Fred Parker, Bluegrass Promotional Marketing (asi/141964)

It's outstanding. Always great to network with the leaders of our industry.

Kim Newell, World Wide Lines (asi/98290)

There's tons of education, tons of networking, there's so much you can learn, and a really great group of panelists as well.

Kathy Vichakchon, Leashables by Oralabs (asi/66715)

I want to build stronger relationships and learn about the industry, which is why I come to the ASI Power Summit.

Randee Horwitch, Dard Products (asi/48500)

I loved the speed networking event and met so many people.

Fred Albrecht, Albrecht & Co. (asi/491075)

We had a great time at the Power Summit, met many people and had some great networking opportunities.

Cindy Gallop, entrepreneur, former chairwoman of
BBH New York

The Future of Brand Promotion: Why Everything Has Changed
& Why That's Good News for You
Hear how the digital explosion creates opportunities for brand-building and promotion and why the future is about ad products.

Cindy Gallop is an entrepreneur and the former chair of BBH New York. She has 30 years of experience in brand-building, marketing and entrepreneurialism. She began her career in the U.K. as a theater publicist, and then moved into advertising, working for Ted Bates, JWT and GGT before joining London's Bartle Bogle Hegarty in 1980 to run global accounts such as Coca-Cola, Ray-Ban and Polaroid. In 1996 she helped start and run BBH Asia-Pacific in Singapore, and in 1998 she started BBH in New York. Four years later, BBH New York had won clients like Johnnie Walker, Unilever and Levi’s, and was named Adweek's Eastern Agency of the Year. In 2003 Cindy was named Advertising Woman of the Year.

Today, Cindy continues to work in branding, marketing and business innovation as a consultant while also operating at the cutting edge of digital technology and the Internet as a tech entrepreneur. She launched MakeLoveNotPorn.com at TED2009, in an attempt to squash the myths that hard-core pornography has taught a generation of young men, and to begin a dialog around how real people have sex. In 2011 she published Make Love Not Porn: Technology's Hardcore Impact on Human Behavior as a short TED e-book.

Cindy believes that the single biggest pool of untapped natural resources in this world is good intentions that never translate into action. She launched IfWeRanTheWorld.com at TED2010 as the marketing and business platform of the future, designed to bring together both human and corporate good intentions, and turn them into collective action. Leaders at Harvard Business School consider IfWeRanTheWorld.com such a “unique and innovative business model” that they taught it as a case study when it was only a year old in beta.

Donna K. Burnette is a leader in the FranklinCovey Global Speed of Trust Practice, which focuses on leadership and trust. She designed the Speed of Trust Simulation and the Speed of Trust: Meeting in a Box for the Frontlines. She is a keynote speaker, facilitator and content expert. Prior to partnering with the Global Speed of Trust Practice, Donna was the CEO of Solutions House, whose client base included Walmart, Coca-Cola, Eli Lilly, General Motors and others. She also served as senior vice president of operations for Paradigm Learning, where she was a driving force in Paradigm’s revenue growth. Earlier in her career, she was recruited by General Electric and facilitated Jack Welch’s "Work-Out" process as the quality and productivity leader for two lighting plants.

Lori Bauer, Vice President of Field Sales, Norwood and BIC Graphic (asi/40480) lori.bauer@bicgraphic.com

Lori Bauer is the vice president of field sales for both the Norwood Hard Goods and BIC Graphic brands in the U.S. and Canada. A 14-year industry veteran, she’s been an integral part of BIC’s growth, with responsibility for new-product development and category launches, as well as branding, promotions and public relations. Upon BIC’s acquisition of Norwood Promotional Products, she was promoted to director of trade marketing for Norwood and BIC Graphic North America, a Counselor Top 40 supplier. There, she championed the development and implementation of the marketing strategy for both brands in North America.

Jeff Becker is the founder and president of Kotis Design. He started the business in 2001 while he was still in college, and he’s grown Kotis by an average of 63% per year for the past 11 years. In addition to offering promotional products, Kotis prides itself on its in-house decoration, online store platform, graphic design team and warehouse/fulfillment programs targeted at large corporations. The company has been named a Counselor Fastest-Growing Distributor, and it completed its first acquisition earlier this year.

