Field Notes

BOURBON, MO (June 11, 2025) — Imperial, the premium headwear brand known for quality, fit, and style, is proud to announce its newest partnership as the Official Headwear Partner of CityPickle, a leading provider of pickleball experiences in urban cities across the U.S. CityPickle has redefined pickleball in New York City and beyond, offering accessible, high-quality courts and experiences in iconic locations including Wollman Rink in Central Park, Hudson Yards, Industry City, and Union Square.  “Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the world, and Imperial is committed to being a part of that momentum,” said Jerry Biag, Director of Marketing at Imperial.  “We’re proud to partner with CityPickle, a leader in bringing this sport to vibrant urban communities. Being named their Official Headwear Partner is an honor and an exciting next step in our efforts to serve the pickleball community.” “At CityPickle, we’re always looking for ways to elevate the player experience both on and off the court and Imperial is the perfect partner to help us do that,” said Co-Founder of CityPickle Erica Desai. “Imperial’s premium headwear brings style and functionality to the court, and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with a brand that gets pickleball and understands our mission to grow the game in exciting, urban spaces across the US,” said Co-Founder of CityPickle Mary Cannon.  Visit www.imperial1916.com. About Imperial Founded in 1916, Imperial is a CPC company with expertise in design, marketing, manufacturing, and distribution. Imperial owns and operates several brands and companies, including Imperial, Pukka®, and the Peter Millar Licensing Company. These brands serve diverse markets, including direct-to-consumer (DTC), golf, corporate, destination & leisure, team dealer, and supply chain channels.  Imperial is the Official Licensed Headwear of Major League Pickleball and other pickleball communities.  Imperial’s customers include prestigious golf events such as the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, Open Championship, Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, and Solheim Cup. The company also maintains manufacturing and licensing partnerships with global brands like Nike, Peter Millar, and Tommy Hilfiger.  Imperial supports the Imperial Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to fostering the growth and vitality of sports—especially golf—and enhancing the well-being of communities it serves. CPC, Imperial’s parent company, is a Kansas City-based investment holding firm focused on a long-term strategy to buy, build, and hold™ great companies. For further information please visit Imperial1916.com. Follow Imperial on LinkedIn at @imperial-headwear or Instagram at @ImperialHats. About CityPIckle CityPickle is New York City’s home for pickleball. The lifestyle brand debuted NYC’s first indoor pickleball club in Long Island City. The club features climate-controlled courts and a full bar and restaurant, making it the ideal destination to connect in person, spend quality time, and host events. CityPickle operates 14 courts in Central Park’s Wollman Rink during the spring, summer, and early fall. The brand brings the joy and community of pickleball to thousands through its seasonal activations; locations include Hudson Yards, Union Square, Brooklyn’s Industry City, and Philadelphia’s Dilworth Park at City Hall.

BOURBON, MO – Imperial, voted the #1 headwear brand for private and resort golf facilities for seven consecutive years by the Association of Golf Merchandisers (AGM) and reported as the “#1 headwear brand in the combined on and off course retail golf channels” by Golf Datatech, is proud to announce that a partnership with Honcho Pickleball.  This partnership will name Imperial as the “Official Headwear Sponsor of Honcho Pickleball” for the 2025 season.  Honcho Pickleball is a premier pickleball amateur league organization operating in over 40 markets across the United States.   Each eight-week session allows players of all levels to participate in one of the fastest growing sports.   “Imperial is thrilled to engage with and support amateur pickleball players. This collaboration strengthens our grassroots initiatives and deepens our commitment to the growing pickleball community. ” said Jerry Biag, Director of Marketing.  About Imperial Imperial is a consumer apparel brand founded in 1916 with design, marketing, manufacturing, and distribution capabilities. Imperial sells its products into several markets, including the direct-to-consumer (DTC), golf, corporate, and supply chain channels. Customers include the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, Open Championship, Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, and Solheim Cup. Imperial also has manufacturing and licensing relationships with Nike, Peter Millar, Tommy Hilfiger, Vans, adidas and many other global brands. Imperial products can be found at all Top 100 and over 75% of the Top 400 golf courses in the United States and has been voted the #1 headwear brand for private and resort golf facilities for six consecutive years by the Association of Golf Merchandisers (AGM) and reported as the “#1 headwear brand in the combined on and off course retail golf channels” by Golf Datatech. Imperial is also proud to fund the Imperial Foundation, a separate philanthropic organization committed to the growth and vitality of sports—especially the game of golf and those who support it—as well as the overall health and well-being of the people in the communities Imperial serves. For further information please visit Imperial1916.com. Follow Imperial on Instagram at @ImperialHats.  About Honcho Pickleball Honcho Pickleball is the premier amateur pickleball experience & community in the country, currently hosting multi-skillset weekly leagues across 40+ markets across 20 states! Poised to have a presence in over 100 markets by the end of this upcoming year, 2025 will have Honcho positioned to, leveraging their expansive venue-partner-relationships across the nation and their strong player database of thousands of active players in 2024, open up their breadth of services into a new service offerings, such as their Multi-Stop Amateur Tour, National Tournaments, Local Corporate/Culture Events, Clinics/Trainings, E-Comm/Merch, etc.. as they continue to grow the largest amateur pickleball community across the nation!

Imperial is proud to announce a new partnership with Folds of Honor. This partnership aims to further enhance the impact and reach of Folds of Honor's mission within the golf community and beyond. Imperial simultaneously introduces a unique collection available on their retail website, as well as exclusive event assortments for green grass facilities in support of their Folds of Honor's programs and events. The longstanding collaboration between the PGA of America and Folds of Honor is centered on honoring fallen heroes' legacies through the vehicle of golf, showcasing the enduring connection between the two organizations in this noble cause. This partnership offers a meaningful way to give back to military heroes, first responders, and their families while amplifying the collective efforts of the golf community, the PGA of America, and its professionals in advancing Folds of Honor's mission. David Shaffer, Senior Vice President of Sales The Folds of Honor Foundation, renowned for providing life-changing scholarships to the spouses and children of fallen or disabled U.S. service members was founded by Lieutenant Colonel Dan Rooney, Founder and CEO of Folds of Honor, and member of the PGA of America. Since its inception in 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded over 52,000 scholarships, totaling over $200 million. These scholarships benefit the dependents of America’s fallen and disabled service members and first responders, representing diverse backgrounds and communities. Minority recipients account for 45% of all scholarships awarded.

Imperial, the #1 headwear brand in golf as reported by the Association of Golf Merchandisers (AGM) for 7 years in a row, and #1 headwear brand in combined on and off course retail golf channels as reported by Golf Datatech, announces Jerry Biag’s hire as Director of Marketing. “Imperial is excited to welcome Jerry to the team.” said David Shaffer, Senior Vice President of Sales at Imperial. “In the newly created role, Jerry will lead all marketing efforts as Imperial continues to bring luxury, authenticity and individuality to the apparel market.”  Jerry joins Imperial with over 20 years of sales and marketing experience working at Alert Services, PepsiCo (Gatorade, Propel and Quaker Oats) and various marketing agencies executing promotions for clients such as Callaway Golf, McDonalds, Microsoft, and Jim Beam. Biag added:  “I have long admired Imperial as the quintessential golf headwear brand.  I’m honored to be part of an iconic company and entrusted with building our marketing capabilities as we continue to grow as an apparel brand.” Jerry is an avid golfer and is married to his wife Sarah.  Together they love to travel and experience different cultures with their two daughters, Ella and Vivian.