Welcome to the 2019 Power 50 list, which ranks the most influential people in the industry.

#13 Jonathan Isaacson, Gemline (asi/56070)

2018 Rank: 15
Title: Chairman/CEO
Industry Experience: 31 years

Isaacson, owner of the MA-based Top 40 supplier Gemline, jumps two spots on the list due not only to his company’s consistent growth – it cracked the $100 million mark with its 2018 sales – but his laser-focused vision on building the portfolio by doing deals with a carefully curated group of prestige brands such as Moleskine, Samsonite, Miir, Igloo and W&P. Recently, Isaacson took the unusual step of hiring a president to run the company his family started, and elevated his own role to that of chairman and CEO. Power 50 peers point to Isaacson’s business acumen and ability to weave both analytics and trend forecasts into Gemline’s strategy to bolster sales.

“Somebody very smart told me that trust is the basis of all relationships. So, one of my lessons with leadership is the requirement to build trust with those that work with you. It seems obvious on the surface, but in reality it requires real effort.” Jonathan Isaacson, Gemline