FOCUS-01Leadership
Critical Path of Leadership
Standards, Trust, Candor, Purpose, and Communication — the path leaders are developed along.
About
A career of leading when the stakes are highest.
LTG (Ret.) Ross Coffman brings a rare combination of operational command experience, strategic planning, technology-focused leadership, and practical culture-change insight to his speaking and advisory work.
Ross Coffman is the founder of Coffman and Associates LLC, a consulting and advisory firm specializing in strategic and operational planning to improve management skills, change culture, enhance business operations, and drive organizational productivity. The firm has proven success across government, corporate, academic, and non-profit sectors.
He retired from the United States Army after more than 35 years of distinguished military service as an Armor officer. He commanded units in nearly every echelon and served in multiple deployments to Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Eastern Europe, Bosnia, and Haiti. He also served in the generating force, training large units for combat. In his final assignment, he served as Deputy Commander of United States Army Futures Command in Austin, Texas.
That background informs Ross's work with leaders who need to make decisions under pressure, align teams around purpose, adopt emerging technology responsibly, and prepare for risks that do not fit neatly inside traditional planning cycles.
A note on the man behind the rank: Ross is from Fort Knox, Kentucky — and an enthusiastic, but terrible, golfer.
Speaking & advisory focus
The themes Ross returns to again and again.
FOCUS-02Culture
Counter-Productive Leadership
Naming the behaviors — toxicity, micro-management, narcissism — that damage trust and culture.
FOCUS-03Culture
Building & Changing Culture
Deliberate evaluation, planning, and action — aligning culture with the mission instead of chance.
FOCUS-04AI
AI Transformation
Leader-led understanding, visualization, description, direction, and assessment of AI adoption.
FOCUS-05Defense
Military Futures
Emerging technology and future-force requirements, informed by Army Futures Command.
FOCUS-06Global Risk
Geopolitical Risk
China/Taiwan scenario planning and unclassified risk awareness for exposed organizations.
Awards & recognition
Honored for individual actions and as a member of heroic units.
- Distinguished Alumnus, Centre College
- Harvey Leadership Award
- MacArthur Leadership Award
- Draper Leadership Award
- Significant Sigma Chi Award
- Eagle Scout
Education
Grounded in business, security, and leadership study.
Bachelor's Degree
Centre College
M.B.A.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
National Security Fellowship
Harvard Kennedy School
Roles & organizations
Beyond the keynote stage.
Ross Coffman is the individual speaker and advisor. Coffman and Associates LLC is the consulting and advisory firm he founded. As presented on the current site, he also holds the following roles.
Founder
Coffman and Associates LLC
President
Forward Edge AI
Senior Advisor
Ernst & Young
Board Member
The Federal Savings Bank
Member
Washington Speaker Bureau
Board of Advisors
Multiple companies
Army Futures Command is part of Ross's military background; his final Army assignment was Deputy Commander. This site does not imply current military service, official Army endorsement, or access to classified information.
Forged in Battle
35 years of leadership, resilience, and victory.
// Field record · command, keynote & deployment
Questions
Frequently asked.
Yes. Ross Coffman is a retired Three-Star General with more than 35 years of service in the United States Army.
Deputy Commander of United States Army Futures Command in Austin, Texas.
A consulting and advisory firm founded by Ross Coffman, specializing in strategic and operational planning, management skills, culture change, business operations, and organizational productivity.
The current homepage states that Ross serves as President of Forward Edge AI.