RON HAKES
Organizational Transformation Specialist
CDPM • CSSBB • NPLI Meta-Leader
"I help organizations find their structure, rediscover their soul, and build cultures where people love to come to work."
For over 30 years, Ron Hakes has been the leader organizations call when something important is broken — or when they're ready to grow and aren't sure how to get there. Whether it's a post-merger integration, a founder-to-successor transition, an operational overhaul, or a stalled mission that needs reigniting, Ron steps in, stabilizes, and builds.
Ron's career spans nonprofit, healthcare, technology, financial services, franchises, and emergency management — including CEO of Sympler LLC, CEO & Executive Director of the Cincinnati Education & Research for Veterans Foundation, Regional Director of Emergency Services at the American Red Cross, Operations Director and Government Liaison for the American Red Cross during numerous national disaster responses, and Senior Commercial Lending Officer roles at Wesbanco and Merrill Lynch.
Ron's leadership philosophy is simple: put the team first. He operates with an inverted pyramid mindset — his job isn't to be served, but to serve. By ensuring his teams have what they need to succeed, he creates a ripple effect that flows outward to the mission, the vision, and the broader community
"Small companies need a little bureaucracy to grow. Big companies need to reduce it to get back to who they were when they were growing. My job is to figure out which one you are."
Part-time embedded executive leadership — board meetings, strategy, and team leadership without full-time overhead.
Full-time, time-bound leadership during mergers, transitions, turnarounds, or rapid restructuring.
Retainer-based or board advisory counsel — a trusted thinking partner for strategy, governance, and growth.
1:1 leadership development and accountability for founders and executives navigating their hardest seasons.
Conferences, leadership summits, and executive retreats on organizational transformation and servant leadership.
If your organization is at an inflection point — a merger, a leadership transition, or a growth plateau — let's have a conversation. I'd be honored by the introduction.