It’s one thing to be an extremely talented and successful businessman. It’s another thing to be that – and at the same time one of the most universally liked people in your industry.

Steve Friedman was surely the latter.

Friedman, the founder of former Top 40 distributor Tangerine Promotions and most recently with Top 40 firm BAMKO (asi/131431), has passed away at age 58 from pancreatic cancer. Friedman leaves behind his beloved wife Marci and children Rebecca and Jordan.

Steve Friedman

“Steve was an integral part of our company and was one of the most loving and caring people I’ve ever met,” said Jake Himelstein, president of BAMKO and a member of Counselor’s Power 50 list of promo’s most influential people. “Anyone who knew and spent time with Steve over the years was fortunate to have been a part of his life. The loss of Steve will leave a big hole in all of our hearts.”

Friedman had a glittering career in promo.

He was a leading sales ace at industry powerhouse Ha-Lo (now Top 40 distributor HALO Branded Solutions [asi/356000]) before starting Tangerine Promotions in the early 2000s. As president and owner, he built Tangerine into a Top 40 distributorship. BAMKO acquired Tangerine in 2017 and Friedman came aboard. He remained active with the company.

This week, Friedman’s family and friends in the industry were mourning his loss. Those included Lou Weisbach, founder of Ha-Lo and current co-owner of Top 40 distributorship Overture Promotions (asi/288473).

Weisbach and Friedman were tightknit friends and their families were close. He distinctly remembers when Friedman came to Ha-Lo as a young and ambitious sales pro in his early 20s. There was something different about Friedman – something special that marked him for success.

“Steve was a world-class salesperson and a world-class human being,” said Weisbach. “He had a remarkable career and became one of the best salespeople in the history of our industry. He was a guy we could all be proud of knowing. He was such a light in this industry – a light to everyone who knew him.”

Weisbach recalled how Friedman took an unorthodox approach as a rep starting out. “He knew his pathway – knew where he wanted to get to. I remember him saying, ‘I’m just going to go after the big clients.’ That’s pretty exceptional for a 23-year-old. He had a rough first year or two, but he eventually got to exactly where he wanted to be,” Weisbach shared.

Friedman would go on to become a leading sales pro among what was a salesforce of roughly 800 people at Ha-Lo at the time. “Part of his legacy is that in this industry if you are willing to work hard and be creative you can rise to the absolute very top,” Weisbach said. “His legacy is also that he was a mentor and friend to so many. Everyone who knew him liked him. He was truly unique.”

Jeffrey Nanus had similar fond reflections on Friedman. The CEO of AAA Innovations (asi/30023), a New Jersey-based supplier of eco-made hard goods, knew Friedman from the promo pro’s Ha-Lo days. They not only did business together, but also became friends – as did their families.

Nanus says Friedman was especially adroit at being ahead of soon-to-break big trends, such as his seizing on and running with the sourcing of fashion-forward apparel for key clients before it was a norm in promo.

“Everyone I know who knew Steve loved him,” Nanus says. “He was a really smart businessperson and a really great human being. So energetic. So caring. Even after he was diagnosed, he hardly let on how sick he was. He put others first.”

The week before he died, Friedman sent Himelstein a text message. It’s one that Himelstein, a father of three, has been re-reading a lot.

It said: “Life is short – don’t ever take it for granted. Hug your loved ones and hold them close tonight.”

A funeral service was scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 16, 1 PM at Weinstein & Piser Funeral Home, 111 Skokie Blvd, Wilmette. For streaming info: www.weinsteinandpiserfuneralhome.com, or call 847-256-5700.