Josh Ross

Biography

When I was eighteen months old I saw a pool, bolted to the edge and jumped in. As my dad chased me in I somehow figured out how to move water enough to get back to the pool steps, my dad says I laughed maniacally, turned around and jumped back in. My parents enrolled me in Goldfish Swim school the next week and my athletic career began. In addition to swimming I added basketball and eventually football, over time joining numerous clubs and teams. Each time I started out as an outsider, but I learned how to engage people, establish relationships and over time help the team achieve its goals. Building relationships with people and developing a team, regardless if it is on an elite suburban swim club or a sponsored basketball team playing at the highest level of competition, is a similar process and one that I excel at. That spark in me that learned to swim when I was over my head continues to drive me to this day. I am emboldened by challenges, and I have built the confidence to know that I can overcome obstacles that are in my way. My coaches frequently tell me that my “can-do” attitude is infectious, which is why I think it is an important leadership trait. Having confidence to face what others see as overwhelming or even impossible is one thing, but infecting a team with that same vision is the cornerstone of good leadership. I am an athlete first of all, majoring in business, more specifically in MIS.