MEET RON
Ron’s story began in a small two-bedroom apartment in South Florida, where love stretched further than the square footage.
The youngest of four, Ron was raised by parents who taught him that even when money was tight, hard work and community were more than enough to build a future.
His father, a proud Army veteran, worked nights as a security guard to help make ends meet. His mother, a medical billing clerk, spent her days fighting insurance companies to make sure patients could receive the care they needed. They did not have much, but they had each other, and that made all the difference.
In 2006, seeking a better life, Ron’s family moved to Clayton County, Georgia. Just months later, the Great Recession hit, and it hit hard. His parents lost their jobs. The home they had worked so hard to earn went into foreclosure. It was a devastating blow, but it did not break them. With the support of his family, the guidance of teachers who believed in him, and the helping hands of neighbors who refused to let them fall, Ron kept moving forward, driven by a simple belief that better was still possible.
He graduated from Mundy’s Mill High School, right here in the 13th District, and went on to become the first in his immediate family to attend college. Ron earned his bachelor’s degree from Emory University, his law degree from Harvard Law School, and his business degree from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. For Ron, it was never about chasing prestige. He was chasing a chance to make life better for families like his own.
After graduating from law school, Ron worked as an attorney, helping businesses navigate their most complex challenges so they could keep the lights on and grow. He also dedicated hundreds of hours to pro bono work, standing up for people who did not have anyone else in their corner. When the pandemic turned the economy upside down, Ron used his business training to help companies face the uncertainty, stay open, and keep workers on the job.