Our annual picks of the industry’s rising stars – a brave, bold group that’s trailblazing a unique path to success.

Elizabeth Bennett

Fey Promotional Products Group (asi/54040)

You could say Elizabeth Bennett, director of product development at Fey Promotional Products Group (asi/54040), is married to the industry, which she started working in “by accident” in 2005. “I felt like I had been dating the industry for a long time and finally got to the point where I wanted to put a ring on it and commit,” she says. “I really love it.”

At the University of Kansas, Bennett majored in industrial design and minored in art history, so she’s a product designer by trade. “The great thing about this industry is you can get into it and get your hands on anything,” Bennett says. “It’s such a great relationship-based and problem-solving industry.”

A few of the big brands Bennet’s involved in are Fey’s office products, Mi-Line’s kitchen offerings, and Reflectix safety items. “Our ‘world’s best pizza cutter’ is something we still make in the USA, and we sell more of it every year because it has that intersection of functionality at a great price and branding area,” she says.

Bennett is excited with the results she’s had recently. “The greatest feeling is when you hit that sweet spot where the value of the product and the price point you offer makes it a home run,” she says. “I always tell our sales and marketing staff that we’re looking for that ‘as seen on TV’ quotient. That's been a recipe for success. Whether it’s bags, hats or kitchen products – it’s an industry where that value doesn’t go unnoticed.”

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