From humble beginnings as the son of an enlisted Marine, I embarked on a journey that defied expectations. As the first in my family to go to college, the mission mattered from the start. Fueled by a natural flair for creativity and adaptability, I forged a multi-decade career in technology. This captivated me until a pivotal life change gave me pause. It was there that the interplay of versatility, creativity, and an adventurous spirit guided me towards writing, which unveiled a new chapter in my life narrative.
I attended high school in Hawaii before graduating from Duke University with a pre-med Chemistry Degree and Arts Certificate. A natural propensity for technology and interdisciplinary interests endeared me to The World Wide Web in the early 90s and kicked off my career. After two more graduate degrees covering communications, anthropology, information systems and business, I spent over twenty years in a great technology career.
What a blessing it was to have so many experiences before my third act of life started. Award-winning employee at Fortune 500 companies. Top-rated instructor at two universities. Formal mentor to two college students. Technical program manager for multi-million-dollar projects. Published author. Business owner. Board member for non-profits and associations.
However, a heart attack in my late 40s made me rethink the plan to get to my creative pursuits "in the future." I shed a lot of that "operational weight" from my life, and the realization that my third act had begun early landed on my heart and mind.
Now I write... a lot. I have authored business books like The Myth of Easy and Damaged Joy, as well as a non-fiction book of wisdom for my daughter entitled The Odd Dad Guide. I write screenplays and make films through Crabby Rabbit Productions. Under my pseudonym, Fish Phillips, I have created sci-fi and thriller novels such as The Last Minder, Hidden Demon, and Modern Beasts.
My focus on the creative journey will continue as I explore being a multi-platform creator for the foreseeable future.
All that sounds very formal, so if you made it this far, just realize that I tell jokes that make my engineer wife and daughter roll their eyes. In my "spare time" you can find me watching Duke basketball, punching the heavy bag, traveling, playing chess, or trying new whiskies and scotches. Occasionally, you might hear me share what I've learned while reading about technology related to automobiles, military aircraft, new nuclear power, and artificial intelligence.
Maybe you can tell reinvention is important to me. Let me know what I can help you do next.
