About Us

About Us

Bilmor with Advertising Specialties, Inc. was born at the kitchen table of Irvine and Lillian Headley in Miami during the winter of 1985. With the help of their three children, extended family, and friends, Bilmor has grown into a full-service promotional products and embroidery company, offering creative marketing solutions to a wide range of clients across the United States, South America, and the Caribbean.

About Us - Extended Cut!

(Act 1) The Humble Beginnings
Bilmor's journey began with a bold leap into entrepreneurship. Irvine and Lillian left the stability of their full-time jobs, knowing they needed a space to get started. They found just the right one—right in their own home garage. With minimal renovations, Bilmor opened its doors as a promotional product distributor, selling advertising specialties (promotional products) directly from catalogs to small businesses in Miami. But they didn’t stop there. As they built relationships within the small business community, Irvine and Lillian decided to invest in a manual screen printing machine to speed up turnaround times and keep up with growing demand. Months later, they expanded further into button manufacturing—enlisting the help of their children to make buttons over the weekend.

(Act 2) The Move to Country Walk
To support Bilmor’s growing success, the business moved twice before settling in Country Walk in 1992. As technology evolved, Bilmor embraced the power of computers and invested in a sophisticated software system to streamline operations and improve customer service. Then came disaster. In August 1992, Category 5 Hurricane Andrew devastated Miami, destroying Country Walk and leaving Bilmor’s office in ruins. The storm wiped out their computers, files, furniture—their entire operation. Spirits were shaken, but not broken.

(Act 3) Rising from the Ashes
The road to recovery was long, but it led Irvine and Lillian to a new mentor: the late Mr. Stevan Layton. Mr. Layton helped fund Bilmor’s new spacious office when traditional banks wouldn’t. With this new foundation, Bilmor seized the opportunity to expand even further, adding an in-house embroidery machine to the mix. Over the next 8 years, the production area grew, adding a second embroidery machine, a pad printer, heat transfer machine, and hot stamping equipment. With a dedicated team, including their sons Irvine and Andrew, longtime friend Annie Sebro, Jeffrey Austin, and new daughter-in-law Nila Castro-Headley, Bilmor was ready for the future.

(Act 4) The Recession and Recovery
The 2008 economic downturn hit hard, and Bilmor had to make some tough decisions, including reducing staff. Irvine’s son Irvine Jr. took a job at Walt Disney World in Orlando, while Andrew pursued his MBA at the University of Miami. With a smaller team—Lillian, Kristina (their daughter), and Nila—Bilmor began its climb back. By 2011, Andrew returned to the business, helping streamline processes and systems, allowing Irvine, Lillian, and Kristina to focus on providing top-notch service to their clients.

(Act 5) Navigating COVID-19
Bilmor was cruising along, setting sales records and thriving. Then, in late 2019, news broke about a virus in China. It quickly spread to the U.S., and before long, everything shut down. Despite the global slowdown, Bilmor was fortunate to work with key industries that weathered the storm, keeping business flowing—though at a fraction of the usual pace. COVID-19 tested our resolve, but thanks to support from the community and industry leaders, we made it through. We’re now back on track, nearly to where we were before the pandemic, though we’ve lost some dear friends and customers along the way. The journey continues as we strive to build the best promotional products and branded merchandise company possible.

(Act 6) The Journey Continues
The story is still unfolding, with new challenges and new opportunities on the horizon. Stay tuned.

(Credits)
This story wouldn’t have lasted over 40 years without the support of incredible individuals and organizations: Irvine and Lillian Headley and Family, Annie Sebro, Nila Castro-Headley, our dedicated sales staff, our loyal suppliers, and of course, our amazing customers. Special thanks to the University of Miami, the Knight Foundation, Miami Dade College, Florida International University, FAU, FPL, Miami Dade County, the Florida Lottery, the United States Postal Service, The Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce, and all the family, friends, small businesses, chambers of commerce, churches, and organizations who have supported Bilmor throughout the years!

 

 

 

 

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