4imprint’s Kevin Lyons-Tarr and Suzanne Worwood command number-one spot on Power 50 list
TREVOSE, PA – October 29, 2019 – The Advertising Specialty Institute® (ASI) today unveiled the annual Counselor Power 50 list of the most powerful people in the $24.7 billion promotional products industry, with 4imprint’s Kevin Lyons-Tarr and Suzanne Worwood commanding the top spot.
“These entrepreneurs are the most dynamic, flexible people in our industry, the first ones to drive change and lead the charge,” Timothy M. Andrews, ASI president and chief executive officer, said during a celebration of the Power 50 at the 13th annual ASI Power Summit, held this year at the Loews Coronado resort on San Diego Bay. “This year was especially difficult because we’re facing uncertainties in the market – trade wars, tariffs and midnight tweets. No matter what, this group rallies and helps our industry forge ahead.”
The exclusive ranking, which highlights the most influential movers and shakers in the promo industry, features nine newcomers as well as a woman in the top spot for the first time: Worwood, senior vice president of merchandising and supply chain at Top 40 distributor 4imprint (asi/197045). Kevin Lyons-Tarr, 4imprint’s longtime CEO, joined Worwood at the head of the Power 50 list.
The pair has been instrumental in driving innovation and growth at 4imprint, the industry’s largest distributor. Under their leadership, 4imprint achieved after-tax profit of $35.2 million on global sales of more than $738.4 million in 2018. Fueled by its e-commerce-driven business model and backed by a robust, deftly managed supply chain, the firm (headquartered in London, U.K., with its main operations in Oshkosh, WI) is on track to be a $1 billion company by 2022.
Introduced in 2006, the Counselor Power 50 list annually spotlights executives from distributors and suppliers, as well as industry outsiders, who wield considerable power and influence in a global marketplace.
Click here to see the complete ranking of the 2019 Power 50, and visit asicentral.com/news for videos, photos and stories covering all the action at the three-day ASI Power Summit, which ends today. The annual gathering of the industry’s dominant players attracted 39 past and present Power 50 honorees.
The annual event featured two inspiring keynotes and a full day of expert panel discussions on today’s hottest topics, including trade wars and mergers and acquisitions, advice on capitalizing on foreign markets and selling to Gen Z, along with a spirited supplier-distributor debate on why order errors are increasing and how best to respond.
A chief highlight was a riveting, hour-by-hour recounting by CEO Norm Hullinger of the recent cyberattack at alphabroder – the largest supplier in the industry, with 2018 revenue of $1.64 billion. During a special Q&A, Andrews led Hullinger through the steps alphabroder took from the moment a vicious strand of ransomware struck through 100% recovery of the firm’s order processing and shipping platform, with no evidence that any customer data or account information was compromised. The discussion included advice from Microsoft Cyber Security Architect Matt Soseman on what industry companies should do to ward off and recover from cyberattacks.
Below are the business leaders commanding the top 10 slots on the Counselor Power 50 list:
For more information on the Counselor Power 50 list, contact Michele Bell, head of ASI’s award-winning editorial department, at [email protected]. To advertise in ASI’s magazines, contact Matthew Barnes, ASI’s vice president of publishing and media services, at [email protected].
About ASI
The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI®) serves a network of 23,500 suppliers, distributors and decorators in the $24.7 billion promotional products industry. ASI’s flagship product, the technology platform ESP®, manages the industry’s entire supply and marketing chain. ASI also produces award-winning digital and print content, live events and educational programs that enable companies in 55 countries to be more efficient, productive and profitable. ASI’s Counselor® magazine provides the most authoritative business content in the industry, and the ASI Certification Program features 500+ live and online education courses for over 40,000 professionals. The company, family owned and operated since 1962, is proud to have been consistently ranked among the “Best Places to Work” in Philadelphia and Bucks County, PA. For more info: asicentral.com.