October 15, 2024
Counselor 2024 Power 50
In a roller-coaster decade, these are the leaders navigating the highs and lows to lay the foundation for long-term success.
Halfway through the 2020s, it’s been a decade full of highs and lows: the depths of the pandemic, the trials of supply chain and labor disruption, the boom times of recovery and the current challenges of slow sales and tight budgets. It has called for leaders who can meet the moment.
The Counselor Power 50 is a collection of these entrepreneurs and executives in the promo industry who have demonstrated all the right qualities. With the perfect mix of pragmatism and boldness, they’re steeling their companies against the ebbs and flows to reach long-term success.
Our process for assembling the Counselor Power 50 starts by surveying last year’s members and the promo industry at large to determine whose influence is rising and falling. We also put out a call for nominations for potential new members. We then research each candidate and examine their career accomplishments and achievements in the past year. This information in its totality helps establish who is recognized on our annual list.
This year and moving forward, Counselor has decided to include only leaders whose companies conduct business as promo suppliers and distributors. (This makes industry service providers, nonprofits, politicians and outside business leaders ineligible.) The change has a notable effect this year – the Counselor Power 50 features 17 people who weren’t on last year’s list, including 15 people making their first appearance. The list also features 20 women – more than have ever appeared on the Counselor Power 50 since its inception.
Come meet the leaders who have their companies sprinting to success in the second half of the decade and beyond.
Click on the names below to read more about each Power 50 honoree.
Counselor 2024 Power 50
2024 rank | Name/Company | 2023 rank | Rank change | Previous times on Counselor Power 50 |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jo-an Lantz Geiger (asi/202900) |
5 | 4 | 18 |
2 | CJ Schmidt Hit Promotional Products (asi/61125) |
2 | same | 14 |
3 | Jeremy Lott SanMar (asi/84863) |
3 | same | 11 |
4 | Kevin Lyons-Tarr & Suzanne Worwood 4imprint (asi/197045) |
1 | 3 | 18 & 5 |
5 | Greg Muzzillo & Vera Muzzillo Proforma (asi/300094) |
6 | 1 | 18 |
6 | Frank Myers S&S Activewear (asi/84358) |
26 | 20 | 1 |
7 | Marc Simon HALO Branded Solutions (asi/356000) |
4 | 3 | 18 |
8 | Larry Zavadil & Justin Zavadil American Solutions for Business (asi/120075) |
9 | 1 | 18 & 10 |
9 | Chris Anderson HPG (asi/61966) |
7 | 2 | 5 |
10 | Jay Deutsch BDA (asi/137616) |
12 | 2 | 18 |
11 | Dan Pantano alphabroder (asi/34063) |
8 | 3 | 3 |
12 | Jonathan Isaacson & Frank Carpenito Gemline (asi/56070) |
10 | 2 | 18 & 1 |
13 | John Bruellman & Kevin Walsh Showdown Displays (asi/87188) |
11 | 2 | 4 |
14 | Craig Nadel & Debbie Abergel Nadel (asi/279600) |
13 | 1 | 12 & 7 |
15 | Lance Stier & David Miller NC Custom (asi/44900) |
17 | 2 | 6 |
16 | Mark Freed & Mitch Freed Genumark (asi/204588) |
19 | 3 | 7 & 2 |
17 | Ira Neaman & Rob Watson Vantage Apparel (asi/93390) |
22 | 5 | 18 & 0 |
18 | Trevor Gnesin & Clive Goldberg Logomark (asi/67866) |
20 | 2 | 18 & 0 |
19 | Brandon Mackay & Brittany David SnugZ USA (asi/88060) |
18 | 1 | 13 & 6 |
20 | Carleen Gray GroupeSTAHL (asi/88984) |
25 | 5 | 6 |
21 | Pierre Montaubin Koozie Group (asi/40480) |
28 | 7 | 1 |
22 | Jake Himelstein BAMKO (asi/131431) |
21 | 1 | 2 |
23 | Lori Bauer iPROMOTEu (asi/232119) |
N/A | N/A | 0 |
24 | Bill Korowitz & Dan Jellinek The Magnet Group (asi/68507) |
27 | 3 | 16 & 0 |
25 | Andy Shape Stran Promotional Solutions (asi/337725) |
24 | 1 | 2 |
26 | Jo Gilley Overture Promotions (asi/288473) |
29 | 3 | 5 |
27 | Memo Kahan & Kate Alavez PromoShop (asi/300446) |
33 | 6 | 7 & 0 |
28 | Ray Titus & Andrew Titus Fully Promoted (asi/384000) |
39 | 11 | 8 & 1 |
29 | Norm Hullinger & Megan Spire BELLA+CANVAS (asi/39590) |
16 | 13 | 9 & 2 |
30 | Daron Hines Staples Promotional Products (asi/120601) |
35 | 5 | 2 |
31 | Chris Vernon & Lisa Hubbard The Vernon Company (asi/351700) |
31 | same | 18 & 2 |
32 | Chris Lee Brand Addition (asi/202515) |
34 | 2 | 5 |
33 | Michael Scott Cohen & Jon Alagem Harper + Scott (asi/220052) |
43 | 10 | 2 |
34 | David Schneiderman & Todd Schneiderman Something Inked (asi/329822) |
45 | 11 | 1 |
35 | Taylor Tadmor Tekweld (asi/90807) |
N/A | N/A | 0 |
36 | Heather Smartt & Kenny Ved Goldstar (asi/73295) |
N/A & 47 | N/A & up 11 | 0 & 1 |
37 | Susan Drenning Taylor Corporation (asi/333647/97270) |
37 | same | 1 |
38 | Yuhling Lu Ariel Premium Supply (asi/36730) |
N/A | N/A | 1 |
39 | Brian Porter Starline (asi/89320) |
N/A | N/A | 0 |
40 | Neil Ringel PCNA (asi/66887) |
36 | 4 | 3 |
41 | Tamara Borello ePromos Promotional Products (asi/188515) |
40 | 1 | 1 |
42 | Susan Lewandowski BEL Promo (asi/39552) |
N/A | N/A | 0 |
43 | Aaron Hamer Boundless (asi/143717) |
N/A | N/A | 0 |
44 | Sandy Gonzalez MadeToOrder (asi/259540) |
N/A | N/A | 2 |
45 | Ben Grossman Grossman Marketing Group (asi/215205)/SwagCycle |
49 | 4 | 1 |
46 | Tracey Barton Deluxe/Safeguard (asi/178720/316203) |
46 | same | 6 |
47 | Mitch Kaeser & Brad Kaeser Kaeser & Blair (asi/238600) |
N/A | N/A | 0 |
48 | Teresa Fudenberg Storm Creek (asi/89879) |
N/A | N/A | 0 |
49 | Jose Gomez Edwards Garment (asi/51752) |
N/A | N/A | 0 |
50 | Jodie Schillinger Maple Ridge Farms (asi/68680) |
N/A | N/A | 0 |
N/A=not applicable, new to list