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Today's Featured Biography

Tom Swallow

After graduation, when it became clear that the Kamp Kansky Singers were not going to receive that big recording contract, I took a job at Dalgety/Cedergreen Foods. It didn’t take long to come to the realization that college might not be so bad. I did two years at WVC then transferred to CWU, graduating with an accounting degree. With degree in hand and the student loan authorities in hot pursuit, I loaded my essential belongings (record collection, stereo, 100% polyester suit and power tie) into the ’68 Buick Skylark (which amazingly never made Car of the Month in the Apple Leaf) and headed to the big city (Seattle) to find fortune and fame, or a least a job. After pounding the pavement for a couple of months and sleeping on the couch of fellow class of ‘78 alumni (thanks Rich and Kurt!), I landed my first “real” job with Maryatt Industries, a family-owned linen and uniform company where I worked for 5 years. It became clear that the only way to get ahead was to marry into the family and the prospects didn’t look good (literally), so I decided it was time to leave. I took a few months off and did the back packing around Europe thing which was a great experience. Upon my return, I took a job with a start-up biotech company in Bothell called ICOS. While the company had grand plans to cure serious diseases such as MS, asthma, hypertension and arthritis, clinical trials in all these areas failed. However, along the way we discovered what every Biotech is looking for, a billion dollar seller. That drug turned out to be Cialis, a competitor to Viagra. While not a “serious” disease (unless you have it), it turned out to be something people were interested in, including Eli Lilly who bought the company in 2007 and gave all 700+ employees their walking papers. After a short break (too short!), I joined a small biotech in Seattle focused on gene therapy, where I have been for the past year.

One of my fringe benefits while working at ICOS was meeting my wife, Audrey. As part of the Human Resources group, she was responsible for organizing the company golf tournament. Somehow, I mysteriously ended up in her foursome. While my golf game certainly didn’t impress her, something did and we hit it off from the first tee (no pun intended). After dating for ~2 years, we were married in 1995. We are the proud parents of two great kids: Garrett (1996) and Nicholas (1999). They both love sports and I’m having a great time coaching their basketball and baseball teams. I’m glad all that time shooting hoops in the gym during double management time and playing intramural basketball with Tijuana Tech is being put to good use. For those of you who remember my basketball “skills”, I’m happy to report that not much has rubbed off on my kids, they’re actually pretty good! In addition to sports, they are both very good students, a trait they certainly didn’t inherit from me! Thank you Audrey!

We have been living in the Issaquah/Sammamish area for the past 12 years and really enjoy it. Audrey has been able to “stay home” with the boys since they were born and, in addition to running the household, has been very active with the school, serving on the PTA board and volunteering in the classroom. She has recently taken a part-time administrative job with the local elementary school which she is very excited about. I guess this means I’ll have to step it up a notch on the household front! “Now exactly where is it that we keep that vacuum?”

In an attempt to keep up with my kids or perhaps to remain a kid, I have been playing softball with Rich Weston and Bob Belknap (and thank goodness some younger players) for the past 20+ years. While we are certainly slower than we used to be (at least Rich and Bob are), we are having fun and it’s a good excuse to get together.

With two sisters and my Mom (my Dad passed away a couple of years ago) living in Wenatchee, we get over for a visit periodically, although not as often as we’d like. In addition, I have a brother in Victoria B.C., another one street over in Sammamish and a sister in Aberdeen. Between us, we have produced 16 great kids and are fortunate that all of the cousins and spouses get along, which makes family visits and get-togethers a lot of fun. In addition to my side of the family, my wife has a sister in NY, a brother in NJ and parents and other assorted relatives in Maine, including two more cousins for the boys, so we visit the East Coast or they visit us as often as we can.

I guess that about sums up the past 30 years of my life. Hope all is well with you.

Update: Wow! Ten more years! Still happily married to Audrey and still happily working in biotech. Cancer drugs this time. Audrey is retired, but busier than ever. Garrett will be a senior at Chapman University, Nicholas (now Nick) completed his AA degree while going to high school and will be attending Gonzaga in the fall. Jake the dog just turned six.

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