Gene Geiger enjoys talking about himself as much as the average person enjoys a root canal. But in a way, that reluctance speaks volumes about his character.

Geiger could rattle off resume bullet points that convey highlights from a life-long promo products career few in the industry could match. Rather than self-espouse, though, the fourth-generation family leader of the perennial Top 40 distributorship that bears his last name is keen to listen and empower. His goal is to learn, strategize, facilitate and lead at his Lewiston, ME-based company, while conducting business in an ethical, customer-focused manner. It’s also important to him that Geiger (asi/202900) employees share in the fruits of achievement.

“Gene is totally dedicated to the people of ‘Geiger Nation,’” says company COO/EVP Jo-an Lantz. “He’s loyal and people are loyal to him. That’s been a big part of our success.”

Perhaps Geiger’s heartfelt care results, in part, from the fact that his life is inextricably interwoven with the company his family started 140 years ago. As a teenager, he worked in the firm’s now shuttered printing factory, packing sample boxes and running the “mimeograph” machine. From there, he graduated to drilling holes in calendar pads and round-cornering diary fillers. “As the oldest son, it was almost a given I’d be involved,” Geiger says.

In 1978, the Notre Dame grad ascended to the company’s presidency on the day the distributor celebrated its 100th anniversary. He had big shoes to fill. His predecessor – his father – was a larger-than-life character. But rather than emulate a style that could be domineering, Geiger blazed his own path to effective leadership. It lay in learning from experienced people, like mentor George Liming. It was about being open to ideas from employees, and giving them the tools and breathing room needed to take calculated risks. It was about having the calm, insightful thinking to synthesize dynamic market information and feedback from his team and drawing conclusions that drove astute business decisions.

The approach from the man who formally became CEO in 1994 has worked. While Geiger speaks candidly about trying times (the factory closing due to digital age disruptions), the reality is this: during his tenure, the family-owned firm has produced sales growth that’s kept it among the largest revenue-generating distributors. Geiger ranks 10th on Counselor’s 2018 Top 40 distributors list with North American promo sales of $185.5 million.

Always thinking ahead, Geiger and his team are strategizing for the future. Just this year, the distributor acquired U.K.-based BTC Group to better serve large enterprise clients’ global needs. “We’re invested in the three major industry sales channels – drop-ship orders sold by a traditional sales force, sophisticated corporate programs and e-commerce,” says Geiger. “We intend to be a significant player in each.”

A former Counselor Person of the Year and Power 50 mainstay, Geiger’s influence extends throughout the promosphere. He’s served three times on PPAI’s board and was recently chairman of PPAI’s Product Responsibility Action Group. He’s also spent about a dozen years leading an effort to establish industry technology standards to empower suppliers and distributors to exchange product and order information electronically. The effort has been a catalyst for the collaborative work occurring today between promo IT professionals in PromoStandards.

If all that weren’t enough, Geiger and his firm have engaged in altruism like sponsoring writing and arts advancement at local schools. Geiger has also become a green leader: The company campus is 100% powered by solar energy. “Gene cares about the environment and how what we do today impacts our children and grandchildren,” says Lantz.

Speaking of children: Geiger’s leadership ensured that the family company continued to a fifth generation, which is already stepping up to the plate. “The big challenge in front of us is adapting to a new world with new competitors, while staying a family business with family values,” say Geiger. “I’m confident our unique culture will enable Geiger Nation to survive and thrive beyond me.”