LEADERSHIP JOURNEY

PERSONAL JOURNEY

To be born and raised in Newcastle, England is a blessing. Newcastle Upon Tyne is a special place, enjoying a magnificent aspect on the banks of the River Tyne. It is a city steeped in heavy industry. Shipbuilding, mining and steel boomed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While much has changed, one constant remains. The city lives and breathes sports. And one sport above any other – Football. 

If you are a life-long Newcastle Utd supporter, then I respect your dedication, resilience and passion. It’s the hope that hurts.

After realizing I wasn’t going to make it as a professional tennis player, (if you aren’t very good at Football in Newcastle, you quickly make other choices) I chose to study business with a sport bias. I was lucky enough to graduate with First Class Honors and luckier still to meet the wonderful woman who would later become my wife.

After graduating I coached tennis and  worked for a Professional Basketball and Ice Hockey Franchise in Newcastle. My biggest professional break was getting a job at Nike UK in 1996. 

Another momentous blessing came our way in December 2002 – a move to Portland, Oregon. I accepted a position as a Footwear Product Line Manager. Our American adventure started. What an adventure. We moved in our first home  in 2007. Our son was born in February 2008 and we became citizens in 2017.

Our family lives and thrives in the Pacific Northwest. Riding bikes in Central Oregon. Enjoying the food and wine culture of the Willamette Valley. Watching our son grow up both British and American. Building affinities and emotional connections with sports teams I had never even heard of before we moved.

I continue to love working with great brands, companies and people. Newcastle Utd? The hope still hurts…