About Us – SPK Associates

Your partner in print & packaging since 1995

SPK Associates is an award-winning company built on the principles of integrity, innovative design, uncompromising quality, and exceptional customer service. We leverage over 30 years of industry expertise to provide our clients with elegant, creative, and practical designs at a fair price.

Your success is our success.

We’ve been in the biz long enough to know a sharpshooter when we see one. We know that speed and spectacle don’t count for much if it’s not backed by exceptional quality.

At SPK Associates, we strive to be more than just another vendor to our clients. We take the time to understand your brand and business needs inside and out. By the time we get to design, we’ve already mapped out the most efficient – and cost-effective – path to provide the highest caliber solution. How?

Because everything we do is deeply rooted in these four principles:

Integrity

We foster long-term partnerships because we value the trust our clients place in us. We’ve earned credibility by consistently delivering on our promises, communicating transparently, and prioritizing your best interests.

Innovation

We push boundaries and think beyond conventions. We constantly seek new ways to enhance your brand experience, using cutting-edge techniques and technologies to deliver creative, effective solutions that set your products apart.

Excellence

We set high standards for ourselves and pursue them relentlessly. Our team’s diligence, attention to detail, and commitment to continuous improvement drive us to exceed your expectations every day.

Experience

Our decades of experience empower us to provide unparalleled customer service. Our deep understanding of customer needs, industry trends, and best practices translates to a seamless customer experience at every step.

Our Approach

We start by listening to your vision, technical requirements, and project specifications. Then we tap our team’s diverse expertise to make it happen.

From the beauty industry to biotechnology, design to distribution, our unified service streamlines the process of crafting powerful display and packaging solutions, removing the need for multiple vendors. That means communication is clear, turnaround is quicker, and costs are minimized.

We promise you:

Strategic planning to map your project’s objectives
A range of flexible design and fulfillment options
Precision expertise for the highest quality results
End-to-end, design to distribution project management
Exceptional service for a seamless experience at every step

Start your project

Meet Our Team

We do what we do because we love the thrill of problem-solving and streamlining processes to save our clients time and money. We get a rush when we see our clients’ creations on the shelf or showroom floor.

So when you work with us, you become part of the SPK family – without the compulsory reunions, or Grandma Jo’s questionable meatloaf …Welcome aboard!

Don Gardner

Founder & CEO (aka The Dot Connector)

Cell: 925-577-3165

dfgardner@spkassociates.com

Don is our fearless leader and father figure (but Zach calls him Dad). Don began his 30+ year career in packaging working for the big dogs, so he’s designed, manufactured, distributed and handled pretty much any material and process you can imagine. In 1995, Don broke out to create his own company with the mission of providing unmatched quality, creativity, and service. While he may not consider himself “the creative type,” Don turns client management into an art form with his keen eye for process optimization and mastery of delegating tasks to the right talent. When he’s not in the office, you’ll find him snowboarding or watching a Raiders game with his kids and grandkids.

Zachary Gardner

Sales Team Lead (aka The Chef de Sales)

Cell: 925-577-5165

zdgardner@spkassociates.com

Though his dad may be the CEO, Zack has earned his place at the table tenfold. Over the course of his 12 years in manufacturing and sales, Zack has perfected Don’s client-first philosophy to build SPK’s loyal base of repeat customers. But that’s not all – Zack also has an Associate degree in food science from the Culinary Institute of America, so it’s no wonder he excels at cooking up creative solutions.

Nick Ostlund

Sales Executive (aka The Packaging Picasso)

Cell: 925-759-0949

nbostlund@spkassociates.com

Nick is our sales superstar, customer service wiz, and culture builder. As a former football coach and personal trainer, Nick’s an expert at setting and – more importantly – achieving goals. His puppy-like enthusiasm for tailoring solutions to fit our clients’ needs makes him a killer sales exec, but it’s his rare sincerity that keeps customers coming back. When he’s not at work, Nick keeps busy as a football fan and full-time dad to his little girl.

Jim Rivas

Sales Director

Cell: 925-533-7520

jrivas@spkassociates.com

With over 20 years in the cannabis industry (and no, not as a tester), Jim Rivas brings deep experience in operations, management, and keeping things running smoothly — even in an unpredictable space. Before cannabis, he worked for the Castro Valley School District cleaning up after chaos, and later supported adults with special needs at the Castro Valley Adult School.

A proud father of three, Jim enjoys helping with homework, watching ballet recitals, and squeezing in the occasional round of golf — all while keeping his sense of humor intact.