Rich Karlgaard is the publisher of Forbes, author of the best-selling Life 2.0, and writer of the “Innovation Rules” column in Forbes. An investor, board member and lecturer, he’s also a panelist on Forbes on Fox, he appears on CNBC's Kudlow & Co., and he’s a columnist for The Wall Street Journal. Previously he launched two magazines, Upside and Forbes ASAP; a venture capital firm; and Silicon Valley's leading civic organization, the Churchill Club. For the latter, he was a co-winner of the Ernst & Young Northern California "Entrepreneur of the Year" award.

Norman Hullinger has been CEO of alphabroder since December 2012, after working most recently as COO of the company. Since taking over leadership of alphabroder, he has overseen a re-branding of the organization, and has integrated two major acquisitions (Ash City and Imprints Wholesale) into the company.

John Smart is a technology foresight consultant and systems theorist who directs the Acceleration Studies Foundation. He is also a lecturer on leadership and technological change at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA, and a technical advisor to Next IT. Smart has a B.S. in business administration from U.C. Berkeley, an M.S.-equivalency in physiology and medicine from the U.C. San Diego School of Medicine, and a M.S. in futures studies from the University of Houston.

Zachary Tyler started in the ad specialty business at the age of 19, and 10 years later owns and operates Creative Marketing Concepts (CMC), a $7.5 million distributorship based in San Francisco that’s fully staffed by salespeople with no prior industry experience – he recruits and trains from the ground up & has several million dollar producers as a result. Since he took over CMC in 2009, Zachary has tripled its sales.

Ira Neaman is the owner of NJ-based Vantage Apparel, a Top 40 supplier and a frequent winner of the Counselor Distributor Choice Award for top industry decorator. A mainstay on Counselor’s Power 50 list, Neaman was named the magazine’s Person of the Year in 2003.

Steve Levschuk is the president of Talbot Marketing, one of Canada's largest distributors. He began his career with Talbot in 1981 as a commissioned rep, and in 2007, he purchased the company. Talbot has been named one of the Counselor Best Places to Work companies, and Steve is the past chairman of the Canadian Association PPPC and the current vice president of WAGE (World Advertising Gift Exchange).

Kim Newell is the president of World Wide Lines Inc. She’s been in the industry for 13 years, and was on the 2010 Counselor Hot List. Kim has appeared on Counselor's Power 50 list for the last four years, and was honored in 2011 as the Counselor Supplier Woman of Distinction.

Nickolai Mathison is general manager of Sonoma Promotional Solutions. Nickolai’s diverse career includes ownership, strategic, sales & creative roles in a variety of businesses. As an independent marketing and business consultant specializing in early-stage start-up companies he has helped launch several new companies. During his career he has developed and executed major integrated marketing programs for brands such as Xerox, General Motors and Delta Air Lines.

Bill Korowitz is the CEO of The Magnet Group, Counselor's 2013 Supplier of the Year. Under his leadership, the company, a perennial Counselor Top 40 supplier, is regularly recognized as one of the most distinguished suppliers in the industry for customer service and creativity. Bill has been on the Counselor Power 50 list since 2008.