Steps Of Service
Wayne Roberts revisits the path of volunteerism that led him to the 2017 PPAI Humanitarian Award
by Jen Alexander
Wayne Roberts’s desire to contribute to the betterment of his community and industry was sparked in his youth by seeing his parents give of their own time to local efforts. That spark ignited a flame in Roberts that led to him to serve as a faithful volunteer for dozens of organizations, including PPAI. This year’s recipient of the PPAI H. Ted Olson Humanitarian Award says it was his community service that led him to the industry in the first place.
“It’s interesting that my volunteer activities led me in a roundabout way to promotional products. Before my days in the industry I was in the restaurant business. We used a number of promotional products like matches, pens, etc. I really didn’t think that much about it at the time, and of course in those days no one knew what specialty advertising or promotional products meant,” Roberts recalls.
“Through my involvement in the Jaycees [United States Junior Chamber], we used more promotional products in the promotion of a county beauty pageant where we brought in Miss America. Then, when I ran for mayor of Clarksville [Virginia] I used Gill Line posters, matches and pens, which I really counted on to gain me visibility.
“In talking with my Brown & Bigelow manager, I was intrigued by promotional products,” says Roberts. “One thing led to another and the next thing I knew I was a salesperson for Brown & Bigelow.”
As a young man, Roberts had conducted grassroots work for political campaigns, and after college he joined his local Jaycees chapter in Clarksville. He also saw another opportunity to help improve his hometown—as the mayor.
“When I was young I started working on my dad’s election to the town council. And since he was very well acquainted with elected officials on the county, state and federal level, I had an opportunity to be around some very influential politicians. When I went to college I majored in political science with the hope of getting into politics,” he says.
After college, he returned to Clarksville to run the family restaurant business and saw a lot of things he wanted to change in the town, so he decided to run for mayor.
Wayne Roberts, right, receives the Golden Eagle award from Col. Ricky Rupp at McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas.
The election was somewhat of a David versus Goliath event, as the incumbent mayor had been in office for 16 years with little or no opposition, says Roberts.
“The first time I ran, in 1972, I lost by nine votes,” he says. “But that inspired me that it could be done, and I ran again in 1974 and was elected, then re-elected in 1976.”
Roberts counts among his accomplishments in office the improvement of bookkeeping and financial accountability among city employees, traffic and road improvements, fluoridation of the town’s water supply, and a continuing education program for law enforcement officers.
In addition to his roles as president of the Jaycees chapter and mayor of Clarksville, Roberts worked to revitalize the local Chamber of Commerce. “As president I established its first office and secured the area’s first national B.A.S.S. (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society) tournament, which is still today a major economic generator for the area,” he says.
When Roberts relocated to Wichita, Kansas, in the early 1980s, he invested time in more than just his role as vice president of supplier Pioneer Balloon Co. Serving as chairman of the Wichita Metro Chamber’s federal affairs committee led Roberts to the Friends of McConnell (FOM), a civilian group that funded activities held on the nearby McConnell Air Force Base.
“Friends of McConnell funded over $25,000 in activities on the base, and as a member of the group and an honorary commander, I was very involved,” says Roberts. In honor of his service to FOM, Roberts received the Golden Eagle designation from McConnell AFB leadership in 2011; he is one of just seven individuals to receive the Golden Eagle since the base’s establishment.
Throughout his time in Wichita, Roberts remained engaged in the business community as a member of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and as past chairman of the board for the Wichita Independent Business Association.
Roberts and his wife, Norma, also became impromptu saviors for a colony of feral cats while living in Kansas. Though the two are animal lovers, their constant travel meant keeping pets wasn’t in the cards—but an encounter with a family of cats outside a local Walmart led them to work with Friends of Felines, as well as to adopt three feral cats of their own. The nonprofit group helps care for feral cats by trapping and releasing them into established colonies.
“Friends of Felines estimates that Wichita has 100,000 free-roaming cats,” Roberts explains. “TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) is the only proven method to control the population growth. Euthanization of the cats simply doesn’t work. TNR is a win/win because over time, municipalities spend less money, and the stray and feral cat population is significantly reduced. In some areas, they are being used to help control the rodent population.”
Wayne Roberts and his wife, Norma, enjoy retirement in the great outdoors.
After more than 30 years with Pioneer Balloon, Roberts and his wife entered the next stage of life as residents of Bozeman, Montana. But life in retirement wasn’t going to be a quiet one; Roberts says as soon as he and Norma settled into their new home, they began looking for ways to become involved.
Wayne and Norma plant crops in God’s Garden, which raises produce for the Gallatin Valley Food Bank.
“We volunteered to help maintain trails for the Gallatin Valley Land Trust; we started working at God’s Garden, which supplies produce to the local food bank, and we volunteer through our church at the Community Café, which serves evening meals to the needy,” he says.
Decades of service that continue to unfold have given Roberts a veteran’s perspective on giving back. “I have been fortunate to volunteer for a number of worthy causes,” he says. “It’s been particularly gratifying to witness the impact of volunteers and what their contributions have meant to those organizations.”
Roberts’ nominator, PPAI lifetime member Don Edwards, says his friend is “very deserving of the Ted Olson award [the late Olson was chairman emeritus of PPAI]. Wayne has made endless contributions to society, his fellow man and many worthy causes. The world is a better place because of Wayne.”
Inspired by his own father, who ran a restaurant and still found time to help establish a Veterans of Foreign Wars post and a local rescue squad, among other endeavors, Roberts lives by his father’s words and is ready to pass them on.
“He told me you have to give back to your community. I would encourage young professionals to volunteer the time to help their fellow man,” he says. “It not only feels good to help others, it’s a great way to connect with other individuals who may be out of your normal circle of business or friends.
“There are so many organizations in the community that really do great work and depend on their volunteers,” adds Roberts. “Even an hour or two can be a big help to these organizations, and you can learn a lot through volunteering.”
Jen Alexander is associate editor of PPB.
