLICK TO EXPLORE CAREERS

NEW TO THE CREW Over the last few months, we’ve welcomed several new hires to the team!

Let’s take a moment to learn a little more about our new crew members.

WELCOME

Fun Fact: During his time at university, Osaro loved working on digital boards and robotics.

Fun Fact: Scott enjoys everything outdoors, from hiking and fishing to playing almost every sport!

Fun Fact: TJ enjoys spending time restoring and maintaining his small collection of classic cars!

Fun Fact: In his spare time, Colin can be found on the court playing basketball or hanging with his friends and family.

Fun Fact: Rachel enjoys spending time in New Hampshire, particularly snowboarding in the winter and boating on the lake in the summer.

Fun Fact: When she’s not enjoying family time with her husband and two children, avid golfer Candace can be found on the green!

Fun Fact: Camille loves restoring thrifted furniture, crafting, tending to her ever-growing collection of houseplants, and snuggling with her 40-pound lap dog Snicky!

Fun Fact: Ivana is a huge fan of Harry Potter and can impressively cite both the books and movies line-by-line!

TUITION REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM All full-time regular, active employees with at least six months of continuous service are eligible for tuition reimbursement of up to $4,000 per year. All classes must be pre-approved and related to the employee’s development with Charles River Apparel. To be eligible for tuition reimbursement, the employee must obtain at least a B average. Please note: If an employee voluntarily terminates employment with Charles River Apparel, the company reserves the right to seek repayment of any tuition reimbursement paid in the 12 months prior to termination.

DISTRIBUTION CENTER Crew Connections

Gary Cole and Kaitlyn Montagna have teamed up to do something very special – and very important – to improve connections between the various departments across Charles River Apparel. Beginning April 13 and 14, our Distribution Center met with members of Customer Service and Finance to familiarize the departments with how our warehouse operates (and how it might affect other teams). By having people understand how various teams interact, our crew will be able to better communicate and collaborate – and ultimately, better serve our customers! Gary and Kaitlyn would like to invite anyone who is interested to join them in these meetings to learn more.

MARKETING Celebrating a Legacy of Quality At our AHOD meeting in March, we debuted a very special video featuring our founder Walter Lipsett discussing the legacy of Charles River Apparel. In case you missed it, watch the video now and stay tuned for more brand content coming soon!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

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SUPPLY CHAIN

Get Aquainted with our Quality Help Desk Recently, Camille Sanchez joined the Supply Chain department as Quality Specialist, and she has already rolled out a new system for assessing any quality concerns, the Quality Help Desk. Previously, quality emails were sent to individuals within the Supply Chain department. Now, all customers and vendors can email quality@charlesriverapparel.com with any quality concerns, where a ticket will be generated to assign a time frame for resolution. This ticket system will also build reports that track quality index and metric performance. Camille and her team are excited for this launch and welcome any questions or suggestions!

GOING GREEN WITH REPREVE ® Information Provided by Chloe Fimlaid

We are excited to introduce our partnership with Unifi, a US yarn supplier known globally for manufacturing quality, innovative, and sustainable recycled fibers. In Fall 2022, we will be launching our Men’s Eco-Logic Stretch Polo incorporating REPREVE® Polyester.

What is REPREVE®?

A registered trademark fiber through Unifi, which uses recycled polyester derived from water bottles.

Why REPREVE®?

The supply chain for these materials is sustainable, traceable, and transparent.

3318 men’s Eco-Logic MEN’S 3318 | ECO-LOGIC STRETCH POLO Stretch Polo FEATURES:

• Recycled fabrication • Tapered neck seam • Self fabric collar with three button placket • Bar-tacked side vents for durability

FABRIC:

88% polyester (44% recycled poly/44% Repreve poly) 12% spandex

COLORS: BLACK

NAVY

ROYAL

GREY

DECORATION METHOD: Embroidery, Heat Transfer, Screen Print TBD SIZES: S-3XL *FOR SAMPLE PURPOSES ONLY, NOT FOR RESALE*

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FACILITIES

Office Makeover

By Rob Lima & Tom Gallagher

For those who have been in the office recently, you may have noticed some exciting changes happening! We’ve been busy refreshing the look and feel of our workspaces, from installing air purifiers, new windows, and skylights (featuring modern shades), to updating the new Demand Planning area with fresh paint and vinyl plank flooring. Even Mirela’s office got a makeover!

