1. What drew you toward your particular profession?
I was drawn to Dermatology my third year of medical school. I loved the intellectual challenge of diagnosing skin diseases with visual clues. The teaching physicians amazed me with their ability to diagnose based in largepart on just what they could see. Over the last 23 years I have noticed that for many in medicine the physical exam has become less important then the results of lab or imaging tests or other “hands off” tools. While I use these tools too, I am glad that my visual skills are still the most useful diagnostic tool I use. While common diseases like acne, eczema and psoriasis are challenging to treat and require an armamentarium of treatment options, the vast majority of skin diseases are unknown to non-dermatologists, so learning dermatology was also like learning a secret language. That’s fun!
2. How did you get involved with Blink?
I first heard about Blink when Russell Benaroya told me about a fantastic idea he had to provide tattoo removal services. I have been performing tattoo removals since 1987, and have done laser tattoo removal since about 1999, so he knew I could bring expertise to his plan. What he brought to me was a model to reach people who wanted to have their tattoos removed by using Internet-based social networking, something I knew would be powerful but I lacked the time and expertise to do. The final thing that convinced me to associate with Blink was Russell’s commitment that Blink would only provide the best medical care and have the highest possible patient satisfaction. My success has been based on the same principles, so I felt comfortable associating with them.
3. Tell us a few little known facts about you.
I am a huge Duck fan! OK, that isn’t really little known but I had to get that in somewhere. Anyway, I was born and raised in Sublimity, Oregon and am the 4th generation to have lived on our family farm. My mom still lives there and my wife and I see the farm as a precious resource that we will safeguard in the future. My wife Tammy and I are big into freestyle skiing. We ski as many (steep) powder lines as we can and do most of that in the Crystal Mountain slack country. We also love exploring new ski areas and last year discovered Revelstoke, BC. If you like steep powder then check it out. We have two children, one a sophomore at the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!) and the other a high school senior contemplating her options (currently UW leads her list; it’s all good). Both are excellent skiers too and we have had many great days playing together. Did I say one is a Duck?
4. What TV shows or movies are you watching now?
While I love movies I don’t watch much tv. The exception is college football. I think you know my favorite team. As for movies, I have an eclectic list of favorites. Pulp Fiction still amazes me, Young Frankenstein still makes me laugh. I like anything with Meryl Streep, Marlon Brando (check out Viva Zapata!), Cary Grant (best male lead ever), and Jack Nicholson (my definition of sardonic). I want to dance like Fred Astaire in Swingtime too. My favorite recent movie was The Reader.
5. What hobbies or interests do you have outside of work?
I have loved fly fishing for many years, and I have backpacked and climbed throughout Oregon, California and Washington for over 35 years. As our children grew I introduced them to these things I love and also found others that we could do together, like boating. We have worked our way up in boats over the years so now one of our favorite family vacations is cruising through the San Juans and the Inside Passage. We have been as far as Desolation Sound and look forward to exploring the West Coast of Vancouver Island next.
6. What is one thing you want to do before you die?
I have a long list of places to explore so I am going to cheat and say the one thing I want to do is live a healthy and vital 120 years so I can get a lot done.
Can I also toss in seeing the Ducks play (and win) in the college football National Championship?
Can I also toss in seeing the Ducks play (and win) in the college football National Championship?
