Ron Rice

A 1964 graduate in geography, Ron Rice borrowed $500 from his father in 1966, mixed up a batch of tanning lotion in a garbage can, and peddled it at Daytona Beach. The lotion became Hawaiian Tropic, and Rice became a multimillionaire. After graduation, he coached football and taught chemistry at Daytona High (Florida), and in the summer he worked as a lifeguard. His tanning lotion had the mystique of the Hawaiian Islands—he mixed coconut oil, bananas, aloe, avocadoes, kukui, and other secret natural oils and hired two 11-year old boys to fill the bottles. He has been featured on the television show Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, and his Lamborghini appeared in the movie Cannonball Run.

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  • Title Ron Rice
  • Author
  • Keywords Ron Rice
  • Website Name Volopedia
  • Publisher University of Tennessee Libraries
  • URL
  • Access Date July 16, 2025
  • Original Published Date
  • Date of Last Update October 15, 2018