#27 Andy Shape

Stran Promotional Solutions – President/CEO

2024 Rank: #25

Industry Experience: 30 years

Previous Appearances on Counselor Power 50: 3

From taking his company public to making a series of acquisitions in recent years, 2025 has seemingly been quiet by comparison for Andy Shape.

Still, the CEO of Counselor Top 40 distributor Stran Promotional Solutions (asi/337725) notes that the distributor completed a comprehensive reaudit of the company’s historical financial information, which he says reinforced the company’s strength as a NASDAQ-listed company after going public in 2021.

But 2025 wasn’t without its challenges for the Counselor 2023 Person of the Year, who falls three spots on this year’s list due to low influence ratings from the promo industry on the Counselor Power 50 survey. Shape says the tariffs on foreign goods added “considerable complexity, putting pressure on margins and creating buyer hesitation.” In particular, the Gander Group, the gaming and entertainment company that Stran acquired in August 2024, took a significant hit because it relies heavily on direct imports. Shape and his team addressed these challenges by making several changes to business operations: renegotiating pricing with suppliers and customers, diversifying its supplier base and sourcing regions, and optimizing shipping strategies. Navigating this uncharted territory, Shape says, required clear and transparent communication with partners, suppliers, employees and customers.

Even as Stran finished 2024 with a $4 million loss, Shape has the distributor charging forward with a 95% year-over-year sales increase in Q2 2025. Looking ahead, Shape is eager to continue prioritizing the relationships fortified this year – and in turn, improving business outcomes.

“We want to further expand our client base,” he adds, “strengthen our operational excellence, and invest in our people so that Stran remains a place where employees thrive and customers see us as indispensable partners.”