INDIANAPOLIS—40 years ago, Charlie Williams wore a tie to work every day at his fledgling agency, Williams Company, and he hasn’t stopped since. Not just any tie either. There was always thought given to the choice. A hand-picked tie to match whatever occasion the day had in store. Big meeting? Something to match the client’s brand colors. Opening Day of the baseball season? Something with a nod to his beloved Dodgers.
So what do you get for the man to whom this agency owes everything? Hopefully this commissioned piece of original art will suffice as the first thousand words of our undying gratitude.
We contacted Kyle Ragsdale, the curator of the art gallery at Harrison Center for the Arts in downtown Indianapolis and quite the accomplished artist in his own right, to do an original piece to honor our founder. After several conversations with Gail Hayes, Scott Arvin and Brian Thibodeau from our creative team, who knew they wanted the centerpiece to be Charlie’s signature neckwear, Kyle had more than enough inspiration.
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Our tribute to founder, Charlie Williams, was really more of a "tie-bute."
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CEO, Gerry Randall, sharing some heartfelt words about Charlie.
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Senior Writer, Gail Hayes, sharing what it's been like to work with (never for, right Charlie?) our founder for 31 of his 40 years
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The unveiling of the "tie-bute."
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Charlie saying a few words about the painting done in his honor.
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Kyle Ragsdale, the artist who painted the tribute, posing with Charlie.
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Charlie's wife, Donna Williams, taking in the tribute.
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Charlie enjoying a joke that may or may not have been at his expense.
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Gerry and Charlie pose with the painting.
Kyle likes to say that his paintings, “invite viewers to make their own interpretations and connections with the visual clues in the images,” and that’s certainly the case here. Whether you interpret Charlie to be a buttoned-up businessman, avid golfer, insatiable coffee drinker, or just a compassionate guy with a wicked sense of humor, you’d be right. (For the record, we never did get an answer on why Charlie Brown made the painting, but we’re guessing the first name is the connection.)
Once the dust settled and the oil paints dried (at least mostly dried—we didn’t cut things close at all), there were some touching words from Gerry Randall and Gail Hayes, who have worked with Charlie longer than anyone other than his partner in both life and business, Donna Williams.
The result is this beautiful piece that not only captures Charlie’s flair for fashion, but the energy and enthusiasm he’s brought to the agency for 40 years. Thank you, Charlie. We couldn’t have done it without you.
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Charlie posing with his wife Donna, daughter Paige, and her fiance, Dave Kremer.
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Behind the scenes: senior writer, Gail Hayes, discusses the tribute with artist, Kyle Ragsdale.
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The tools of painting a tribute.
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The artist's studio.
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Pile o' paints.
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Kyle posing with his tribute to Charlie.