Millard S. Drexler: Daddy Gap By the way he talks, you'd think MILLARD S. DREXLER was the chief of some fragile startup instead of the CEO at powerhouse apparel retailer Gap Inc. Virtually no detail--from window displays to fabric blends--is too minute to escape the 54-year-old's attention. Every week, Drexler strolls anonymously into Gap stores from coast to coast to schmooze with consumers and clerks alike in a constant drive to improve the company's products and services. This hands-on style has been Drexler's trademark since he took the helm at Gap in 1995. Never mind that he runs a company of 81,000 workers in one of the most mature industries around. To Drexler, Gap is still a fledgling. ''We are limited only by our imagination,'' he says. Imagination is something that Drexler, known for his marketing and merchandising savvy, has plenty of. In a cluttered marketplace, he has managed to create distinct identities for Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy brands. Memorable TV ads over the past year include ''jump and jive'' dancers for Gap and zany spots for Old Navy. All that has helped Gap soar, reversing the flat performance of the early '90s even when many other retailers have struggled. Thanks to strong showings at all of its divisions, Gap is expected to earn $775 million, up 45% from last year, on estimated revenues of $8.8 billion in 1998. And then there's Gap's success on the Internet. Experts say Gap has one of the most popular shopping sites around. For 1999, Drexler says he has spiffier products and store expansion plans up his sleeve. But then, what else would you exPect from a guy who believes his multibillion-dollar outfit is as perishable as some rinky-dink startup? RELATED ITEMS The 25 Top Executives of the Year COVER IMAGE: The Top 25 Executives of the Year TABLE: The Honor Roll Timothy A. Koogle: Shouting Yahoo! Jurgen E. Schrempp: Deal of the Decade Charles R. Schwab and David S. Pottruck: Schwab's E-Gambit Nobuyuki Idei: Sony's Visionary Steven P. Jobs: A Boss's Life Millard S. Drexler: Daddy Gap Marilyn Carlson Nelson: Travel Titan Craig R. Barrett: Intel's Ironman Robert W. Pittman and Stephen M. Case: Making AOL A-O.K. Kwok Yuen Ho: Wizard of 3-D David D. Glass: Second Wind for Wal-Mart L. Dennis Kozlowski: Compulsive Shopper Scott G. McNealy: Java's Percolator Karen L. Katen: Pfizer's Pep Pill Stephen M. Wolf and Rakesh Gangwal: High Fliers Ferdinand Piech: Baron Von Bug Richard A. McGinn: Light Speed Walter V. Shipley: Bank Roll Michael S. Dell: Nerdy Like a Fox John T. Chambers: Cisco's Live Wire Lloyd Ward: Front-Load Lion Allan Wong: Toy Story Jorma Ollila: Finn Fatale Leo J. Hindery Jr.: Cable Cowboy Edward E. Whitacre Jr.: The Busiest Bell Executives to Watch in 1999 The Top Entrepreneurs Return to main story

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