Welcome to the 2021 Power 50 list, which ranks the most influential people in the industry.

11. CJ Schmidt

Hit Promotional Products (asi/61125)

2020 Rank: 14 

Title: CEO

Industry Experience: 17 years

In a year in which his company, like the industry overall, suffered significantly (predominantly from COVID-related business challenges like supply chain, inventory and staffing shortages), there was this: Hit’s main facility in Florida was on the receiving end of a tornado, causing structural damage and further order processing complications. And although Hit’s 2020 sales were down 11% from 2019, Schmidt was one of the first in the industry to go heavily into PPE, which accounted for about 14% of the company’s 2020 sales, helping countless distributors fulfill their clients’ needs for protective products. Schmidt’s Power 50 peers in particular ranked him higher on this year’s list, not only because of his shrewd decisions at the beginning of COVID, but because of his continued and impressive leadership throughout an incredibly tumultuous 2021.