92 / 114
Ha r r y Rosenbe r g , CAS
Y
ou might think that after
such a lengthy career as
an industry supplier, consultant
and Association volunteer, Harry
Rosenberg, president of Specialty
Advertising Consultants, Inc.
(UPIC: SPEC0026), might want
to take it easy. Maybe relax a
little. Even retire. But at age 89,
Rosenberg isn’t ready to give up
on his passion for promotion:
he still has a foot in the industry
as a part-time consultant and
he has an o ce at distributor
Advertising Premium Sales, Inc.
where he “sells an order now and
then.” en there are the writing
projects he’s working on as well.
As a self-proclaimed history
bu , Rosenberg knows a lot about
history—and wants others to
share in his passion. “I wrote a
book called
Ameriquiz #1
. It has
questions about the U.S. history,
the ag, famous people, scenic
areas and international questions as
well,” Rosenberg says. He is hoping
it will sell to an industry supplier,
and in themeantime he’s writing
Ameriquiz #2
. “It’s a unique puzzle
that contains 2,508 words or more
taken from state names. Would
you believe that I found 18 words
from the letters in Texas alone?”
Rosenberg’s other passion is his
family. He and his wife, Virginia,
or “Ginny,” as he calls her, have
beenmarried for 66 years. “I knew
her fromgrade school. Her folks
andmy folks were friends. I think
it was a setup!” e Rosenbergs
raised two children, Harry, Jr.
“Buzz”, 63, and Ellen, 61, and
they have six grandchildren
and one great-grandchild.
What was your rst job
in the industry and how
did it come about?
My family had a company called
Universal Match Corporation. My
uncle, I believe, had the original
idea for designing on amatchbook
back in 1922. We had salesmen all
around the country and wemade
woodmatches duringWorldWar II.
My uncle created waterproof wood
matches for themilitary. When I
rst started working there after a
semester at Washington University,
I was thrown on the printing press.
en I went into the advertising
department for a while. en in
1950, the company was sold.
My dad and I were looking for
something new to take up. We
found 30 acres in a suburb of
St. Louis. On that 30 acres was a
company called Ritepoint. Ritepoint
was for sale, as was the 30 acres.
We bought the 30 acres and then
I, along with two associates of
mine, Robert Hurwitz and Jerry
Spitzer, who were brothers-in-law,
bought Ritepoint. e company
manufactured writing instruments
such as ballpoint pens, plus
coasters, cigarette lighters and a
number of di erent things made
frommolded plastic and some
metal. e company had been in
business for a number of years and
had a very good reputation in St.
Louis and around the country as a
writing instrument manufacturer. I
became the vice president of sales
and when we sold the business in
1976 andmy partners left, I became
president. I stayed until 1980 when
I subsequently retired as a supplier.
Howdid you rst get
involvedwith PPAI?
A Promotional Life
Harry Rosenberg,
CAS, has had a
front-row seat to
change during his
extraordinary
64-year career
by
Julie Richie
Rosenberg’s
other passion is
his family. He and
his wife, Virginia,
or “Ginny,” as he
calls her, have
beenmarried for
66 years. “I knew
her from grade
school. Her folks
andmy folks were
friends. I think
it was a setup!”
90
|
SEPTEMBER 2016
|
CONNECT