I love Portland!!! I'm a Community Collaborator with a Passion to Serve YOU!! I have been serving faith, business & government leaders across our nation for the past 40+ years!
My family immigrated from France in the 1680's and then migrated to south Georgia, where I grew up in the 1960-80's and my family was very intentional to have friends from all backgrounds. I was the first grandson in my family to go to college and my Dad cut down pine trees on our family farm to fund my college education at Belmont University in Nashville, TN, wherein I earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing & Management.
After learning service in the hotel industry for several years, I moved to southern California, then Colorado Springs & then on to northern California, where I met my wife, Susan Lynn Conley, who grew up in Vancouver, WA. Susan was a Sales Manager at the Red Lion Hotel in Modesto, and then eventually moved to the Portland Hilton, wherein she retired in 2008, after being the Director of Sales & Marketing for the Vancouver Hilton.
We moved to Portland in 1996 to start our family and live the American Dream, which turned into the American Nightmare, as we had to file for bankruptcy in 2009, lost our house in a foreclosure and have several children in Heaven. We are honored to have 3 sons, William (age 22), Oliver (age 21), both of which graduated from David Douglas High School and Alec (age 14). Five years ago, Susan was promoted from Soccer Mom to Soccer Coach!
My family immigrated from France in the 1680's and then migrated to south Georgia, where I grew up in the 1960-80's and my family was very intentional to have friends from all backgrounds. I was the first grandson in my family to go to college and my Dad cut down pine trees on our family farm to fund my college education at Belmont University in Nashville, TN, wherein I earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing & Management.
After learning service in the hotel industry for several years, I moved to southern California, then Colorado Springs & then on to northern California, where I met my wife, Susan Lynn Conley, who grew up in Vancouver, WA. Susan was a Sales Manager at the Red Lion Hotel in Modesto, and then eventually moved to the Portland Hilton, wherein she retired in 2008, after being the Director of Sales & Marketing for the Vancouver Hilton.
We moved to Portland in 1996 to start our family and live the American Dream, which turned into the American Nightmare, as we had to file for bankruptcy in 2009, lost our house in a foreclosure and have several children in Heaven. We are honored to have 3 sons, William (age 22), Oliver (age 21), both of which graduated from David Douglas High School and Alec (age 14). Five years ago, Susan was promoted from Soccer Mom to Soccer Coach!
Over the past 15 years, we have been rebuilding our lives with no credit cards or credit lines, wherein I own a small business and have been serving the city by connecting leaders to work together, build bridges and better our communities for everyone, via our public charity, Serving Our Neighbors.
In 2013, we began serving Portland's Sister City Associations, wherein I manage our annual Rose Festival Reception for the Mayor's office, our entry in the Grand Floral Parade & our monthly meetings at City Hall. In 2015, I was honored to be invited to join in service with and be knighted as a Royal Rosarian, "The Official Ambassadors of the City of Portland."
In 2016, we launched the Emergency Preparedness Leadership Forum to bring government, business & faith leaders together to know, like & trust each other before & during a disaster. We also began collaborating with leaders to use the never opened Wapato Jail to become the new Bybee Lakes Hope Center and help the homeless and unsheltered transition back in our community.
In 2017, we began working with BESThq, a regional business collaborative community, focusing on Relationship, Empowerment & Inclusion, wherein we became an Advisory Board Member and a Strategic Partner in support of their annual Business Expo West at Tektronix in Beaverton. Then in 2019, we helped them launch their new annual Business Expo East at Camp Withycombe in Clackamas. Throughout 2020 until today, we have continued to serve our communities and now work extensively with Heal Our Land.
Click on the What's Next button or Donate Now!
In 2013, we began serving Portland's Sister City Associations, wherein I manage our annual Rose Festival Reception for the Mayor's office, our entry in the Grand Floral Parade & our monthly meetings at City Hall. In 2015, I was honored to be invited to join in service with and be knighted as a Royal Rosarian, "The Official Ambassadors of the City of Portland."
In 2016, we launched the Emergency Preparedness Leadership Forum to bring government, business & faith leaders together to know, like & trust each other before & during a disaster. We also began collaborating with leaders to use the never opened Wapato Jail to become the new Bybee Lakes Hope Center and help the homeless and unsheltered transition back in our community.
In 2017, we began working with BESThq, a regional business collaborative community, focusing on Relationship, Empowerment & Inclusion, wherein we became an Advisory Board Member and a Strategic Partner in support of their annual Business Expo West at Tektronix in Beaverton. Then in 2019, we helped them launch their new annual Business Expo East at Camp Withycombe in Clackamas. Throughout 2020 until today, we have continued to serve our communities and now work extensively with Heal Our Land.
Click on the What's Next button or Donate Now!