Awards October 26, 2026
Counselor Power 50 2026: No. 40 Taylor Tadmor, Tekweld
Welcome to the 2026 Counselor Power 50 list, which ranks the most influential people in the promo products industry.
#40 Taylor Tadmor
Tekweld (asi/90807) – President
2025 Rank: #31
Industry Experience: 22 years
Previous Appearances on Counselor Power 50: 2
Taylor Tadmor has focused this year on expanding product offerings, growing sourcing and manufacturing capabilities, and investing in technology and infrastructure to continue streamlining the customer service experience at Counselor Top 40 supplier Tekweld (asi/90807). “Our goal isn’t simply to grow revenue,” says Tadmor, the company’s president. “It’s to build a company that can scale while maintaining the responsiveness and entrepreneurial culture that got us here.”
While Tekweld grew revenue by 5% in 2025, Tadmor falls nine spots on this year’s Counselor Power 50 list due to lower influence ratings by both his Power 50 peers and the overall industry. Challenges that his company is contending with, says Tadmor, include tariffs, high freight costs and rapid global changes. The key, he adds, is to maintain strong relationships with both domestic and international partners, stay agile in sourcing and provide a menu of options to customers.
Moving into 2027, Tadmor is looking to expand Tekweld’s product categories and further invest in technology, automation and data. He also wants to add to the leadership team, with the hiring of Susie Hecht as vice president of merchandising in the spring as a recent example.
“I believe the next generation of successful suppliers will operate very differently than suppliers did even five years ago,” says Tadmor. “Distributors increasingly expect real-time information, faster quoting, better product data, quicker order processing and greater visibility throughout the life of an order. Our goal is to build the infrastructure that delivers that experience, while still maintaining the personal service and relationships that are so important in this industry.”
AI Perspective
“AI has become one of the areas I'm most excited about because I believe we're still at the very beginning of what it will mean for business. At Tekweld, we're looking at AI as much more than a tool for writing emails or generating marketing content. We're exploring ways to integrate AI directly into how the company operates – including product research, data analysis, estimating, quoting, customer service, workflow automation and internal decision-making.
“One of the biggest opportunities is connecting AI with the systems and data businesses already have. When AI can securely interact with ERP systems, product databases, order histories and operational data, it moves from being an interesting productivity tool to something that can fundamentally change how a company operates.
“Personally, I use AI constantly as a way to research ideas, analyze information, solve problems and accelerate projects. It has dramatically shortened the distance between having an idea and being able to test or execute it.
“Looking toward 2027 and beyond, I believe AI will become less visible but much more powerful. Instead of people constantly going to an AI application and asking it questions, AI will increasingly be embedded inside the software and workflows businesses already use.
“For our industry specifically, I think AI will have a major impact on product discovery, sourcing, artwork, quoting, customer service, marketing and operational efficiency. But I don't believe AI replaces relationships. The promotional products industry is still a relationship-driven business. The companies that win will be the ones that use AI to eliminate repetitive work and give their people more time to be creative, solve problems and take care of customers.
“For me, that's the real opportunity: using technology to make the business more efficient without losing the human element that made the business successful in the first place.”