Rick Davidson, CEO of CENTURY 21, is embarking on a difficult mountain climbing expedition in Alaska to raise money for Easter Seals. Davidson and five others from CENTURY 21 will climb over 30,000 feet of elevation over eight days in the Alaskan Mountain Range, attempting the summits of Mt. Eldridge and Explorers Peak. Davidson took up mountain climbing and fitness after having a child to be a good role model, and finds the challenge and teamwork of climbing very rewarding. He hopes this expedition will be a safe success that helps children with disabilities.

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CENTURY 21's CEO Embarks On His Toughest Journey Yet
By Kym McNicholas | Forbes – Thu, Jun 30, 2011
CENTURY 21 CEO Rick Davidson wasn't a great athlete as a child. But when he had a kid of his own, he decided that he
needed to become one to keep up with his son and set a great example about the importance of health and fitness. Now, all
those years of working out are paying off has takes his love for climbing to new heights. Davidson and his five-member team
from his real estate firm are about to embark on an adventure to raise money for Easter Seals. They're climbing the Alaskan
Mountain Range. They're goal is to climb 30,000 feet of elevation over the course of eight days for $30,000, which will be
donated to help children with autism, development disabilities, physical disabilities and other special needs.
They will start out in Anchorage, Alaska on Saturday, July 2nd, and will attempt to ascend to the summits of Mt. Eldridge
and Explorers Peak. If weather permits, they'll attempt a third summit.
Forbes: Why is this the greatest 'high' you could have?
Rick Davidson: I LOVE mountain climbing. I've done a lot of "thrilling" things in my life—skydiving; scuba diving; baja
racing; driving a NASCAR; motorcycling; dogfighting in planes. They are all adrenaline producing
activities and are certainly a lot fun. However, climbing is so much more than just the rush of
standing on a ridge line high atop a mountain with thousands of feet of exposure below and
beside you. It takes an incredible amount of focus and preparation to reach the summit of any
mountain. Weather, effects of altitude, conditions of the mountain and rope teammates’ ability
(physically and mentally) are rarely predictable, as such, adapting to change quickly is all part of
the thrill. The sense of accomplishment and camaraderie you feel with your team when you get to
the summit is far greater than anything I have experienced with any other activity.
What truly in your heart that sparked this passion for doing this?
A sense of winning. I was never great at team sports growing up and certainly never got any accolades for my performance. I
reluctantly accepted that I was not a talented athlete and as such never focused on sports.
The year my son was born (1987) I decided to get in shape. I never wanted my physical condition to be a reason for not being
able to do anything with my kid. I had dreams of us doing everything together (playing ball, hiking, camping, fishing). You
name it, I saw us doing it together. I focused on my personal fitness and got into great shape. The desire to always be ready to
take anything on has driven me to stay healthy and fit.
Do you remember that first trip in which you truly felt like all of your trips to the gym had paid off?
I was invited to climb for the first time by a good friend and joined in on a trip called the "Volcano Tour." The Volcano Tour
is a trip in Mexico where you take on three volcanoes over a 10-day climb (one 15K ft.; one 17K ft. and one close to 19K ft.) As
you can imagine it was physically grueling. The altitude was difficult to deal with as we ascended these peaks without much
time to get acclimatized. I almost succumbed to the combination of altitude and the endurance required. I had run a
marathon before but this was a marathon times four or more. To reach the summit of these mountains truly required me to
reach very deep inside myself and push well beyond every physical and mental barrier I had. When I reached the summit of
these mountains it was a spiritual experience, it was a sense of accomplishment and sense of self-pride that I had never
experienced before - it was truly emotional. I knew from that moment on what the "call of the mountains" meant for me.
This was a place where I spiritually connected with myself, my wife, son, parents, brothers and every other loved one. There

2. is no more inspiring place than a mountain top at sunrise. This is a place where I feel like a great athlete.
How has mountain climbing helped you in the boardroom?
One thing I’ve learned from my mountain climbing experiences is that preparation is critical. If not properly prepared, you
are guaranteed not to succeed, not to reach the summit. Planning, organizing, setting goals and objectives to achieve the end-
goal is necessary and are the difference between success and failure.
I’ve also realized that knowing the competitive landscape is the difference between winning and losing. The mountain is the
competition and the glacier on a mountain moves and changes constantly - you have to know the mountain to know how to
win.
You have to be ready to respond to changing market dynamics. On the mountain the weather changes fast, you have to be
prepared and move quickly to survive and succeed. Assess and respond and when necessary- do it quickly and accurately.
Climbing is the ultimate team sport. It takes a team to climb a mountain and your team is your life and also potentially your
failure and the some concepts apply to business. On either front, one team member who under-performs can significantly
impact your business. On the mountain an under-performer can keep the entire team from reaching the summit or worse be
the cause of a serious injury. You have to constantly assess the ability of your team and when necessary move swiftly to "cut
the rope" so the team can succeed.
The logistics for a successful climb are extensive. You don't just show up to the mountain and climb. As with success in
business - flawless execution is how you ensure a safe and successful climb. Know when to say when is a true skill you learn,
and is something I’ve picked up through my adventures and brought to my business life. There's a saying in mountaineering:
"summiting is optional but descending safely is mandatory.” You have to know when to call the game - know when an
opportunity is no longer an opportunity and when it’s time to plan for another day.
Now you're heading up to Alaska to raise money for Easter Seals. What are you most nervous about on
this adventure?
I'm always most nervous about our safety. I have been fortunate to have not been involved in any serious falls. Many of the
climbers we take on these trips are novices - first timers looking for the thrill of the challenge. You have to assess the team
and know when to call the game for any one of your teammates to ensure everyone's safety. At the end of the day, my fellow
climbers, four of which are CENTURY 21 System members, are my team mates both on the climb and in business and I want
to make sure they enjoy the experience and that I do all I can to make this climb successful for them as well.
For me personally, my fear is not performing. Because I love the sport, I love to climb. I train hard and do everything I can to
prepare for myself and the team. The team is counting on me and I want to be there to help them succeed. That being said, I
will be the first to pull out if I think that my inability will hinder the others opportunity to achieve "their" summit.
Follow Davidson and his team at the CENTURY 21 Facebook Page, starting on July 2nd.
https://www.facebook.com/century21. They'll be posting live updates there.
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