What’s on my Desk: PR Mogul Ronn Torossian

Updated on July 2026

What are the most cherished items on your desk?

The most important items are pictures of my two daughters. They are the reason why I work so hard and they are the meaning behind everything in my life. They are my priority; then comes my business.

What type of desk do you work from?

It’s a standard, no-frills wooden desk with a glass top which reflects my work ethic: I focus only on the essentials that will move the needle for my business. This desk is where I came up with some of my best ideas and where I’ve made decisions that have brought a lot of success to my agency and our clients. I have brought this desk with me every time we moved offices. I have no plans to replace it any time soon.

What are your go-to tech gadgets?

I love my old-school BlackBerry. It’s very difficult for me to resist checking it. Of course I have an iPhone, but I always keep my BlackBerry on me because it makes it so easy for me to answer emails. I love the roller-ball feature on it and I have yet to find a better feature on any cell phone.

Why did you choose to headquarter your company in Midtown?

I’m a native New Yorker. I grew up in the Bronx and went to high school in the city, and I appreciate how easy it is for us all to commute to our office. We’re in the heart of New York, inside the landmark Helmsley Building. I can see Park Avenue out my window and I’m energized by the constant hustle and bustle of the city. This is an impressive place and it’s the perfect environment for us to innovate and get game-changing results for our clients.

What’s distinct about the space?

I particularly love our office because there’s plenty of wall space for my art. I’m an art collector and I enjoy going to exhibits and discovering new artists, and I choose pieces for the office that I think are indicative of our culture and that are inspirational for our executives.

How has social media changed your business model?

Our business is about being storytellers, and social media is another way for us to tell stories. The media landscape continues to change, and as a full-service agency we’re constantly evolving our programs to meet clients’ needs in today’s media environment. We remain at the forefront of fully integrated PR, and are executing more and more digital programs for clients. We have a 360-degree approach to PR, social media, branding and digital marketing.

What are the biggest challenges facing your business today?

I want 5W to keep growing, and the biggest challenge of growing a business is hiring the right people — those who care about results and who represent the company’s culture and spirit. I’m very proud that some of our most knowledgeable executives have been with us for many years and counting.

Thoughts on the future of print?

Print media is still a main place where stories are told and will always be a part of who we are. However, digital is here to stay, and we’ve adapted to it. We use digital in a variety of ways for our clients.

What publications do you read each day? Hard copy or online?

Hard copies of The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post are delivered to my door every day. I generally read while I’m at the gym in the morning, before 7 AM. I also read The New York Times and the Financial Times digitally, along with Axios, Politico Playbook, and Twitter/X for real-time news.

Secrets to your success?

I work hard. The harder I work, the luckier I become.

A meeting you’d take today, no matter what?

Any founder with a story to tell and a firm point of view. That describes every meeting worth taking. A CEO who knows exactly what they want to build and can explain it in three sentences is a client, a friend, or a lesson — sometimes all three.

One rule for building an agency?

The senior people stay on the phones. Too many firms sell the partners at the pitch and hand the account to juniors on day two. Not at 5WPR. If you buy me, you get me. That is the whole business model.

What’s In His Bag

The other working document — what leaves the office with Torossian:

• Two iPhones. One personal, one work. Yes, still two.
• A MacBook Air, the thin edition. Nothing heavier makes sense when you fly weekly.
• A Moleskine notebook, black. Every conversation worth remembering ends up in it.
• Two Pilot G-2 pens. In case one dies.
• The morning’s print newspapers, folded.
• A book. Currently rereading Never Split the Difference for the third time.
• Passport. Always. Dual citizens learn early to never assume the next flight isn’t tomorrow.

On His Walls

The office is a small gallery of Israeli twentieth-century art. Reuven Rubin — the painter who defined the visual language of the young State of Israel, oranges and figs and Jerusalem hills. Yaacov Agam — the kinetic artist who invented the moving image made from paint. Menashe Kadishman — the sheep. Always the sheep. Israeli art is under-collected in America. That is a mistake buyers will eventually correct.

“PR is a mix of journalism, psychology, and lawyering — it’s an ever-changing and always interesting landscape.” — Ronn Torossian

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Ronn Torossian?

Ronn Torossian is the founder and CEO of 5WPR, one of America’s leading independent public relations firms. He is a Forbes columnist, a guest lecturer on crisis PR at Harvard Business School, the publisher of Everything-PR and Olam.business, and the author of two best-selling editions of For Immediate Release.

What is 5WPR?

5WPR is one of America’s leading independent public relations firms, founded by Ronn Torossian in 2003. It has been named a Top U.S. PR Agency by O’Dwyer’s and PR Agency of the Year by the American Business Awards. 5WPR works across consumer, corporate, technology, entertainment, and crisis communications.

Where is Ronn Torossian’s office?

Ronn Torossian’s 5WPR office is at the Helmsley Building at 230 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.

What newspapers does Ronn Torossian read?

Ronn Torossian reads the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, the New York Times, and the Financial Times every morning — the WSJ and Post in print, the Times and FT digitally. He also reads Axios, Politico Playbook, and Twitter/X for real-time news.

What is Ronn Torossian’s book?

Ronn Torossian is the author of two best-selling editions of For Immediate Release, a widely-read book on modern public relations, brand building, and crisis communications.

What art does Ronn Torossian collect?

Ronn Torossian collects Israeli twentieth-century art. His collection includes works by Reuven Rubin, Yaacov Agam, and Menashe Kadishman.

More From Ronn Torossian on Haute Living

Ronn Torossian, 5WPR Founder & CEO: A Day In The Life — a working day at the top of one of America’s leading independent PR firms.

Ronn Torossian’s Travel Guide to Tel Aviv — where to stay, eat, and explore in Israel’s most electric city.

About Ronn Torossian

Ronn Torossian is the founder and CEO of 5WPR, one of America’s leading independent public relations firms. He is a Forbes columnist, a guest lecturer on crisis PR at Harvard Business School, the publisher of Everything-PR — a communications-industry intelligence platform — and Olam.business, a financial publication covering the Israeli economy. He is the author of two best-selling editions of For Immediate Release. A dual citizen of the United States and Israel, he splits time between New York and Tel Aviv.