Gary started his business career in sales for a Muzak franchise in Minneapolis, MN, where he grew up. He sold at award winning levels and quickly advanced to running a similar business in NC for his mentor and tripling the revenue for that business in just five years.
He then advanced to a Regional VP level with responsibility for all of the Muzak markets east of the Mississippi with over 100 employees and $100M in revenue.
From there, Gary became an entrepreneur and bought his own business in Cleveland, OH…Ohio Sound, a branding media business. Gary grew that business from $2M in revenue to $5M in revenue in three years, then sold his business to the parent company.
Gary continued his entrepreneurial ways and founded Proforma Solution Ventures in Cleveland, OH, a promotions and marketing company. He is still a partner in this successful small business and his partner and co-owner runs this day to day.
Gary then moved to Birmingham, AL to join focus4media as the CEO and operating partner. This was a branding media business that helped companies tell their story through Sight, Sound, Scent, and Audio visual systems. Focus4media had 100 employees with four offices throughout the southeast, grew the business from $5M to $15M revenue in eight years, then sold the business in 2018 and retired.
Gary’s strengths and passions are sales, growing a business, and customer service. He believes nothing happens in business until someone sells something, so there has to be a very strong and focused effort to sell in order to succeed in business. Gary also has a no-nonsense approach to customer service saying anyone can talk a good game, but to excel at customer service it takes an entire company culture who commit to this all day, every day.
Personal
Gary lives with his wife Susan and they split their time in Birmingham, AL and Phoenix, AZ. He and Susan have three boys, three grandchildren, in Atlanta, GA and Roanoke, VA. Gary’s personal time is spent with his family, grandchildren, golf, pickleball, fitness, travel, and pinot noir.
Gary has always had a passion for helping those who have served in the military, and is looking forward to being involved and contributing to the success of B.R.A.V.E.