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Spotlights » Rick Rossow, '98
Rick Rossow, '98, former president of Grand Valley's Student Senate, graduated from GVSU in 1998 with a degree in Russian Studies. Soon after, he moved to Washington, D.C. and took a position with the U.S. India Business Council at the United States Chamber of Commerce. It was a time when, he says, people were not very interested in the developing nation. His small group was responsible for establishing a dialog between the United States and India, and served as a leader in forging international trade with the country. "It was incredible to be in the front row for change between the U.S. and India, a foot soldier helping to build one of our country's most important new relationships," says Rossow. The position provided an amazing opportunity for him to learn how business and governments interact. Today, he uses those skills in a new role, following insurance regulations in foreign markets for New York Life Insurance.
One of his greatest accomplishments with the India Council was bringing a business delegation of 150 executives to India during President Clinton's visit in 2000. "We were forging a relationship that had been practically non-existent prior to 1998. At that time, most Americans only [thought of the country in terms of the] India-Pakistan conflict, and we made it our goal to de-hyphenate that relationship." He says that many Americans still hold negative perceptions of India, such as poverty and the conflict with Pakistan, but that positive images of India as a democracy, and its growing technological culture have now become prominent in most American's view of the country.
His tremendous work with the India Council was recognized by New York Life Insurance Company who offered him his current position in 2008. They needed someone responsible for following insurance regulations in foreign markets, and of the 8 countries in which the company has investments, India was the fastest growing. "While I was working with insurance companies before as a part of the larger mix of business with India, I am now focusing exclusively on the insurance industry and need to know enough about our business to communicate interculturally." New York Life has been extremely active in furthering Rossow's career growth by providing professional development opportunities and supporting him in learning several new languages.
His role with the company involves several components, not least of which is staying on top of the evolving regulatory structures of 8 different countries. He maintains regular communication with teams in each country and provides guidance to the countries themselves on how other nations are regulating business. He also serves as one of the company's interfaces for foreign trade and policy in Washington D.C., remaining current on U.S. trade negotiations and how they impact New York Life's international business. He sits on numerous key trade associations to advocate for the company and meets with foreign government officials when they visit D.C.
In the short time since his graduation, Rossow has established an extraordinary career. He attributes his success to the help of several mentors, including former Ambassadors to India, Frank Wisner and Tom Pickering, both of whom came back to the U.S. and became forceful advocates for building the relationship with India. He also cites Susan Esserman, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative in the Clinton Administration, and Ray Vickery of the Department of Commerce, for their visionary leadership in establishing U.S.-Indian relationships, as well as Joe Alhadeff, Chief Privacy Officer of Oracle Corp., and Mary Pittilli of Discovery Communications. "For me as a young person, learning how to be an advocate was such an excellent skill to gain."
Additionally, Rossow credits his alma mater in providing a foundation for his career. "At Grand Valley, I learned that the world is a whole lot different than the one I grew up in. College broke through the mental wall and made me open up to other cultures. It made me sensitive to cultural differences - certain courtesies, adapting to your environment and other cultures." He also had the opportunity to study abroad in Russia, his first time out of the country. "Professors Christine Rydel and Edward Cole, who coordinated my Russian trip, were instrumental in teaching me that it was critical to learn how to spot and be open to cultural differences."
He also attributes GVSU for providing him a solid foundation in communication skills. He participated in the campus chapter of Toastmasters, a public speaking group that is still active at GVSU. "Toastmasters provided me with the chance to learn the mechanics of public speaking, and as Student Senate President, I really had the opportunity to hone those skills." Additionally, he is thankful for the solid writing skills he gained in school. "At Grand Valley I had some of my most useful writing critics - they were fierce. Writing is something that is heavily weighed in all careers," continues Rossow. "It's a key part of my job, writing critically and concisely." He used his writing skills to serve as a senior staff member of the GVSU student newspaper, The Lanthorn, alongside friend and editor-in-chief Dave Yonkman, '98.
Today, Rossow and Yonkman serve as officers of the GVDC Alumni Club, organizing programs and activities for graduates in the Washington, D.C. area. The group, which hosted its largest-ever event on January 15, 2009, with 60 attendees, began in 2002 when Rick and some of his GVSU friends who met for happy hour decided to develop an open group for others in the area. For more information about GVDC, visit http://www.gvsu.edu/alumni/gvdc.
Rossow has maintained close connections with GVSU, volunteering his expertise when called upon. In 2004, he helped organize and spoke at a Van Andel Global Trade Center conference on conducting business in India, and recently helped promote a Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies' event in Washington D.C. to area alumni. "I am just really proud of the university, and want to do anything I can to contribute."
Added April 2009
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