MY CONNECTION TO ALASKA...
You could say I had a normal upbringing: I grew up in the small Midwestern town of Muskegon, Michigan, attended public schools, went off to Amherst College, then took a job with the management consulting firm of Bain & Company in Boston. Three years into it, a colleague invited me to climb Mt. McKinley in Alaska. It was an experience that would change my life in unforeseen ways.
While on McKinley, I saw mountain peaks glow purple at 2:00am, heard avalanches roar down mile-high walls, and skied across blue-ice glaciers. For five weeks, I lived in a nylon tent, ate freeze-dried food, and pursued nothing but the supremely self-indulgent goal of climbing the continent’s highest peak. It was arduous—but strangely liberating. Immersed in the sub-culture of climbers who organized their lives around seeking adventure, I felt a certain sense of freedom.
I returned to Bain, but it was never the same. I knew there was more to life—and I had to go experience it. So I left Bain, bought a Nikon and 200 rolls of film, cashed in the frequent flier miles, and set off again for Alaska. This time, I explored back roads, hiked, camped, and met fascinating people. It was euphoric, but I had always dreamed of trekking the Himalaya, so I left for Nepal.
Months later, I found myself tired of it all. I had lived my dream of travel, and I realized I could now go home. But “the point of a journey is never to return,” and I pledged to myself to find a way to combine my love of adventure with my desire for professional achievement.
I moved to Alaska in 1990 for the same reasons many people do: adventure and opportunity. Those first years here will always stand out as some of my happiest. In Alaska, you really can have it all: I started Alaska Channel in 1993 and another company three years later, spent my summers rafting wild Arctic rivers and winters skate-skiing Anchorage’s trails, and made lifelong friendships with free-spirited Alaskans from arctic adventurers to unemployed lawyers.
By 1997, I was looking for more professional challenge. I found my way into the world of venture capital with several former Bain colleagues. Spending most of my time in San Francisco and New York, we invested over $100 million in dozens of promising companies. I love the business: it teaches you how to spot opportunities, build teams, and make big things happen fast.
Unfortunately, the market busted in ’01. It put a real damper on things for a few years. I’ve taken advantage of this time to spend more time in Alaska and grow Alaska Channel.
My beloved wife Yael and I had our first child in April of 2005, Ari Jacob. When I was young, had you told me that I would someday have my firstborn in Alaska, I couldn’t have conceived it. Nor could I have conceived the wonder and amazement I feel watching little Ari grow.
