Welcome to the 2018 Power 50 list, which ranks the most influential people in the industry.

#42 Chris Vernon, The Vernon Company (asi/351700)

2017 Rank: 41
Title: President/CEO
Industry Experience: 31 years

Few company names are as tied to the promo products industry as Vernon, and this fourth-generation executive has done his family proud. The Iowa-based distributorship he helms has increased sales by 28% since 2012. Vernon expects his firm will boost promo sales another 6% in 2018 through strong client retention and gains in key accounts. While revenue is strong, Vernon’s modest slide on our list reflects lower influence scores from the industry at large.