Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Randall.
Hi Christopher, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Serving and connecting people is my passion. My mission is to help change the world by making those around me the best versions of themselves possible. I am invested in making St. Louis a better place for my mentees, my son, and us all. Growing up in North St. Louis, my father was my role model and supported me in every way possible. More than anything, I wanted to be a part of the military like my father. At the age of 17, I enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. After boot camp, infantry school, and security force training, I was stationed state-side guarding nuclear weapons. I was good at my job and rose quickly, attaining the rank of corporal by the time I was 19 years old. In 2005, I was reassigned to the 1st Battalion and 5th Marines and deployed to Ramadi, Iraq, to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. I loved serving my country, but I realized that part of that was to be there for my family.
In 2006, I returned to St. Louis to uphold my family commitments. While the complexities of serving in the infantry aren’t the easiest to translate to a civilian resume, at the most basic level, I was trained to do two things: shoot and run. Luckily, I decided to bring my talents to the St. Louis County Police in January 2007. My police work brought me to North St. Louis County, and I revisited many of the challenges I experienced growing up in my neighborhood: heavy drug trafficking, lack of trust in law enforcement, gang activity, and frequent street violence. While I knew my work as an officer was making a difference for families struggling to keep their heads high and their neighborhoods safe, something was missing. As a Marine, I had been empowered to be proactive and a creative problem solver – a leader. By contrast, the rules and protocols that govern modern-day policing felt restrictive and reactive rather than proactive.
In 2016, I decided to change course. I had volunteered with Gentlemen of Vision ROPE Inc. for several years, but a fellowship with The Mission Continues organization took my engagement to another level. Gentlemen of Vision is a 501 c3 organization that assists young black men to graduate high school and enroll in post-secondary education. The nationally recognized competitive step team builds character, discipline, and resilience through an award-winning youth mentorship program. I worked side-by-side with the program’s Founder and CEO, leading important meetings and creating a path for the organization to grow and expand its impact. It was work that stirred up my passion. At my fellowship’s close, I was offered an offer to join the mission Continues as a staff member. As a Fellowship Program Specialist, I guided other veterans through the six-month Fellowship Program I went through, helping them to achieve goals and connect their work to service-oriented operations in cities across the west coast of the US. The mission continues to experience some programmatic changes, which resulted in my department closing. Before my departure, I accepted the role of Executive Director with Gentlemen of Vision. I lead campaigns to increase volunteer participation, contribute strategies for a significantly strong donor base, and cultivate strong relationships with local fortune 500 companies. I was contacted by Youth and Family Services to conduct targeted case management and outreach in the Carr Square, Columbus Square, and Preservation Square neighborhoods as a Community Impact Coordinator. These neighborhoods have been affected by years of violence and neglect. Connecting these residents to resources and creating meaningful relationships with community members continued to drive the spirit of service, which burns inside me. I continued my service as the Community Impact Manager with KSDK 5 On Your Side, The NBC television affiliate serving the greater St. Louis viewing area. As the Community Impact Manager, I was responsible for the identification, cultivation, and execution of branded events. I ensured ongoing relationships with their current partners were both productive and mutually beneficial. I also led and managed their cause marketing and service initiatives, chaired the diversity and Inclusion committee, managed talent appearance bookings, and the local grant distribution for TEGNA Foundation grant funding.
During my time at the station, under my leadership, I conceptualized, designed, and executed the community service initiative at the station titled Project 5. Under Project 5, I was able to grant over $217K in funding, executed 12 service projects, and helped thousands in need across the St. Louis area. For my work with Project 5 in 2020, I was awarded the Missouri Broadcasters Association Award for Community Service. I was nominated for the Community Service Emmy Award for the Mid-America Chapter of the National Academy of Arts and Sciences. I currently serve as the Director of Community Impact for 21C Hotels, Saint Louis. In this role, I serve as a senior leadership team member, helping to refine the overall 21C experience – inside and outside the property, including developing local partnerships, identifying and investing in local resources, and sharing the 21C Hotels story throughout the community. Each role has shaped me into the professional I am today. With equity and inclusion as my driver, I am passionate about community work and strive for great things for great people.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
On the road to my current station in life, it has been everything but a smooth Rd. I initially thought I would be a gunslinger, serving as a law enforcement officer for most of my career. The good Lord laughed at that plan, and we both moved forward. At my core, I’m creative. I like to avoid the norm, which causes most people/businesses to say no to whatever new and innovative concepts I might come up with. Persevering through 1000 no’s to get to 1 yes is a daily task of doing impact work. I’ve dealt with myriad issues, including systemic racism, marginalization, and typecasting. When I was looking for a role outside of law enforcement, employers often quickly rejected me due to only seeing me as a police officer. Throughout all of these challenges, I learned that the race is not won by the swiftest; it is the person that doesn’t give up that ultimately prevails.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I currently serve as the Director of Community Impact for 21C Hotels, Saint Louis. In this role, I serve as a senior leadership team member, helping to refine the overall 21C experience – inside and outside of the property, including developing local partnerships, identifying and investing in local resources, and sharing the 21C Hotels story throughout the community. I’ve been known to be an innovator; I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to implement some creative methods in supporting the overall community. I’ve never looked at what I’ve done as being special. I’m just a guy that wants to help. And I believe that’s what sets me apart. My need to serve others has placed me in foreign sands, in the driver seat of cop cars, leading service projects around the country, And traveling on highways in coach buses with world championship step teams. What am I most proud of? I would say the Emmy nomination, but that wouldn’t be entirely true. I would say it’s my legacy, my son, who is 10, doesn’t quite fully understand what I do for a living, but he knows that I help people, and that’s good enough for me.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I have a warrior mindset. The only thing I wanted to be when I was a kid was the United States Marine. In 2002 that dream became a reality, and I served my country with pride and heart for 4 years. The greatest thing that the Marine Corps gave to me was a warrior’s mindset. The warrior’s ethos is to get the job done, regardless of the obstacles that may stand in my way. With that ethos, I have been successful in my own right. Every day I assess the proverbial battlefield, identify threats, focus on my goals, and accomplish the daily mission. Every day I must “Empty my bucket.” That means I must pour it all out. Completely give all that I have until there is nothing left. I must be empty. That is how I can rest my head on my pillow at night. It is because I know with surety that I gave it my all. Never give up, never quit, and accomplish the mission. This is a warrior’s mindset, and with this mindset, I can conquer all challenges placed in my way, whether big or small.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.21cmuseumhotels.com/stlouis/
- Instagram: instagram.com/decembrsvryown
- Other: https://www.randallcb.com/
