The INFORMATION   DESIGN STUDIO of Geoffrey Ross

  Geoffrey Ross

35 Years of Experience

More than $100,000,000 of Expertise

Geoffrey (pronounced Jeffrey - it's the English spelling) Ross began writing in earnest when he was appointed Co-Editor of his high school newspaper.  His writing prowess earned him an accolade while at George Washington University, where he was kicked out of the required English Composition; the faculty deemed it a waste of his time.

At the age of 17, Mr. Ross and two business partners founded an artists' management company.  Over four years, they built the business into a national concern, encompassing artist booking and management, concert and theatrical production, technical production (sound and lighting), tour services, and ultimately air transport.  Clients included such prominent names as Grand Funk Railroad, Chambers Brothers, Seals and Crofts, Alice Cooper, and the Charlie Daniels Band.

In 1976, Mr. Ross joined forces with Thomas "Doc" Cavalier, who was the principal of Syncron Studios (now TNA Records), and Francis Connelly, the principal of the Off Broadway Theatre Corporation, which produced the touring versions of Jesus Christ Superstar, Hair and Godspell.  Connelly also owned a nightclub in Boston, where he had signed his house band to a management contract for five years.  After the mega hit Toys in the Attic was mastered, the Aerosmith contract was sold, so that Ross and Connelly could focus on a new venture - handling the talent booking for a major chain of hotels and resorts, with properties around the world.  Connelly, however, was diagnosed with cancer, and succumbed within a few months at the age of 48.

Ross, still active in the air transport business, turned his sights toward Venture Capital and Development.  Partnering with Nicholas Apostol, who had been in the consumer electronics business in Europe, they founded a company that worked with entrepreneurs on building new businesses and exploiting new technologies.  Partnering with several investors, Ross and Apostol put together a computer venture under a license from MIT,  and they launched the Crown Airlines System - a commuter air carrier franchise utilizing the now ubiquitous "code-sharing" platform whereby two or more airlines may fly under the same name and "code" for marketing advantage. This landed them on the cover of VENTURE MAGAZINE, among other places.

Through the 1980's, Ross was involved in investment banking and venture finance, putting together more than $150,000,000 in computer peripherals funding, as well as a fleet of 727's for several commercial airlines.  With no retail experience under his belt, in the 1990's Ross ultimately became the Texaco operator in White River Junction, running a Vermont-sized Travel Plaza that welcomed 600 to 1000 customers a day.

Over the years, Ross has written dozens of business plans, for both his own companies, and for clients,  resulting in more than one hundred million dollars in direct investment, and many, many more in leveraged financings.  In addition, Geoffrey Ross has created advertising and sales materials for clients, and written numerous press releases and articles to promote these varied commercial interests, from Crown Airlines to Brass City Tees to the Patrician Condominium.

Geoffrey Ross has experience educating, as well.   While attending George Washington University, he worked as a team teacher at Grant School - a Special Education facility of the D.C. school system, which led him to a participation in the Instructional Materials Conference.  Mr. Ross has taught Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management on the graduate and adult education levels, and for several years was a consultant in sales,  management and executive development programs.

Besides the contracted materials development, Mr. Ross has authored nationally marketed business development guides - "how-to" books on subjects including Property Registry (a photographic inventory service) and Livery Services.

During the past twelve years, Mr. Ross has been active with the regional Chamber of Commerce, and both state and regional tourism marketing programs.

Among his business leadership awards are:

Veterans Association Employer of the Year

Disabled American Veterans Citation of Merit

Career Resource Center Certificate of Exceptional Merit

National Leadership Award

Texaco Award for Outstanding Branded Location Training

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THE DA VINCI CODE CONNECTION

The Ross family, part of a formidable Highland Clan that could raise one of the largest armies, arrived on these shores aboard the MAYFLOWER in 1620, when the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, in the person of Elder William Brewster, who was their spiritual leader (the Brewster family later founded Yale University).  The success of the colony at Plynmouth was due in no small part to good relations between the Pilgrims and the native residents.  Squanto, one of the native leaders, not only knew how to speak English and French, the result of years of trading with the fur trappers venturing south from Montreal, but also had sailed to and attended university in England.

