Former Eastern Illinois golfer Dave Ransom is in the business of helping successful companies find leaders. As a leader of his own company he follows a few simple pieces of advice that have helped define both his life and career.
Don't spend time doing something you don't love.
Be curious about people and life.
Work hard to be excellent at self-assessment.
Leave it better than you found it!
Those pieces of advice may not have shaped his game on the golf course for the Panthers in the early 1980's but they definitely came in handy post EIU.
"I worked for my dad in the real estate business for six years after I graduated from Eastern. He then sold the company and I was out of job," said Ransom. "I called a recruiting firm to change career paths and find employment. The recruiting firm ended up offering me an opportunity to join their company. I had a great mentor who taught me the business. Eight years after I started, I tried to buy the company. I ended up not moving ahead with that purchase and left to start my own firm. Best decision I ever made! We have been in business for 18 years and represent some of the most well regarded companies in the world."
As the CEO of The Ransom Group based in Columbus, Ohio, he oversees a company that is an Executive Search Firm specializing in Senior Management Recruitment and Selection. In that capacity Ransom has learned some of the attributes of what it takes to define a great leader.
"All great leaders have the following things in common:
A relentless pursuit for success and a desire to win that goes beyond all…
A great sense of humility and a commitment to remain self-less despite their success…
Are self-aware of their areas of development…
Exhibit vulnerability without hesitation."
The study of leadership is something that fascinates Ransom as he has led his company for nearly two decades. He admits that people themselves are fascinating and he has had lunch and played golf with Donald Trump on several occasions, stating that he redefines the word fascinating! All-in-all his role leading the company is to figure out what makes people great leaders.
"Much of my role as CEO of The Ransom Group involves interviewing executives and getting at the 'it' factor that makes someone a great leader. I've learned there are many ways to lead but only a few ways to lead successfully."
Defining leadership and what makes a successful leader is something Ransom can relate to as former collegiate golfer. Much like how there are many people that play golf, there are many people who are leaders. However the difference in being elite in either of those disciplines comes in only a handful of ways.
A native of Carol Stream, Ill., Ransom parlayed a prep career at Glenbard North High School into being a successful member of the EIU men's golf team. During his senior year he posted a first place finish in the EIU Invitational as one of his career highlights.
"One of things I miss is playing on a team. Golf is in large part an individual sport but when you're traveling and representing your University, there is a bond that is created among your teammates that is priceless."
To this day Ransom still considers one of his college teammates, Brent Richardson, his favorite golfer along with being a mentor and great friend. Those bonds and memories make for great stories that college teammates are able to relive many years after the fact.
"One of my lasting memories from playing golf was flying back from a tournament on a teammate's father's private jet in time to make it home for a Friday night date. It's a long story but the rest of the team rode back in the van. Those are the types of great memories and stories you get to tell."
In addition to the many memories on the golf team, Eastern Illinois was good to Ransom in other ways as he met his wife Kim on campus with their first date at Ike's. The couple has two children and recently celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary.
The rigors and experiences of being a college athlete are building blocks that Ransom believes have helped him in his career following his days on the links.
"Any time you balance goals and expectations of succeeding in academics and college sports, it requires a discipline and structure to your life that helps prepare you for the 'real world'. The social benefits of being on a college campus in the Midwest also helped me grow and mature to the point where building relationships in the business community is much easier and natural."
Knowing that many people have not been dealt the hand he has in life, Ransom is always aware of one of the pieces of advice that he lives by 'Leave it better than you found it.' As part of that philosophy he serves as the co-chair of a not-for-profit board called Kindway. (
www.kindway.com)
"Our mission is to invest in the lives of those who have been impacted by incarceration. We build comprehensive re-entry plans for ex-offenders to address the high rate of recidivism rates in the country. The program is five years old. We have approximately 80 men and women released from prison in our program and none have returned."
When looking at Ransom's success in finding leaders and his impact on the less fortunate it's easy to sum up where his life is at using a golf term – he aced it!
EIU: Class of 1985
Major: Political Science
Sport: Golf
