Awards & Accomplishments

  • American Advertising Federation

    With 60,000 entries, the ADDY® Awards are the nation’s largest advertising competition, honoring outstanding advertising across all media. District Two competition was comprised of entrants from advertising agencies, businesses, and individuals from throughout New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and Washington DC. The ADDY® Awards honor excellence in advertising and cultivate the highest creative standards in the industry. Proceeds from the ADDY® Awards help support the AAF and member club educational programs, public service projects and proactive government relations efforts.

    2014

    ADDY® Awards — Silver

    Project: Trion® Art of Merchandising Ad Campaign
    Category: Consumer or Trade Publication
    Credits: Halibut Blue Advertising, Concept and copywriting by Trion Industries (Tony Kadysewski).

    2011

    ADDY® Awards — Gold

    Project: Trion® Shelf Works® Flash Presentation
    Category: Interactive Media / Business-to-Business Web Site
    Credits: Halibut Blue Advertising, Illustration, Animation and FLASH Design and Programming by Chris Kuhar, Photography by Tom Musto Productions, Concept and copywriting by Trion Industries (Tony Kadysewski).

    ADDY® Awards — Silver

    Project: Trion® Collectible Retail Puzzle Series
    Category: Special Event Campaign
    About the Project: Themed around solutions for perplexing merchandising problems, a set of die-cut puzzles depicting retail settings of a curious nature. The series challenges readers to solve their own retail fixture puzzle… perhaps with a little help from Trion. All are suggestive of facets of the business of selling, albeit somewhat idealized and romanticized.

    ADDY® Awards — Honorable Mention

    Project: Trion® Shelf Works®
    Category: Interactive / Web Design – Business-to-Business
    Credits: Halibut Blue Advertising, Illustration, Animation and FLASH Design and Programming by Chris Kuhar, Photography by Tom Musto Productions, Concept and copywriting by Trion Industries (Tony Kadysewski).

    2001
    ADDY® Awards — Certificate of Excellence

    Project: Trion Products Illustrations
    Credits: Kiwi Studios

  • Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Northeastern Pennsylvania Chapter

    2021

    Outstanding Philanthropist — John Thalenfeld

  • Baxter Research Corporation

    2003

    Advertising Excellence Award

    In recognition of outstanding overall readership.
    Project: Shelf Works Expandable Wire Tray
    Category: CSP Trade Publication
    Credits: Halibut Blue Advertising, concept and copywriting by Trion Industries (Tony Kadysewski).

  • Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

    2015

    Governor’s Award for Safety Excellence (GASE)

    Providing a safe work environment for Pennsylvania’s workers requires complete commitment by employers and employees. For this reason, the safety initiative provides Pennsylvania employers and employees with the information and technical assistance needed to develop comprehensive safety practices in the workplace. It will also recognize the successful employer-employee joint safety programs, which result in the achievement of safety excellence.

    There are 11, 077 certified safety committees in the state of Pennsylvania, over 70 of those businesses were nominated for the award, 11 were selected as semi-finalists and 8 were named winners after completing the vetting process with auditors from the Department of Labor & Industry.

    Information and criteria used to determine finalists include workplace injuries/illnesses vs. industry standards; and innovation and strategic development of safety policy and approaches.

  • CREATIVE Magazine

    2026

    One of the Top 50 P.O.P. Companies of America

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    2017

    Creative Editors’ Choice Award

    2017-CREATIVE-Editors-Choice-Award

  • Design of the Times

    Gold

    Project: Trion® EWT Open Wire Shelf Merchandiser
    Category: Bucks County Coffee Company
    Product Description: Organize and self face difficult-to-merchandise bagged coffee and to maintain the space allocation program.

    Comes as a complete unit; no tooling cost or expensive molds; short lead times; small or large fixture orders all customizable; high dividers support unstable coffee bags; built in label holder for product promotion; one fixture takes care of the entire line of coffees; adjustable to fit all bags, boxes, and tins; keeps product permanently faced at all times; product is the billboard not the unit; auto feed paddle signed and used for product branding; self-adhesive for permanent mount.

    Silver

    Project: Trion® EWT Electronic Game Merchandiser
    Category: Hasting Entertainment
    Product Description: A single display system accommodates all sizes and styles of the game cartridges, CD’s, DVD’s, and VHS tapes maximizing display space from low cost stock fixture components.

    Eliminates the need for a shelf, fits both pegboard and slatwall; comes as a complete unit; no tooling costs or expensive molds associated with plastic displays; short lead times; small or large orders all customizable; built from stock components; one fixture takes care of all game needs in the display case; adjust to any size CD, DVD, VHS, or game box, accommodates different sizes and maximizes space; keeps product faced at all times; product the billboard not the unit.

  • Display & Design Ideas (DDI)

    2004

    Ad Q Award for Outstanding Advertising

    In recognition of the advertisement that achieved outstanding readership response in Display and Design Ideas.
    Category: DDI Trade Publication
    Credits: Halibut Blue Advertising, concept and copywriting by Trion Industries (Tony Kadysewski).

