Brett Gries:
CLASS OF 1966
Moorpark High SchoolClass of 1966
Moorpark, CA
Bradley UniversityClass of 1982
Peoria, IL
University of Wisconsin - WhitewaterClass of 1971
Whitewater, WI
University of RedlandsClass of 1970
Redlands, CA
Yucaipa High SchoolClass of 1966
Yucaipa, CA
Brett's Story
EDUCATION
Redlands University 1 year
University Of Wisconsin BBA - Accounting
Bradley University MBA
Northwestern Post Graduate classes, including Merger Week
CPA
EMPLOYERS
Brack's Candy, Chicago, IL 1 year
Country Beautiful Corporation, Waukesha, WI 3 years
Unicare Services, Milwaukee, WI 4 years
Congoleum, Milwaukee, WI 4 years
Keystone Steel & Wire, Peoria, IL 4 years
Newell/Rubbermaid, Freeport, IL 22 year
The Plastics Exchange, Chicago, IL 4 years
Retired as CFO February 2013, and relocated to Aiken, SC April 2013
For the rest of my Story, see Gallery for Picture’s. These are my "Descriptions".
#1
Profile Pic
Big Game Fishing In Cabo San Lucas
#2
Blaze, Brandi, Sierra and Grandma
This is one of my Favorite pic's. Mom came down to Beloit WI., to watch Blaze play during his Senior year. Blaze, Brandi & Sierra went to a small school. Aquin High School has an enrollment of 100, so everyone did a lot. Sierra did Volleyball, Basketball & Cheerleading, Brandi did Volleyball, Basketball & Cheerleading. Blaze did Football, Golf, Basketball & Track. His Senior Year, Blaze qualified for State in Golf. Thursday he went to the Course for his practice round. Friday he played his First State Round. After the round he hoped into a car which took him to the Football Game (2 hours away). He got dressed and played Tight End and Outside Linebacker the whole game. After the game, he again hopped into a car which took him back to his room at the Golf Tournament city (2 hours away). Saturday he played his Second State Round, and eventually ended up somewhere in the middle of the golfers who qualified for State.
#3
My Racing Years
After my divorce, I bought a Pantera. My Pantera was very fast... I had it up to 150 plus, on Wisconsin County roads a number of times. My folks were worried that I would wrap my car around a tree, and kill myself, so we got into racing. Raced for 4 years and had 12 wins. I then decided to make Business my career, and we sold our Race Car. It was a wild experience. I had a handful of accidents. The most exciting was when the person behind me touched my rear tire with his front tire. His car came up over mine, leaving skid marks on the top of my air scoop and on the top of my shock absorber upright. When I looked up, I saw the bottom of his race car going over my head. This all happened at around 120 miles per hour.
#4
My Golf Experiences
Started playing golf in 1976. Folks had a family get together in Fish Creek Wisconsin, and there was a golf course near by. My brother and Dad knew how to play. My brother-in-law and I had never played the game. Thus we had a 4 some. Needless to say, while I played terribly, I got hooked on the game. When I went to work for Newell Rubbermaid, the CEO was an excellent amateur golfer. Therefore, at every management meeting, the recreation was golf. So I worked on my game, with my handicap getting into the high single digits. Thru golf I got to play many courses and meet many people. Best courses were Pebble Beach, Scottsdale and Harbor Town. Most famous person I got to play golf with was Bobby Hull. Yes, his swing resembled a Hockey slap shot.
Today I play twice a week with a group of Seniors, using the Senior tees.
#5
My Basketball Coaching Years
When Blaze Christopher was in 3rd Grade, I got involved in Coaching Basketball, which lasted for 12 years A couple dad's were real good players and coaches, so I learned a lot from them. When my daughters were in 4th Grade and 6th Grade, I started coaching their teams. It just so happens that the class between my daughters was a GREAT class of basketball players. I coached this group from 5th Grade through 8th Grade, during which period their record was 83-0. Once in High School, they asked me to coach them during the Summer, which I did. The Summer between their Junior & Senior years, we had a 40 game schedule. All the hard work paid off. During their Senior year, this class won their Super Sectional game and went to State. This is the pic after their Super Sectional victory. By the way, Aquin High School had a total enrolment of just under 100, and this Class had an enrollment of 20.
