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Meghan Falkner

Sunrise Identity (asi/339206)

Top 40 distributor Sunrise Identity’s sales have been soaring, rising 180% over a five-year period to 2017’s $74.2 million. Supply Chain Manager Meghan Falkner has been a central figure in the Bellevue, WA-based firm’s success, working with tireless, good-humored enthusiasm to ensure the ongoing expansion is managed with aplomb.

“Meghan has guided our company through rapid growth while perfectly balancing the needs of our company with the needs of our incredible supplier partners,” says Sunrise CEO Mitch Mounger. “We’re lucky to have Meghan as the face of Sunrise with our supplier partners. She does phenomenal work and manages to have fun while doing it.”

Indeed, Falkner digs her job.

“In this industry, you never know what the day will bring,” she says. “That’s fun and keeps you on your toes.”

There’s at least one constant, though: Falkner’s days thrum with activity. For example, she’s continually busy building stronger relationships with suppliers that lead to a more efficient, mutually beneficial workflow. “I feel we’ve achieved a true partnership with our suppliers,” she says. “That’s benefitted us in a lot of ways. They come to us with leads, give us fantastic creative input and more. SanMar (asi/84863) has even had our new hires in to learn about apparel and apparel decoration. These partnerships have contributed to our success.”

Listen Up!

We asked Hot Listers what song they listen to as motivation for the day, a big meeting, or presentation. Here's what gets Meghan fired up!

Falkner is in perpetual education mode too, learning how Sunrise can maximize the best benefits suppliers have to offer. She uses that knowledge to help the Sunrise sales team deliver top-notch solutions. Her business-building support has also included helping create a task force that collaborates to get the most out of opportunities.

Blessed with a keen mind for organization, Falkner leads the development of enhanced internal processes that make Sunrise more nimble and better positioned to serve clients. If all that weren’t enough, she’s among those devoting attention to vetting suppliers to ensure that product safety and social responsibility standards are met.

Falkner admits that she “kind of fell into” the promo industry about half a decade ago. She wanted to move from Michigan to the Seattle area and landed the Sunrise gig, her strong background in supply chain management making her a compelling candidate even though she didn’t have promo experience. Falkner and Sunrise are glad to have made the match. “I like to look for new and innovative ways to do things,” she says. “Working for a company that does the same thing is exciting.”