Ross Freedman

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Ross Freedman
Ross freedman.jpg
Born (1974-11-04) November 4, 1974 (age 49)
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of Wisconsin - Madison
Occupation
  • Software Developer (early years)
  • American Entrepreneur
Known forCo-founder of Rightpoint

Ross Freedman is an American entrepreneur and co-founder, former CEO and Board Member at Rightpoint in Chicago, USA.

Early Life

Ross Freedman was born on November 4, 1974, in New York City, USA. His parents are Mel Freedman and Joyce Radzminsky-Freedman. Joyce immigrated to the US from Germany in 1950 and worked as a public school teacher in the New York City school system. Mel, his father, was a chemist, entrepreneur, and inventor. Throughout his career, Mel was awarded 34 patents. Ross has a sister named Lisa who was born in 1978.[1]

In 1977, Ross and his family moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin when his father took a job at Nicolet Paper Company. In 1981, Ross moved to Beachwood, Ohio (a suburb of Cleveland) when his father took a job at Avery Dennison. Ross graduated from Beachwood High School in 1993.[2]

Ross received degrees in Bachelors in Business Administration and Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1997.[3]

In 2002, Ross married Jessica Mirelman and had two daughters, Olivia and Maya.

Career

In 1996, Ross Freedman began his career as a software developer at Arthur Andersen LLP in the firm’s Advanced Technology Group.[4] During his years with Andersen, Ross helped several global businesses and government agencies solve complex enterprise business and technology challenges facing their industry. At Andersen, Ross also built a strong foundation, including deep technology skills, domain industry experience, and an appreciation for outstanding client service.[5]

In 1999, Ross left Andersen with Co-founder and college friend, Brad Schneider, to start Wired Matrix – a Chicago-based software development company. Three years later in 2002, Wired Matrix merged with Andersen spin-off, West Monroe Partners.[6]

In 2007, Ross co-founded Rightpoint with Brad Schneider. Rightpoint is an award-winning digital consultancy with over 800 employees globally headquartered in Chicago with offices in New York, Boston, London, Sidney, LA, Oakland, Dallas, Atlanta, Denver, and Detroit.[7]

Under Ross and Brad’s leadership, Rightpoint raised $55 million from private equity firm, Stella Point Capital, and subsequently integrated 4 companies from 2016 to 2018. In 2019, Rightpoint was sold to Genpact (NYSE:G), a global professional services and business outsourcing company with more than 90,000 employees.[8]

As Co-founder, Ross was responsible for the strategic direction of the company and the realization of the company’s vision. Ross is widely known as a leader in driving successful digital transformation within global companies and spent the better part of his career working with many of the most iconic brands in the world to solve complex business problems in areas such as web, mobile, social, CRM, cloud, collaboration and analytics Rightpoint has received several awards and accolades for its intrapreneurial culture and exponential growth, including Chicago Tribune's Top Workplaces and Forbes’ “Most Promising Companies in America”.[9]

In addition to serving clients, Ross’ vision for Rightpoint has always been rooted in an “intrapreneurial”, collaborative culture that attracts the best talent in the industry.[10]

Ross is now a Board Member at Rightpoint. He is also a member of The Board of Advisors of the Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Wisconsin School of Business. The Weinert Center equips students at the University of Wisconsin - Madison with entrepreneurial skills for any business environment.

Ross is a Mentor through Creative Destruction Lab - a global nonprofit organization that delivers an objectives-based program for seed-stage, science- and technology-based companies.[11]

Ross is also a Mentor through 1871 - is a non-profit digital startup incubator founded in 2012 by J.B. Pritzker and is the flagship project of The Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center (CEC), a non-profit organization that supports entrepreneurs on their path to building high-growth, sustainable businesses that serve as platforms for economic development and civic leadership.[12]

Awards and Recognition

  • EY Entrepreneur of the Year™ Award for the Midwest in 2015[13]
  • Forbes’ Most Promising Companies in America (Rightpoint)[14]
  • Crain’s Chicago Business “Top 20 Best Places to Work” (Rightpoint)[15]
  • Consulting Magazine’s “Seven Small Jewels” (Rightpoint)[16]
  • 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work for[17]
  • Inc 500’s “Fastest Growing Companies”[18]
  • Microsoft’s Central Region “Compete to Win” award[19]

Philanthropy

  • Member - American Jewish Committee (AJC)[20]
  • Annual Donor – Jewish United Fund (JUF)[21]
  • Annual Donor – Epilepsy Foundation[22]
  • Annual Donor – Pelotonia (The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center)[23]
  • Board Member & Annual Doner - The University of Wisconsin Weinert Center for * Entrepreneurship[24]
  • Active Mentor – 1871 Chicago[25]
  • Active Mentor – Creative Destruction Labs (Risk Stream)[26]

In the media

References

  1. Katz, Charlie (2 August 2021). "Ross Freedman of Rightpoint: How We Plan To Rebuild In The Post COVID Economy". Authority Magazine. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  2. "How This CEO Helps His 700-Person Company 'Feel Like a Startup' | Built In Chicago". www.builtinchicago.org. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  3. "Executives Breakfast Club Event Registration". ebcmorning.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  4. "Ross Freedman and Rightpoint's extraordinary growth since 2007". losangelesinquirer.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  5. "How Ross Freedman Helped Rightpoint Succeed During The COVID Pandemic". arlingtonchronicle.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  6. "Ross Freedman, co-founder of Rightpoint, explains why it is the #1 experience company in the world". lasvegasinquirer.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  7. "Ross Freedman, Co-Founder and CEO of Rightpoint, Joins the WAVE Advisory Board". Wisconsin School of Business. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  8. "Ross Freedman". Creative Destruction Lab. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  9. "How Ross Freedman Built a Global Digital Consultancy". stlouisgazette.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  10. "The Jewish Graduate Student Initiative". www.thejgsi.org. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  11. "Ross Freedman's success as a tech entrepreneur". philadelphiachronicle.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  12. "Experience: the final frontier of digital–with Ross Freedman, CEO, Rightpoint (May 2020)". youtube. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  13. "Ross Freedman, an entrepreneurial Success Story". losangelesinquirer.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  14. "Ross Freedman, an entrepreneurial Success Story". losangelesinquirer.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  15. "Ross Freedman, an entrepreneurial Success Story". losangelesinquirer.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  16. "Ross Freedman, an entrepreneurial Success Story". losangelesinquirer.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  17. "Ross Freedman, an entrepreneurial Success Story". losangelesinquirer.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  18. "Ross Freedman, an entrepreneurial Success Story". losangelesinquirer.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  19. "Ross Freedman, an entrepreneurial Success Story". losangelesinquirer.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  20. "Ross Freedman, an entrepreneurial Success Story". losangelesinquirer.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  21. "Ross Freedman, an entrepreneurial Success Story". losangelesinquirer.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  22. "Ross Freedman, an entrepreneurial Success Story". losangelesinquirer.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  23. "Ross Freedman, an entrepreneurial Success Story". losangelesinquirer.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  24. "Ross Freedman, an entrepreneurial Success Story". losangelesinquirer.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  25. "Ross Freedman, an entrepreneurial Success Story". losangelesinquirer.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  26. "Ross Freedman, an entrepreneurial Success Story". losangelesinquirer.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.

External links