Roman, Inc.
A Bloomingdale, Illinois wholesale giftware company built on Christmas, religious, and inspirational categories — and the exclusive U.S. distributor of Fontanini® Heirloom Nativities since 1973.
- Founded
- 1963
- Headquarters
- Bloomingdale, Illinois
- Founder
- Ronald Jedlinski
- Ownership
- Family-owned, second generation
- Catalog size
- 6,000+ products
- Key categories
- Christmas · Religious · Inspirational
- Owned brands
- Fontanini®, Joseph's Studio, Charming Tails
- Industry standing
- Among largest privately held giftware firms
The story
Roman, Inc. began in 1963 when Ronald Jedlinski, with $500 and an old station wagon, started selling religious articles out of an office behind his father's store, Roman's Art and Gift Shop. He named the new venture in his father's honor — first Roman's Religious Goods, then Roman Religious Goods, Inc., and ultimately Roman, Inc.
Sixty-plus years later the company is among the largest privately held giftware firms in the industry. Ron and his wife Diane have passed leadership to their daughter Julie and her husband Dan Loughman; the company remains family-owned and family-operated.
What they make
Roman's catalog runs to more than 6,000 SKUs across three core areas. Religious covers the original business — rosaries, statues, crosses, sacramental gifts for First Communion, Confirmation, baptism, and Christian milestones. Christmas is the largest seasonal category, anchored by Fontanini Heirloom Nativities (the Italian-made nativity collection that Roman has distributed exclusively in the U.S. since 1973) along with extensive ornament, lighting, and décor lines. Inspirational covers everyday gifts for life events — weddings, anniversaries, sympathy, baby, retirement.
Owned and licensed brands include Joseph's Studio (a religious statuary and garden figure line developed with sculptor Joseph), Charming Tails (whimsical figurines), Alexa's Angels (inspirational jewelry), Glitterdomes® snow globes, and Confetti Lites™ lighting.
How they sell
Distribution is wholesale through specialty retailers, upscale department stores, mail-order catalogs, gift shops, religious goods stores, and selected internet sites. Roman exhibits at Atlanta Market and Dallas Total Home & Gift, among other major shows. Sales representation is handled through an established rep network with longstanding territory relationships.
Why they're worth knowing
For retailers serving customers in religious, devotional, and inspirational categories, Roman is essentially unavoidable — the breadth of the catalog and the Fontanini relationship together make them the dominant wholesale source in the segment. For general gift shops, the Christmas line and the inspirational gift program are reliable seasonal anchors that move on a predictable annual cycle.
The 60-plus-year track record matters too. Roman has been a stable counterparty through several generations of retail consolidation in the gift industry, and their long-term partnerships with artists and Italian manufacturers translate into a catalog that doesn't churn the way trend-driven brands do.
Where to find them
- Website: roman.com
- Headquarters: Bloomingdale, Illinois
- Trade show presence: Atlanta Market, Dallas Total Home & Gift, and selected specialty shows
- Key partnership: Exclusive U.S. distributor of Fontanini® Heirloom Nativities since 1973
Profile based on public information from Roman, Inc.'s official site, trade press coverage, and the company's published materials. Updated February 2026. Return to all profiles →