Ross Reilly, 33
General Manager, Lamar Advertising
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS:
- Founding Joule Solar Energy, which became a regional leader in renewable energy.
- Earning the trust of coworkers, managers and mentors at Lamar, and learning the intricacies of the billboard business through them.
- Becoming a general manager at Lamar.
COMMUNITY:
Supports WRKF, Youth Oasis, Louisiana Resource Center for Educators and the Baton Rouge Area Chamber.
NAME ONE BOOK THAT HAS INSPIRED YOU PROFESSIONALLY
Warren Buffett’s annual letters to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders
WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP?
Adventure photographer
WHAT IS THE STRANGEST JOB YOU’VE EVER HAD?
If by strange you mean awesome, then working summers as a prison contractor. I ran conduit and grinded welds in prisons all across Louisiana for the great people of R&S Corporation. Thank you big and little Jimmy for the experience.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE FOR A BUSINESS LUNCH IN BATON ROUGE, AND WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DISH THERE?
Mansurs on the Boulevard. Ask for the fresh grilled visiting fish.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT?
In the eyes of my two boys I’m somewhere between Batman and Ironman, and that’s good enough for me.
WHAT GIVES YOU PROFESSIONAL INSPIRATION?
I get inspired whenever I witness someone exhibiting next level competence and aptitude in a trade or profession.
ARE YOU ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA? IF SO, ON WHICH PLATFORMS ARE YOU MOST ACTIVE?
I am radically inactive on social media.
HOW MANY TEXTS DO YOU SEND ON AN AVERAGE DAY? HOW MANY EMAILS?
A lot and I’ve got no desire to count.
HOW LOW WILL YOU ALLOW YOUR REMAINING PHONE OR COMPUTER BATTERY LIFE GET (IN %) BEFORE YOU HAVE AN ANXIETY ATTACK?
I’ve been known to ride it all the way down to 0%, but I wouldn’t recommend it to the faint of heart.
HOW MANY UNREAD MESSAGES ARE IN YOUR INBOX RIGHT NOW?
671, but those are all spammy solicitations or pointless notifications that I intentionally passed over. Gosh, I hope I’m right.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE APP AT THE MOMENT?
Brave. It’s a web browser that focuses on security and privacy. When you block out all the ads and trackers it’s amazing how much faster websites load.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT OF THE PAST DECADE?
The steep and consistent price declines of lithium-ion batteries, solar modules and LEDs over the past decade has been miraculous.
WHAT TECHNOLOGY DO YOU WISH WAS NEVER INVENTED?
Subprime mortgage-backed securities. I still haven’t forgiven them for contributing to the global financial crisis that hit right as I was graduating college and entering the workforce.
WHAT TIME DO YOU GET UP ON WORKDAY MORNINGS?
6:45 a.m.
BREAKFAST AT HOME? BREAKFAST ON THE GO? BREAKFAST AT YOUR DESK? NO BREAKFAST AT ALL?
No breakfast, straight to coffee and my first meal of the day is lunch. I’ve always felt ashamed of this habit, but now there is this hip diet trend called “intermittent fasting,” which is essentially just skipping breakfast.
THE SAYING GOES: “BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD.” SPECIFICALLY, WHAT ARE YOU “BEING” TO MAKE BATON ROUGE BETTER?
I’m striving to be kind and creative.
WHAT WAS THE BEST VACATION YOU HAVE EVER TAKEN?
Touring the Himalayas with a good buddy on beat up 500cc Royal Enfields. We rode from Kathmandu to the Tibetan border, to the village closest to Everest Base Camp, and then back to Kathmandu.
FAVORITE GIFT YOU WERE GIVEN AS A CHILD?
Mongoose BMX freestyle bike with pegs. Thanks mom.
WHICH TALENT OR SUPERPOWER WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE AND WHY?
The power to freeze time
WHAT’S A NICKNAME YOUR FRIENDS OR FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE FOR YOU?
Rosco
WHAT ARE YOU SUPERSTICIOUS ABOUT?
No bananas on the boat
WHO FASCINATES YOU?
My wife
FAVORITE DRINK?
Shout-out to Pamplemousse LaCroix
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BAND OR SONG?
“So Lonely” by The Police
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE?
“Legends of the Fall” or “The Last of the Mohicans” viewed on VHS
WHO WOULD PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE?
Damian Lewis
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR 18-YEAR-OLD SELF?
Practice more gratitude.
PETS?
A one-eyed dog named Chuck
HOBBIES?
Fishing and dadding
WHAT CONCERNS YOU MOST ABOUT THE FUTURE?
Inequality of opportunity.
DO YOU PLAN TO BE IN THE CAPITAL REGION FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? WHY OR WHY NOT?
Yes. This is my home.
See the entire 2017 Forty under 40 class
