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Hometown: Portland, Oregon ... a great place to grow up!
Experience:
Director of Marketing, Samsonite
Vice President, Australian Capital Equity
Director of Marketing, Ben Hogan Golf
Education:
Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management, MBA
University of Oregon, BS
Why @ eBags: The fascinating thing about life is handling the twists and turns that come our way. We seek advice, follow hunches, gain inspiration, make choices, and work tirelessly in hopes that life's journey is fulfilling.
I consider myself a fortunate person. I got a second chance in life.
For me, the early 1990s were consumed with starting a family and building the Samsonite brand with a talented and dedicated group of people. I connected with the luggage and travel goods industry: I loved the touch and smell of fine leather goods, the dedication of people inventing and selling the products, and how the perfect bag can enhance one's day. As my wife can attest, if I see a luggage or handbag store, I must go in.
My comfortable world turned inside out on June 10, 1997. That is the day I discovered a lump that was Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rapidly growing cancer. I was unable to locate a doctor in Denver who had successfully treated Rhabdomyosarcoma, so I dedicated my waking hours to researching my cancer on the Internet. The ability to comb cyberspace to locate research papers from around the world on such an obscure disease was incredibly powerful. I was in awe over the breadth and depth of the Internet and spent late nights researching cancer, emailing doctors (they responded!), and searching for hope. My doctors told me that I had a 25% chance of living three years. It's hard to remain optimistic with such a prognosis. The next year was filled with two surgeries, five rounds of chemotherapy, and a sea of love and encouragement from family and friends.
Ten months after diagnosis, my luck turned as I got news that I was cancer-free and my doctor told me to" figure out what to do with the rest of your life." During treatment I promised myself that if I survived, I would emerge stronger, not take the easy path, make bold choices, and create something that my young son would be proud of.
A month later, May 1998, opportunity knocked. A former Samsonite executive, Jon Nordmark, ran a start-up business idea by me. Jon excitedly took me through his concept, called eBags.com, which was to be the ultimate online store for luggage, backpacks, handbags and laptop cases. After a lively exchange over the next ten hours, we had the bones of a business plan. I committed to Jon to be a co-founder of eBags.com. What could be better? I married my passion for bags with the potential of the Internet to create something that had never been done before - eBags.com, the ultimate online bag store.
I cherish every day and am fortunate to collaborate with the talented and committed eBags team.
Discover what excites you, take a chance, make a difference, and savor the journey!
Favorite Childhood Trip: I remember packing our family into a Ford Country Squire station wagon (with no air conditioning) and taking the ultimate road trip down to Disneyland in Anaheim, California. My parents couldn't get me to take off my Mickey Mouse ears.
Favorite City: Paris has a special place in my heart. Incredible architecture, fabulous museums, and some of the best restaurants you'll find anywhere. I always stay on the Left Bank, enjoying the sidewalk cafes and exploring the side street shops.
Favorite eBags Feature: Testimonials. This is where actual consumers who have bought and used the product provide valuable input. These are unbiased responses rather than what you might find in a retail store, where sales associates are sometimes compensated by manufacturers to "push" a certain product.
Favorite Product: I travel quite a bit on business and love the eBags Professional 20" Upright. It is the Ultimate if you like to pack everything into a carry-on. Plus my clothes come out wrinkle-free. It's made of a tough JetWeave high-tenacity DuPont Nylon and 1680 denier Ballistic Nylon and has smooth rolling inline skate wheels.
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