About Pete Tomczak

1. Family

1.1. Born and raised in Garberville, CA My wife is a nursing instructor at Lane Community College. We met in the romantic environment of the operating room in 2014 during one of the hundreds of spine surgeries I used to support in my time as a medical device representative.

1.2. Our son, Howard, was born in 2017. As a highly-energetic toddler, he keeps us on our toes every second of the day. He's currently involved in soccer, gymnastics, and ballet. Even after a morning full of all three activities, it's still nearly impossible to get him down for a nap!

1.3. My wife's family still lives in Humboldt, which is one of the reasons we moved to Eugene. My family is still in Michigan, and we usually get back one to two times each year. Humboldt is one of the most beautiful places in the country, and if you haven't been I highly recommend visiting

2. My Professional Career

2.1. I spent over 11 years with a spine surgery medical device leader. Not too long after trying to balance the demands of my job (working in surgery in Portland and living in Eugene), this program, and being present with my family, I had to take a break to reset my career and truly research what was next.

2.2. I'm currently looking into new opportunities in healthcare or tech that will provide a greater work-life balance in a role that has a high degree of autonomy and variety, and with an organization that provides shared value to society. I've also been paying close attention to the legal cannabis industry as it unfolds.

2.3. I have significant experience in marketing and sales roles, across two different industries and multiple geographies. I hope to apply the knowledge gained from this program to a leadership role where I can have greater impact and influence in the organization, and on society.

3. Wanderlust

3.1. Currently, I live in verdant Eugene, OR in our very first house. Eugene has a great sense of community and we couldn't be happier. We moved here in 2017 to be closer to family, to raise our son , and to finally call a city our "home". Though, Kalamazoo, Michigan will always be where I'm from.

3.2. I've traveled to over 25 countries on five continents, studied abroad in Helsinki in 2004, and served an expatriate assignment the Philippines in 2007. In the states, I went from Kalamazoo, MI to East Lansing, MI, to Newport, RI to Del Mar, CA to Seattle, WA to Eugene. After nearly 24 official "moves", we are done moving, but not done traveling!

3.3. I really hope to participate in the Carey leadership expedition in Norway. My family and I also have our sights set on Argentina as our next adventure!

4. Hobbies and Interests

4.1. I follow the economy closely, listening to APM's Marketplace podcast daily. Influencers like Paul Krugman, Kathleen Day, and Krissy Clark have become my role models over the past couple of years.

4.2. Almost to a fault, I am a proselytizer for the mind-body connection. Nutrition and exercise are passions of mine, and just last year I accomplished a life-long dream of building out my garage gym. Also, I've discovered the transformational benefits of Yoga over the past 4 years. Now, I can't imagine life without it either of them.

4.3. My family and I love to travel and experience new cultures. Also, I've dabbled in ceramics over the past few years. My buddy has a kiln and wheel in my garage as well, but because of school, work, and family, I haven't had time for it lately. I intend to get back to it after I graduate!