A career built on connection, generosity and genuine care has left an enduring mark on the Souvenir and gift industry.On a cool November day in 2016, in a packed meeting room at the Smoky Mountain Gift Show, Larry White stood in front of a crowd and accepted the Golden Lily Award.
The award from the Living Legends Association was in recognition of his dedication, integrity, ingenuity, foresight and service to the souvenir and resort industry.
Those in attendance could witness his humility and gratitude as he addressed the crowd in his acceptance speech saying, “I’m really proud to be part of this. It is such a close-knit industry.” As he gave shout outs to his various industry friends, he added, “For my whole souvenir family, I love every one of you.” He then turned to his wife, Kitty and after thanking her for her support, he said, “I love you, and I love everybody in this room.”
For the many souvenir industry relationships he built in his over 30-year career in advertising sales with Souvenirs, Gifts & Novelties, that sentiment truly sums up his contributions to the industry and why he was recognized with such an honor. When he passed away in June, many of his customers reached out to share memories and tributes to a man who was dedicated to the industry and his customers in a truly special and rare way. This outpouring is a true testament to the many people in the industry whose lives were positively impacted because of their relationship with White.
One of those relationships was with Todd Reisman, president of AmuseMints. What began as an advertiser-
salesperson relationship became a friendship marked by a weekly ritual. Reisman could count on hearing from him every Friday. “You could almost set your watch to it,” Reisman says.
That consistency reflected something Reisman saw as fundamental to who White was. He didn’t simply keep track of customers. He kept track of people — their businesses, their families, their careers and the challenges they were facing.
“He had a big influence on my personal life and my business,” Reisman says.
And Reisman was hardly alone. White’s instinct to check in, make introductions and lend a hand extended throughout the industry.
Christina Bell, group show director for Clarion Events, recalls that White’s interest in helping companies in the gift and souvenir industry extended beyond his role with the magazine. He frequently connected new vendors with buyers or contacted trade show organizers when he came across potential opportunities.
“He was a salesperson, but that wasn’t what defined Larry,” Bell recalls. “Larry was about the love of the industry and making sure everyone had a fair opportunity, and I think he will be remembered as one of the great people in our industry.”
That’s one reason that Clarion has partnered with Souvenirs, Gifts & Novelties to launch the Larry White Legacy Award as part of its Legends Awards program it is launching at the 2026 Smoky Mountain Gift Show.
“Clarion wants to continue to honor the legacy of our industry,” Bell says, noting that the new program combines the spirit of the former Spotlight and Living Legends awards. “For us, it’s especially meaningful that we’re bringing these awards back on the 10-year anniversary of Larry receiving his award.”
For White’s wife, Kitty, Reisman’s and Bell’s accounts of how he treated people and his passion for the industry comes as no surprise. After 50 years together, she had a front-row seat to the way her husband built relationships — and how deeply invested he became in the people he worked with.
“He loved his customers,” she says. “He developed a rapport with them that was unbelievable.”
That rapport often made White much more than an advertising representative. Kitty remembers how frequently people turned to him for advice about which trade shows they should attend, where a new product might fit best or how they could make the most of limited marketing dollars. He also had a knack for knowing when one person in the industry needed exactly what another could offer — and then bringing the two together.
“He was his own LinkedIn,” Kitty describes. “He always put people together.”
Even when his health prevented him from traveling, it didn’t keep White from maintaining those connections. As Kitty puts it, his health “prevented him from traveling, but not from staying in touch and being with his customers.”
Larry’s legacy will also live on in the pages of Souvenirs, Gifts & Novelties where he has cemented his place as sales director emeritus, a title that will appear on the masthead in each issue of the magazine for years to come. He also played an integral role in ensuring the future of the publication when he contacted Breakwall Publishing to purchase the magazine after its owner Scott Borowsky was no longer able to run the publication.
“I think Larry felt comfortable leaving its legacy in our hands because he appreciated the quality of work we did with Seaside Retailer magazine,” says Karen Carr, publisher of Breakwall Publishing. “He liked how the two magazines complimented each other and had similar editorial coverage that focused on the retailer.”
From 2023 until his passing in June 2026, White and Carr worked closely together cultivating relationships within the industry. “Larry’s passion for being a good sales manager was a true inspiration. He always put his customers first. To Larry, his customers weren’t just customers, they were also his friends. He was always available to lend a hand when it came to providing business advice and making meaningful connections between his customers and peers.”
White was equally generous with the Breakwall Publishing editorial team. “I always appreciated how willing Larry was to make an introduction or provide a story lead, and he was always happy to help,” says Kristin Ely, Breakwall Publishing editorial director.
Larry also understood a fundamental part about publishing a magazine — it truly is about the people and the industry that it serves.
“One of the reasons he was so well respected was because of the respect and kindness he showed others,” says Carr. “He was always willing to lend a hand, no matter the situation. There are countless stories of Larry helping peers find a new job, offering business advice or making meaningful connections within the industry.”
White truly left a legacy that can’t be measured in years, awards or advertising sales, but in the relationships he built and the countless people whose lives and careers were better because they knew him. |
