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Trevose, PA – September 8, 2026
Former Zillow product leader brings 18+ years of product and technology experience as ASI
builds the next generation of AI-powered technology for the promotional products industry
The Advertising Specialty Institute® (ASI), the leading technology, marketing and information provider in the $27.7 billion promotional products industry, today announced Matt Gilliland will join the company as chief product officer on September 14.
Gilliland, most recently vice president of product at Zillow, brings more than 18 years of product and technology experience to ASI. He will lead the company’s product organization, help shape the future of the ESP+ platform and accelerate development of new AI-powered tools for distributors and suppliers.
He will report to ASI CEO Ashish Mittal and join the company’s Executive Team. Mittal, who became CEO in April after building a career scaling technology-driven companies and marketplace networks, has made product innovation and technology modernization central to ASI’s future.
Hiring Gilliland marks another major step in ASI’s push to become a technology powerhouse for the promotional products industry.
“Promo is moving too fast for incremental thinking,” Mittal said. “Matt knows how to take complex technology and turn it into products people want to use every day. His experience at Zillow is especially relevant to ASI because both businesses sit at the center of large, fast-moving, two-sided marketplaces. We’re building the technology our members will need next – and Matt is exactly the kind of leader who can help us get there faster.”
Marketplace expertise for promo’s next era
Gilliland spent 12 years at Zillow, where technology connects real estate professionals with buyers and sellers through search, discovery and data-driven tools.
That experience closely aligns with the role ASI plays in promo. ESP+ gives distributors access to more than 1.2 million promotional products from more than 3,000 suppliers, with powerful search tools to quickly narrow results. Distributors can then turn product ideas into branded presentations, quotes and orders and manage client relationships all within the same platform.
Before Zillow, Gilliland held roles at Blizzard Entertainment, Microsoft, ADP Dealer Services and Holland America Line.
“ASI has spent decades building something technology alone can’t create: deep industry expertise, trusted relationships and a thriving community of distributors and suppliers,” Gilliland said. “I’m excited about the opportunity to combine that foundation with modern technology that takes work off our members’ plates, amplifies what they’re capable of and lets them spend more of their time on relationships, creativity and their customers.”
Dedicated leadership for product and technology
As chief product officer, Gilliland will focus on what ASI builds and the experience it creates for members. Ryan Hutchison, an 18-year ASI veteran, will now focus fully on technology as chief technology officer, leading the infrastructure and technology that enable ASI to deliver with speed, reliability and scale.
The new structure gives ASI dedicated leadership across both product and technology, helping the company move faster as it develops tools that make it easier for distributors to sell, create and run their businesses.
That work is already emerging inside ESP+.
In July, ASI introduced the AI-powered Inspire Design Studio, allowing distributors to create realistic lifestyle images, find company logos and generate original visual assets without jumping among multiple AI tools, design programs and websites.
The new tools help distributors move from product idea to polished branded concept faster, giving clients a clearer picture of the finished product before an order is placed. Watch the latest ESP+ AI capabilities in action.
For more information contact Dawn Marie, ASI executive director of corporate communications and public relations, at [email protected].
About ASI
The Advertising Specialty Institute® (ASI, asicentral.com) is the premier technology, marketing and information provider in the $27.7 billion promotional products industry. The ASI flagship platform ESP+ connects tens of thousands of distributors and suppliers through an all-in-one system for product discovery, sourcing, presentations and online stores. Founded in 1950, ASI is a family-owned, multigenerational business, with third- and fourth-generation Cohn family members actively involved in the company. ASI also delivers trusted industry news, research, shows, events and education.