Tom Gray

I was schooled as a mechanical engineer and continued my professional journey into project and change management, moving from fixing machines to improving people. I imagine things better then they are and seek to make those visions into reality to make businesses operate more efficiently, to be productive, and to create value. I dislike chaos but feel most alive and creative amongst the insanity; my mission to bring it order. And when order comes I get bored and the call of chaos is again my siren.

That's who I am 8-5 weekdays but as a person I am a restless and creative soul. My outlet is art; painting portraits and highly detailed technical illustrations of machines of speed. I enjoy conversation about the what-ifs, the complexities that others find confusing and messy that are best avoided. I became an avid reader late in life, mostly out of necessity to fight off the boredom on the weekly flights to client sites. In reading I found the desire to write about personal experiences. I am competitive and enjoy the physical pursuits of soccer and cycling even though my recovery from both activities continues to grow longer with each passing season. I will do both as long as I can regardless of performance.

My best years of competition are behind me yet those ahead are worth living for. I was fortunate enough to pedal across the United States twice and I recorded my first passage in a book I wrote for myself. Someday I may forget who I am, who I was, and in that book will be the story of me riding across America during the spring of 2004. I will read it to my grandchildren and someday they will read it to me. Writing has inspired me to do more and other works are planned, some of a professional bent and others that will go back to the small carefree boy running through the farms and fields of New Jersey. I'll create the stories whilst enjoying a good red wine as I take in the view of the woods from my window. Along with this I will read, learn Java programming, and start an auto body class so that I can repaint my tired old truck and bring it life. And that is just what I have planned for this spring!