The goal: Provide our crew with a safe, friendly, and collaborative environment, while also offering flexible spaces for private Zoom calls or simply a new view with the reservable Crew or River Rooms.

Next up, we’ll be remodeling the former Demand Planning space to welcome the expanded accounting team and adding new flooring to the upstairs breakroom for relaxed lunches, casual breaks, or conversations with your fellow crew members. Stay tuned for more improvements that will continue to be made over the next few years!

New Demand Planning Area

Mirela’s New Office

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WORK ANNIVERSARIES Cheers to 10 Years with Charles River Apparel!

We’d like to give a special shoutout to those who have been with the crew for the last decade! In honor of this milestone, we asked each of them to share with us their favorite memory at Charles River Apparel.

BRUCE BARNET, Chief Operating Officer | Joined April 2, 2012 It’s hard to believe it has been 10 years already – time truly flies by! When I joined, my daughters were 12 and 10 and I had a lot more hair. Now, both kids are in college and my hair loss is something I don’t want to talk about.

I remember meeting Walter and Barry for breakfast after my first few weeks, and distinctly remember my conversations with Walter, who helped me better understand the family values that still drive our business today: genuine relationships, service, quality, honesty, integrity, and giving back. His personal guidance, advice, and caring have helped me succeed in my role. I also give special thanks to Barry and Deb, who have always treated me like family, displayed trust in me, and been supportive over the past decade regardless of the challenges we have faced. They have also inspired my passion for our philanthropic efforts, part of the company’s mission of giving back and caring for others in need.

I think the biggest thing I have learned in 10 years is that great companies succeed through the efforts of people working collaboratively as a team. I am grateful to work with so many hardworking, passionate, and committed people that help drive our success each day.

Thanks everyone for your continued support and friendship. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside all of you and be part of the Charles River Apparel family.

ROB LIMA, Vice President of Finance & Operations | Joined June 4, 2012 Over the last 10 years, I’ve been given great opportunities to grow with Charles River Apparel. Many of you may not know, but I started as a Controller and evolved to where I’m fortunate to lead a great crew in the Finance, Customer Service, Facilities, and Warehouse departments!

While the last two years have been challenging due to pandemic, I’m looking forward to once again participating in various company events. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed the creative miniature golf courses teams have built, opening day BBQs, “Crunch Lunches”, Halloween decoration contests, and all the great volunteering opportunities – the Monday Christmas in the City opportunity will always be remembered.

Even more special were the events I was able to attend with my kids. There was that Saturday nine years ago when I came in with my 8-year-old son to help sort clothing that Charles River Apparel was donating (I still remember his excitement), and that Rodman Ride for Kids where both my kids and I handed out T-shirts to participants. I cherish these memories because of the family connection, especially those days where I would bring my daughter to work after her quarterly doctor appointment (she was not one that kept still, but I always felt she was welcomed).

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I value tremendously the wonderful people I have met at Charles River Apparel, and I can’t thank the Lipsett family and our crew (current and former) enough for all the great memories and support. I look forward to building more memories with this great crew!

CHRIS CLEGG, Territory Sales Manager | Joined June 11, 2012 It’s hard to pinpoint one specific favorite memory at Charles River Apparel, but I can recall a few of my favorites, including the night out in Martha’s Vineyard where we took a boat to the island and had dinner as a sales group.

Another fond memory was when we did the scavenger hunt in downtown Boston while it was raining, and some of us did not finish the hunt and instead sat a bar and enjoyed some cold adult beverages.

In my ten years at Charles River Apparel, I’ve seen many people come and go, but our leadership (Barry and Bruce) has stayed the same. I’ve seen the type of apparel we design evolve from when I first started, and today there is an emphasis on retail that did not exist before.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my ten years at Charles River Apparel. I love the fact that we are a family owed business in Massachusetts and that we are a well-known company in New England. I feel very proud to be a part of a company that gives back to the community.

