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A passion for success. A determination to innovate. The guts to make it happen. These are the traits of true game-changers – those who blaze new trails and hit the jackpot when they arrive. If you’re looking for a group that embodies these qualities in the promo market, you’ll find them on the 2019 Counselor Hot List – our 12th annual salute to the bold and brash of branded merch.

This year’s exclusive club showcases a diverse mix of clever talent: 10 women, 10 men, 12 distributors, eight suppliers and whole lot of awesome. Our list features founders and programmers, savvy strategists and marketing masters. There are never-give-up inventors, do-everything moms and all-night-long networkers. Possessing energy and grit, they confidently expect to have quite a bit to say about the future of the industry. With them offering up such impressive credentials, you must want to know what makes our Hot Listers tick, right? How their backgrounds have shaped their resolve? Why their approach to business is unique? Click the links below to read their stories.

Ankur Sinha

Ankur Sinha

BAMKO (asi/131431)

Lucas Guariglia

Lucas Guariglia

Rowboat Creative (asi/313715/83710)

Maggie Mason

Maggie Mason

City Paper Company (asi/162267)

Carlos Franco

Carlos Franco

PromoShop (asi/300446)

Kimberly A. Fulford

Kimberly A. Fulford

AIA Corporation (asi/109480)

Ali Rizvi

Ali Rizvi

Promotional Drives (asi/54536)

Mitch Freed

Mitch Freed

Genumark (asi/204588)

Melissa Guthrie

Melissa Guthrie

Swag Promo LLC (asi/340491)

Millie Tadewaldt

Millie Tadewaldt

Brilliant (asi/146116)

Sam Brown

Sam Brown

BrandVia Alliance Inc. (asi/145037)

Mike Ferriter

Mike Ferriter

Sobe Promos (asi/245603)

Steve Peters

Steve Peters

Emperor Promos (asi/52371)

Jen Carver

Jen Carver

PCNA

RJ Hagel

RJ Hagel

Goldstar (asi/73295)

Tiffany Anderson

Tiffany Anderson

Dri Duck Traders (asi/50835)

Nicole Verspyck

Nicole Verspyck

Gemline (asi/56070)

Matt Del Valle

Matt Del Valle

Stan Miller & Associates powered by Proforma (asi/300094)

Rener Gracie

Rener Gracie

Quikflip Apparel (asi/89364)

Katie Bauer

Katie Bauer

Blank2Branded (asi/141113)

Chelsea van der Meer

Chelsea van der Meer

Batch (asi/38781)