health & fitness

As a child, Greg learned firsthand that an athlete can have an immense impact on the community.  Due to his efforts to read & help raise money for charity, he got to spend time with NFL players over the course of several years. They urged him to devote even more time to those educational & civic efforts -- encouragement which helped spark a lifelong interest in reading & writing and philanthropy & community service. (Scroll Down to Continue)
 Throughout his life, Greg has participated in athletics as well - from Little League & summer camp as a child, to weightlifting & varsity sports as a teen, to triathlons & an all-in-fun "tryout" with the Minnesota Twins' AAA team'  as an adult (with sponsors that included iconic organizations like Louisville Slugger).  On the civic side, sports played a significant role in the mentoring program that Greg started shortly after college. His foundation (The 11-10-02 Foundation) is now in its 22nd year. It is entirely volunteer run. Individuals such as then-Chicago Cub Eric Young and then-Chicago Bears quarterback Jim Miller have served on the foundation's Scholarship Boards. The financial contributors to the  foundation have included individuals such as NHL legend Chris Chelios & organizations like Fitness Formula Clubs (FFC).. Scroll down to Continue
Picture
 At times, his participation in sports has required overcoming physical obstacles, including 7 operations. In 2009, he was injured in an accident while volunteering & had to have surgery on his spine. Three years later, he completed a sprint triathlon on 6 days notice. Click here to read the USA Triathlon article about it. Along the way, he has had a number of fun & memorable other sports-related experiences including: Honorary Bat Boy for a Day for the Chicago Cubs when he was a boy & throwing out the first pitch at a game for the Charlotte Knights (AAA affiliate of the Chicago White Sox) 25 years later. (Scroll Down to Continue)

Picture
Greg's books highlight health & fitness (sports, health club, summer camp) in a positive light & reflect on lessons  (i.e. work ethic, teamwork, perseverance, leadership) that are relevant to those who take part in those kinds of experiences. Individuals & groups that have used the books & workbooks &/or the related posters in their internal efforts (i.e. with staff or members) or external efforts (i.e. for students or others in their communities) &/or as part of The Elevator Project) include many individuals and groups who are part of the sports and sports management and/or health-fitness related industries.  (Scroll Down to Continue)
The list includes Minnesota Vikings, Toronto Blue Jays, Michael Fulmer (Detroit Tigers pitcher) and his friends & representatives at BBI Sports Group, Fitness Formula Clubs (FFC), Wisconsin Badger State Games Wausau,  ACE Cheerleading, LA Fitness, Lost Forty /Faction Cycling, Chicago Bears, USA Mobility, Inc., Wellbridge Athletic Club, Camp Menominee; Olympic hockey player (Canada) Chay Genoway, Saturday Place (co-founded by former NFL star Rashied Davis), Peoria YMCA, pro golfer Jeff Hatten, Kentucky Rural Health Association, Foot Associates of New York, Seattle Seahawks, St. John's University women's soccer team & a number of chapters of National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Scroll Down to Continue
Greg has been invited to speak at a number of summer camps as well as events exclusively for student-athletes (i.e. Boston University, University of North Dakota) & events for those in health & fitness-related fields (i.e. conference for nurses in Canada). At times, he has been one of multiple speakers at an event. In some of those cases, the other presenters included leaders in this same field including former University of Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne and then-University of Kansas football coach David Beaty. To read a sample of feedback from athletic-related sources, click here.  (Scroll Down to Continue)
​Greg has occasionally written profiles or conducted interviews for papers & magazines -- highlighting inspiring people with health-fitness connections (i.e. a collegiate student-athlete, the owner of a basketball camp, the owner of a summer camp, the co-founders of the nation's fastest growing athletic fundraiser, a minor league baseball player, and people who work in the NBA, MLB and NFL (i.e. an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics). In one instance, he wrote a column about the lessons learned from being in a wheelchair. In another instance, he did a photo/journal essay for a newspaper about Friday Night Lights high school football in Texas.