Ryan Gehlsen is the business support manager for the Global Finance and Strategic Support Division at Caterpillar Inc. and has been with the company for more than nine years. His current responsibilities include providing leadership and coordination of all consolidating reporting and analysis of financial results and performance metrics for the U.S. Operations Division.
Gehlsen is a Certified Public Accountant, Six Sigma Black Belt, active member of Caterpillar’s external recruiting team and an effective mentor to the finance team, where he leads a staff of three. He graduated from Bradley University’s Management for the 21st Century and the Pacific Institute’s Imagine 21 leadership development programs.
Gehlsen displays leadership in his everyday life, volunteering with numerous organizations to better the local and global community. He serves on the board of directors for the River Cup Foundation, for which he directs four annual competitions and handles all of the preparation and onsite activities. As part of the River Cup Foundation, Gehlsen helps out with a free kid’s clinic, as well as fundraising efforts.
As part of this year’s VIP Campaign for Easter Seals, Gehlsen, in his second year as co-team leader, recruited a record number of new fundraising volunteers and raised more than $42,000. Gehlsen recently agreed to serve on the VIP Campaign Steering Cabinet, in which he will help set the direction for upcoming campaigns, recruit new volunteers and be an advocate for people with disabilities.
Last year, Gehlsen spent eight days in El Salvador working on Project FIAT with 18 other volunteers to build a home for a single mother and her child. They visited a local orphanage and a day camp, where they spent time with children and helped to build the foundation for a local library.
Ryan Gehlsen leads by example, giving much of his time and talent, and always does so with a smile. He displays leadership in his life each and every day. iBi
