皇家华人

By Andrew Shaughnessy

It was the beginning of Randall Ren茅鈥檚 (ADP14, MBA17) junior year of high school, and things were rough. His mom had gone into rehab for the fourth time. His stepdad, a violent, abusive man, took his daughters 鈥� Ren茅鈥檚 sisters 鈥� and left. Sixteen years old, and he was all alone.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want my grandparents to worry .鈥�.鈥�. so I carried on with my business,鈥� Ren茅 recalls.

He鈥檇 go to school, mostly, scraping by with the minimal 1.8 GPA so he could still play sports. But he went to work every day, bagging groceries at Fred Meyer to buy food and help pay for his mom鈥檚 needs. Ren茅 started to consider dropping out of high school, and that鈥檚 when he met Carl Lavier.

鈥淟av鈥� was the gym teacher and coach for football and track. He鈥檇 give Ren茅 a hard time about skipping class, but he was always there 鈥� present, with a listening ear and an encouraging word. When Ren茅 shared that he planned to drop out, Lav told him, 鈥淩andy, I know it鈥檚 tough, but I expect to see you here. Don鈥檛 let me down.鈥� Ren茅 didn鈥檛.

Ren茅鈥檚 other boyhood champion was his grandfather. He did volunteer work all around town, serving in soup kitchens, working with the church, and coaching Little League. Often, he brought Ren茅 along.

鈥淚 had these two great men in my life,鈥� Ren茅 said. 鈥淚 went through some rough spots, but I have a great career and life now because people took the time to love and care for me. They took a little extra hardship on themselves to give me a better foundation to build my life upon. So now I want to be able to do the same, to give back.鈥�

After high school, Ren茅 served a stint in the Army, then moved back home to Oregon, ending up in the telecommunications field. Looking to further his education, he discovered 皇家华人 Fox鈥檚 management and organizational leadership program. For two years, he worked all day and went to school on nights and weekends. As a boy, Ren茅 had nearly dropped out of high school. As a man, he earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree with a 3.98 GPA. Two years later, he returned to 皇家华人 Fox for his MBA.

Lav and his grandfather were in the back of his mind the whole time 鈥� his templates for life. Ren茅 served as a reserve police officer for the city of Hillsboro for 14 years, and in 2012 he started volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

鈥淢y current 鈥榣ittle鈥檚鈥� name is Henry,鈥� Ren茅 says. 鈥淗e鈥檚 11 years old 鈥� a great kid 鈥� and we couldn鈥檛 be a better match.鈥�

Like Ren茅, Henry has had his share of hardship. His father passed away years ago, and Ren茅 finds himself acting as a male role model. He鈥檚 there for Henry 鈥� present, with a listening ear and an encouraging word, just like Lav was for him. Ren茅鈥檚 efforts have not gone unnoticed: In 2018, he was named 鈥淏ig of the Year鈥� by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oregon.

鈥淎ll this garbage I鈥檝e been through in my life ... it was for a reason,鈥� Ren茅 says. 鈥淚鈥檓 right where I need to be right now.鈥