News from The Presidents' Council

"Inspiring the Next Generation"

Ralph Sheldon Tyler bears an impressive and somewhat daunting family history of firsts. As a descendent of James Seneca Tyler, the first African-American elected clerk of the Ohio House of Representatives, and the son of Ralph C. Tyler, the first African-American civil engineer licensed in Ohio, Ralph has inherited quite a legacy. But he is far from intimidated by his heritage. Instead, he's built on it, and is creating his own unique legacy as chief executive officer and president of Ralph Tyler Companies.

With a background in law and regulatory matters, Ralph did not expect to head one of the United States' oldest multi-culturally staffed architectural, engineering & program management firms. "I never thought I'd work for my dad, but he inspired me." The business started in 1978 as a small consulting firm with six employees. Ralph Tyler Companies now includes seven offices across the United States and one in Mumbai, India, and has partnered with clients as large as General Motors.

Ralph was once the executive director of The Greater Cleveland Roundtable (which later reorganized to become The Greater Cleveland Partnership), where he handled issues of diversity and economic development in Cleveland. Before that, he worked for Citibank in New York City and TRW in Cleveland. When his father suffered a heart attack and stroke, Ralph was called upon to intervene in his father's small business. Ralph notes that "I went in to close down Dad's company. I didn't think I'd have a viable role, but I realized there were opportunities that existed in the public and private sector that we could fulfill." Ralph Tyler Companies is now a two-time recipient of the Weatherhead 100 Award from Case Western Reserve University and has donated $817,000 worth of scholarships around the country to minorities.

Ralph's experience with The Greater Cleveland Roundtable laid the groundwork for his work as a pioneer and mentor of successful minority businesses in Cleveland. Not only did it allow him to become involved in issues he cared deeply about, but it also prepared him for his current role as the CEO of a national company. "It gave me exposure to both the public and private sector," he said. This balanced approach became a tenet of Ralph Tyler Companies, and the primary reason for its longevity: "The biggest challenge in this time of economic decline is that there just aren't a lot of dollars in the public sector, and there's a decline in the private sector in firms like ours. A balanced portfolio does better, enables a firm to deal better with the hiccups, because they go in cycles."

Ralph's work with The Greater Cleveland Roundtable led the way for his involvement in the Presidents' Council, but it was also the result of his history of social and economic engagement. When asked how he became involved in the Presidents' Council, Ralph said, it "was an outgrowth of activities that existed sometimes at the picnic table, and sometimes at the board room table, [involving] how we address inclusion and diversity." He continued, "I think leaders both conservative and liberal realized that there was a hole that existed in this region. With my role at the Roundtable, we were able to share with one another some of the challenges and opportunities we face in our businesses and support one another. And what the Presidents' Council focused on was the African-American leaders that would take a responsible role in trying to advance the idea of both inclusion and economic participation."

And Ralph believes the Presidents' Council has done just that. He cites Mal Mixon and Steve Williams, among many others, as visionary leaders in this process, by creating a capital formation group with over $20 million allocated for small and minority businesses to get venture capital funding. "That didn't exist in any kind of successful or significant way before." This set an important precedent of trust that now exemplifies the organization. "It's like playing on a football team or soccer team, working together to achieve a goal, not only in practice, but when you're called upon during game time to give an extra 10 or 20 percent and you've got a sprained ankle. You find more in common with someone than you do differences."

Given his penchant for sports analogies, Ralph's concept of teamwork is no surprise. The greatest teams have a tradition and culture of excellence that dates back generations, just like Ralph's family. But Ralph understands that he has an obligation to build on that legacy and give back to the next generation. "We need to appreciate and recognize our local talent, demonstrate that we are both inclusive in terms of development and that we're going to provide the capital in order for this development. We need an even more inspired group of people to back and support both the Presidents' Council and the Jumpstart Program in order to prepare the next generation and workforce." Through his work in the community and The President's Council, Ralph Tyler has continued the legacy of excellence established in his family and proven himself an inspiration to the next generation of African-American entrepreneurs.