Ranger Group is comprised of the most driven, brightest, and engaging employees. In this Employee Spotlight, we are highlighting one of our Manufacturing and Industrial recruiters, Kenneth (KJ) Ester. KJ started with Ranger in June 2017.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Lake Orion, MI – A suburb of Detroit located in Northern Oakland County.
What was your favorite part about growing up in Michigan?
Michigan summers, races at MIS, Woodward Dream Cruise, food and music festivals. I loved taking advantage of being active outside and hanging out on the lakes.
How long have you been in the DFW area & where did you move from?
I have been in DFW for 10-11 months. I moved from Seattle, WA and before that Tallahassee, FL.
What was your favorite part about living in Seattle?
The landscape! The combination of the mountains and water make it the most beautiful place in the United States and everywhere looks like a postcard.
What colleges did you graduate from and what were your degrees?
Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Minor in Philosophy & Law from Michigan State University and
Master of Science in Sport Management from Florida State University.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I wanted to be a Jerry Maguire – A sports agent.
What do you like to do for fun?
I love trying new things – restaurants, bars, attractions. Traveling, playing basketball, going to concerts, watching/attending sporting events, and going to Art/Fashion shows.
Who is your favorite sports team(s)?
Detroit Lions, Detroit Pistons, Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers, Michigan State athletics, Florida State athletics, F1 Racing – Lewis Hamilton, and NASCAR – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Why did you join Ranger Group?
Opportunity to help grow something and really feel invested with ownership and the opportunity for professional and financial success doing it with great people.
What drew you to the staffing/sales industry?
Opportunity to control my own destiny. Hard work directly correlates to output and success/opportunity to advance.
What motivates you to work hard?
I hate losing- I never want to leave my potential unfulfilled.
Do you have a favorite recruiting moment?
My favorite moment personally would be clearing 6K – A lot of which came from working on business outside our group’s specialty. My favorite team moment would be going from almost no spread when I started to over 17K as of this week and which made opening our own office a reality.
Since you have almost been with Ranger for a year, what advice do you have for someone looking to get into staffing/sales?
My main piece of advice is to be as adaptable as possible, don’t be afraid to fail, and make the most of every opportunity to learn and get better.
What do you hope to accomplish professionally in 2018?
Successfully launch my sales career and get to 5K in spread by the end of the year. I would like to set myself up to a hit a contest in 2019.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
Africa – my sister recently completed an ancestry trace and found out most of our heritage is traced back to Angola so I would want to go explore there. It’s the most resource rich continent in the world with a landscape that features mountains, beaches, forests, etc
