Hirsch, No. 12 on the PPAI 100 ranking of the industry’s leading suppliers, has named a new CEO. Paul Hirsch will serve as chief executive officer of the Houston-based company, while his father, Peter, will retain his role as president.

Leadership Changes

Hirsch, recognized for its innovation leadership in PPAI 100, has a strong background in applying technology to its operations. The company says this strategic move highlights its commitment by leveraging technology to increase performance and provide tools to benefit its distributor partners.

“Paul’s elevation to CEO further places him in the leadership role for the continued growth of Hirsch, Inc.” says Peter Hirsch. “He has served the organization in many capacities with great skill over the years – including his most recent role as vice president. This has given him a keen understanding of both the organization and the amazing people who truly make Hirsch special.”

Keeping It In The Family

The promotional products industry is replete with successful family-run businesses, with succession preserving organizations’ strengths and focus. This week, 129-year-old distributor Kaeser & Blair also announced that the next generation had taken the reins.

“It is with great pride that I step into the role of CEO,” says Paul Hirsch. “I’ve been beyond fortunate to work with Peter and our team at Hirsch for over 20 years. I look forward to continuing Hirsch’s path of successfully bringing premium retail brands to the branded merchandise industry and helping our distributor partners grow their respective businesses.”

What's Ahead

Paul Hirsch's tenure with the company and former role as vice president has equipped him for his new position, and informed his initial focus as CEO. He says, "As we move into our busiest time of year, my initial focus remains the same as it was in my VP role – ensuring that our value proposition is better than ever. We must have the right product in our line that resonates with our customers and end users, with the proper infrastructure in place to support quick and efficient turnaround times."

Technology and corporate responsibility will also continue to play a role in the company's advancement.

"We will continue to focus on technology and automation advances, as our team's ability to adapt to these processes is what I attribute our substantial growth to," he says. "In addition, we've come a long way in the past few years in our sustainability and ESG initiatives. We'll start highlighting these initiatives better to our customers so that they're as proud to sell our brands and products as we are."

Written by: James Khattak

Published with Permission from PPAI