#6
My Lake Front Years
While at Newell Rubbermaid, we moved to Lake Carroll in 1995, which was about 20 minutes from the office. The timing was perfect for the kids. Blaze, Brandi & Sierra all had their High School years while we were on Lake Carroll. They got to enjoy the toys... Outdoor Hot Tub, two Sea Doo's which went 55mph, a Pontoon boat and a Game Room down stairs. We also had a 21ft Mariah Shaba Z which went 58mph, but this was off limits to the kids. I taught the kids to water ski, and then adjusted the ski ropes so we could do a three man weave behind the Mariah. I was always the last one, so I could hold my rope high enough for the other two to cross under. The only problem with Lake Carroll was they had NO Bar or Restaurant on the lake. You had to park your water craft at your dock, and then drive the Restaurant. In addition, in 2004 they started to enforce a 45mph speed limit on the lake. We decided it was time to move on, and sold the property in 2005.
#7
My Cheerleading Experience
My son Blaze played Football, Golf, Basketball & Track in High School. Never got into Cheerleading. At the University Of Illinois, Blaze continued his weight training. One day he was approached about Cheerleading. He agreed, qualified and started in front of the crowds about game 4 his Sophomore year. Each year they have a Dad's day. Thus I got to be in front of the crowd with Blaze. At Dad's Day his last season, Blaze told me during the warm-up's, that I was going to do an "Extension". I told him I'd give it a shot. This pic is of our "Practice" before the game. During the third Quarter, I did an "Extension" in front of the crowd in the stands, and the crowd loved it.
#8
My Motorcycle Years
My Birthday Present in 2000 was a Harley Davidson Ultra Classic Electra Glide. As I was standing on the first tee at Pebble Beach, the dealer called to let me know the bike had arrived. The bike was a fun time and we had many memorial experiences. In 2010 when I bought the Carver, I did not have time for both toys. Since I preferred to be on the water, I sold my Harley Davidson.
#9
Big Game Fishing in Cabo San Lucas
We have enjoyed our trips to Cabo. Caught many big fish, including Black Marlin, Striped Marlin & my favorite, Yellow Fin Tuna. My largest was a 275 lb. Yellow Fin. Also have had some great views of dolphins. On occasion, aggressively feedi...Expand for more
ng, and on other occasions playing as if they were at Sea World. Jumping over 30 feet up and doing a flip OR a line of 10 to 15 in unison coming out of the water. We had our Sea World sights out in the wild Ocean.
#10
Snowmobiling in Michigan UP
Overlooking Copper Harbor in the Michigan UP. The UP has Lake Gogebic, which is 12 miles long. You enter the lake at the South end, and the Hoop & Holler Tavern is on the North end. We ride Artic Car ZR 800 EFI sleds, and are able to cover the 12 miles to Hoop & Holler in 6 minutes. Ya hey der.
#11
Lovers Beach, Cabo San Lucas
Lynda & I met on Match.Com in early 2002. Hit it off, and had a ceremony on Lovers Beach in September 2003. A couple unique experiences. FIRST, Lynda & I were staying in Cabo for a week and the 5 kids for only 4 days. So we flew the kids out of O'Hare 3 days after we went down. Lynda's daughter Dana was only 16 at the time, and needed her Dad's OK to go to Mexico. Woops. Seeing Dana's problem, my daughter Brandi new something was wrong, and called me on her cell at 4AM Cabo time. We went to the front desk, drafted the required release, I signed as Dana's Dad, the Hotel person signed as a witness, and we faxed to the appropriate party in Chicago. Dana was approved to go, and made her flight by 15 minutes. SECOND, there was NO dock at Lovers Beach. We all had to jump off the water taxi in the surf. Lynda ended up in water up to her arm pits BUT kept her hair & flowers dry. Finally, I asked the photographer to maker sure that the surf behind us was exploding when she took the pic
#12
On The Colorado River, heading for rapids
In 2010 we went on a rafting expedition down the Colorado River. It started at Lake Powell and we got off at the South Rim. The guide's were very willing to let those on board take the oars in calm water. As I did a decent job, the Guide let me take on some rapids. I believe he said they were Class 2. I did learn that when going thru the rapids, keep the oar tips UP.
