March 31, 2025 Colorado Springs, CO
Alert Rental Software is saddened to announce the passing of former Chairman and CEO John T. “Tom” Ross, Jr., who passed away earlier this year due to complications from Parkinson’s Disease.
Tom joined Alert as CEO in 2005 and led the company for 11 years alongside his brother and business partner, Rob Ross. Under their leadership, Alert continued to grow and innovate in the rental management software industry. In 2016, Tom and Rob sold the company to the current ownership team, Kara Longmire and Mary Crosslin.
Tom was well known among Alert clients for his deep business expertise and was a beloved presenter at Alert’s annual User Group Conference, where he delivered his popular seminar, How to Achieve a 20% Operating Profit. Prior to his time at Alert, Tom had a distinguished career in advertising with the Chicago-based firm Leo Burnett, where he was the creative force behind several award-winning campaigns for household brands such as Altoids and Heinz Ketchup.
“Tom was my first true mentor, and his leadership inspired me to team up with Mary Crosslin to buy and run Alert,” said Kara Longmire, Alert’s Co-President and CEO. “During my first week of employment in 2008, he told me that our most valuable assets were our employees—and that our job was to ensure that when they walked down the stairs to go home each night, they came back up them again the next morning. His wisdom still guides everything we stand for at Alert.“
“We recently had the honor of attending his Celebration of Life, and it was clear that Tom’s personal values of generosity and guidance mirrored those he instilled in his company,” added Mary Crosslin, Alert’s Co-President and COO. “I feel so fortunate to have known him and to have been a recipient of his mentorship and kindness.“
To honor Tom’s legacy as a champion of entrepreneurship, donations have been made in his memory to the Tory Burch Foundation.
About Alert Rental Software
Headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO, Alert Rental is a leading provider of rental management solutions for single-location and multi-store rental operations across North America. Founded in 1976, Alert brings decades of experience and innovation to the rental industry. The company’s rental management software is trusted by hundreds of businesses and thousands of end-users. Alert continuously enhances its platform and hosts the longest-running Users Conference in the industry.
For more information, visit alertrental.com.
