Raymond Gleason
Executive Coach
Raymond joined Building Champions in 2002. His expansive career includes several industries and specialties with one thing in common: Raymond is an expert in corporate strategy and planning. It’s that experience that makes him a seasoned executive coach for Building Champions. His practice is limited to senior managers and executives with annualized revenues ranging from $1 million to $20 billion. In addition to his One-on-One coaching, Raymond serves a variety of his clients through team coaching. His practice focuses on senior managers and executives in the banking, manufacturing, financial services, transportation and insurance industries.
Raymond started his career in marketing and business development and from there, he enjoyed several years with a national engineering services company. Later, he co-founded and served as CEO of a national design engineering firm and he worked as a consultant to an entrepreneurial services group. His consulting was in the area of strategy, working primarily with high growth companies. In 1986, his company was awarded the Small Business Administration Award for Excellence.
For 10 years, Raymond provided corporate strategic planning, organizational restructuring and leadership development consulting to companies such as Epson®, United Grocer's, UCLA School of Dentistry, Ford®, Key Bank®, U.S. Department of Defense, Ziba® Design and Aetna® Retirement Services. His expertise in consulting includes executive and team coaching, corporate strategy and board development.
Raymond serves as a member of several boards as both a director and an advisor. He is also one of the seven co-founders and investors in ConceroGroup, a successful Portland Internet-based technology company that gives small businesses nationwide a one-stop online shop for the entire insurance-buying process.
Raymond served as a business professor and then the first Executive-in-Residence at George Fox University. There, he taught in both the undergraduate and graduate business programs. In 1997, he was the recipient of the Burlington Northern/George Fox University's Outstanding Teacher Award. He is the co-author of the book Confessions of Empowering Organizations (AQP: 1994), which documented the most innovative workplace practices in over 90 Pacific Northwest companies.
Raymond shares his experiences through an active public speaking schedule where he talks on topics including creativity, management and leadership development, coaching and mentorship, spirituality in business and corporate strategy. He is a graduate of California State University, Los Angeles, where he received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees. In 1998 he was the recipient of the University's Distinguished Alumnus Award from the School of Arts and Letters. Raymond also serves as an advisor to the Oregon Episcopal Diocese, where he consults on issues pertaining to board development and general leadership education for the Diocese.
Raymond lives in West Linn, Oregon with his wife Elizabeth and their daughter, Andee. They enjoy a variety of activities, including hiking and searches with Andee in quest of the world's best maple bars. Over the years he has developed particular passion for greyhound adoption and restoring classic Volvos.
