Ron Rice started as a poor North Carolina mountain boy. His first business was a roadside stand with items straight from the mountain such as: grapes, peaches, apples, walnuts, honey, cider, rabbits, and at Christmas time, he sold wreaths. Later Ron taught Chemistry, was a football coach, and was a summer lifeguard for 9 years in Daytona Beach. Ron is the Founder and former owner of Hawaiian Tropic. He borrowed $500 from his father, money that his father didn't have to spare to start his endeavor. Ron had the right idea at the right time. Using Hawaiian coconut oil, fragrance, mixed in a garbage can with essences of flowers, fruit, and nuts from across the pacific, Hawaiian Tropic has become the 2nd largest suntan cosmetic in the world today with sales of over 200 million a year. In a lifetime of products, so far Hawaiian Tropic has exceeded 500 billion dollars and starting from zero, with no money or method of sales and promotion/franchisees.