As I write my final “Letter from the CEO,” I can’t help but reflect on what a privilege it’s been to work in an industry like ours for the past 23 years. I vividly remember walking a bustling floor during my first ASI Show in Las Vegas, where I was literally introduced to everyone by being hidden in a magician’s box and “revealed” on stage.
I knew from that moment there was something very special happening. Working alongside our members every day, I’ve witnessed this community’s creativity, ingenuity and generosity. Whatever spirit fuels this industry, it’s changed my life for the better.
When I started, we lived in a world of flip phones, fax machines and dial-up internet. Who could ever forget the screech, beeps and chirps of dial-up? Orders were scribbled on paper and placed by phone. Today, business happens in real time on smartphones and over Zoom and Teams, through online stores, digital proofs and on-demand everything.
We’ve absorbed numerous shocks through the 2008 financial crisis, a global pandemic, historic supply chain disruption, the meteoric rise of AI and a new era of geo-economic uncertainty. Each reshaped how we do business.
Together, we’ve also witnessed consolidation, the rise of private equity and the emergence of billion-dollar promo companies. We moved sustainability from a catchphrase to a business imperative and helped shift the industry beyond disposable tchotchkes toward strategic brand experiences and real-time product discovery.
I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
“Working alongside our members every day, I’ve witnessed this community’s creativity, ingenuity and generosity. It’s changed my life for the better.”
And yet, today’s leaders must recognize that our industry has reset. While we stand today as a $27.7 billion industry, inflation-adjusted growth since 2019 tells a more sober story. Buyers are more selective. Spending is more intentional. Some of the old drivers of easy growth – mass distribution, event volume and automatic reorders – aren’t returning at the same scale.
This isn’t decline. It’s maturity. The opportunity now is to capture greater share of marketing spend, embed promo more deeply into business strategy and continue elevating the value we deliver.
In a world overwhelmed by digital noise, we’ve proven physical brand experiences still matter. For the first time, we also have credible data from a landmark CO2 study sponsored in part by ASI showing what many of us believe: Promo products are a smart, future-ready choice for brands focused on growth and sustainability.
Think about the many times your own business hit the reset button, changing priorities and reshaping how you approach the marketplace. From day one at ASI, I helped lead our transformation from a publishing company to a digital powerhouse fueled by the ESP+ platform.
While our company’s role has always been to support the entire supply chain, our chief responsibility is to connect, inform and elevate the people at the heart of this industry. We only succeed when you succeed.
As I step aside, I do so with complete confidence in the Cohn family’s stewardship and in the more than 400 dedicated employees who bring ASI’s mission to life every day. Their commitment, talent and integrity are what make this company strong and what will carry it forward.
Progress is rarely linear, and we haven’t always agreed. But healthy debate is part of a strong business. I’ve relished the chance to engage with viewpoints different from my own, whether face-to-face at an ASI Show or to a comment posted to an industry Facebook group.
The Exit Interview: Tim Andrews on Leadership, Listening & Letting Go
After his 23-year tenure, ASI’s president and CEO reflects on his long run, strong finish and the discipline to stop there.
Over the years at ASI Power Summits, I often challenged leaders to stretch beyond their comfort zones. I encouraged embracing social media when only a handful of hands went up to say they were on Facebook, experimenting with emerging technologies like drones delivering promo items through the room and engaging with AI, including last year’s on-stage interview with a humanoid robot. I also urged companies to build teams that better reflect the people they seek to serve, across race, age and experience. The common thread was always the same: Staying relevant requires openness to new tools, new thinking and new perspectives.
Today’s leaders are sharper, more data-driven and more globally connected than ever, giving me great confidence that the future of promo and ASI is in very capable hands.
One initiative that strengthens my confidence is the industry internship program ASI launched 10 years ago. Nearly 2,000 students have completed the program, bringing fresh ideas to employers and leaving with a real understanding of the power of promo.
I can say with certainty that my best moments didn’t come from achievements but from conversations with bright, hardworking people who started as clients and colleagues and quickly became friends.
Above all, I leave with gratitude for everything I learned from mentors like ASI Chairman Norman Cohn, who in our very first meeting emphasized the importance of family: the family you’re born into and the family you build.
Keep building.
Keep innovating.
Keep supporting one another.
Thank you for the privilege of leading.
