#11 Lance Stier & David Miller

NC Custom (asi/44900)

2024 Rank: #15

Lance Stier – Managing Partner/CEO

Industry Experience: 15 years

Previous Appearances on Counselor Power 50: 7

David Miller – President

Industry Experience: 35 years

Previous Appearances on Counselor Power 50: 7

Lance Stier and David Miller, the leaders of Counselor Top 40 supplier NC Custom (asi/44900), move up four spots on this year’s Counselor Power 50 list thanks to high marks from fellow Counselor Power 50 members and the successful execution of an overarching, company-wide expansion effort despite a challenging market this year.

In addition to new products in health and beauty, the supplier also became an approved co-packer of M&M’s products and expanded its offerings from the candy retailer, and also now offers more services in flexible and digital printing. Overall, Stier and Miller have overseen the addition of more than 300 products in the company’s apparel, health & beauty, food gifts and drinkware categories, among others. They’ve also expanded sustainable options, including compostable confectionery packaging, and welcomed key hires in operations, tech and edible R&D. “We view challenging macro markets as the right time to focus on business optimization and key strategic hires so that, as markets turn, we will be well-positioned to continue to deliver strong growth and performance,” says Stier.

Stier and Miller say an uncertain tariff situation has led to more USA-made products. They’ve also been able to face down U.S.-Canada border tensions by emphasizing that NC Custom, via its Taylor & Grant division, is, at its core, a Canadian company. Looking ahead, Stier and Miller say they’re focused on growth across its three brands, the launch of a new streamlined web platform next year, unveiling new process optimization in their plants and a new partnership with America250.