#28 Daron Hines

Staples Promotional Products (asi/120601) – President

2024 Rank: #30

Industry Experience: 4 years

Previous Appearances on Counselor Power 50: 2

Sustainability has been a top priority for Daron Hines since he joined Counselor Top 40 distributor Staples Promotional Products (SPP, asi/120601) in 2022. That same year, the company launched its Green Light Responsible Sourcing program – a platform Hines has continued to expand. Today, nearly three-quarters (73%) of SPP’s U.S. spend is directed through the program, representing a 12% increase over the previous year. The initiative has also been a driving force behind the growing adoption and visibility of the EcoVadis sustainability certification across the industry.

“We’ve onboarded more suppliers and increased spend through them,” notes Hines, “and those participating see measurable year-over-year improvement in their EcoVadis scores, driving real industry impact.”

That industry-leading position on one of the biggest movements in promo, along with higher influence marks from his Counselor Power 50 peers, helps Hines rise two spots in this year’s Counselor Power 50 rankings.

Under Hines’ direction, SPP grew an estimated 2% last year, and Hines notes that the company “sharpened our strategic road map and integrated AI tools across key touchpoints” to keep up with buyer expectations – and will continue this year to elevate the customer experience. Other goals in 2026 include “streamlining tools and processes internally to drive efficiency and free up teams to focus on what matters most,” adds Hines. “We’re also doubling down on collaboration – rewarding it, reinforcing it and making it central to how we win together.”