Home: Bluffton, SC. Age: 73. Birthplace: Bridgeport, CT. Profession: Entrepreneur, automotive restoration expert, construction executive. Organization: Saratoga Automobile Museum (Life Member), AACA (Life Member). Title: Founder and Consultant. Significant other: My wife, Yvonne.
Current project: Consulting on automobile restoration and concours event car selection. Recent recognition: Patent awarded for emergency fire department subway access ladders. Latest accomplishment: Retired from Saratoga Automobile Museum. Latest contribution to others: Founded Distracted Driving Program reaching 25,000 high school students and Rebuild A Racer STEM program for children. What’s been your big (or biggest leap)? Restoring the 1939 W154 Grand Prix Mercedes for Pebble Beach at Mercedes-Benz's 100th anniversary. Hobbies: Automotive restoration, collecting, sketching designs. Last book read: A colleague's life diary, published posthumously by his wife.
Personality profile: Persistent, hands-on, creative, straightforward. Moral compass: Your reputation is your bond. What is your greatest fear? Losing my health. What natural talent have you neglected? Art. What occupation, other than your own, do you most admire? Doctors. What is your favorite place (or way) to spend money? Dinner with wife. What is at the top of your bucket list? Living the rest of my life with my wife. What ingredient is essential to your perfect vacation? Peace and quiet.
Besides your parents, who has had the greatest influence on your life? Mr. Saint George, a neighbor who taught me to run a milling machine. What’s the best advice you received growing up? Use the skills God gave you. What’s the best advice you received in your career? Hard work will pay off. What modern technology innovation do you most appreciate? 3-D AutoCAD. What is your go-to source of news and information? Fox News. What is your go-to source of creative inspiration? Sketching on paper. What personal circumstance has had the greatest influence on your life? Starting to restore cars at age 11.
What change are you working on to effect in your profession or field?
Teaching the next generation to value craftsmanship and mechanical skills.
What change would you like to see in the world? More young people learning trades and hands-on skills. What message do you want to send out into the world? Never give up—persistence through setbacks is the common thread in every success. What widely held belief do you reject? That hard work no longer leads to success. What mega-trend most concerns you? The political climate in our country.
What actor would you choose to play you in the movie about your life? Sylvester Stallone. Who would you like to spend an evening with, in heaven? My mom and dad. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? A scientist. How would you choose to spend tomorrow, if you knew it was your last day on earth? With family at dinner time. What advice would you give your younger self? Listen to professional consultants, especially accountants. What day in your life would you choose to re-live? Getting married in Vegas.
Personal mission: Preserving automotive history and passing craftsmanship to the next generation. Personal motto: Never give up. Favorite quote: "You can have any color as long as it's black" (Henry Ford).
