Welcome to the 2017 Power 50 list, which ranks the most influential people in the industry.

#1: Chuck Fandos, Brand Addition (asi/202515) & Facilisgroup

2016 Rank: 20
Title: CEO
Industry Experience: 30 years
Birthplace: St. Louis

Fandos rockets to the top of the Power 50 list this year for three main reasons: high ratings from fellow Power 50 members, his continued leadership of Facilisgroup – which represents companies with half a billion dollars in annual promo sales – and his mentorship of some of the industry’s rising leaders, including Hit’s CJ Schmidt. Also not to be discounted, at Brand Addition, Fandos leads a U.S. operation that annually generates more than $20 million in promo product sales.