Grand Haven Mens Golf Assoc.

Born in Philadelphia, Joe was raised in northern New Jersey.  After graduating from Ridgewood High School, he attended Rutgers University, graduating with a BA in Psychology. 
 
In 1967, Joe married Cheryl Clark.  Cheryl’s mother and Joe’s mother attended high school together and remained friends.  Joe and Cheryl knew each other for their entire lives, and, once in high school, saw ‘different’ qualities in one another... which ultimately led to marriage.  Joe states that, after 51 years of marriage and the gift of three wonderful sons and seven grandchildren, the best decision he ever made was to marry Cheryl.
 
After college, and the advice from one of his psychology professors that anything less than a doctorate would not provide a livable wage for a family, Joe gravitated to the computer industry, which was in its infancy.
 
While serving as Director of Systems for a Manhattan-based NYSE firm, he accepted an assignment to provide consulting services, using his vacation time, nights, weekends, etc.  After having used up his vacation time, and with a sustained period of six months of four hours of sleep per night, Joe resigned his NYC position to begin consulting full time for The Orvis Company in Manchester Vermont.  Over an eight-year tenure at Orvis, Joe became a member of the Board of Directors and Chief Operating Officer.
 
The lure of launching a start-up company with three other individuals was irresistible, and Joe joined the start-up, which was acquired by a large direct marketing organization.   Joe returned to consulting as an independent turn-around management consultant, doing work for large and small firms, including Warner Brothers, Technicolor, New York State Urban Development Corp., Barnes & Noble, and other lesser-known companies.  One assignment was the turn-around of a subsidiary company that was jointly owned by The Coca-Cola Company and Coca-Cola Bottling Consolidated.  That assignment spanned five years and resulted in Joe acquiring the subsidiary that he and his management team turned around. 
 
Shortly after the acquisition, the company was acquired from Joe, at which time he launched an accounting firm with offices in Chattanooga TN and Roswell, GA (a suburb of Atlanta).
 
In 2015, Joe and Cheryl decided to retire to Palm Coast, after having vacationed here.  They built a home in Wild Oaks.  Because of the nature of Joe’s work (two to five-year turn-around assignments) they have lived in PA, NJ, MA, VT, VA, NC, TN, GA, and now are semi-retired in Florida.  Joe observes that when he leaves Grand Haven permanently, it will be in an urn.
 
Joe began playing golf in 2016 at 70 years old.  Jan Marsh encouraged Joe to join the Men’s Golf Association.  It was a wonderful idea, and through Jan’s guidance, Joe states that he has had the benefit to enjoy the camaraderie of the MGA members.  “Despite my agonizingly slow development of golf skills, they have been unfailingly patient and encouraging.  I owe a debt of gratitude to Jan and all of the MGA members who have been so helpful to me.