Frequently Asked Questions

Ron works with small to mid market companies across sectors such as forprofit, nonprofit, healthcare, technology, financial services, franchises, and emergency management. What these organizations share is an inflection point: a merger or acquisition, a leadership transition, a growth plateau, or a mission that has stalled and needs reigniting.

Size matters less than the nature of the challenge. Ron has led national-scale programs and turnaround engagements at the CEO level, so he is equally comfortable in a mid-size nonprofit, a regional healthcare system, or a growth-stage company navigating its first major transition.

Every engagement begins with a no-obligation discovery conversation to understand the situation clearly before any proposal is made. From there, engagements generally fall into one of three modes:

• Fractional Executive Leadership: Ron steps into a C-suite or senior leadership role on a part-time or interim basis.
• Advisory & Strategic Counsel: Structured advisory support for boards, CEOs, or leadership teams navigating a specific challenge.
• Project-Based Engagements: Defined-scope work such as post-merger integration, operational restructuring, or succession planning.

Scope, duration, and structure are always tailored to the organization's specific situation.

Ron understands that organizational crises rarely follow a convenient timeline. Availability depends on current commitments, but he makes it a priority to respond to initial inquiries within one business day and to complete a discovery conversation within the week. Reach out directly at (513) 373-2941 or ron@ronhakes.com.

Both. Ron is based in Cincinnati, OH and works with organizations across the USA. For engagements that require presence such as board sessions, leadership offsites, team stabilization work, Ron travels. For advisory and strategic work, remote collaboration is efficient and effective. The right mix is determined by what the engagement actually needs, not a one-size-fits-all policy.

Ron describes it simply: the corporate pyramid is upside down. His job is to clear the path so his team can do their best work — not to be the smartest person in the room. In practice, this means he spends significant time listening before acting, builds trust before pushing change, and measures success by what the organization can do after he leaves, not just while he is there.

Post-merger integration fails most often because of culture, not systems. Ron's approach prioritizes three things in sequence:

• Stabilize: identify what cannot wait and address it immediately.
• Align: get leadership on the same page about what the combined organization is actually trying to become.
• Build: establish the operational and cultural infrastructure to execute that vision.

He has managed this process across sectors and brings both the strategic framework and the hands-on experience to move quickly without cutting corners.

Ron Hakes has held the seat. He has been a Chairman of the Board, a CEO, an executive director, a regional director managing crisis response, a Franchise executive and a senior banking executive. He does not deliver recommendations from the outside and hand you a slide deck. He steps in, takes accountability alongside your team, and builds something that works after he is gone.

His 30+ years of cross-sector leadership means he has likely faced a version of your situation before, which shortens the learning curve considerably.

• Nonprofits, Franchising and veterans services organizations
• Healthcare systems and research institutions
• Mobile and Desktop Application Design & Deployement,AI Technology, Implemenation & deployement
• Financial services (Commercial Lending, SBA Lending)
• Emergency management and disaster response

This breadth is a feature, not a footnote. Many of the most effective organizational solutions come from applying a practice that is standard in one sector to a problem that another sector has never thought to address that way.

Ron served as Operations Director & Government Liaison of the American Red Cross during numerous National Disaster responses. This meant leading large-scale emergency response operations under extreme time pressure, with limited information and significant human stakes. It is the kind of leadership experience that simply cannot be replicated in a classroom or a consulting engagement, and it shapes how he responds to organizational crises today.

Yes. Ron has worked both as a Chairman and CEO. Reporting to boards and as an advisor to boards evaluating leadership transitions. He understands the governance relationship from both sides, which makes him effective in situations where board-executive alignment is part of the problem that needs solving.

The first call is a discovery session — no sales pitch, no obligation. Ron will ask questions to understand your situation, your timeline, and what success looks like. You will leave with clarity on whether and how he can help, regardless of whether an engagement follows.

To schedule, call (513) 373-2941 or email ron@ronhakes.com.

If any of these sound familiar, the timing is right:

• Your organization is in or approaching a leadership transition.
• A merger, acquisition, or partnership is on the horizon — or already underway.
• Growth has stalled and you are not sure why.
• Your team is capable but not aligned around a clear direction.
• You have a board or stakeholder situation that needs experienced navigation.

The organizations that benefit most from Ron's work are the ones that reach out before the crisis is fully in motion, not after. Early is almost always better.