Jan-Patrick Schmitz, Montblanc North America CEO and president, stressed in an interview earlier in the day that the award is for people who have made a difference in the lives of others through arts and culture.
When I recently sat down with Jan-Patrick Schmitz, the president and CEO of Montblanc North America, the 105-year-old company known for its high-end writing instruments and other luxury items, he told me the company had recently had the best year in its history.