Wendy Williams always said she wanted to meet everyone in the world. It’s a lofty goal, but she’s on her way to achieving it, one person at a time.

Williams at a diplomacy reception in Washington, D.C.

The Princeton, NJ-based president of JR Resources (asi/232638) grew up in Philadelphia and had an opportunity out of college to head to the West Coast for experience in a therapeutic drug rehabilitation community and stayed there to continue selling promo for the organization. That’s where she got her feet wet in the art of sales, going door to door and cold-calling companies as a 21-year-old.

In 1989, she moved back to Philadelphia and joined an ad agency to develop its promotional products division. That same year, she joined the International Visitors Council (IVC, which later became Citizen Diplomacy International) and eventually became a host for visitors from places including the former Soviet Union, South America, Europe and Africa. She showed them her home, introduced them to family, took them to museums and even welcomed some of them on sales calls.

Williams (center) with a few international friends.

“This was my dream come true,” she says. “I always wanted to be an ambassador.”

Along with her role as president of JR Resources, now a certified woman-owned firm, she’s been able to continue her diplomacy efforts, even during COVID. For her years of dedicated service to the organization, Williams was recently awarded a Decade of Impact Leadership Award from Global Ties U.S. in Washington, D.C.

“It’s been my life’s passion,” she says. “And the swag business is the greatest business in the world because it opened up all kinds of opportunities.”

Mementos from Williams’ time hosting friends from Florence, Italy.

In this episode of Promo Insiders, Executive Editor Sara Lavenduski speaks with Williams about her experience in the fast-changing promo industry and her years of service to the international community.

Podcast Chapters (only available on desktop)
0:45: First experience with promo
4:08: Foray into citizen diplomacy
5:55: Favorite international visitor stories
10:40: Love of travel
14:30: Contending with COVID
18:12: Top country to visit

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