The ASI Power Summit in Scottsdale, AZ, concluded on Tuesday, Oct. 14, with several Q&As with industry leaders and a panel of promo pros sharing their personal journeys in the industry.

Stephanie Schaeffer, ASI corporate vice president, sat down with Justin Zavadil, president of Counselor Top 40 distributor American Solutions for Business (ASB, asi/120075), a member of the Counselor Power 50 and the 2025 Counselor Person of the Year. The two longtime members of the industry, both from family businesses, discussed the state of ASB, his leadership style and the future of promo.

Stephanie Schaeffer, ASI, and Justin Zavadil, ASB (asi/120075), discuss being part of family businesses in the promo industry.

“We care about our people,” he said. “We get to know them and love them.” He added that his father, fellow Counselor Power 50 member and CEO of ASB Larry Zavadil, sends individual birthday cards to all employees’ children.

During the session, Zavadil mentioned navigating a large company ($325.1 million in 2024 North American promo revenue) through a tumultuous 2025. “We try to control the things we can, roll with the challenges and plan for them as much as possible,” he said. Zavadil, who stuffed envelopes at the company as a kid and originally planned to be a stage actor, said being from a family business has made all the difference.

“I’ve learned so much from my dad,” he said. “It’s special.”

Following Zavadil and Schaeffer, C.J. Mittica, editor-in-chief of ASI Media, hosted a panel of executives who discussed their personal stories in the industry: Dave Alwan of Echo Valley Meats (asi/51576); Dominique Volker of Whitestone (asi/359741), a first-time Counselor Power 50 member; Joe Falcone of Counselor Top 40 distributor The Sourcing Group (asi/330100); and Tej Shah of Top 40 distributor Overture Promotions (asi/288473), a first-time Power 50 member. Shah, for example, a self-described “math and science guy,” had planned to go to med school after a gap year. He never went back.

From left: C.J. Mittica hosts the “My Story” panel with Dave Alwan, Dominique Volker, Joe Falcone and Tej Shah.

Volker was a fashion merchandising major looking for her next career move in the Big Apple, who happened to live on the same floor as her now business partner and fellow Counselor Power 50 member Joseph Sommer, the 2024 Counselor Distributor Entrepreneur of the Year. She’ll be celebrating 10 years with Whitestone this January, just a year after her promotion to the role of president. Alwan was on Shark Tank twice and has become an expert meat processor, from deer to pork. Falcone, who grew up outside Philadelphia, credits his hustle to his father, who worked three jobs and still found time to coach all his kids’ sports teams.

“This is a people-first industry,” said Shah. “It’s all about relationships. They make all the difference.”

The panel also shared what they learned from past mistakes, like Volker making the impossible happen at the eleventh hour at a major client event after apparel was printed incorrectly.

“You have to own the mistake and push forward,” she said. “We still do the same event each year. How you handle the mistake is more important than the mistake itself.”

After a conversation between ASI President & CEO Tim Andrews and Jim Hilt, CEO of Counselor Top 40 distributor HALO Branded Solutions (asi/356000) and a member of the Counselor Power 50, Andrews was joined on stage by ASI Chairman Norman Cohn, who’s celebrating his 75th year in the industry. Cohn shared how he first started selling food gifts as a high school student in Iowa and went on to purchase ASI in Philadelphia in the 1960s.

“ASI has come a long way,” he said. “Promo gives the end-buyer a better ROI than any other advertising medium.”

Here’s a recap of all the sessions at this year’s Power Summit.

The Future of AI Is Here

Keynote speaker Sophia, an AI-powered humanoid robot, joined a Q&A with Andrews to discuss how AI will impact business and bridge the gap between people and technology. Following that session, tech futurist Sam Maule shared his thoughts and insights on the development of AI, including how it can be used for good and bad, and people’s responsibility to manage it.

The Good & Bad of the Current Economy

In her return engagement to the ASI Power Summit after speaking last year, Economist Mary Kelly led a session at this year’s conference filled with data, market insights and practical advice for business leaders trying to navigate uncertainty, including cybersecurity, inflation, the stock market and supply chain issues.

Navigating Tariff Difficulties & Supply Chain Strategies

A panel featuring leaders from Counselor Top 40 suppliers and distributors, moderated by ASI Vice Chairman Matthew Cohn, addressed how they’re navigating the challenges of tariffs, shifting supply chains and sensitive topics like selling and sourcing direct.

Day 1 & 2 Wrap-Up

This recap of the first two days of the event includes insights on AI and automation, the state of the economy and the realities and challenges executives face as the industry heads into the fourth quarter.

Counselor Unveils the 2025 Power 50

The annual Power 50 dinner at the end of day 2 of the event recognized the 50 most influential people in the promo industry – including Jeremy Lott, president/CEO of Counselor Top 40 supplier SanMar (asi/84863), as the top-ranked executive on the list.