#13 John Bruellman & Kevin Walsh

Showdown Displays (asi/87188)

2023 Rank: #11

John Bruellman – CEO

Industry Experience: 18 Years

Previous Appearances on Power 50: 4

Kevin Walsh – President

Industry Experience: 38 Years

Previous Appearances on Power 50: 4

The duo at the helm of Showdown Displays, a Counselor Top 40 supplier focused on visual communication, event and display products, drops two spots on this year’s Counselor Power 50 list.

After an explosive 2022 that skyrocketed sales almost 50% – thanks to the return of most in-person events post-pandemic – sales growth slowed for Showdown Displays last year. John Bruellman and Kevin Walsh aren’t standing idly by. In the spring, the Brooklyn Center, MN-based supplier acquired hard goods supplier AAA Innovations (asi/30023) through its parent company Sign-Zone. The acquisition added significant value to Showdown Displays’ portfolio (about $40 million) and puts Sign-Zone’s annual global revenue across all business channels into the $200 million range. The supplier has already begun incorporating AAA’s facilities into their operations, which has significantly expanded print capabilities – and there’s more growth in that area coming across the entire organization in the next few months, says Bruellman.

In addition, Bruellman (who joined Showdown Displays in 2006 and currently oversees the global operations of Sign-Zone) and Walsh (who also serves on the PPAI Board of Directors and Executive Committee, with a term ending in 2025) have cultivated an award-winning pedigree at Showdown. The supplier was named a Counselor 2024 Best Place to Work, carries a five-star rating on ESP, and also recently won a coveted “Favorite Customer Service” honor at the People’s Choice Stevie Awards, which recognize service and sales professionals worldwide.

Also noteworthy is that Bruellman and Walsh’s efforts have made Showdown a force beyond merely the North American promo market. The supplier is globally known, and Bruellman himself is especially active internationally, with Showdown exhibiting at top overseas promo trade shows such as PSI, Merchandise World and CTCO. The company is also a fixture in the promo market and a key conduit for the shrinking divide between the print and promo industries.