Roman is a giftware company founded in 1963 that specializes in inspirational, seasonal, and general gift products. It carries over 4,000 stock keeping units across multiple brands like Fontanini, Joseph's Studio, and Cottage Garden. Best-selling items include nativity figures, Christmas decorations like glitter domes, and music boxes. The company prides itself on high quality products and excellent customer service. Roman will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2013 and hopes to remain family-owned for many more generations.

1. Sharing
Sentim T
Roman bRings giftwaRe foR celebRations here is a company that seen in the categories you offer?
has been part of many DL: In inspirational and gen-
laRge and small
celebrations over the eral gift products, the design
From the Amusements collection years — whether it is for and quality of the merchandise
Christmas, a new family mem- continues to get better. When
ber, a good friendship or even holes are created in the mar-
celebrating and enhancing the ketplace, as we’ve seen over the
beauty of an outdoor space. past couple of years, you need
That company is Roman Inc., to be careful what categories
with over 45 years in the indus- you introduce to not get too far
try. Giftware News recently talk- from your base. We’ve tried a
ed with Roman President Dan few new categories, and some
Loughman about the company, have worked and some haven’t.
its products and what he sees for Roman purchased Cottage
the company’s future. Garden a few years ago, and this
was a great move for both com-
Part of the Joseph Studio Giftware News: What is the panies. Cottage Garden music
Collection origin of the name Roman? boxes fit extremely well with the
Dan Loughman: Roman is rest of Roman’s product line and
the first name of our founder’s, sells into the same retailer base.
Ron Jedlinski’s, father. Roman Customers still like the tra-
Jedlinski owned a religious goods ditional Christmas look. They
From the popular Glitterdome
store in Chicago, and Jedlinski want angels and Santas in reds,
collection
began his company selling prod- greens and ivorys; not every-
uct to other retailers out of the thing can be whimsy. We have
back of his father’s store. When had success with LED lighted
it was time to actually give his products and, of course, our
business a name, Jedlinski chose Fontanini and Joseph’s Studio
“Roman Religious Goods” in nativities.
tribute to his father. It has since Even during a recession, our
been shortened to the current retailers still see Roman offering
“Roman.” big ticket items as people will
continue looking for detailed,
GWN: Where do you see your high quality product. For exam-
company in the marketplace — ple, many of this year’s best
what is your niche? selling items retail for $79.99
DL: I see Roman continuing to and above.
serve the general gift and the
inspirational markets. One of GWN: What are some of your
Roman’s greatest assets is our best-selling products?
diverse product line we can offer DL: With our diverse brands, we
to customers. It offers us protec- have best selling products in sev-
tion when the market has its eral unrelated categories, such
Dan Loughman, president and chief execu- various ups and downs (i.e. if as Christmas, garden, babyand
tive officer Christmas is down, general gift inspirational, among others.
could be up to offset it).
GWN: So Roman has several
GWN: What changes have you brands that it offers?
62 GIFTWARE NEWS giftwarenews.com
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2. ment
A painting depicts where it all began
By Barbara Wujcik
From the New Baby collection
DL: Correct. In Christmas, we do extremely comprehensive websites for our sales force
well with Glitterdomes, Acrylics and our to use to give them information to better From Fontanini, a 103-year old brand
Amusements, which are lighted, mechanical service our customers. We have put a good
and musical tabletop items. Our 103-year-old amount of effort into our Facebook page to
Fontanini brand has the widest selection of provide another avenue for information on
nativities and nativity figures in the market. programs and new introductions.
Our Joseph’s Studio brand was created only
five or six years ago and is now a major player GWN: We hear you have an upcoming cel-
in general Christmas, nativities, garden and ebration on the horizon?
is the number one inspirational figure line DL: Yes, Roman will be celebrating its 50
in the market. Our general giftware brand year anniversary in 2013. I’m very proud
still contains some of the most traditional of the fact that Roman has evolved over
and best selling inspirational product in the the years and stood the test of time while
company. This gets supplemented each year some other companies haven’t been able to.
with hundreds of new baby, wedding and Hopefully, my wife, Julie, and I will be able
everyday items. to pass this company along to our children
For Cottage Garden, the new digital music for them to celebrate the 75th and 100th
boxes have been a huge hit, and the tradi- anniversaries.
tional boxes and framed sentiment continue
to sell extremely well. Roman, Inc. is a leading producer and exclu-
sive distributor of more than 4,000 gifts
GWN: How do you attract new customers and decorative accessories. Among the larg-
and serve your current market? est privately owned and operated firms in
DL: Roman offers good, quality products, and the industry, Roman offers a vast array of
that is the best way to attract new customers. Christmas decorations and a wide range of
We stick with what Roman is good at and inspirational, special occasion, and year-
A ribbon cutting in January celebrating the
continually strive to make improvements and round giftware. Roman products are sold new Dallas showroom.
innovate. No matter what happens with the through specialty retailers, upscale depart-
economy, consumers will celebrate Christmas ment stores, select mail-order catalogs, gift
and want gifts with sentiment for other occa- shops and internet sites. While Ron serves as chairman, ownership
sions throughout the year. We provide excel- In operation for more than 45 years, and management of the company has passed
lent customer service, and Roman is consis- Roman is the inspiration of Ron Jedlinski. onto the next generation of the Jedlinski
tently ranked in the top 10 for our customer His business was born in 1963 with $500 family. His daughter, Julie and her husband,
service in retailer surveys. Customer service and an old station wagon full of inspira- Dan Loughman, are co-owners and serve
is all about people — from the salesman tional products. He quickly carved his niche on the Family Board. Dan Loughman is the
that takes the order, to the coordinator that in the religious articles and giftware mar- company’s president and chief executive offi-
answers retailers’ questions over the phone, ketplace and subsequently expanded into cer. Julie’s mother, Diane, also serves on the
to the packer on the line boxing up the order. wedding, anniversary, baby, christening and Family Board.
retirement products. With five corporate showrooms through-
GWN: Where does Roman fit into today’s As his organization grew, the compa- out the U.S. (Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas,
digital age? ny evolved into Roman Religious Goods, Los Angeles and Minneapolis), interna-
DL: Roman created its wholesale website Inc., followed by the current Roman, Inc. tional distributors in Australia and the
(retailers.roman.com) for retailers to utilize Product categories expanded into collect- UK, and a U.S./Canadian sales force dedi-
seven years ago, and it has been a great ibles, Christmas, garden and other every- cated to Roman products and its retailers,
resource for our customers. Our consumer day categories over time. Roman purchased the company is a shining example of the
information website (roman.com) has been Cottage Garden Collections, most known for vitality of the American dream. Roman’s
around much longer, and just received a face- their top of the line music boxes and framed office and warehouse facilities are located in
lift this summer. We have one of the most sentiment pieces, in the fall of 2008. Bloomingdale, IL.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 63
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