#26 Frank Myers

S&S Activewear (asi/84358) – CEO

2022 Rank: #NR

Industry Experience: 14 Years

Previous Appearances on Power 50: 0

Frank Myers may have missed his calling as an undercover agent.

After all, the talented executive has a knack for executing in high-profile, high-pressure situations without drawing any attention. Consider: Myers has been an indispensable architect of one of the promotional products industry’s most ambitious and successful growth stories of the last decade-plus. And yet, he wasn’t widely known in industry circles until the last few years. That was by design.

Myers, like his CEO predecessor Jim Shannon and others on the executive team at Top 40 supplier S&S Activewear (asi/84358), preferred to keep a low profile as they transformed the Illinois-headquartered company from a solid Midwestern apparel firm into a North America-wide powerhouse that’s now the industry’s second-largest supplier.

Now? Myers’ cover is blown. He ascended to the CEO role late last year after former chief executive and 2022 Counselor Person of the Year Jim Shannon became vice chairman of the company board. Meanwhile, S&S counted an estimated $2.1 billion in promo revenue, and under Myers’ lead continues to raise the bar on everything from innovative service and technology to sustainability and breadth of brands offered.

“By emphasizing brand strategy over private labels, we position ourselves in a unique space in the market, allowing for greater flexibility, innovation and connection with our customers. It’s these nuances that make our company special, and I’m immensely proud of the direction we’re heading in.” Frank Myers, S&S Activewear

Myers began his career working in investment banking, private equity and mergers/acquisitions. It all helped hone his acumen in corporate finance, business operations and analytics. “Every chapter in my career has been a lesson in its own right, teaching me the intricacies of business and leadership,” Myers says. “But more than the technical learnings, these roles have instilled in me a deep appreciation for collaboration, perseverance, and the sheer potential of a united team working toward a common goal.”

The skillset would come in handy after Myers joined S&S Activewear in 2009. Holding positions such as chief financial officer and chief operating officer, Myers played an integral role in the geographic expansion strategy that saw S&S establish distribution centers at strategic locations throughout the U.S. and also in Canada. “The nationwide expansion was a collective effort, and my responsibility was to build out the road map design, lay out a pathway and create the structure to galvanize our team,” Myers shares.

The C-Suiter’s M&A background also was a huge asset as he helped spearhead S&S’s targeted acquisitions, including California-based Americana Sportswear in 2010, New Jersey’s EVA Sportswear in 2013, Technosport Canada in 2019, former Top 40 firm TSC Apparel in 2021, and 2022’s purchase of TSF Sportswear, a supplier with a large footprint in the southern United States. “Our acquisition strategy has been fueled by our desire to support our vendors and customers in additional territories,” says Myers. “Our success was only possible with the support and execution of our operations, sales and service teams in broadening our geographic reach.”

Myers’ private equity experience proved pivotal as S&S Activewear took on PE ownership. Indeed, supported by the executive team, Myers’ responsibility as COO and CFO at the time was to fully oversee and lead the deal that involved private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice becoming the majority stakeholder in the Top 40 supplier.

Led by Myers, S&S has worked in successful collaboration with CD&R on business-enhancing projects related to product, technology and corporate responsibility. “As just one example,” says Myers, “our joint efforts have already led to some exciting developments that will bring groundbreaking technology into our operations to provide a better working environment for our employees and an improved customer ordering experience.”

39.1%
S&S Activewear’s estimated year-over-year North American promo revenue increase in 2022.

Given S&S’s size and reach, Myers and the supplier are in position to send ripple effects throughout the industry, whether it’s through technological innovations or the environmental, social and governance initiatives that aim to build on past efforts (which have included installing solar panels at distribution facilities). “Our goals include incorporating and monitoring our greenhouse gas emissions, as well as social and human capital impacts, while working toward providing comprehensive annual reporting on these crucial impact results,” says Myers.

Looking ahead, Myers is excited to build upon and strengthen the S&S business model. The company doesn’t manufacture or decorate any apparel. Rather, it focuses on carrying a bevy of high-value brands, including offerings from retail names like Adidas and leading promo suppliers like Gildan (asi/56842), Next Level Apparel (asi/73867) and BELLA+CANVAS (asi/39590).

“By emphasizing brand strategy over private labels, we position ourselves in a unique space in the market, allowing for greater flexibility, innovation and connection with our customers,” says Myers. “It’s these nuances that make our company special, and I’m immensely proud of the direction we're heading in.”