My Story

Born at the foothill of the Colorado Rocky Mountains to LaMar and Terry just after the 1981 new year began; the second of what would become 5 children. Our Family relocated to the midwest where both of my parent’s roots are. I attend Waukegan High School about 40 miles north of Chicago, played football and baseball and was voted Senior Class Biggest Flirt. I went on to play Division-I baseball at Alabama A&M for 4 years, graduating with a degree in Finance. A natural leader on the field granted me a number of Big League tryouts whereas I signed a contract with the Cook County Cheetahs. 

After I was politely not invited back after the first season, I knew it was time to fall back on the natural leadership skills I’d developed in and around the classroom. I began my professional career in LaSalle Bank’s Commercial Lender Training Program. Formal credit training, sales and negotiations, and networking with Chicago’s elite. 

I ventured out on my own after 12 years in corporate finance working with various institutions while serving fortune 100 companies, middle market family owned business and entrepreneurs in all 48 mainland states. Becoming an entrepreneur myself was not an easy transition, mentally or financially. But over three years later I am still advising small business owners through finance related obstacles and often assisting them acquire debt. 

With immediate control of my calendar I began to travel and fell deep into Wanderlust. 

Nomads Don’t Need Vacation

“I ain’t here for a long time...I’m here for a good time.”

Tim Cahill

By now, I had already been out of the country a few times, Republica Dominica, Australia, Brazil, and Mexico so I decided to give Europe a try. A good friend of mine invited me to a wedding in Germany, and wouldn’t you know it, I took German in high school thinking I was smart enough to be an engineer. What a fantastic experience driving through the country and eventually visiting Paris and Amsterdam as well. 

Now that I had my wings so to speak.. I planned for a month in Colombia over Christmas and NYE. The country is nothing like you’d expect based on the horror stories we hear about Paublo Escobar. It was warm, but not too hot and very welcoming. My limited spanish speaking skills served me well and I met so many wonderful people who showed me things most tourists can only dream of, or...read about in a book. 

Returning to the states, I knew I was addicted and searched long and hard for something more intense. I fortuitously stumbled across the founder of Remote Year at a WeWork event while I was visiting a client. Turns out he was from a town just minutes away away from where I grew up. So I listened to his pitch and ended up taking a 4 month tour through Portugal, Croatia, Prague, and South Africa with many stops along the way. Unfortunately, I began feeling sick a few months in and ultimately grew too sick to travel once I returned to Chicago. I’ve had the good fortune to travel through 25 countries and Hawaii 7 times, although technically US territory. 

 Social

I’ve always been good with people, and traveling alone never bothered me. However, when in Chicago I was consistently hosting parties and gatherings for friends, colleagues, charities, whomever. There’s an indescribable joy that comes from knowing someone else became friends, or even got married by way of your introduction. I literally want all of my friends to know all of my friends! 

Between parties for fun and fundraisers for local organizations, I had quite a long list of associates I could count on for joining me in a good time. 

 Philanthropy

Some of my deepest friendships have generated from giving back. I have always been passionate about improving Chicagoland's most challenging communities and dedicate several hours each month volunteering with local philanthropic organizations whose missions were centered on promoting & improving access to education, enhancing exposure to opportunities, and encouraging an alternative mindset for students of a suppressed social-economic status. Perhaps that is why I was nominated as a Chicago Magazine Top Single in 2012! 

I was invited to audition for several reality shows including the Bachelor and eventually ended up agreeing to participate in a couple of episodes of Love Blows, a WETV series. 

I haven’t been able to be nearly as social or philanthropic as of late, mostly because of my health but do my best to maintain relationships. 

Growing up in a large family probably was the best negotiating and conflict resolution training! 

Family

How ever grateful I am to have been blessed with such amazing parents. Love was abundant, always..if nothing else. My siblings have always said I’m the favorite and I agree… I am. But even still they support me in any and everything I’ve ever tried to do, including overcoming my health concerns.