When we got off the raft at the South Rim, we had a 10 mile hike straight up. We also had to load our back pack's with everything we had brought on the trip. It was a very interesting 10 hour hike. BUT we made it, and once at the Motel, had our FIRST REAL SHOWER in 7 days.
#13
Our Horse Farm Years
I retired in late 2012, and we relocated to our Horse Farm in Aiken, SC. Lynda has 3 horses, a Percheron, a Hanoverian and a Quarter Horse. I have a Mustang. Her horses eat hay, and mine eats premium gasoline. We have 10 acres of pasture, 5 acres of forest and an acre on top for the house & barn. Why Aiken? FIRST, it has Fox Hunts which Lynda likes to do. SECOND, it is within 2 hours of the ocean where we have our Carver docked, and THIRD, I can play golf any day IF I WANT TO. When we purchased this property, it was a Fixer-Upper. My long list of projects is being completed this year.
You will love this. After Discounts for Resident, Senior Citizen AND Agricultural, my Property Taxes are $1,400 PER YEAR.
#14
On The Carver, in Charleston, SC
Bought this Carver in 2010 after a three year search. It has a Fly Bridge, twin helms and twin screws. We bought it when we were io Barrington, IL, and the height needed to be less than 10 feet, so we could get under the RR bridge, and have access to the Fox River Chain of Lakes. This Carver had a height of 9 ft. 9 inches.
We did have an interesting experience at the Bristol Marina in Charleston. We arrived Saturday AM and found that someone had been living on the Carver. As I have a Concealed Weapon permit, I strapped on my Smith & Wesson just in case. We called the Police and cleaned up the boat. After spending the day on the water, we docked our Carver in the opposite direction, left the top cover off and left the interior lights on. At 4:00AM, the Carver got rocked... Someone had come on board and was trying to open the sliding door. I pulled out my Smith & Wesson, aimed at the door and yelled "OPEN THE DOOR AND I WILL SHOOT YOU". The person left and the Police arrived.
#15
At Don & Barb's, Brett has the Boss 302
Back in the 1970's, Don had a Mach 1 and I had a 1970 Boss 302. And YES, we drove them with a heave foot. Once we retired, Don got a 2010 Shelby GT 500. I was looking at a Corvette. However I learned that the Boss 302 was in production again. After my research, I decided on the 2013 Boss 302, as again, the Boss 302 was a true Race Car with a License Plate. As we were moving to South Carolina, I contacted a number of dealers about this car. The only dealer I found with the 2013 Race Red Boss 302 was O C WELSH Ford, near Hilton Head Island. We worked out a deal in February, I wired the full payment and they threw in the Track Key racing software at no charge.
#16
Moonshine Here We Come
As we are now in the South, we are looking into making our own Moonshine... Legally of course. We have had a course at the Dark Corners Distillery, on how to make the stuff. We have contacted the Aiken County States Attorney and the Aiken County Sherriff, to confirm what is legal. It appears that as long as we produce for our OWN consumption, we can make our own Moonshine. We are now looking for a still. We have tentatively found one at an Antique shop. The seller did moonshine a number of years ago, and we are trying to have him help us make out stuff. Gin for Lynda and Brandy for me. The last hurdle we need to clear, is to confirm that we can take the end product out of State, so we can give as a gift to family and friends. I would hate to be thrown in the slammer as a bootlegger.
#17
Aiken Justice, Watching For Trespassers
One day, my buddy Ulf, asked me what I was going to do, once my improvement projects were complete. I told him I was going to sit on my front porch and blast the Marketing folks, like Michael Caine and Robert Duval in Secondhand Lions. Ulf suggested this pic, as he wanted to send to his buddy Neil, in England's Special Services. So we set up the shot and Lynda took the pic. And YES, our Corona helps keep us prepared.
#18
Aiken Justice, Violators R.I.P.
After the pic with my Smith & Wesson and a Corona, I decided to take it a step further. Thus I got a plank from Home Depot, cut it so it looks like two Tombstones and put on the lettering. Ulf and his buddy Neil got a real kick out of this pic. HOWEVER, while the Sherriff had no problem with the Tombstones, the neighbors started asking Lynda, if we REALLY BURIED TRESSPASSERS under those two Tombstones. Needless to say, I DID take down the Tombstones. Any more, they only go up on Halloween.
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