I knew very early on in my life that I wanted to be a caregiver such as a nurse. At that time and place boys just did not verbalize those ideas. It was a profession dominated by women. So I suppressed what I wanted to do when I grew up.

I got my first job at the New York Athletic Club in 1958, where I met a person who always dressed in whites. When I asked, what he did, his answer was a “Masseur.” He explained what a Masseur did. I knew within a “nano” second that was what I wanted to do. It took me a few years to get to Massage School at The Swedish Institute. Massage became my life’s work.

I became active in the (NYSSMMT) and witnessed New York State become a Licensed State for Massage.

I then joined the America Massage & Therapy Association now renamed, the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). The two Professional Organizations gave me the tools to grow and develop personally and professionally.

In 1973, when I joined Merrill Lynch to be a corporate staff Massage Therapist it was a major event in my life. Merrill Lynch was the first major corporation willing to institute a massage/wellness setting for its’ employees and it was all the rave.

Many opportunities came my way in 28 years with Merrill Lynch. I was interviewed by major business newspapers and magazines. In turn, major corporations became interested in having a fitness center with staff massage therapists. They contacted me for advice on how to organize a fitness center and staff it. I am particularly proud of my accomplishments in this area. Many Massage Therapists were hired as a result of my efforts. Then David Palmer invented Chair Massage which effected corporate massage. It changed and expanded the profession.