Arrowhead appoints Luke Prokop as President

GRAND RAPIDS, Minnesota (Jan. 9, 2025) – Arrowhead Promotion and Fulfillment Co. Inc., a leading provider of promotional marketing services, announced today the promotion of Luke Prokop to the position of President. The appointment of Prokop resumes a line of family succession that began when Prokop’s grandfather, Keith Arnold, started the company in 1983.

“I am proud of Luke, and our entire team,” said Katie Prokop, Arrowhead’s CEO. “Luke, and his advanced approach to sales has helped guide Arrowhead to phenomenal growth. He is surrounded by an incredible team that has helped propel Arrowhead into the strong position we hold within a highly competitive industry. Luke’s leadership style fits perfectly with Arrowhead’s culture and I know Luke and his team will continue to build on that success as he takes on this new challenge.”

Prokop is Arrowhead’s fifth president in the company’s 41-year history, taking over the role most recently held by Bud Schneider, who transitioned into an emeritus position in 2023, and has since retired.

A legacy of leadership

“I am incredibly honored to be leading a team I greatly respect, and at a company my grandfather started, one in which both my parents have nurtured and elevated during their tenures in leadership,” said Luke Prokop. “Arrowhead’s success is a product of the hard work of the entire Arrowhead team, putting us in a position to offer our clients cutting edge technology, decades of experience and the commitment to our clients to always offer them the best solutions possible to engage their customers.”

Strong community ties and long-term employee loyalty

The selection of Prokop as Arrowhead’s newest president reflects the company’s strong commitment to its roots and to the community. Twenty percent of Arrowhead’s employees have been with the company for more than 20 years, providing deep expertise to its growing client base, particularly in highly regulated industries including adult beverages, sporting goods and animal health.

Client growth led Arrowhead to increase its staff by 15-percent in 2024. The company is planning to increase staff by another 10-percent in 2025.

Prokop arrived at Arrowhead in 2017, as Director of Business Development, and most recently was Executive Vice President, Finance and Sales. His new role begins immediately.

About Arrowhead Promotion and Fulfillment

Arrowhead is a proud, woman-owned company with more than 40-years of experience helping brands connect with customers. Its portfolio includes some of the country’s best-known brands across many industries, including consumer packaged goods, healthcare and pharmaceutical, adult beverage, sporting goods, automotive and more.

Arrowhead’s deep expertise and proven systems and processes enable us to advance our clients’ objectives efficiently and cost-effectively across multiple marketing service areas. These include promotion and fulfillment, rebates, coupons, sweepstakes, games and contests, loyalty and continuity services, B2B sales incentives, and contact center services. We have a singular mission: To help our clients engage their customers in ways that build awareness, brand loyalty and sales.

Arrowhead is a leading promotional marketing services company based in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. For more information, visit arrowheadpromotion.com. Call 218-327-1165 or email inquiry@apfco.com.

The importance of company culture during the holidays

Among the many gatherings upended by a global pandemic was the annual holiday party that was a tradition for so many workplaces. Economics have slimmed down many of the gatherings that remain, which can stick out in the budget as a frivolous expenditure. However, company culture can make these events more meaningful—especially when they are baked into the fabric of the organization, as they are at Arrowhead.

Building a family-oriented culture

Arrowhead is a family-owned company, started by Keith Arnold in 1983. His daughter Katie Prokop stepped into the leadership position in 2003. Company culture and tradition run deep at Arrowhead, and the one that runs the deepest is an appreciation of Arrowhead’s employees.

“They know they are valued,” Prokop said in a recent interview. “They are cared for, and any employee can walk into any of the leadership team’s office and have a discussion.”

Appreciation through action

Prokop believes the holidays offer a perfect time to show appreciation that goes above and beyond the day-to-day. It’s a tradition her family has long been a part of. From her sister Meg, who loved planning company parties in previous years and even enlisted her dog, Dora, to dress up for them, to company leadership that chooses this time of year to recognize employees and highlight their accomplishments. The goal is to show appreciation for the work employees do every day.

