Ramone was born in Detroit, Michigan, but was raised in Knoxville, Tennessee by his mother after his parents divorced when he was 2 years old.  His mother, an elementary school teacher, devoted her time to community activities while raising his sister and him.  She was joined by his uncles and other members of the close-knit area in teaching him the importance of education. This provided early examples of the importance of community involvement and education during his childhood years in Knoxville.

After he graduated from Rule High School, Ramone decided to enter the United States Navy to earn money and learn skills. He became an Interior Communications Electrician/Advanced Electronics Technician and was trained to maintain the interior communications and navigational systems aboard Navy ships.  He served four (4) years, participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and was honorably discharged in 1991.

After his military service, Ramone took a job testing airbag restraint systems for TRW, when he learned about a local seminar on how to become an air traffic control specialist (ATCS) at Wayne County Community College in Detroit, Michigan. He passed the ATCS exam scoring a 91% after five (5) days of preparation which led to two (2) career opportunities within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as an Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS) and electronic technician/Airway Transportation System Specialist (ATSS).  In 1992, he began his career as an ATSS at Detroit Metro Airport’s air traffic control tower. 

While at the FAA, he also tested the entrepreneurial waters and opened a coffee shop in Detroit. The business, called the Wall Street Café, combined two of his interests — java and finance.  Due to the lack of financial literacy in communities of Color, Ramone split his time at the café after work and on weekends to provide financial seminars to his customers.  His other former business ventures included a second coffee shop, The Java Exchange Café, a Popeye’s franchise, electrical business, and an aviation/aerospace outreach consultant business.

At the FAA, he was later promoted to National Airspace Program Manager at the Superior Systems Management Office in Detroit, where he was responsible for handling, management coordination and contracting all facility upgrades, construction projects and associated budgets for all FAA facilities within Michigan and Wisconsin.  In 2014, he was selected as the Ypsilanti System Support Center Manager (SSCM). In this role, he served as the Ypsilanti SSCM located in Belleville, Michigan. He directed the work of subordinate employees for more than one organizational unit within a major subdivision. He managed federal personnel and was responsible for all FAA infrastructure at Willow Run, Coleman A. Young, Ann Arbor and Jackson airports, including surrounding facilities.

Ramone also rose through the ranks of the National Black Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees (NBCFAE), one of the FAA’s employee associations, in roles such as the Detroit chapter president, Great Lakes Region vice president and president, and later NBCFAE’s national vice president. While he served as the Great Lakes regional president, the chapter was recognized as NBCFAE’s 2001 and 2002 Region of the Year.

During his high-profile tenure with NBCFAE, Crowe routinely assisted with resolving FAA workplace issues, such as Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints concerning Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.  The Detroit Federal Executive Board recognized Ramone’s achievements with the organization’s annual Individual Diversity Award. He is the first and only FAA employee who has won this award.  After 31 years, he remains employed with the FAA. 

Ramone continues to have a passion for being a service to others, helping his community, and fulfilling his life’s purpose to positively impact all that he encounters.  He never considered his commitment to the community as a requirement, it is an obligation.