Rich Berens

CEO and Chief Client Fanatic

For over 10 years, Rich has had the opportunity to lead Root and its artists, designers, researchers, programmers, and MBAs in creating breakthrough approaches to change that have reached millions of people around the world.Rich has personally worked with dozens of Global 2000 organizations, including Hilton, Verizon, Masco, Petco, Procter & Gamble, Daimler, and many others to help align leaders and drive strategic and cultural change at scale.

Rich is a frequent author, thought leader, and speaker on the subject of leadership, transformation, and how to create lasting change. Rich’s latest project is a book called What Are Your Blind Spots?, which he co-authored with Root’s founder, Jim Haudan. The book focuses on five key blind spots they have seen many leaders fall victim to that prevent them from leading their organizations and engaging their people effectively.

Under Rich’s leadership as CEO and Chief Client Fanatic, Root has been listed among the Great Place to Work® Institute’s top 25 places to work, been named to the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing companies list, and experienced 10 years of consecutive growth.

Rich joined Root in 1997 after completing his MBA at the University of Michigan. He worked for Commerzbank in Germany and has lived abroad, both in Germany and Nigeria. He holds a BSBA degree from the University of Washington in St. Louis, where he was a three-time All-American tennis player.

Rich lives in Ann Arbor with his family and treasures time with his wife, Anne, and daughters, Katarina and Mia. In his spare time, Rich attends as many Michigan Wolverine sporting events as he can and is hopeful that his football team will find its way back to past glory. He is also an avid reader and likes to play golf and tennis.