Ross is the Phase 2 Night Barber Educator at the St. Pete Campus becoming part of the AIB Team seven months ago. With 14 years of experience in the barbering industry and a career path that has taken him through several different fields, Ross brings a unique combination of real-world experience, curiosity, and determination into the classroom. What he finds most fulfilling about his role is helping future professionals become confident and competent in their abilities and seeing the moment when new knowledge clicks, and they become excited about where their skills can take them.

A native Chicagoan but spent his teenage years in the country; Ross’s professional journey has been anything but one-dimensional. Throughout his career, he has worked as a professional entertainer, pastor, real estate agent, factory worker, salesman, carpet installer, and in technical customer support. He has also worked for companies including Kraft Foods and W.W. Grainger and even served as a consultant for Microsoft. Along the way, he earned trade school diplomas in programming and computer networking, received a team appreciation award from Microsoft, and was recognized with a letter of appreciation from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Eventually, Ross found his way into barbering, where he has now spent 14 years doing what he loves most about the industry: helping people look better and feel better. Today, he gets to take that experience one step further by sharing his knowledge with the next generation of barbers. For Ross, there is something especially rewarding about watching future professionals gain confidence in themselves, grasp new skills and concepts, and begin making plans for their own careers.

Ross describes himself as “a bulldog with a boundless curiosity and a big heart,” a fitting description for someone whose interests and experiences extend far beyond the barbershop. Outside of AIB, he enjoys writing, gardening, woodworking, building things, reading, archery, fishing, good coffee, and good conversation. He also has a love for U.S. history, particularly the Civil War, and has written, directed, and acted in several short plays.

One philosophy Ross carries with him is that failure is not something to fear, but something to learn from. He believes the only true way to fail is to quit, and that every setback brings experience and another opportunity to succeed. It’s a mindset that pairs perfectly with the persistence and willingness to keep learning that he encourages in his future professionals.

We appreciate Ross’s commitment to the success of our future professionals that he provides every day, along with his motivating attitude towards EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE! We Thank You, Ross!