Welcome to the 2019 Power 50 list, which ranks the most influential people in the industry.

#25 Jay Deutsch, BDA (asi/137616)

2018 Rank: 22 
Title: Co-founder/CEO
Industry Experience: 36 years

Leading his company – the #5 distributorship on the Top 40 list – to 23% growth in 2018, WA-based BDA racked up $427 million in sales last year, due to organic growth and its mammoth sports marketing arm. Deutsch, who founded the company with Eric Bensussen when they were teenagers and who now oversees the day-to-day with his brother, Barry, came very close to acquiring fellow Top 40 company BrandVia, but the deal fell apart at the final negotiations in September. Still, as his Power 50 peers note, Deutsch is the quintessential savvy entrepreneur, always looking for the next strategic smart move for his business and with an eye for hiring talented millennial and Gen Z sales and marketing team members.