OFFICIALLY: Jason Upright is an accomplished copywriter, creative concept developer and marketing professional with more than 30 years of experience across journalism, publishing, advertising, digital content and brand communications. Since 2010, he has served Ryan William’s Agency in West Palm Beach, creating advertising and marketing copy for print, direct mail, digital campaigns, websites, outdoor, radio and television, while also developing WordPress websites and creative concepts for diverse client industries. Earlier, Upright supported promotions and advertising for Fisherman Eyewear and worked as a media-relations consultant for South Florida nonprofit and civic organizations.
He spent 12 years with Bonnier Corporation in senior editorial leadership roles, including editor in chief and managing editor of WindSurfing and Garden Design, as well as managing editor of Home Miami. His expertise includes copywriting, editing, creative direction, content strategy, media relations, campaign development, website development, editorial management, budgeting, vendor negotiation and photo production. He attended the University of Florida College of Journalism and earned an Associate of Arts degree from Santa Fe Community College.
UNOFFICIALLY: Jason Upright is the old man of the agency, a designation he disputes on the grounds that he refuses to wear long pants and laughs at jokes most people outgrow around middle school. When he’s not writing copy and concepting campaigns, Jason races both OC-1 and OC-6 outrigger canoes—voluntarily paddling long distances in the Florida heat insisting that this is somehow relaxing.
He also regularly swings kettlebells, not “kettle balls,” a distinction he will make as immediately as he does that one “paddles” an outrigger canoe and does not “row” it. At home, Jason can peer into a refrigerator containing half an onion, expired mustard, three olives and something in foil of uncertain origin, and produce a legitimately decent one-pan wonder.
This skill is especially valuable because he shares his life with the lady of his dreams, who coincidently enough owned the ad agency prior to Mark Dawson, and two foster terriers picked up roaming the streets of Belle Glade together, the three of whom frequently get hungry.