Northwest native, graduate of Washington State University's journalism program, and started out editing the Davenport (WA) Times and stringing for a Spokane metro daily. Ran PR programs for the American Plywood Association before driving cross country in an MG-B to move to Boston for an MBA at Harvard. Worked in marketing ever since. Taught sales management at University of Puget Sound when it had a night MBA program in Seattle. Four years on the Humanities Washington speakers bureau discussing company-owned towns in Washington and Oregon. Twenty years as career adviser for the state's HBS alumni club.