From the Green (Beach) to the Corner Office: Colin Read '06 on Golf, Leadership, and Life

Colin Read '06 still smiles when he thinks back to his days as a CMS golfer, balancing life on the course with academics and social life at Claremont McKenna College. Green Beach, the lively stretch of campus where so much of his social time unfolded, is the first image that comes to mind.

"If I had to make a postcard of my time there, it'd probably be late-night beer pong on the dark side of Boswell or Green Beach," he recalls.

Off the campus greens, he spent countless hours on the golf greens, traveling for tournaments across Southern California and beyond, learning focus, discipline, and resilience along the way. Those intertwined experiences, CMS athletics and CMC academics, formed the foundation for the leadership, teamwork, and mental toughness he carries into his role today as CEO.

Being a student-athlete at CMS meant that no two days looked the same, and every day tested his ability to balance priorities. As a member of the men's golf team, Read traveled constantly, competing in head-to-head matches across Southern California and in multi-day tournaments in places like San Diego, South Carolina, and Texas.

"It was often a six-day weekly commitment," he says. Practices weren't just about swinging clubs, they meant long drives to courses like Red Hill, Los Serranos, Goose Creek, and the former Empire Lakes, often sandwiching intense rounds between grab-and-go meals from the dining hall. "I had to be organized to survive. I used a 'day minder' planner to map out classes, travel time, practice, and study blocks. Twenty years later, that has translated into a religious use of my Google Calendar."

At the same time, he immersed himself in the rigors of academics. Majoring in government and psychology, Read navigated complex coursework while applying those lessons to the mental game of golf.

"Golf is incredibly mental," he explains. "Coaches like Bob Rotella emphasized visualization, routines, positive self-talk, and selective memory. Being a psych major helped me understand why those things work and how to create the right mindset to consistently perform."

Balancing high-level athletics with academic demands wasn't easy, but it taught him skills he still uses daily: discipline, prioritization, and resilience. "Hard things are worth doing," he reflects. "When life gets hard, and you get through it, you gain confidence to handle challenges and learn your capabilities."

While golf is often considered an individual sport, at CMS, success depended on the team. "You count five scores, so the team's success depends just as much on the No. 5 player as the No. 1 player," he explains.

Serving as team captain gave him early experience in leadership, managing up with coaches and managing down with teammates. Those lessons in accountability, collaboration, and leadership have echoed throughout his professional career. "Being a student-athlete teaches you how to balance your schedule, prioritize your time, and become a strong leader and teammate," he says.

The friendships Read formed on the golf course and across CMC have lasted decades.

"My teammates became my best friends," he says. "We've been best men at each other's weddings, godparents to each other's kids, and we still meet up to play golf. That core group is part of my tribe."

Beyond the team, Read cultivated relationships with classmates across years, majors, and sports, many of whom have become colleagues and collaborators in his professional life. "I've worked with someone from CMC in every job I've had over the past 20 years."

Some of those bonds were cemented in moments that still make him laugh. Take the freshman golf season opener, for example. Read and two other new players, Westy Rose and Austin Kiessig, spent weeks joking about a nickname for Austin. While Kiessig preferred "Sting Ray," the trio decided "Cheesecake" was perfect. Their coach, Bim Jollymour, unknowingly cemented it when introducing the new players at dinner, calling him "Austin 'Cheesecake' Kiessig." The table erupted in laughter, and the nickname stuck.

"Twenty years later, he's still 'Cheese' in my phone," Read laughs. These playful moments highlight the camaraderie and culture of CMS athletics, connections that endure decades beyond graduation.

Academics also played a profound role in shaping Read's perspective on leadership and life. In Professor Smith's Theories of the Good Life, a senior-year course that challenged students to reflect on purpose, Read wrote letters to his future self. "We asked questions like, What kind of person do you want to be? What impact do you want to have? What do you want people to say about you at your eulogy?" He rereads those letters every few years.

"It reframed my understanding of success," Read says. "It's not just about professional achievements or money. It's about being a good friend, partner, parent, and positively affecting the people around you."

The intersection of athletics and academics often came to a head during the most grueling weeks.

"Senior year, there was one week that was absolute chaos," he recalls. It was the week of the conference championship, a multi-day golf tournament, while simultaneously finishing his senior thesis. "I really underestimated my progress through the semester and ended up putting in several late nights to get the thesis submitted by the deadline. At the same time, we had our conference championship. Our team ended up winning SCIACs, I placed second individually, and I got my thesis done on time. It was exhausting, but looking back, it was one of the most rewarding weeks of my life."

Discussion-driven classes, small-group projects, and the expectation to engage in debate built skills Read still relies on today. Exercises like Professor Pitney's mock Congress pushed students to articulate their positions, navigate compromise, and advocate persuasively.

"It forced us out of our comfort zones," he says. "It's basically corporate life: disagree, debate, decide, align." He also credits the broader culture of CMC and CMS with fostering leadership. "You get told enough times that you're a 'leader in the making.' Surrounded by that culture, you start believing it. It becomes your reality."

After graduation, Read's path wasn't linear. He initially thought he would go into politics, only to realize it wasn't the right lifestyle or career fit. Instead, he ventured into entrepreneurship, founding companies in unexpected fields, including Blink, which specialized in electric vehicle charging.

"Thank goodness I had some science courses at CMC," he jokes. "My broad-based education meant I could learn quickly and adapt to new challenges, even in industries I hadn't imagined." His liberal arts foundation also taught resilience and adaptability, lessons that proved essential when navigating the uncertainties of startups, leadership, and complex organizations.

As a CEO, Read frames his role around four pillars: create vision, set culture, keep the lights on, and ensure high productivity. "It's less about having all the answers and more about getting the right input, trusting your team, and making informed decisions with conviction," he says.

He describes himself as a "player-coach" on some days and a "camp counselor" on others, a reflection of lessons learned on the golf course about collaboration, mentorship, and leading by example.

Even two decades after graduation, the community of CMS and CMC continues to shape Read's life. Daily text threads with teammates, fantasy football leagues with friends from housing pods, and annual meetups keep connections alive.

"We share Christmas cards, celebrate life events, console each other during hard times, and try to meet up whenever possible," he says. "The alumni network is incredibly strong, and it keeps you grounded, connected, and accountable."

Over time, his definition of success has evolved. No longer measured by career titles or financial milestones, it's about showing up for the people who depend on him, nurturing relationships, and maintaining presence in life's small but meaningful moments.

"Success is being active and present for my family, my friends, and my colleagues," he says. "It's about mental health, the quality of my relationships, and being the best parent I can be to my two sons."

For current CMS student-athletes trying to imagine life after graduation, his advice is simple and bold. "You can't map out your life when you're 18. Life is unpredictable. Tackle things head-on. Don't just dip your toes in the water; cannonball into the pool. Fortune favors the bold."

Now, years removed from the classrooms, golf courses, and late nights at Boswell Hall and on Green Beach, Read still points back to the foundation that made it all possible - a community that nurtured scholarship, leadership, and athletic excellence, professors and coaches who challenged him to think critically and perform under pressure, and peers who became lifelong friends, mentors, and collaborators.

At CMS and CMC, the lessons of discipline, leadership, and connection don't expire at graduation. They carry forward, shaping careers, relationships, and life in ways that often only make sense in hindsight.