SUPPLIER NO. 2 S&S ACTIVEWEAR Into The Big Room Firmly entrenched as a merch powerhouse following the market’s largest-ever acquisition, S&S Activewear considers its deeper obligation to industry leadership. By Josh Ellis I’ve never met Frank Myers. In an industry that thrives on relationships and visibility, the CEO of S&S Activewear (PPAI 256121, Platinum) has kept a relatively low profile despite nearly two decades in pivotal roles driving the company’s astonishing growth. Or maybe that’s just my impression going into this late-April afternoon. Until now, he is probably the most consequential industry figure I’d never interviewed or even spoken to. There wasn’t much to go on: No Instagram, no Facebook – not even a LinkedIn account. Hardly anyone I spoke to in preparation knew him well, either. Despite leading one of the largest companies in the promotional products supply chain – and having just last year engineered the biggest acquisition the industry has ever seen – he’s not the most public leader. That makes the setting for our interview all the more striking. We meet in Salon Rose, a huge, ornately decorated circular space atop the grand staircase of Le Château Frontenac in Quebec City. The hotel is steeped in history, and this room in particular. It once hosted Roosevelt and Churchill as they mapped Allied strategies during World War II. It serves more humbly today, despite the occasional guided tours passing by and gesturing at the two of us seated over table water while talking about branded apparel. We are a curious sight for the tourists. But I am riveted by the scene and the subject, finally face-to-face with one of the most powerful people in this quickly evolving industry. Suppliers | Must Read PPAI • JUNE 2025 • 39
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