Annual list celebrates trail blazers in the promotional products industry
TREVOSE, PA – June 27, 2019 – Counselor® magazine today announced it has named Genumark’s Mitch Freed and Promotional Drives’ Ali Rizvi to its 2019 Hot List, an annual celebration of the gutsiest trail blazers heating up the $24.7 billion promotional products industry. Freed is VP of strategic initiatives and Rizvi is co-founder of their Toronto-based companies.
Counselor’s 12th annual Hot List showcases a diverse mix of 10 women and 10 men, including 12 distributors and eight suppliers. They range from company founders and tech wizards to savvy strategists and marketing masters. In addition to starting, growing or transforming promo businesses, these A-listers have founded charities, excelled at jiu-jitsu, played in a band, competed on Shark Tank, enjoyed million-dollar sales and cashed in on the cannabis “green rush.”
Freed joined the family business Genumark in 2017 and, ever since, his influence can be felt in the sales force’s fresh appreciation for technological integration, as well as the company’s new website. He has also been influential in the recruiting process, pushing for more young, intelligent and driven people to add to the experienced company. According to his profile in Counselor, he enjoys giving young people the opportunity to grow into experienced and sophisticated merchandising professionals.
Rizvi and the team of tech experts he leads at Promotional Drives have researched extensively to develop a solution that addresses one of the most common questions promo pros hear: “How do I know if this stuff works?” He created a smart chip that will be embedded in Promotional Drives’ flagship products to track various metrics. Though Rizvi’s never intended to have a career in the promotional products industry, his technologically advanced ides quickly gained traction and Promotional Drives was born.
“The promo stars who made this year’s list are never-give-up inventors, do-everything parents and all-night-long networkers,” said Counselor Editor-in-Chief Dave Vagnoni (@VagnoniASI). “They possess the energy, grit and confidence to shape the future of the industry through bold ideas, new ways of doing business and an unqualified passion for success.”
Promotional products, also known as swag, are typically given away by companies, schools and non-profits to help advertise their brand, promote an event or to reward employees and thank clients.
Counselor magazine, which provides news, trends and business strategies to top distributor decision-makers, is published by the Advertising Specialty Institute® (ASI).
Click here for the full 2019 Counselor Hot List.
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.
Let Us Know What You Think!