Ripon College Days

When Ashley Cooper appears on NBC's hit television show "The Apprentice" next week, he won't be looking for a dream job in Donald Trump's business empire. He's already got one.

Cooper, who graduated from Ripon with an economics degree in 1982, will instead serve as one of Trump's advisors, taking part in the infamous boardroom scenes and giving his take on who should hear the show's trademark phrase "You're fired!"

In an interview with The Ripon Commonwealth-Press' Ian Stapleton last week, Cooper said a confidentiality agreement prevents him from giving away the show's ending, but he did drop a tantalizing clue about what sort of challenge the contestants might face.

"It'll be obvious why I was chosen," Cooper told the Commonwealth.

That could mean the contestants' challenge will involve golf, since Cooper runs Trump's golf courses along with "Apprentice" regular Carolyn Kepchur.

In fact, golf is how Cooper came to know Trump.

Several years ago, after retiring from a successful Wall Street career, Cooper bought a world-class golf course in New Jersey. He outbid others interested in the property, including Trump.

"Donald looked at the property years ago. He was always interested in it," Cooper told the Commonwealth.

When Cooper looked to sell in 2002, Trump stepped back in and bought the course. Instead of replacing Cooper, Trump kept him as chairman of the New Jersey course and gave him a managing role at three other courses Trump owns.

"Obviously he liked what he saw out of me," Cooper said.

Working in Trump's empire let Cooper get into The Donald's inner circle, leading him to World Series box seats with Trump, an invitation to Trump's wedding, and now an appearance on "Apprentice."

Cooper said the show's boardroom scenes, which he participated in, were completely unscripted, though producers later asked that some comments be re-shot to add dramatic effect.

"There was one thing special they wanted me to change a little bit," Cooper recalled. "They asked me to say a line, and I blew it."

But Cooper said his experience on the episode, which was taped some months ago, was overwhelmingly positive.

"Some of the people are amazing," Cooper said, "There's a lot of business learning coming out of it."

But while the show might have tips for aspiring corporate executives, Cooper said Ripon's business education gave him the background to succeed in the business world.

"[Ripon] gave me the basis of everything I do now," he said.

But while Ripon may have given him the foundation, Cooper's rise to Trump's boardroom was a great accomplishment for a man with a degree from a

little-known school.

"All the financial firms look at... big kinds of names," Cooper said. "The problem was getting in the door."

But once he got a start, Cooper's liberal arts background and business sense put his career on the fast track.

"I think what Ripon gave me was confidence and people skills. I could talk and interact in any type of environment," Cooper said.

But even in Trump's fast-paced corporate world, Cooper said he still fondly remembers his time at Ripon.

"At Ripon good people get a chance," Cooper said. "It was the best four years of my life."

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