CELEBRATING 5 YEARS WITH THE CREW! Kristen Carota, AP/Licensing Specialist | Joined May 22, 2017 Jeison Ortega, Chief Technology Officer | Joined May 30, 2017 Michael Durazzano, Territory Manager | Joined May 30, 2017

2022

KRISTEN CAROTA AP/Licensing Specialist

Congratulations to Kristen Carota for recognized as our Employee of the Quarter!

being

Kristen joined our crew in May 2017 and serves as our AP/Licensing Specialist in the Finance Department, keeping us on track by handling all payables for the company as well as the licensing and royalty responsibilities for all our college licenses.

During a busy first quarter, Kristen went above and beyond to not only make sure all compliance deadlines were met, but also stepped in to help other departments with reporting, research, and anything else that was needed.

Thank you for all that you do, Kristen!

Q&A WITH KRISTEN What is your favorite part of working at Charles River Apparel?

I would say my favorite part is the people I work with. Everyone here genuinely cares about the company and doing their best at their job as well as keeping the company environment positive and upbeat.

What do you do for fun?

I enjoy shopping, hanging out with my friends (some of which I’ve had since high school), relaxing at home watching TV, and spending time with my daughter and four grandchildren. I’m looking forward to my fifth grandchild arriving in late May/early June (a girl!).

What is your favorite vacation destination in New England or beyond?

I haven’t been there (yet) but my two favorite places to go on vacation would be Italy and Aruba.

That’s the plan next!

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SPECIAL EVENTS

Charles River Apparel cultivates a culture of caring, and we’re looking forward to a year full of opportunities to give back together as a crew! Here are few special events coming up.

Friday, April 22 EARTH DAY CLEAN UP Charles River Apparel will join the Charles River Watershed Association for a special cleanup at Franklin State Forest along the Charles River.

Wednesday, May 25 EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEER EVENT WITH CIRCLE OF HOPE Event details and registration coming soon.

Thursday, June 2 HOPE BLOOMS FUNDRAISER This year, Charles River Apparel is honored to be the presenting sponsor for Hope Blooms, the single-largest fundraiser for Circle of Hope. Ticket info coming soon..

PARTNER PROFILE Circle of Hope One of our longtime nonprofit partners, Circle of Hope is critical in providing clothing, hygiene essentials, and PPE to families and individuals experiencing homeless in the Boston area.

LEARN MORE

TRADE SHOWS April 28: CPPA NoVA Showcase May 3: GCPPA PromoCon May 17: SAAGNY Summer May 19: MIPPA Ideas in Bloom May 19-20: NEAPP Spring 9

May 25: HALO Denver June 14-16: Facilis Supplier Showcase June 20-23: HALO National Sales Meeting June 28-30: Proforma Albrecht & Co.

INDUSTRY NEWS Spotted!

Our Color Blocked Pack-N-Go® was featured in this month’s article by PPAI on promo products for wellness travel!

CLICK TO READ MORE

Promo’s Big 2021 Rebound and Outlook for 2022 This Promo Insiders podcast by ASI Central looks at the industry’s past, present, and future.

CLICK TO WATCH

Shipping Updates: Ocean Shipping Reform Act Passes Senate, Container Rates Decrease 12% in March Promo Marketing breaks down the bill that will hopefully begin alleviating some supply chain issues faced by US companies and consumers.

CLICK TO LEARN MORE

EMPLOYEE BIRTHDAYS! Make sure to wish these crew members a special day!

April

May

June

April 9 - Rachel Nordberg

May 4 - Daniel Federowicz

June 7 - Sharon Steed

April 12 - Tsedenia Kiros

May 5 - James Haney

June 9 - Shelby Hall

April 16 - Jason Lipsett

May 20 - Mirela Ratti

June 20 - Jesus Torres

April 17 - Colin Grace

May 20 - Luz Taborda Santa

June 22 - Amilcar Cardoso

April 19 - Candace Halverson

May 28 - Sopetan Men

June 22 - Laurita Salas Arias

April 25 - Barry Lipsett

May 29 - Jon Myers

April 25 - Stina Shaw April 30 - Sean Dwyer

De Beato June 26 - Michael Crimmings

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APRIL 2022