Michael Bistocchi, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, CleggPromo (asi/45450) mbistocchi@cleggpromo.com

Michael Bistocchi is the senior vice president of sales and marketing at CleggPromo. He first joined Clegg in 1995 and helped create and develop the first talking magazine insert, used by Fortune 500 companies like M&M Mars, Coca-Cola, ABC/Disney and Diageo Brands. He left Clegg for positions at The Singleton Company and PromoShop, and then returned to Clegg in 2009. Michael has helped in growing the company by over 20% in revenue during each of the past three years, and in adding more diversified product lines and products. He has been on the board for seven years and is the past president of the Specialty Advertising Association of California.

Larry Cohen is the president and CEO of Axis Promotions, which he founded in 1989. A graduate of Duke University and The University of Pennsylvania Law School, Larry began Axis with a mission to develop a full-service promotional products company that focused on delivering creative solutions, not merely selling products. Today Axis is a Counselor Top 40 Distributor with more than 50 employees and offices in New York City, White Plains and Irvington, NY, Boston and Los Angeles. The company’s client base covers a broad cross section of industries (pharmaceutical, entertainment, financial, beauty and fashion, publishing and sports), and includes companies such as American Express.

Craig Callaway, CEO, eCompanyStore (asi/185782) ccallaway@ecompanystore.com

Craig Callaway is the CEO of eCompanyStore, a Counselor Top 40 distributor. He is also the CEO of Instawares Holding Company, which owns eCompanyStore and seven other companies focused on delivering Internet solutions to corporations and consumers. He has spent the last 27 years associated with an investment organization that has delivered significant technology companies like MindSpring (Internet service provider) and CareerBuilder.com. Craig’s passion is revenue generation, and he has used this skill to create, build and turn around successful enterprises. His contributions to the advertising specialty industry have been recognized by his consistent appearance on the Counselor Power 50 list.

Paul Gittemeier is the CEO of Tic Toc, and he's been in the industry for 33 years. The Dallas-based distributor calls itself "the imagination company," and has client relationships with many national and global brands, including PepsiCo, Disney and Walmart. Tic Toc has received numerous awards, is a Counselor Top 40 Distributor, and has been named one of the Counselor Best Places To Work.

Trevor Gnesin, Founder and CEO, Logomark (asi/67866) trevor@logomark.com

Trevor Gnesin is the founder and CEO of Logomark. He began his career in South Africa, where he learned the ins and outs of the promotional industry. Coming to the U.S. in 1992, he grew Logomark from a small supplier to an industry giant with over 4,000 products in nearly every category. Logomark, a perennial Counselor Top 40 supplier, is recognized as one of the most distinguished suppliers in the industry for product design and innovation. Trevor has been on the Counselor Power 50 list since 2008 and is a former Counselor International Person of the Year.

Sandy Gonzalez is a senior sales partner at MadeToOrder, one of the Counselor Best Places To Work. A consummate overachiever with more than 20 years in the industry, she's a decorated top salesperson – and a self-proclaimed techno geek who enjoys burying herself in technical manuals, synchronizing data systems and building websites. Sandy is a past president of the Northern California Promotional Products Association, she’s served on the ASI Advisory Board, and she was named to the 2010 Counselor Hot List.

Cindy Jorgenson, Vice President, Brown & Bigelow (asi/148500) cindyj@brownandbigelow.com

Cindy Jorgenson is the vice president and national sales manager of Counselor Top 40 distributor Brown & Bigelow. She began her career in 1997 as a sales assistant and pushed up the ranks to her current position. During her years as an account executive, she focused on national program clients and achieved great success, winning multiple sales and industry awards. She’s been named to the Counselor Hot List, and was honored as Brown & Bigelow's Regional and National Rep of the Year.

Bill Korowitz, CEO, The Magnet Group (asi/68507) bkorowitz@magnetllc.com

Bill Korowitz is the CEO of The Magnet Group. He began his career with ADVO Inc., a $1 billion direct-marketing company, as regional vice president and general manager. Coming to Magnet LLC in 1996, he led Magnet through the acquisitions of Benchmark Industries, Perfect Line, PhoneCard Express, Pro Towel and McArthur Towel while launching The Bag Factory, Crystal by Benchmark, Fusion and Innovations by Magnet as stand-alone brands. The Magnet Group, a perennial Counselor Top 40 supplier, is recognized as one of the most distinguished suppliers in the industry for customer service and creativity. Bill has been on the Counselor Power 50 list since 2008 and was on the 2009 Counselor Hot List.

