Executive Director, The Harbor Entrepreneur Center

B.A. Applied Science, 1978

What role do you play in the entrepreneurial ecosystem?

As executive director of the Harbor Entrepreneur Center, it's my role to create as many opportunities for collision as possible among entrepreneurs in all stages of their journey, from start-up to exit. This ranges from one-on-one meetings all the way up to galas and banquets for the 60+ companies in residence here at the Center. It's all about getting the right entrepreneurs together and creating the right environment for peer-to-peer mentoring.

What are some of your best memories of your time at Clemson?

Definitely the gang we went to class with. Not only was the campus a lot different back in the seventies, but Lake Hartwell was also largely undeveloped, and we had a blast in our free time out on the lake.

What were the key inflection points in your career after you left Clemson?

The major inflection point came a couple years after graduation when I realized I would never be satisfied working for someone else and I'd better go start my own business or settle for being miserable the rest of my life. I started and operated several businesses over the period of about a dozen years. Some fun; some ok; and some disastrous - all while trying to raise a family. To quote Charles Dickens, It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. The next inflection point came when I met the right co-founder and we started the Charleston Regional Business Journal. After a start-up period of about five years that I can only describe as visceral, we hit our stride and never looked back. We grew into a chain of SC-based publications, SC Biz News, and we exited after a great 25-year run.

What are your personal and professional dreams?

Personally, my dream is to stay healthy and fit enough to keep surfing at a level of performance that's slightly better than geriatric.

Professionally, At my age, there's no professional dream, but I do have a goal and that is to help as many entrepreneurs as possible avoid all the dumb mistakes I've made over the years. I approach my role as a mentor humbly. I know I don't have any answers, but I do know most of the questions.

What would you recommend students do to maximize their remaining time at Clemson?

If you are really thinking about being an entrepreneur, go find a start-up and get involved. The pay will likely stink (if there's pay at all.) Roll up your sleeves and dig into solving the problems they are dealing with. If you are lucky, you will get to know that founder and live the highs and lows of that person's life a little bit. Then take that experience back into class with you. It may give you a new way of looking at things.

What else should we know about you?

I drive a 1975 AMC Pacer. It's a stupid car, but somebody has to do it.