sports – MENTOR dna

October 27, 2024October 27, 2024

Jim Abbott – Former MLB Pitcher

Jim Abbott is an University of Michigan Baseball Hall of Famer and MLB pitcher known for being born with one hand. His parents never treated him any differently and taught him to live independently and joyfully. Growing up, Jim played multiple sports and joined his high school football team as quarterback, but he ultimately chose baseball when he went to University of Michigan.

As a kid, Jim’s dad worked with him to improve on speed and technique, perfecting what’s now known as the Abbott switch. While pitching, Jim would balance his glove on his right wrist, where the arm ends, pitching with his left arm. When fielding, he’d quickly switch the glove to his left hand. Despite having offers to play professionally out of high school, Jim opted to attend University of Michigan where he earned the Golden Spikes Award.

1988, Jim’s junior year at University of Michigan, proved to be an exciting one as he won Big Ten

Athlete of the Year, signed with the Angels, played in the Pan American games, defeating Cuba in the finals, AND helped lead the US Olympic baseball team to gold at the summer games in Seoul, South Korea.

After playing with the Angels for four seasons, he was traded to the Yankees, where he and his wife navigated big city life as a young couple. In 1993, Jim famously threw a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians, and the season was halted the following year due to the MLB strike. He eventually signed with the White Sox as a free agent and then re-signed with the Angels in 1996. Jim discusses his struggles through his professional career and how he had to meet some deeply-buried fears head-on to realize and appreciate that there’s much more to him as a person than playing in the MLB.

Jim retired from baseball in ’97 and unlocked his passion for sharing his story to encourage others to persevere and overcome seemingly impossible challenges.

About Jim Abbott

As a kid, Jim’s dad worked with him to improve on speed and technique, perfecting what’s now known as the Abbott switch.

While pitching, Jim would balance his glove on his right wrist, where the arm ends, pitching with his left arm. When fielding, he’d quickly switch the glove to his left hand. Despite having offers to play professionally out of high school, Jim opted to attend University of Michigan where he earned the Golden Spikes Award.

1988, Jim’s junior year at University of Michigan, proved to be an exciting one as he won Big Ten Athlete of the Year, signed with the Angels, played in the Pan American games, defeating Cuba in the finals, AND helped lead the US Olympic baseball team to gold at the summer games in Seoul, South Korea.

He eventually signed with the White Sox as a free agent and then re-signed with the Angels in 1996. Jim discusses his struggles through his professional career and how he had to meet some deeply-buried fears head-on to realize and appreciate that there’s much more to him as a person than playing in the MLB.

Jim retired from baseball in ’97 and unlocked his passion for sharing his story to encourage others to persevere and overcome seemingly impossible challenges.

August 8, 2022August 8, 2022

Bill Schlough – CIO SF Giants

When I talk to people about getting their MBAs, most of their focus is around gaining new technical skills like financial modeling or something similar. I strongly believe that connecting with classmates and creating new memories with those friends is more important than learning how to be an excel jockey. Bill Schlough is a perfect example of this as we never took a class together, but share fun memories from our days playing volleyball at Wharton – hours spent on the courts and traveling up and down the New England corridor for tourneys. Bill’s held the role of Chief Information Officer for the San Francisco Giants since our graduation 25 years ago. It’s no surprise that we chat a lot about the importance sports plays in the lives of our children and communities across the US.

I incorrectly assumed that Bill, a former collegiate two-sport athlete and Olympics employee, seeks athletes in his hiring, so he fills me in on what he seeks in candidates. His hilarious story about the real life challenges Covid presented as he simultaneously navigated keeping his kindergartener on task during Zoom classes while dialing into his executive staff meetings amidst flying Nerf darts are sure to make you laugh.

I’ve had a hunch about the long-term effects of innovation with remote work. The US boasts some of the most innovative companies in the world, but my experience is that ideas occur in serendipitous moments in the break room during your afternoon chocolate break. Bill says that being back at work breathes lives back into his work day, and he supports my thesis that being in-person is critically important to keeping the flywheel of innovation spinning.

Bill’s an incredible mentor and reveals that he loves giving back and particularly expressing his gratitude with the mentors in his life. With 600+ mentees over his career, Bill demonstrates a servant’s heart and desire to help and guide others. This episode is truly inspirational as Bill is a down-to-earth executive with such rich and deep insights to share with anyone looking to break into the C-Suite. Thanks for tuning in!

About Bill Schlough

Since Bill Schlough’s arrival in 1999, the Giants have been recognized as one of the most innovative teams in sports, playing a pioneering role in the world of mobile connectivity, video, ticketing and payment systems. The Giants were the first team to provide free Wi-Fi to all fans beginning in 2004, and Oracle Park is currently the home of the third largest and first 4K-capable video boardin MLB. Schlough’s IT team has also supported the baseball operation in implementing an array of proprietary analytictools that helped the team secure three World Series titles in recent years.

In addition to his technologyleadershipresponsibilities in San Francisco, Schloughserved asInterim President and subsequently Chairman ofthe Giants’ Class-A San Jose affiliate, ultimately overseeing the team’s recent sale after a decade at the helm.

An Olympic enthusiast, Schlough assisted in crafting the technology vision and operations plans for San Francisco’s bids to host the 2012, 2016 and 2024 Olympic Games. His event experience includes assignments at the 1994 World Cup along with Olympics in Atlanta, Salt Lake, Torino, PyeongChang, and Beijing.

Previously, he worked as a consultant with Booz-Allen & Hamilton and EDS. Schlough serveson the boardof Junior Achievement of Northern California and isan avid supporter of Junior Giants, raising over $150,000 through speaking appearances and other fundraisers. Schlough was inducted into CIO.com’s CIO Hall of Fame in 2017, was named Trace3’s 2016 CIO Outlier of the Year, InformationWeek’s 2012 IT Chief of the Year, and is a Sports Business Journal“Forty Under 40” honoree.

