Forty Under 40: Ryan Hale, 35

“Wherever you’re at, be all there.”
That’s the motto former NFL player Ryan Hale has taken from the football field to the office.
The 1999 University of Arkansas graduate and former captain of the football team was drafted by the New York Giants in the seventh round and played in Super Bowl XXXV.
“I never thought I would play in the NFL,” he said.
After two full seasons, he took a job for Arkansas Athletes Outreach in Fayetteville, coaching athletes to reach their full potential.
Soon, he was gaining valuable experience in business leadership as a vice president of commercial lending at Arvest Bank and later, senior vice president and chief lending officer at United Bank.
What brought him to The Soderquist Center was that same interest in leadership, corporate culture and what he calls “the human element” in business.
Daily, he works with senior leaders and executive teams, helping them to operate and communicate more effectively and plan strategically. What drives Hale is his opportunity to grow in lifelong relationships, he said.
Hale still serves on the AAO board, as well as the Rogers Activity Center board. In a world of distractions and shifting priorities, Hale encourages people to put relationships first and to know their values.