#11 John Bruellman & Kevin Walsh

Showdown Displays (asi/87188)

2022 Rank: #14

John Bruellman – CEO

Industry Experience: 17 Years

Previous Appearances on Power 50: 3

Kevin Walsh – President

Industry Experience: 37 Years

Previous Appearances on Power 50: 3

The pair leading the Brooklyn Center, MN-based supplier moves up three spots on this year’s list for many reasons. After a difficult period during the pandemic which saw the evaporation of in-person trade shows and events, the Top 40 firm’s sales came roaring back with a 46.4% revenue increase in 2022. The duo also earned some of the highest scores on this year’s Power 50 survey for rising influence, and Kevin Walsh, who’s been a member of the PPAI Board of Directors since 2020, currently serves as the Board Chair and is a member of the PPAI Executive Committee. John Bruellman meanwhile is responsible for the leadership of Showdown’s entire global entity.

Bruellman and Walsh have harbored a culture that has resulted in a number of accolades for the ESP 5-star rated company, including multiple Counselor Best Places to Work awards, placing several times on the Inc. 5000 list and twice being recognized as “Manufacturer of the Year” in Minnesota. “I’m incredibly proud of Showdown Displays’ commitment to employee and customer engagement, which has led most recently to our back-to-back [2022-2023] recognition as the Best Customer Service in the Americas from Contact Center World,” notes Walsh.

Additionally, the company is committed to sustainability and was recognized this year in the form of a Silver Medal ranking from EcoVadis – “a major step toward our team’s goal to minimize our impact to the environment as a whole,” Walsh adds. The two also emphasize giving back through causes such as Common Hope, where Showdown employees sponsor children in Guatemala and also travel to the country to organize classroom activities and assist in building homes.

Bruellman, a West Point grad and former army officer who received his MBA from the University of Minnesota, joined Showdown Displays as its president in 2006 and was promoted to CEO in 2011. He’s been the recipient of numerous awards including “Executive of the Year” by Minnesota Business Magazine. Walsh, who joined Showdown in 2011, devotes his time to strategic planning, talent acquisition, innovation and stewarding the company culture and values. An accomplished presenter, he’s been featured in several industry publications and videos.