BURBANK — PHS International was named 2016 LGBT Company of the Year in StorErotica Magazine’s 2016 StorErotica Awards, which were held on Mon., Jul. 18 in Burbank, Calif. during the ANME Founders Show. PHS International has been in business for more than 20 years.
“We had no idea at the time that we were making history,” said Chuck Harnish, CEO and co-founder of PHS International. “Jim and I simply knew that we wanted PHS to be the company that fulfilled the need for LGBTQ representation within the industry. We’ve worked so hard to maintain our strong standing within the adult market, and it’s an honor to have been recognized by StorErotica and our peers. The PHS team and I would like to thank everyone who voted for us, and we look forward to another 20-plus years of precedent-setting success.”
A PHS representative, describing the company’s history, said, “PHS’s first pride product line was created two decades ago and was comprised of simple rainbow jewelry with barely enough SKUs to fill the pages of a three-fold brochure. But the response was tremendous, and retailers looked to PHS co-founders Harnish and Jim Horne to equip their shelves with the accessories, decorations, apparel and more that revelers require for their pride parties.”
PHS said, “Ten years later, Harnish and Horne decided to create a full line of products marketed specifically to gay men with packaging and a brand name, now known as M2M, that accurately reflected their target audience. The adult industry was in dire need of gay representation at the time, and PHS’ M2M line became the very first adult product line to feature two men on the front of its packaging. Today, M2M remains a mainstay in adult stores around the world.”
Michael Merrill, general manager for PHS International, said, “I started my career in the adult industry with PHS International, and it has been such a pleasure to help build a brand dedicated to serving the gay community. Some of my fondest memories come from working with Jim and Chuck to create concepts that truly had never been seen before, especially within the LGBTQ category. And it’s an honor to have our accomplishments recognized with this important award.”
For more information on PHS International, visit their official website or follow them on Twitter.
