PPB January 2020

The Lifelong Learner Roni Wright, MAS, bravely steps out of her comfort zone time and time again to better the industry and those in it. by Danielle Renda One of Roni Wright’s (second from left) earliest volunteer roles was within the Young Executives of Specialty Advertising Association where she worked with fellow Hall of Fame inductee Carl Gerlach, back right. “Maybe your inner Gaga is a little weird, or a little conservative, or maybe it’s a dancer or a musician. It doesn’t matter. Just be you.” R oni Wright, MAS, is a flame. She’s also a planner and a lifelong learner—two characteristics that she’s always used to describe herself—but underneath is a mighty, internal fire that pushes Wright to never fear leaving her comfort zone. She lives by the drive to get in and get involved, and it’s something that’s come to define her experiences, both in the promotional products industry and in her personal life. Wright, vice president of The Book Company, a Florida-based supplier, describes herself as “shy” and “timid,” which is ironic, because throughout her 35 years in the industry, she’s shown that she isn’t afraid to push the needle—and to do so with enthusiasm, a captivating smile and perhaps a twirl or two, when appropriate; a flair that stems from her earlier life as a dancer. In 2010, Wright proved she’d travel the distance— vertically—as part of the Promotional Products Education Foundation’s (PPEF) “I’ll Do Anything Challenge.” Wright, who was then chair of PPEF, pledged to face her fear of heights by parasailing off the Florida coast to raise $10,000 for the foundation. “I wanted to do something people wouldn’t easily forget, that would be meaningful, and that would raise the money,” she says. Despite being frozen in fright at the “peak” of the ride and swearing she’d never parasail again, the money was raised and Wright bravely followed through with her pledge. In 2012, Wright hosted a lunch and learn at Promotions East in Atlantic City, New Jersey—the predecessor of PPAI’s Expo East—called Bringing Out Your Inner Gaga! To intrigue attendees, she playfully After closing her ballet school in 2007, Roni Wright became a dedicated yoga practitioner and teacher. In 2015, she traveled to India to study the art. PPAI’s Top Awards | FEATURE | JANUARY 2020 | 37