Kimberly Laffer is the director of strategic development at Motivators Inc. She works to increase the company’s internal efficiencies, as well as business development. Her insight into social media, e-mail marketing and online advertising have influenced the strategy behind, and execution of, the company’s constantly growing online reach. Prior to joining Motivators, she held positions at American Express and TBWA/Chiat/Day, a New York-based advertising agency. Motivators is an Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Company, and has been named one of the Counselor Best Places to Work.

Bobby Lehew, Chief Branding Officer, Robyn (asi/309656) bobby@bobbylehew.com

Bobby Lehew is the chief branding officer at Robyn, a branded-products company that's been recognized by Inc. magazine as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. for three years in a row. Bobby has been recognized in various publications and speaks and writes frequently on the subjects of personal and corporate branding. He has more than 20 years of experience in "making things happen" with promotional products.

Steve Levschuk is the president of Talbot Marketing, one of Canada's largest distributors. He began his career with Talbot in 1981 as a commissioned rep, and in 2007, he purchased the company. Talbot is constantly growing and expanding its offerings, and it has been named one of the Counselor Best Places to Work. Steve is the past chairman of the Canadian Association PPPC, he’s on the board of PPEF, and he’s the vice president of WAGE (World Advertising Gift Exchange).

Lon McGowan, Founder and CEO, iClick (asi/62124) lon@iclick.com

Lon McGowan is the founder and CEO of iClick, a leading supplier of branded USB flash drives and writing instruments. The company was founded in 2001 and now has 47 employees with offices in Seattle and Boulder, CO; it has been named one of the Counselor Best Places to Work. Lon is an entrepreneur, an active member of his business community, a frequent speaker for university entrepreneurship programs, and a past board member of Seattle University's business school. Highlights of his current involvement in charitable organizations include formal mentoring of undergraduate business students through the University of Colorado’s PMP, serving on the board of the Denver Art Society and being an active partner of Social Venture Partners.

Terry McGuire is the senior vice president of marketing for HALO Branded Solutions. He has been with HALO for 13 years, with responsibility for the company’s marketing, vendor relations and communications initiatives. As an industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience, he has served in executive sales and marketing roles for leading industry suppliers and distributors. Terry has also volunteered for numerous industry organizations, is a frequent speaker on industry-related topics and was on the 2008 Counselor Hot List.

Greg Muzzillo, Co-Owner, Proforma (asi/300094) greg@proforma.com

Greg Muzzillo is the co-owner of Proforma, which he founded in 1978. By the mid-1980s Proforma had been recognized by Inc. magazine as one of the 500 fastest-growing companies for three years in a row, as Greg grew the distributorship to more than $25 million in annual sales. In 2011, seven Proforma Owners earned a spot on the Inc. list of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in America. Today, Proforma has more than 750 members with over $400 million in sales. Greg and his wife Vera have been named to the Counselor Power 50 list numerous times, and were recognized as the Counselor 2010 Person of the Year.

Alistair Mylchreest is the CEO of U.K.-based Sourcing City. He entered the promotional products industry in 2006, following a background in senior management within the banking industry. Since joining Sourcing City he has launched Sourcing Planet, Sourcing City Web Creations, Sourcing City Marketplace, and many new industry innovations – including the world's first "Promotional Product Sourcing App." The company is recognized throughout the U.K. industry as the leading organization supporting professional distributors in growing their businesses. Sourcing City is also a founding member of the international PromoAlliance, alongside ASI and PSI.

Kim Newell, President, World Wide Lines Inc. (asi/98290) kim.newell@worldwideline.com

Kim Newell is the president of World Wide Lines Inc. She’s been in the industry for 10 years, and has an extensive background in sales, marketing, purchasing and manufacturing. Kim is an advocate of the industry and its direction in the future and believes that through volunteering, each individual can make an impact on the industry and its members. She currently serves on the ASI Safety and Legislative Board; she was on the 2010 Counselor Hot List and the 2010 and 2011 Counselor Power 50 list; and she was honored in 2011 as the Counselor Supplier Woman of Distinction.

