Hit Promotional Products' CEO Passes Away at 73

Bill Schmidt Sr., CEO of Hit Promotional Products, passed away on April 9. (Image via PPB Newslink)

Bill Schmidt Sr., CEO of Largo, Florida-based Hit Promotional Products, passed away on April 9 at the age of 73, according to PPB Newslink.

Schmidt was born in New York on Aug. 3, 1942, and is survived by his wife, Liz; and two sons, Bill Schmidt Jr. and CJ Schmidt.

Schmidt purchased the company in 2001, changing the name to Hit Promotional Products, and shifted the company’s focus to importing and decorating exclusively. Since then, he has been involved in many of the company's major developments, including the July 2015 acquisition of Admints & Zagabor.

Hit Promotional Products released a statement to PPB regarding Schmidt's passing. It reads:

Bill Schmidt Sr. was every ounce an industry icon. The small things are what everyone cherished most about him. He walked all three of Hit [Promotional Products'] factory floors every single day, and genuinely cared about each and every person at the company. From the entry-level team member, all the way up to [chief financial officer], he was admired and respected amongst all. He was not only a boss to so many people, but more of a father figure, friend and mentor to countless people across our company and industry. There is not a single person Bill Schmidt did not touch that he did not make better. Our company and family have lost a legend, and he will be missed more than words can express.