  • Readex Research

    2002

    Readex Advertising Achievement Award

    Award certifies the Merchandising Solutions Advertisement singly achieved top 5 “attention getting,” “believable,” and “informative” scores in Display and Design Ideas.
    Project: Merchandising Solutions Advertising
    Category: DDI Trade Publication
    Credits: Halibut Blue Advertising, concept and copywriting by Trion Industries (Tony Kadysewski).

PRODUCT LINES

TRION NEWS

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DAVID R. THALENFELD

Founder, 1919-2009

David R. Thalenfeld, known as “Bud” to family and friends, was a hardworking businessman, devoted family man, and the founder and inspirational leader of Trion Industries. His early business career included running a chain of 5 & dime stores in the New York City region, where he developed his concepts that led to the foundation of Trion Industries in 1965. Formed with two other partners, David eventually bought them out and relocated to Wilkes-Barre PA, where he taught his son John the family business. David was a board member and treasurer of POPAI (Point of Purchase Advertising International) and a founding member of WiFAB (The Wire Fabricators Manufacturers Association), which evolved into the present day PDMF Permanent Display Manufacturers Forum. He was inducted into the POPAI Hall of Fame and held over 88 patents for display innovations.

David served in the U.S. Army Air Corps 11th Bomb Squadron in China during the Second World War, then he attended classes at New School University. His favorite story (and something that is hung up around the Trion offices and factory) is at a business conference, when asked what he wanted to do, his immediate answer was, “I want to have the best factory in the world making what we make and I want to have a lot of fun creating it.”

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JOHN S. THALENFELD

President & CEO, 1984-2024

Born in Queens, New York, in 1956, John Thalenfeld has worked his way up the ranks at Trion Industries, first in 1972 as a packer, to the current President and CEO. Being the son of David Thalenfeld, John learned first hand experience working in the family’s 5 & dime store as a child, and later working directly under his father at newly formed Trion.

After attending New York University and Wilkes College, John was a moving force behind relocating the factory to Wilkes Barre PA, and has advanced an environmental stewardship and community and employee engagement agenda unique to Trion.

John passed away unexpectedly in February 2024. All who knew him, his corporate endeavors, and years of involvement in community charitable efforts mourn this unfathomable loss. The corporation’s officers, management, and employees pledge to carry on with all of John’s undertakings in his absence. John would want us to continue serving our customers and our community to the best of our abilities.

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SAM ROSTOCK

Chief Financial Officer

The CFO of Trion Industries, Sam Rostock, has an education from the University of Scranton, with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting as well as a Master of Business Administration in Finance. Following graduation, Sam worked as a certified public accountant, a financial planner, and an educator. Sam enjoys golf and basketball, as well and historical research and woodworking.

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JOE MILES

Director of Distribution & Logistics

The Director of Distribution & Logistics here at Trion has over 20 years experience in manufacturing, distribution, and customer service. His educational background includes the Breeden School of Welding, Penn State University for Business Administration and Logistics, and the Juran Institute for Total Quality Management.

He loves his wife, two sons, and friends, and is a PA football fan, rooting for Penn State and the Steelers. His personal mantra is “Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don’t interfere as long as the policy you’ve decided upon is being carried out.” – Ronald Reagan.

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BARBARA KLING

Barbara has been with Trion for many years and has extensive knowledge and expertise in her field.

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TONY KADYSEWSKI

Director of Marketing Communications

As the Director of marketing Communications at Trion, Tony directs Trion advertising. A background in engineering, planning, network administration, electronic prepress, copywriting, and agency work, not to mention three degrees from Penn State, are all applied to Trion’s mass media involvements. Madly in love with his wife and devoted to his family, Tony’s life mantra is “Confront the universe with good intentions. It will reward those intentions. Just not in the way you expect.” – G’Kar, Babylon 5.

CHECK OUT MY BLOG to see all that’s new and unique in micro fixturing across retail!

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MIKE GAGATEK

Quality Assurance Manager

Mike Gagatek, has 28 years of experience in machine shop and tool room management as well as extrusion, stamping, and wire-form machinery. Having acquired his engineering training from Luzerne County Community College, he is the perfect candidate for the Quality Assurance Manager. Loving all things machinery, Mike is an avid motorcyclist and enjoys motocross.

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CRAIG WEISKERGER

Director of Sales & Marketing

Years of experience as an accomplished sales and marketing professional contributes to Craig Weiskerger’s position as Trion’s Director of Sales & Marketing. Since graduating from Bloomsburg University, his leadership has been enriched by highly successful roles spanning the salt, oil & gas, and manufacturing markets. Craig enjoys spending time with his family, hiking, listening to music, kayaking, and skiing.

“Surround yourself with good people. Remind yourself that there are more good people than bad people in the world, and we need to speak up.”” – Unknown

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RICH WILDRICK

Director of Engineering

As the director of engineering, Rich’s education at Penn State in Mechanical Engineering as well as his 17+ years in machine and product design are invaluable. His experience ranges from design to sales, all focused on the fixtures for retail and POP industries. His school heritage remains, as Rich is an avid Penn State football fan, as well as a Penguin’s hockey fan. Rich also enjoys listening to music, spending time with his family, and riding motorcycles.

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