Tripp Perrin, '95, and Ken Kraper, '05, Ranch Hands Turned Corporate Consultants

Tripp Perrin, ’95, and Ken Kraper, ’05, discovered they had a lot in common when they met at the Jepson School’s Robert Dole and George McGovern forum event this February. Both graduated with a degree in leadership studies. Both enjoyed a stint working at the A-Bar-A Ranch in Wyoming after graduation. And both advise organizations on business practices in their jobs as consultants.  

Perrin, pictured at left, serves as vice president and senior financial analyst of Transact Capital Partners, a Richmond-based consulting firm that specializes in business sales and acquisitions and other financial advisory services. Small to mid-size businesses ($2-25 million in sales) comprise most of Transact’s clients, according to Perrin. He helps existing clients evaluate, market and, in many cases, sell their business to strategic or financial buyers. His role at the firm also involves recruiting new clients who want to sell their business. 

“This position has given me a new-found respect for entrepreneurs and small business owners,” Perrin said. “People have an image of small business ownership as being glamorous. Owning a small business is a great way to go, but it’s also very hard and takes a great deal of blood, sweat and tears.

“Business owners often don’t spend time thinking about infrastructure and creating tangible value in their business. They need to realize that hiring key personnel, developing systems and processes and having a way to consistently increase revenues are critical components to maximizing value.” Perrin helps them do that. 

Perrin chalked up a varied and interesting work history before joining Transact. Following his college graduation, he spent nine months in Wyoming working as a ranch hand for the A-Bar-A Ranch, an experience he described as “great fun.”  

He returned to Virginia to work for lobbyist Charles Duvall during the 1996 Virginia General Assembly session, assisting numerous clients on a wide variety of issues. Next Perrin took a three-month job as a transportation and logistics manager for the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Ga., logging anywhere from 100-120 hours a week.  

When the Olympics concluded, Perrin returned to Richmond. Two days later he received a call from Governor George Allen’s office offering him a position in constituent services with a focus on public relations and policy. When he traversed Virginia with Allen during the governor’s 1997 “Listening Tour,” he gained a real understanding of public policy and the issues of the day, Perrin said.  

While working for Allen, Perrin spent his weekends completing a nine-month fellowship program at the Thomas C. Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia, where he gained an even greater appreciation of the political process. “People love to hate politicians,” Perrin said, “but I have tremendous respect and admiration for individuals who commit their lives to public service.” 

Although Perrin has not ruled out a return to public service in the future, he decided to launch a career in the business world when Allen left office in 1998. He worked for three direct-marketing firms in succession, gaining valuable experience with high-profile clients such as Procter & Gamble, Coke, SBC, Disney and Brown & Williamson Tobacco. He also entered the MBA program at the College of William and Mary, graduating in 2003. Perrin joined Transact in March 2005.  

Clearly, his practical work experience has benefited him tremendously in his current position as vice president and senior financial analyst for Transact. Perrin also pointed out the value of his Jepson education, mentioning the ethics course he took with Joanne Ciulla, in particular.

“At the time I didn’t have a perspective on why ethics, or leadership for that matter, was so important,” Perrin said, “but now that I’m working in the business world, I see the value of it every day. Ethics is more than just telling the truth—it’s thinking long term and doing what’s right by your people. 

“Business leaders sometimes use rules to get around rules and often don’t make principle-based decisions. Their decisions can be right from a rules perspective, but not [from an] ethical [perspective]. Ciulla’s class taught us that we need to be principle-based leaders.” 

Ken Kraper agreed with Perrin that his Jepson education has proved an asset, not only in his consulting job with Booz Allen Hamilton, but also in his interviews with prospective employers. He often draws on lessons he learned in Richard Morrill’s "Strategic Leadership" class, he said.  

“Dr. Morrill helped me learn how to articulate my leadership studies education,” Kraper said. “I found prospective employers were eager to learn about it, but most had this preconceived notion that it was a four-year ropes course. 

“I had to educate them by talking about the major’s interdisciplinary courses in psychology, sociology, political science, et cetera. I related leadership as a fundamental aspect of humanity that occurs in every interaction with another human being or organization. A leadership studies education allows you to become a better decision maker, to guide followers through change, to motivate people.” 

Perhaps it also teaches you to be a risk taker. Kraper, at least, postponed pursuing a job in the corporate world to spend the summer after his 2005 college graduation in Wyoming working as a waiter, wine steward and chef at A-Bar-A, a 140,000-acre guest ranch that caters to corporate elites, where, coincidentally, Perrin had worked 10 years earlier. 

“Mom wanted me to get a real job making real money,” said Kraper, pictured at right, “but I decided to take a risk [by going to Wyoming for the summer]. It was nice to get away from all the talking heads who were trying to tell me what to do with my life.” 

When his seasonal ranch job ended, Kraper boarded a plane on October 1 to head back to his home in Rhode Island without any job prospects. He spent two weeks visiting with family before driving down to Washington, D.C., where he stayed with relatives while interviewing for jobs.  

Within a month he had three job offers. He accepted the offer from the consulting firm of Booz Allen Hamilton, his first-choice employer since his senior year, and started work in late November 2005.  

As an assurance and resilience team consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton, Kraper works closely with federal agencies to ensure compliance with the rules governing the handling of confidential information. He identifies areas of security weakness and develops security programs for the agencies.  

Privacy and security have become paramount for the federal government post 9/11, Kraper said. Kraper has applied for a federal security clearance, a process that can take up to two years to complete, and is enrolled in a graduate-certificate program on intelligence studies.  

A relative newcomer to corporate America, Kraper expressed great satisfaction with his consulting job. “I held out for the job where I thought I’d be happiest and most content,” Kraper said. “Kids coming out of college need to slow down and relax a bit and be willing to take a risk.” Like Perrin, Kraper considered his Jepson education a distinct advantage in helping him land the ideal job.  

In addition to their choice of majors, ranch experience and careers in the consulting field, soon Perrin and Kraper will have something else in common: membership on the University’s Alumni Association Board of Directors. Perrin joined the board in 2002 and began serving in his current position as vice president of communications in 2005. When Kraper’s term begins in August, he will become the youngest alumnus ever to serve on the board.  

Both Perrin and Kraper embraced this opportunity to serve their alma mater. “If I got one thing out of my Jepson education,” Perrin said, “it was servant-based leadership—the willingness to serve on a committee or volunteer to do the things others don’t want to do. I put a lot of effort into [my service on the alumni board], and I take a lot of pride in it.”