Centerville podcaster recognized with NPR, Malcolm Gladwell on how-to-get-smarter list

Credit: Lisa Powell

Credit: Lisa Powell

A podcast run by a Centerville LexisNexis vice president of sales and former area and college quarterback will make you 10 percent smarter, according to Forbes.

The company's website noted Ryan Hawk's podcast, The Learning Leader, on a list that included two podcasts by NPR and another run by best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell, on its recent story, "9 Podcasts That Will Make You 10% Smarter."

Hawk, brother of recently retired NFLer A.J. Hawk, started the podcast in April 2015 and recently published the 201st episode. He described the podcast's origins in a 2015 interview:

» ORIGIN STORY: Centerville’s Hawk creates podcast to learn from leaders

... Hawk rubs elbows with business leaders all day. But it was a dinnertime conversation with Todd Wagner — a business partner with entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban — that turned Hawk's head around and opened his eyes to the possibilities of podcasting.

"Todd shared just great insights and great stories," Hawk said. "It was incredible. I just wish I had caught it on tape. That kind of was the impetus for me."

For the 200th episode, posted earlier this month, Hawk interviewed his father Keith and brother A.J., the former Centerville, Ohio State, Packers and Bengals linebacker who retired this month. Here's the YouTube version of that episode:

Hawk played quarterback at Centerville High School, Miami University and Ohio University before entering the business world. More on Learning Leader:

About the Author