A San Francisco native and Ironman triathlete, Schlough holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from Duke University and an MBA from the Wharton School. He resides inLos Altos with his wife, Erin, and sons, Xavier and Quinlan.

May 6, 2022May 6, 2022

Damien Hobgood – ex Pro Surfer

My husband and I met former pro surfer Damien Hobgood through a mutual friend. On a whim, Damien agreed to surprise my husband for our wedding anniversary with some friends at Amor Boutique Hotel in Sayulita MX. Damien had big dreams of surfing professionally in high school, when that wasn’t even a thing. He chased that dream and surfed on the tour for 14 years, then followed that up riding big waves in the World Surf League.

We talk about the early days of pro surfing…when no one even thought it was possible to earn a living chasing waves. Damien has deeply-held convictions about integrity and being true to yourself and your family’s beliefs. As a Christian man, he learned life’s most important lessons from his mom.

Throughout his career, he’s dealt with big brands, sponsors, and promoters, which gave him plenty of opportunities to learn about the corporate world, which he’s now taken into his career in wealth management. He continues to collaborate with brands like Salty Crew and surf-related operations like Desert Surf, an artificial wave surf park slated to open in Palm Desert in 2023.

Damien shares the many transferable lessons from sports to the corporate world. If you love surfing, are curious about what it was like growing up in that culture, or want to hear Damien’s perspective of meeting challenges head on, you’ll learn so much and more on this interesting episode of MENTOR dna!

About Damien Hobgood

Damien Hobgood is a professional surfer from Satellite Beach, FL. He and identical twin brother, CJ, started surfing at a very young age as they tried to keep up with their dad past the whitewash breaks.

Damien always dreamt of being a pro surfer, even writing about it in high school, where his teacher said “You can’t do that! There isn’t such a thing!” But in fact, the pro surfing circuit was just starting and Kelly Slater was paving the path. Upon graduating high school, Damien tried to qualify for the pro tour, missing out on a spot to CJ, but that didn’t deter Damien. In fact, he prayed and made a promise to God that if he made the tour, he’d give his life to the Lord. He kept at it and qualified for the tour the following year in an incredible competition in Brazil. As he stood on an empty beach after his win, he remembered his promise to God and committed his life to Him at that point.

Damien and CJ both surfed for Rusty and started to receive a lot of coverage in surf and mainstream media like Surfer Magazine, USA Today and Rolling Stone.

Damien won 2000 World Championship Tour rookie of the year and was also the 2004 Quiksilver Pro Fiji Winner, 2005 Santa Catarina Pro Winner, 2006 Globe Fiji Pro Winner, 2007 Billabong Pro Tahiti Winner. He’s famous in the surfing world for holding one of the highest two-wave scores in pro surfing by scoring 19.9 out of 20 in the 2004 Quiksilver pro where he defeated Andy Irons.

Damien surfed on the World Championship Tour for 14 years then went on to compete on the 2015 World Surf League’s Big Wave Tour. In 2019, in conjunction with a documentary about their lives “And Two If by Sea,” the WSL held an honorary Heritage Heat for Damien and CJ to compete against each other at the Hurley Tahiti Pro, a spot where they both still hold titles as the most winning professional surfers of all time.

Damien has since retired from surfing professionally and continues to work with lifestyle brand Salty Crew. He’s also involved with DSRT Surf, a world-class wave pool resort slated to open in Palm Desert in 2023. Damien is a doting father of three beautiful children and has now transitioned his career into wealth management with Freshwater Financial in San Diego, CA.

February 2, 2022February 2, 2022

Gary Addeo – Pastor, Sales Lead, AAA Pitcher

Gary Addeo is a mentor that’s poured into my life in such rich and impactful ways, that I struggle to understand how he does it for so many other people, too. He came into my life as a bible study leader when my husband and I first met and has since been such an incredible friend to our entire family, guiding us in spiritual matters, helping with parenting questions, and acting as a sound board for some of life’s biggest decisions.

Gary truly has a servant’s heart and has touched thousands of lives; church members, clients from his printing days, and homeless people he meets and shepherds. Tune in as he shares stories about his start in the minor leagues as a pitcher, having to walk away from his life’s dream to play in the MLB, to his 4th career buying land for a regional logger and developer in the Pacific North West.

About Gary Addeo

Gary Addeo started his career as a pitcher playing AAA baseball. After tearing his rotator cuff during spring training one year, he had to make a tough decision. He decided to pursue a different avenue and entered into a 36-year career in sales in the printing and typesetting industry.

After nearly four decades commuting from Orange County to all parts of Southern California, Gary’s doctors warned him that the long commutes and stress were significantly impacting his health. Gary volunteered in his local churches through his adult years and felt called to pursue ministry full time. An exciting and lifelong-dream to become a community pastor presented itself and he jumped!

Gary spent much time helping friends, family and strangers in need. He’s an incredible prayer warrior and knows the Word and exactly how to reference the right scriptures. He and his family have hosted countless people and families in their own homes, including professional surfers and skateboarders who moved in and out of the Volcom house in Newport Beach in its earliest days.

He led life groups and recovery ministries for 8 years at Rock Harbor Church in Costa Mesa. As leadership changed at the church, he also saw the writing on the wall. It was evident that that he was being called away from Southern California. To his friends, this seemed impossible. How could a man who grew up surfing and loving the beach so much move away!?

But family duties called. He and his wife made the move to the Pacific Northwest, where he started a new chapter working for his son-in-law in timber sales and land development. Gary’s calm demeanor immediately puts anyone at ease, and his friendly approach has served him well through all of his years in sales.