David Nicholson is the president of Polyconcept North America (PCNA) and a member of Polyconcept's Global Executive Committee. He has over 20 years of experience in the promotional products industry, and was a key leader of the executive team responsible for growing Leed’s and ultimately PCNA into one of the industry's largest and most respected suppliers. PCNA, parent company to Leed's, Bullet, Journalbooks and Trimark, is currently ranked second among the Counselor Top 40 and is consistently the most awarded supplier in the industry. David’s background includes extensive international experience in Europe and Asia, and he was responsible for building Leed’s overseas operations and supplier network, as well as leading the development and expansion into several new product categories.

Fred Parker, President, Activate! Promotions + Marketing (asi/141964) fred.parker@activatepromos.com

Fred Parker is the president of Activate! Promotions + Marketing (formerly Bluegrass Promotional Marketing); he is also a co-founder and a co-owner of the company. In addition, he is the CEO of A Brand Company. Fred focuses his efforts on securing value alliance partnerships to help contain costs across production, fulfillment and distribution. In 2012, he was honored as the Counselor Distributor Entrepreneur of the Year.

Danny Rosin is the co-president of Brand Fuel Inc. The company has won numerous awards, including being named one of the Counselor Best Places to Work, Best Industry Website, Best Industry Showroom and several Best National Marketing awards. Danny's responsibilities at Brand Fuel include managing sales and marketing, recruiting employees and providing tactical counsel to clients. Outside of Brand Fuel, he is the president and co-founder of Band Together, a volunteer-driven nonprofit that uses live music as a platform for social change; Band Together is currently donating over $550,000 per concert event to the community.

Tom Savio, Owner and CEO, Caliendo Savio Enterprises – CSE (asi/155807) tom.savio@cseideas.com

Tom Savio is the owner and CEO of CSE, a Counselor Top 40 distributor. CSE was founded by Tom's father, Jerry, and his partner, Chuck Caliendo; Tom joined CSE in 1982, after graduating from the University of Wisconsin. He took over the company in 1994 and grew its sales to over $33 million, successfully guiding CSE through the recent economic crisis. CSE has been named one of the Counselor Best Places to Work, and Tom was part of the 2011 Counselor Hot List.

Bonni Shevin-Sandy is the president and CEO of DARD Design International. Bonni represents the third generation of DARD Products, the Tagmaster line, and is also an owner. With her entrepreneurial skills and a passion for the industry, she has propelled the growth of both companies. Bonni has invented and patented over 40 items and continues to design products, bringing innovation, creativity and unique ideas to her customers. She sits on seven major industry boards and through the years has been recognized with many elite industry awards, including International Person of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, one of the Counselor Power 50 for the past four years, and one of the ASI Women to Watch.

Ross Silverstein is the founder, president and CEO of iPROMOTEu. He started the company in 1999 and has led its growth to the current network of more than 550 independent distributor affiliates throughout the U.S. iPROMOTEu, a perennial Counselor Top 40 distributor, has been named the top Fastest Growing Distributor for the past five years. Prior to founding iPROMOTEu, Ross was involved with the RE/MAX real estate organization in many capacities, and worked as a corporate attorney at Goodwin Procter, a leading Boston law firm. A member of the Counselor Power 50, Ross is a frequent speaker, panelist and participant in industry educational programs and publications.

Marc Simon, CEO, HALO Branded Solutions (asi/356000) marc.simon@halo.com

Marc Simon is the CEO and a director of HALO Branded Solutions. Under his leadership, HALO has grown significantly, with more than a dozen acquisitions and hundreds of new recruits. He views his mission as helping HALO's salespeople grow their businesses and meet the challenges of a changing economic environment. Prior to joining HALO, Marc spent 22 years in private law practice with a focus on business planning and mergers and acquisitions, and five years as a leading executive in the call-center industry. He has been named to the Counselor Power 50 list, and was honored as the 2006 Counselor Person of the Year.

Chris Vernon is the president and COO of The Vernon Company, a national fourth-generation family business founded in 1902. The Vernon Company manufactures and markets promotional products and a full range of sign graphics designed to help businesses increase sales and improve profits. Chris is involved with many organizations, including WPO Iowa Chapter, Northwestern Alumni Admissions Council, John Evans Club and Henry Wade Rogers Society (Northwestern), and Lake Forest Academy – Cornerstone society, and he has been named to the Counselor Power 50 list.