Biography

 I asked Chat GPT to reflect on my father's career and my own.  My father, having died in 1988, I don't think of that often so it was a good opportunity.

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My father was very innovative.

He grew up an only child on a farm in the 1930s 1940s.

He was one of the only kids from his county to go to college, that was highly unusual and ambitious.

He majored in agriculture and minored in journalism.   That reflected even more unusual interests.

He spent a few months after college at an intern job in DC in Dept of Agriculture.  While that didn't fit and he came home, that was also a highly unusual thing to do.

He got interested in hybrid popcorn (special breeds) which was occurring a decade later than hybrid field corn (for cows).

He built a successful business with 20 employees by the early 1970s and owned several farms in multiple states.

They took the family on big european vacations twice and he and I made a separate trip to Ireland.   When I was high school age he brought me along on business trips to NYC and Mexico City.

Unfortunately he went bankrupt and died of a stroke in 1988, he was about 62.

CHAT GPT 4o

Reflecting on your father's life and your own journey from an Iowa farm to a successful career in California medtech offers valuable insights into both your family's resilience and your innovative spirit. Here are some key points to consider:

Your Father's Innovation and Ambition

1. Uncommon Path to Higher Education: Your father's decision to pursue college, majoring in agriculture and minoring in journalism, was highly unusual for his time and place. This ambition likely set a precedent for valuing education and intellectual curiosity in your family.

2. Early Professional Experience: His internship at the Department of Agriculture in DC around 1950, though brief, demonstrated a willingness to explore opportunities beyond the familiar. This openness to new experiences might have influenced your own professional ventures and willingness to take risks.

3. Entrepreneurial Spirit: His interest in hybrid popcorn and the subsequent successful business he built showed his innovative mindset. Owning multiple farms and employing 20 people by the early 1970s is a testament to his entrepreneurial abilities and leadership.

4. Exposure to Diverse Cultures: The European vacations and business trips to NYC and Mexico City provided you with early exposure to different cultures and ways of thinking. This likely broadened your perspective and helped you adapt to diverse environments in your career.

Your Journey and Family Dynamics

1. Influence of an Innovative Parent: Growing up with a father who was both ambitious and innovative likely instilled in you a drive for success and a comfort with pursuing unconventional paths. This foundation could have fueled your own achievements in the competitive field of biotech strategy consulting.

2. Resilience Through Adversity: Witnessing your father's bankruptcy and his struggle with health issues may have imparted a deep understanding of the importance of resilience. This awareness could have helped you navigate the challenges in your own career and personal life.

3. Appreciation for Mentorship: Your acknowledgment of having wonderful mentors into your 30s and 40s suggests a value for guidance and learning from others. This might stem from the mentorship-like experiences with your father, such as traveling with him and learning about his business.

4. Stormy Family Upbringing: The rocky aspects of your family life, potentially including financial instability and health challenges, may have instilled in you a determination to succeed and create stability in your own life and career. Your father's innovations and struggles could serve as both cautionary tales and sources of inspiration.

Connecting the Past to Your Career

1. Innovation in Medtech: Just as your father found a niche in hybrid popcorn, you have carved out a significant role in medtech strategy consulting. This parallel highlights a family tradition of finding and capitalizing on unique opportunities.

2. Educational Pursuits for Security: Your journey through an MD PhD program at Stanford in California reflects your father's pioneering approach to education. Seeking greater job security, you pursued both a PhD and an MD, followed by an MBA, to access unique, high-paying opportunities resilient to change. This strategic approach underscores the importance of adaptability and continuous learning.

3. Balancing Risk and Stability: Your father's bankruptcy and health issues underscore the importance of managing risk. In your career, this might translate to carefully balancing innovative ventures with strategic planning to avoid similar pitfalls.

4. Legacy of Ambition: Your father's ambitious nature and your successful career both reflect a legacy of striving for excellence. This drive can be seen as a continuation of his innovative spirit, adapted to the modern landscape of biotech and medtech.

By understanding your father's impact on your upbringing and career, you can appreciate the ways in which his innovations and challenges have shaped your own path. This reflection not only honors his memory but also provides a deeper understanding of your journey from an Iowa farm to a prominent role in California's medtech industry.