The bloodline continued through Thomas Prence, first Governor of the Colonies, and through Robert Morris, a wealthy Philadelphia banker who was present in Congress assembled at Philadelphia, and signed the Declaration of Independence.  Morris and his colleague, Benjamin Franklin, reportedly talked a friend into making the first American flag - that friend was named Betsy, and she was married to another signer, George Ross.  It was Robert Morris who paid Betsy Ross for that first flag of the new republic.

Subsequently, Morris put up as much as $760,000 (in colonial dollars) to support the young Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.  When the Federal government ran short of funds to pay the troops, Morris stepped into the breach and issued checks drawn on his own bank.  These checks were then traded as currency, and known as "Morris Scrip" they mark the singular time when private money was "minted" in the history of the United States. Even today, the banking industry pays homage to Robert Morris with its annual get-together,   the Morris Convention.

The Ross family is considered one of the Hundred First Families of America according to the most recent book published by the Daughters of the American Revolution (the DAR).

Geoffrey Ross is the eldest of four born to Edmund Thomas Ross and Barbara Elaine Sinclair.

Edmund Ross was an attorney, who retired as Vice President and Chief Counsel of IBM Credit Corporation.  Barbara Sinclair Ross, who passed in 2008, was an artist best remembered for her original Christmas cards, and her sculpture - most of it cast in bronze.  Her work is on display at the National Museum of Sport, among others, and many private collections.

Sinclair (originally St. Claire, after St. Clare of Normandy, France) is a Highland Clan that descends from Celtic kings.  Henry Sinclair was a well documented explorer who is widely believed to have landed in New England years before Christopher Columbus "discovered" America.  (Webmaster's note - Did not the natives living in America already know it was here before Columbus "discovered" it and claimed it for Queen Isabella?)

The Sinclairs/St. Claires became closely entwined with the Stuart family many years before Mary Stuart became Queen of Scotland at only 9 months of age, following the death of King James V of Scotland.  King Henry VIII (Mary's maternal Great Uncle) of England had been launching vicious attacks upon Scotland for several years, and the family had decided to seek the support of the French, so Mary was betrothed to Prince Fancois, the son of King Henry II of France, when she was 16 years old.  Mary became the Queen of France when Francois succeeded Henry II, even as she reigned over Scotland.

Henry VIII had decreed that his next living blood descendant, Elizabeth, was a bastard child before his death.  After he died, Mary Tudor, Henry VIII's wife, ruled as Queen until she died, when Mary Stuart was proclaimed Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland.  Because Mary was in Scotlnd at the time, Elizabeth assumed the throne in England as Regent.  Mary and Elizabeth found themselves at odds over the Reformation, which Henry VIII had precipitated  when he split from the Church of Rome to form the Church of England (the Anglican Church); Elizabeth was a Potestant (Anglican) and Mary had remained a Catholic, and had planned to reinstate the Church of Rome when she assumed the throne in England.

Elizabeth had other ideas, however, and had Mary Stuart arrested when she arrived to claim the throne.  Mary was imprisoned in London Tower for 20 years before finally being executed.

It was Mary Stuart who, following a trip to Normandy during which she is said to have visited the Priory of Sion, introduced to Freemasonry what is now the 32nd Degree, frequently referred to as The Scottish Rite,  the order's highest level of attainment.

To seal the family rift and further sanctify the Church of England, in 1610 King James, who ascended the throne after Elizabeth, appointed John Sinclair the Perpetual Worldwide Grand Master of Freemasonry. 

Geoffrey Ross has been since 1975 a member of the A. A. O. R. R. A. C. and hopes soon to complete work on a much updated treatise concerning the Holy Grail. 

upper photo: Nicholas Apostol and Geoffrey Ross of Crown Airlines, Copyright 1979 by Venture Magazine

lower photo: British Aerospace Jetstream 31, Copyright 1981 by Crown Airlines Corporation (PR)

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