Ralph grew up among the marshes and beaches of coastal Georgia before becoming a commercial pilot and aircraft salesman/sales manager in Alabama. Along the way, he graduated from Clemson University, where he wrote for "The Clemson Tiger" newspaper, and where, he says, "Through grit, determination and superior intelligence, I was able to cram four years of college into only five years."

Today, Ralph is a full-time professional speaker and award-winning writer. He writes several regular columns for nationwide trade magazines. "My columns," he says, "are widely read by my wife." His books, The Truth & Other Lies and Southern Raised in the Fifties, have sold from Australia to England and across the U.S.A. Ralph, a CSP (Certified Speaking Professional), compares flying an airplane to life itself in his uniquely humorous style. His workshops, which have helped rocket engineers, salespeople, physicians, educators and health professionals with team building, motivation, customer service and sales, provide hardworking, bottom-line information that can be put to work in the real marketplace tomorrow morning. His humorous speeches? Well, like we said, who are we to argue with Oprah?