Ralph earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Akron. He worked in plastics for several years before taking a job with Weyerhaeuser in northern Illinois, where he managed division test labs. Now, Ralph continues to serve both Virginia Tech and Weyerhaeuser by teaching classes annually. He says the most rewarding part of working with the Wood Science department's Pallet Lab and Center for Unit Load Design is transferring knowledge and offering technical assistance to students, faculty, and industry clients. His goal for both the Lab and Center is to improve the process of pallet and unit load designs in order to yield a higher-performance end product.

Ralph enjoys landscaping/gardening, hunting, crafts, and auctions.