The Marvin Spike Lifetime Achievement Award is meant to recognize a promotional products professional who has a passion for the industry – a proven leader who has been a consistent wellspring of ideas, energy and inspiration.

Few fit that description better than Paul Lage.

Over the course of a 31-year career, Lage has breathed fresh life into two of the industry’s largest suppliers. He has led advancements in service and product offerings, and delivered industry-guiding leadership through a bevy of organizations. Counselor’s 2007 Person of the Year, Lage has influenced and mentored many promo professionals, creating an impressive leadership tree.

And he’s done it all while being a genuinely nice guy.

“He is so insightful, so candid. He has a special ability to make everyone feel special and at ease,” says Lori Bauer, VP of national accounts at BIC Graphic (asi/40480).

Still, don’t mistake Lage’s kindness for lack of disciplined leadership. “He is one of the most competitive people I know,” says Bauer. “He drives himself to win, and he has a way of motivating those around him to be their absolute best. He is inspiring, and you never want to let him down.”

Lisa LeMond tells a similar story. She lauds Lage as a sincere, thought-provoking leader who guides in a way that wins loyalty and sparks motivation. “I learned so much from him,” says LeMond, national sales manager for Polyconcept North America. “He taught me to love what you do. And, he taught me that you can take the most negative experiences and make something positive by learning from them. That’s been hugely important for me.”

Lage is humble about the impact he’s had on industry pros. “When you’re lucky enough to work with talented people, the mentoring – if you can even call it that – comes pretty naturally,” he says. “I’ve always felt I’ve had more mentors than people I’ve mentored.”

Humility aside, the success Lage has spearheaded makes it clear that praise of his leadership abilities is warranted. When Lage took over as CEO of Gill Studios (asi/56950) in 2010, the company reported annual North American promotional product sales of $39.6 million. By 2016, that revenue tally had increased 41% to $56.1 million. Lage’s emphasis on introducing new product categories, shortening lead times, expanding digital solutions, enhancing customer service and making smart business moves – like the 2014 acquisition of Barton Nelson (Bebco) – have been integral to the sales surge.

For Lage, leading Gill to new heights has been especially sweet. After all, he started his promo products career there in 1986, spending seven years with the supplier during his first run. “To come back to where it all started, to a company that had tremendous influence on me, has been very rewarding,” says Lage.

He was certainly well-prepared to lead Gill given the monumental challenges he faced in his first CEO position at Norwood. When Lage became chief executive in 2006, Norwood was in shambles. Year-over-year revenue was down $42 million. Poor business practices and numerous customer service problems plagued the supplier. Many distributors were losing faith in Norwood and taking their business elsewhere. Lage was undaunted. He overhauled the culture, creating transparency and accountability. He led a sea change in service, making it customer-centric. And, he powered the company back to profitability.

While the credit crunch triggered by the Great Recession prevented Norwood from refinancing debt, resulting in a 2009 bankruptcy, Lage had nonetheless led the restoration of Norwood’s reputation. BIC acquired the company in 2009, and Norwood by BIC Graphic (asi/74400) continues to this day – something that might not have seemed likely for the Norwood brand prior to Lage’s tenure. “It was scary and intimidating,” says Lage of his time at Norwood, “but taking on the challenges provided me with some of the most enjoyable experiences of my career.”

Lage speaks fondly of his time at BIC, too. He served 13 years at the Top 40 firm rising to VP of global operations. Lage played a significant role in fueling growth and progress at BIC, including the introduction of Sticky Notes. “BIC gave us the opportunity to take chances and be successful,” Lage says.

High on energy and enthusiastic about the business, Lage is hungry for more. “I don’t think we’re done achieving yet,” he says.