About Jeffrey
Manifesting and Generation
Curiosity and execution are my calling card. Whether by high mountain trails, technology solutions, global history, tradesmanship and craftsmanship, client needs or simply exploring the depth and breadth of human experience, my insatiable curiosity and deeply grounded optimism are my compass.
I am unafraid to tackle huge challenges and possess the IQ and EQ to manage significantly complex strategies and projects. In certain ways I am a "manifesting generator", one of those individuals who adept at conceptualizing new and complex solutions and leading teams to effective completion of targets and objectives - a fire starter, in other words.
I am a high EQ leader; my understanding of the breadth of human experience is varied and deep. As an avocational student of sociology, geo-political history and intelligence analysis, my situational awareness is tuned to sensing both prime and marginal opportunities and to sussing out even the slightest risks.
Conquering fear, extreme adventuring and overcoming obstacles began early in my life. By the age of 15 I had participated in three serial annual attempts to summit the second toughest mountain in the Continental United States on expeditions led by a former US Army Special Forces Colonel (one of the first five SF troops into Vietnam), had canoed over 150 miles of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument (partly retracing the route of Lewis & Clark), had learned to telemark ski, had floated the wild Smith River three times and had completed two 75+ mile backpacks in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana. I grew up sneaking out of my 17-room 3-story Victorian family home late at night to explore 100-year old abandoned gold rush mines and to nordic ski the deserted streets of the Montana state capital Helena during every winter blizzard.
As a lifelong outdoorsman by weekend and a consummate busy professional by workweek, I value both the cultural allure of major metropolitan living and the quietude of rural escape, including the occasional significant respite and rejuvenation of career, for example, of building a community kitchen in a dirt-poor village in Nicaragua or by thru-hiking 1700 miles in five months on the Appalachian Trail in one year.
I am a classically trained and talented fine dining executive chef who has managed leading kitchens in five U.S. states, helping spear-head the early days of the farm-to-table and organic movements in the Pacific Northwest and Northern New England. I developed my avocational interest in politics in college, becoming the first Montanan to be Student Body President of the fifth largest community college in California. I have furthered my political interest by serving society in local-level politics (county party chair and state Senate campaign manager) and through sitting on nonprofit boards and committees, raising tens of thousands in contributions toward fighting childhood hunger.
Today I am professionally and personally focused on growing and optimizing sustainable and human-centric teams and organizations across industry segments, refining the sister concept to “always be closing”, ABO or “Always Be Optimizing”, as a leader, and empowering my peers and fellow professionals to uncover and realize the best of their abilities.
I am extremely interested in living a fully optimized and healthy life to a very long age, discovering adventures and long trails, including at high altitudes, and participating in ultra physical adventures (Hard Rock 100, Western States Endurance, Marathon des Sables and the Iditarod 1000 Mile Winter Foot Race Invitational, to name a few). I am working with a boutique outdoors film and creative studio to document several areas of personal growth and adventure: a) urban micro homesteading (how much produce can a former professional chef grow in a big-city apartment for personal consumption), b) making a 4th attempt to finally summit Granite Peak in Montana, and c) documenting the journey to maximize human health through robust movement, intentional living and fueling with a super-clean ingredient from-scratch diet.