Prokop says the well-being of her employees is always top of mind in her leadership role, which translates into excellent care for Arrowhead’s clients. “If an employee is content and satisfied and likes working where they work, they’re going to take care of their clients.”

Fostering a caring environment year-round

Prokop says there are many opportunities to step up in meaningful ways during the holidays. One of her favorite holiday traditions came directly from employees, who noticed some of their colleagues at times were stressed over buying gifts for their children or grandchildren in their care. Arrowhead started a Mitten Tree where employees could pin on a mitten to ask for a gift for a child, and employees could then take a mitten to fulfill that wish. It’s since morphed into the Arrowhead Elves program, which offers a more streamlined process for gifting and receiving.

In addition to purely social festivities, Arrowhead has chosen the holiday season as the time to host an annual company meeting where remote and onsite employees can gather. Employees get an update on the year in review, and a roadmap for the year ahead. To make the time even more meaningful, individual teams are given a budget to plan their own celebrations in addition to the all-company party that sometimes includes families as well.

Maintaining a culture of care throughout the year

While the holidays get a spotlight on Arrowhead’s calendar, Prokop says employees and leadership carry the culture of community forward throughout the year. That includes summer outings and a volleyball court that entices company teams to play outside during the warmer months.

While it’s clear Prokop loves these events, she also understands the value of maintaining a company culture that consistently demonstrates care for employees. Simply put, employees who feel valued for their contributions to the company reflect that back in their work with their clients.

“For employees, their number one care is their clients,” Prokop said. “We always surround ourselves with really good people. I do believe if you treat them as you want to be treated, it turns out well.”

Strategic moves position Arrowhead for growth in the digital age

GRAND RAPIDS, Minnesota (March 28, 2023) – Arrowhead Promotion and Fulfillment Co. Inc., a leading provider of promotional marketing services, announces key leadership promotions of several key executives. These appointments reflect Arrowhead’s ongoing growth, a go-to-market strategy that emphasizes customer care, and evolution of new technology as Arrowhead continues to add to its portfolio of clients:

Arrowhead’s leadership transition reflects growth and commitment to innovation

“Arrowhead Promotion and Fulfillment has evolved from a small, family-founded company to a major enterprise with deep roots in the community and a growing roster of international brands,” commented Katie Prokop, CEO at Arrowhead. “With more than three decades of experience at Arrowhead between them, Sean, Matt, and Luke have proven themselves as leaders who are ready to take the company to new levels in what has become an extremely competitive, and rapidly changing industry.”

With these key leadership promotions, Arrowhead’s president, Bud Schneider, is moving into an emeritus role and will remain a brand ambassador who continues to work on select special projects for the company.

“Bud has been an exceptional guiding light for Arrowhead,” said Katie Prokop. “Arrowhead prides itself on helping our clients engage with customers wherever they are – a must in the digital age. Under Bud’s leadership, our technology is unmatched in the industry, as is our ability to flex with our customers’ needs. That remains our north star as we continue to grow.”

The new appointments are effective immediately.

About Arrowhead Promotion and Fulfillment

Arrowhead Promotion and Fulfillment is a proud, woman-owned company with 40-years’ experience helping brands connect with customers. Its portfolio includes some of the country’s best-known brands across many industries, including consumer packaged goods, healthcare and pharmaceutical, adult beverage, sporting goods, automotive and more.

Arrowhead’s deep expertise and proven systems and processes, enable us to advance our clients’ objectives efficiently and cost-effectively across multiple marketing service areas. These include promotion and fulfillment, rebates, coupons, sweepstakes, games and contests, loyalty and continuity services, B2B sales incentives, and contact center services. We have a singular mission: To help our clients engage their customers in ways that build awareness, brand loyalty and sales.

Arrowhead is based in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. For more information, visit arrowheadpromotion.com.