#37 Susan Drenning

Taylor Corporation – Group President

2022 Rank: NR

Industry Experience: 30+ Years

Previous Appearances on Power 50: 0

Though new to the list, Susan Drenning is a 30+-year company veteran at the massive Taylor Corporation, where her responsibilities as group president include overseeing Top 40 distributor Taylor Promotional Products (asi/333647).

“In true Taylor tradition, I came to the organization when the mid-size marketing firm I worked for was acquired, and a whole new breadth of opportunities were now within sight,” Drenning explains. “Leveraging internal capabilities across all of the Taylor business entities gave us some unique insights and advantages in working together and expanding our business.”

Drenning has worked in a number of roles within Taylor, but it was five years ago that she jumped into Taylor’s promo business “when we recognized our common ground in several businesses around how we engage, support and communicate with our customers.”

Today, Drenning runs Taylor’s Direct & Digital Marketing Group, where she’s supported by more than 800 team members working within and across Taylor’s businesses and brands. She leads multiple businesses beyond Taylor Promotional Products, including Taymark (focusing on the scholastic market), CardsDirect (featuring a broad range of greeting cards) and ComplyRight (specializing in workplace compliance and reporting). Taylor Corporation is also the parent company of Top 40 supplier ADG Promotional Products (asi/97270), but the supplier is part of a different business unit.

M&A is a staple of Drenning’s tenure; she’s led or participated in multiple acquisitions, including the 2015 purchase of former Top 40 distributor Standard Register. Another one can be added to her ledger with the August acquisition of DMR Creative Marketing, a Deerfield, FL-based company that provides branded apparel, gifts and uniform programs to cruise lines, resorts, gifts shops and hospitality industries. She also oversaw the launch this year of Promoteer, Taylor’s brand providing elevated merch for content creators.

“Susan is a dynamic marketing expert and an incredibly supportive and fearless leader,” says Michael Giachetti, president of Taylor Promotional Products, one of the divisions Drenning oversees. “She challenges the leaders in her organization to think differently, be nimble and strive for business growth. Susan takes pride in mentorship across our great organization, including mentoring young female professionals.”

“Susan challenges the leaders in her organization to think differently, be nimble and strive for business growth.” Michael Giachetti, Taylor Promotional Products

Drenning sees a shift in the marketplace regarding products, and she’s positioning Taylor to run with it. “The traditional values of quality and craftsmanship seem to be more important than ever as the market moves away from inexpensive giveaways to higher-value, sustainable products,” she says. “We’re investing and innovating in product design through our Saratoga product brand, sourcing, manufacturing and decorating capabilities to reflect those values and simultaneously deliver stronger, more lasting marketing impact. Our new acquisition of DMR Creative Marketing allows us to offer even higher-end decoration and apparel offerings across customer segments providing value and on-trend giftables.”

“The traditional values of quality and craftsmanship seem to be more important than ever as the market moves away from inexpensive giveaways to higher-value, sustainable products.” Susan Drenning, Taylor Corp.

A Michigan native who graduated college with a dual major in journalism and marketing, Drenning has made Florida her home since college and has five children and two grandchildren with a third on the way. And being involved in multiple businesses and organizations is just par for the course for Drenning. She’s active in several organizations, (including the Direct Marketing Association Business-to-Business Council, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Chamber of Commerce) as well as charities, with the Special Olympics and United Way of Broward County two of the many causes she supports.