THE JOURNEY
Gary’s journey is quite simple and a story to which most of us can relate. Successfully climbing the corporate ladder, calling the shots and making the money to prove it, he held the American dream securely by the tail. He was always justifying the long hours and the missed time with kids because he was building a strong financial future for his family. There was just one problem. He wasn’t particularly happy. He often found himself working with “cement heads” who were more concerned about earning their next dollar than spending quality time with their own kids.

More and more, life was revolving around chasing the proverbial corporate tail.

After 14 years of being run by the corporate world, he took his burning desire to succeed and started his own company. Armed with only his good ideas and his son’s Crayola crayon desk for his home office, he started the Summit Group.

Gary found he and his company were in high demand from stellar companies seeking his sales and training expertise. Success on his own terms began to feel like a reality. But how do you measure real success? Net worth or life worth was the choice. Gary was in search of financial success, but also a way to be involved with his family every day.

REAL SUCCESS
In the end it took a divorce and a strong look at his life to begin to figure it all out. The eventual transformation of his new approach to his career and life inspired his writing of Life …Don’t Miss It, I Almost Did. It was created as a testimony to living the most fulfilling life. It’s a book about risk taking and self-examination as Gary reveals some of his own life’s most intimate moments. Such as the passing of his parents, where for the first time he realized there was something much bigger in control of it all. Or, sharing the graduation letter he wrote to his son with his 10 Points of Life where he aims to instill that “life worth” is far more important than net worth.

The most relevant lessons that Gary shares are to respect others, keep family first, possess gratitude and have fun doing whatever it is that you do.

Chapters like “Relationship Refinement: ‘Thinning the Herd’” and “Don’t Major in the Minors” provide practical insights to simply making life less complicated and more enjoyable. He evens shares his business acumen in describing successful marketing initiatives that were employed with his minor league baseball teams. Like using a pig to deliver baseballs to the umpire and hot tubs in the outfield. Ideas and solutions that were very out of the box. Fun and simple stuff that most ad executives would frown upon, but his audiences loved.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR LIFE
In the end, his real return on investment always comes from the simpler moments in life. Many of the things he loves most today are the very same things he and his parents enjoyed when he was a boy. Watching the birds eat from his feeders, sitting out on his deck, watching the trout jump in the lake, the beauty of a full moon, and, of course, a great baseball game.

Everyone can use a little inspiration and that is exactly what you will receive after reading this book. To trust your ability to live a fulfilled life by doing exactly what makes you happy and having some fun along the way.

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Great Moments
With one of his three sons, Gary finishes the Boilermaker, the largest 15K race in the nation. He’s always busy, but he also always makes time for his family and friends.

Great Moments
Gary and Laura (who is from Italy herself) enjoy their frequent trips back to their home in Italy. Gary spends much of his time traveling between his homes in Sorrento, Atlanta and New York.

Great Moments
Sometimes you just have to enjoy a great cigar.

Great Moments
A sillier moment with good friends Mike Veeck and Allen Fadhen.

Great Moments
Gary at his ballpark with the mayor of Brockton. His partners include Bill Murray, Jimmy Buffet, and Mike Veeck and together their baseball organization is ranked as one of the top ten best service companies in North America. They were recently invited to join the ownership group of the Chicago Cubs professional baseball team.

Good readin’
“The purpose of this book is to share with people of all ages the secrets to achieving a high life worth at any age. Life is too awesome to not be enjoyed every day in every way. It can be done. I know, because I am living it.” — Gary Kunath

amazon.com

PHOTO CREDITS:
Juan Carlos Ruiz
Sorrento, Italy