“Pearls of Wisdom” from Dad, Ronald T Blass, 1926-2001, founder of R T Blass Inc. (now Blass Marketing)

  • Be authentic. Ron was an artist by passion, honed by years of practice and attending Pratt Art School. He applied the fundamentals of good design and hired a highly talented team. His demeanor was honest and genuine. He was not out to win awards. He only wanted to do great work for his clients; a fact that earned him respect and kept clients with him for 25 years.
  • Organize your day…and your life with TO DO lists. Our dad was never without a pad close at hand. He planned and made check lists constantly and for everything: Things he wanted to do that day. Shopping lists. Building projects (he was constantly planning the next addition or renovation). It was one of the many ways he organized and planned for the future. This leads to #3.
  • Plan your future. Dad had plans for what he wanted to accomplish. He had contingency plans for all sorts of possible changes and situations. He was in the driver seat of his life, and that is how he was able to accomplish so much.
  • Embrace change. He always said, “there is one thing we can always count on and that is change”. This motto has kept me open to endless possibilities, and to be aware that nothing stays the same so don’t take anything for granted.
  • Be a constant learner. Dad was a hobbiest. Wine making, model planes and boats, skeet shooting, leather carving, rock collecting. He dove into each; learning as much about it as possible and then obtaining the skills needed to excel. That’s one of the many reasons he was so interesting to talk to. He knew so much about so many topics.
  • Be an early adopter. RT loved the Hammacher Schlemmer catalog and craved the latest gadgets. He was one of the first to experiment with computers. Our first was the TRS-80 from Radio Shack with an 8” floppy disc. Having the latest products fed his insatiable curiosity and the desire to explore how it could improve his life.
  • Take time to be creative. RT doodled constantly. On napkins, envelopes, and in the margins of his notes. He was a creative guy by nature, but all of us need to explore that side. It’s fun and opens areas that we all need to delve into.
  • Take calculated risks. The agency, started on a 100-acre farm he and Mom purchased in Columbia County, NY, was the first in so many disciplines, and led the industry in the Albany area. He did the investigation and if it was logical, he proceeded. He would quip, “If it doesn’t work, we can always take up growing radishes.”

Miss you Dad. Wish you were here to give us all more sage advice.