Ron Berger:
CLASS OF 1976
Thornwood High SchoolClass of 1976
South holland, IL
Hope CollegeClass of 1980
Holland, MI
University of South Florida - BusinessClass of 1980
Tampa, FL
Ron's Story
Life
Newest update... No longer in corporate America but have landed in Entrepreneur land. Now co-founder of a new technology based startup in Portland. We just leased our first offices and are in the process of hiring staff. Another new experience to enjoy, venture capital funded, so a bit different risk than most startups but still risky. Also back to renovating our house in Lake Oswego so we can actually live in that house. Our attempt at downsizing (not Tiny housing which is popular now in Oregon .... for some). Looking forward to living in smaller house, tired of maintaining the big one where we only go into 4 or 5 of the too many rooms each week. Now in Oregon for 3 years. Enjoying life, also Grandfather again and 3rd son in the next year will add a step-grandchild to the mix. Life continues to be good. Portland continues to be great (Oregon is the number one state in the US now for people moving to rather than from... please stop coming!)
Moved back to Oregon 3 years ago, still same company, same job and keep office in LA and here in Portland. Love being back here, opened new offices in Downtown Portland and if you haven't been here, don't come! (kidding, Portland is in the top 10 cities to travel to rated by Trip Advisor for City vacations) Enjoy the area, the climate, and the lifestyle here so glad to be back. Two of 3 sons now in California, one lives in Long Beach and works right across the street from where my office is (I never see him however). Both are in special agents with a federal law enforcement agency. Update, I am now a grandfather, very scary, Nola Kai was born October 14th, 2011. Sill 1 in Oregon. Latest update: 2nd grandchild on the way, due December 2014, this one will be a boy so both twins will be proud dads. 3rd son is now "attached" and is coming with a potential instant family of a 9 year old, we will see how this works out but it appears the family is getting rounded out.
Looking for another house again but just want to move in the Portland area, miss living in Lake Oswego so actively hunting.... live keeps moving, ideally will find a one story, tired of the stairs again, want to build but still working on Cathy for that....
HISTORY
Left Thornwood and went to Hope College in Holland, MI, Joined a Frat that qualified as Animal House compatable (we had a basement party room and the house looked about the same) left Holland to Florida and graduated from University of South Florida graduated with a degree in Finance and Marketing.
Started with CF AirFreight in Chicago as sales rep in 1980. Connected with one Diane Reitveld (where are you Diane I have your family pictures and would like to get them back to you), we were engaged, I got promotion to Jackson, MS and we were not engaged (too bad really), after a year in Mississippi (yes I learned how to spell it), I was promoted to General Manager of our office in Kansas City, MO. Spent 6 years in Kansas City, fell in love a few times, partied a lot, bought my first house at 25 (single still). In 1989 CF purchased Emery Air Freight and I was promoted to Division Manager to oversee consolidation of operations in Memphis, TN. Moved to Memphis in spring of 1989. Met my wife on Friday, September 13, 1989. (She picked me up in a bar at a chamber of commerce social hour) Cathy, was a former New York model, worked for the Wilhelmina agency. Did ads for Revlon, Elizabeth Arden, TV, runway in Paris, New York, and Madrid. Photo shoots in Africa and South America, and did Playboy twice (clothed) in their fashion spreads, and made her dream of being in Vanity Fair and doing Vanity Fair lingeree modeling. She was known for her uuuu's and ahhs link attached in article listing her as supermodel along with some others from the late 70's to the 80's
leoraphotographic.blogspot.com/2009/08/super-models.html
So back to my bio, we dated off and on until the Summer of 1992 when she finally submitted and we got married on Friday the 13th ...Expand for more
of November at 6:00PM (Hanging hour) in 1992. Oh I picked up an instant family in the deal, 3 sons twins 8 and the older brother 9.
In 1995 I moved to Dallas as Manager over our Texas Region. In Dallas we eperienced the high school age with 3 sons who got actively involved in ICE HOCKEY. When not working I coached their Hockey team and then was assistant coach of the Junior Varsity High School Team. All three sons played varsity Hockey.
For work I opened our operations in Laredo, TX and Monterrey, MX, helped expand into central Mexico. Learned in that environment to have a great deal of respect for different cultures and enjoy them immensly.
In 1998 I was asked by our CEO to move to Portland and take over our IT organization. I have since traveled globaly, Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. (favorite spot is Bangkok, Thialand but like Hong Kong and Singapore as well). I managed staff in Amsterdam, Australia, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Portland, Scranton, PA, Dayton, OH, Kansas City, and San Francisco. I was the company's Chief Information Officer (CIO). In 2004 I took a new VP role on the corporate staff responsible for business process improvement globally.
UPS bought our company in December of 2004 and I moved to the Atlanta area. Same job, responsible for global process and engineering. Unfortunate part is that instead of the kids moving away, the parents did... this will be the hardest move yet. We purchased a condo in Portland area in January 06 to keep in touch and as an investment. Will likely move back to Oregon to retire in 6 to 10 years just will see how it goes.
August 2006, I left UPS and have joined FedEx. First company change in 26 years. Worked for FedEx in Memphis as Vice President and Chief Information Officer of FedEx Trade Networks.
Purchased my second house in Oregon while living in Tennessee, want to keep my feet in God's country, the northwest so trying to stay with the real estate market there.
The world changes again, I left FedEx and have joined a global supply chain company named UTi Worldwide. New role as Senior Vice President of Global Operations Processes. I am responsible for global business transformation and a member of the Executive Board. Now living in Rancho Palos Verdes with views of the Ocean and Catalina. I don't even have to fight LA traffic to get to work, very cool. We are also only a couple hour flight to our house in Oregon.
Travels continue, this year been to Africa, Europe, Asia. Went to the Hong Kong Sevens for Rugby, what a blast. I plan on going again next year if schedules permit. Just returned from trip to Africa, visited our operations in South Africa, watched the South African Rugby quater finals, took a ride in a $400K Ferrari on a race track there, watched the World Cup finals between New Zealand and France while drinking bloody mary's on a Sunday morning and then made a stop in Tete, Mozambique to see a new Coal mine being brought into production and visit a massive Tobaco processing facility that is helping the people of Mozambique grow cash crops to improve thier lives. (It was hot, 120 while there). Just got back from that trip, visited Sowetto where Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu lived and made a friend named Monty in a Shabine we stopped in (and drank a bit too much). Will post a picture of Monty and I soon.
This year our senior management team rang the opening bell for NASDAQ with our pictures up on the large screens around Times Square. Life is good and retrospect is always amazing.
It seems like I never have much time to do anything with my job but then I look back at the places I been, and the things I have done and realize what a great life it has been. We all need to remember the past to help us understand how happy we should be in the future.
Who would have ever thought that an average, not so popular guy from High School would end up this way, but we always discount those around us. Lessons to be learned always.
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