Posted February 23, 2021 in Alumni Profile
Lawrence School, Class of 2007
High Point University, Class of 2011
Since graduating from Lawrence, what have you been up to?
After graduating from Lawrence in 2007, I attended High Point University in North Carolina. I graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Immediately after college, I began a career in sales for a large steel company here in Cleveland.
With five years of selling steel under my belt, I decided to chase after my dream of starting my own company. Based on my experience with the traditional way steel is bought, sold, and distributed, I developed a new model for steel companies to do business. I created an online platform that allowed users to buy and sell steel online. It was a long road and a ton of hard work, but we became very successful. I sold the company in 2017 to a large tech company called Reibus that still operates today.
For the last three years, I have served as the Vice President of Premium Steel Sales. I manage 38 employees and two locations—life is good!
What did you study in college and why?
Throughout my entire life, I hated being told what to do or how to do something. I always knew I wanted to start my own business so that I could have freedom to do things my way. This desire to be an entrepreneur was the driving force behind my decision to study business.
What lessons from Lawrence helped you succeed in business and life?
During my time at Lawrence, I was THE public speaker. At first, I did not like public speaking, but Mr. Culp really encouraged and pushed me. I have given sales pitches to win awards and obtain investments for my business. I even pitched Jumpstart, a local incubator that is well known here in Cleveland. This led to a start-up program that secured funding for my first independent venture. I absolutely developed skills from those speaking opportunities in high school that made me into the confident communicator I am today.
How do you spend your free time?
My family and our three dogs keep me busy. We live in Westlake and I have been married to my wonderful wife for three years. We have a beautiful two-year-old daughter named Riley. Being a dad is the best thing that has ever happened to me!
What is your fondest memory of Lawrence?
It’s definitely the very first basketball game ever played on the court of the Upper School gym. At the time, a few of my classmates and myself worked for the Cleveland Cavaliers. We invited professional announcer Ahmaad Crump and the Cavalier Cheerleaders to come to the game. They announced the game, held contests for the crowd, and passed out a lot of giveaways. It was an incredible night!
What would you say to a new student at Lawrence?
You will not believe the opportunities Lawrence will present—your life is about to change for the better!