An Interview with Kelly Perdew ’89, Winner on “The Apprentice 2”

Throughout the fall season of 2004 we had the pleasure of watching Kelly Perdew compete brilliantly on Donald Trump’s celebrated television show. In the end, when all the firings had taken place, Kelly emerged victorious. He agreed to this interview a few days after his win, and it took place just before Christmas.

Q. How did you come to be interested in going to West Point?

A. I spent a lot of time growing up in Sarasota, Florida living with my mother and then moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, for high school and to live with my dad. When the time to start thinking about college arrived, my father, who is a true self-made man, offered to pay the tuition if I went to the University of Wyoming. But I wanted to finance my college education myself, so I started looking around for places where I could do it.

A lot of kids in Wyoming were interested in the Air Force Academy, but I didn’t want to fly. West Point, though, seemed the perfect place. I liked the idea of a rounded educational experience—academics, military, ethics, all of it. I had talked to Dick Cheney, who was a Congressman for Wyoming at the time. He had addressed the graduating class before mine, and he said that West Point was a great place. So I applied through the early admission program and made a visit during my senior year. I stayed at the Hotel Thayer, and everything I saw during the time I spent at West Point sent the same message: “This absolutely feels right.” Even though I’d also been admitted to several other schools, I decided on the Academy.

Q. In what ways do you think your West Point education and Army experiences contributed to your being able to succeed on “The Apprentice”?

A. There are too many to enumerate. For example, the command environment and lack of privacy on “The Apprentice” was a real problem for some of the others on the show, but I had no difficulty with it at all. Then, too, the environment was highly competitive – just like West Point and the Army—but with cameras! And it was stressful and required team activities. I could go on and on. Time management skills were extremely important. You know where I learned them. Also important was having an SOP. I wrote up one for my team that was based on one in my Ranger Handbook; it helped enormously, keeping us from forgetting essential parts of getting the job done. I also implemented AARs so that the lessons we learned in tackling each new project wouldn’t be forgotten, but none of that was actually shown, of course. In short, the things I learned at West Point and in the Army were invaluable.

Q. While all grads applaud your victory, many can’t help wishing someone as talented as you had stayed in the Army. Why did you leave?

A. After MI Branch School and Ranger School, I was assigned to the 7^th Infantry Division as an Assistant S-2. And after that I commanded a counterintelligence platoon in the MI Battalion. That was a great job. I had a lot of very talented people working for me, including some warrant officers. Next, I was assigned as the XO of a company, another great job.

The problem was that as I looked out ahead, I saw that it was going to be at least two years before I would have a shot at command. And in the meanwhile, I’d be stuck in staff jobs. Another thing that worried me is that West Point hadn’t contacted me to suggest that somewhere down the line I might have an opportunity to attend grad school and serve on the faculty. That was something I really wanted to do. I should also add that I was suffering from disillusionment. I was a naïve idealist, I guess, but you have to remember how young I was, and when I saw some really good troop commanders get hurt on their efficiency ratings, while others who weren’t as good, but knew how to please the boss, did well, it really bothered me. So I had all of these factors coming together just at the time when the Army started to draw down and began offering early releases from service obligations. I decided that I’d take the offer. Since I’d done well on the LSAT and GMAT, I decided that my next move would be graduate school.

Make no mistake though. I deeply admire my classmates who stayed in. I’m grateful for their service, especially now in these dangerous times, and I’m proud to be a member of a Long Gray Line that includes such extraordinary brothers and sisters. They and the other men and women deployed to places like Iraq and Afghanistan are my heroes.

Q. What have you done in the years since 1992?

A. Well, first I went to UCLA where I worked toward both a J.D. and an MBA degree. And meanwhile, I also worked for twenty hours a week at a law firm. That experience convinced me that though I’d get the law degree, I didn’t want to practice law. So instead, I turned to the world of business where I’ve spent over a decade working in large corporations, doing consulting, and starting up new companies – many internet-based. There’s really too much to tell, and I think the best way for folks to get a sense of my business involvements is to visit my web site, www.kellyperdew.com, and click on the “Business” tab.

Q. How have things changed in your life since you started appearing on “The Apprentice” – and especially since you won?

A. How haven’t they? You know, throughout the experience, I’ve tried to hold in mind that line by Kipling about the importance of keeping your head when all about you are losing theirs, and I hope I’m not being vain in thinking that I did a pretty good job. But it wasn’t easy. It’s been a months-long frenzy of activity and attention. And I still can’t get used to certain parts of it. For example, it stills feels weird to be asked for my autograph. Even by kids. I’ll be walking down the street and a kid will tug on his mom’s arm and say, “There’s Kelly.” By the way, I think it’s just great that “The Apprentice” is something that parents and children can watch together.

Another thing that really surprises me is all of the e-mail I’ve received from military folks. It seems like an entire planet full of them has written. And what they say is “Thanks for representing us the way you have.” This makes me feel proud and humble at the same time.

Q. Some readers might not know what being named “The Apprentice” means, could you give them a glimpse into your future?

A. I think “apprentice” isn’t exactly the right word. Maybe “protégé” would be a better one. And what an opportunity: to be Donald Trump’s protégé, to shadow him for twelve months. No matter what else you might think, I believe it’s undeniable that he’s a phenomenal person. He’s created a living “brand,” something that few others can claim. And I hope to learn from him while executing whatever responsibilities he gives me as effectively as possible. In a way I’ll be like a lieutenant joining a new unit. Now, a bad way to behave in that situation is to throw your weight around and act the know-it-all. I’ll aim to do the opposite. I hope to earn the respect of the people I work with, just as a good lieutenant would. At the end of the twelve months I also hope Mr. Trump finds that he likes working with me and there will be some opportunity for us to continue working together.

Q. Any last comments for the readers of First Call?

A. I’d just like to wish everyone the best of everything in 2005.