About Me - Colin Rader
About Me - Colin Rader
My name is Colin Rader. I am a 417- Based Adventurer and mountaineer chasing the dream of climbing the 7 Summits. I was born and raised in Ozark, Missouri. Graduating from Ozark High School in 2014. After graduation, I volunteered through AFS (formerly the American Field Service) as an English teacher and community organizer in El Progreso, Yoro, Honduras. My first long term international trip gave me insight as a young 18/19 year old that there wa more to life and more to understand than the world I had been living in in the United States. Upon returning to the United States, I attended Drury University, obtaining my Masters Degree in Architecture, with an minor in Business Administration. During my time at Drury, I was able to spend time travelling internationally through study abroad programs which allowed travel through both Asia and Europe. These trips heightened my initiative to continue to travel and better understand more of the world around us, and the people that make it so.
I climbed my first big mountain, Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania, August of 2023 and was enamored with the beauty and serenity of the mountain. After being inspired on Kilimanjaro, I began training in preparation for bigger peaks ahead. Along with training, I was inspired to research and dive into the possibilities of completing the 7 Summits. It is a task that is so rarely completed, it at first seemed ridiculous. But when you cant stop thinking about something, its worth putting effort into making it a reality. I came up with the idea of this challenge as a way to not only complete this incredible feat of mountaineering, but also to bring awareness and visibility to these local communities that cater to these climbing activities.
I am a self-employed designer, builder, and developer of real estate through my company, CGR Solutions LLC and a partner in these same businesses on the Navajo Nation through ABEARCO Macro Development Partners LLC.
Why combine volunteering with this quest for the Seven Summits?
Since my gap year after high school, I have loved the idea of exploring new cultures while traveling to new places. Volunteering seems like a natural progression. On Kilimanjaro, our group was touched by the stories of our guides who shared with us not only their customs but their dreams as well. When we found out that one of our guides was working additional climbs to help save $500 to send her sister to school, we knew that there was more we could be doing. We came together as a group to make sure we left her with enough to pay for her sister's school. However, I left inspired that we as climbers can do more to benefit the communities in which we climb.
About my Business - CGR Solutions
"We are a professional services company connecting investors to cash-flowing real estate projects including value-add Cap Ex, Urban Redevelopment, and New Ground-up development. We provide projects vetted through our internal process of due-diligence with investors looking to grow their presence in our areas of service. We provide the potential properties, concepts, budget, and process to streamline investor's experience. Working as an Owner's Representative to put together the project team, and see the project from conception to completion."