Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Jake,
like many Giants, is a true citizen of the world with extensive travels
and work experience under his belt.
Growing up, Jake was good friends with Jon Vogel, Branch Manager of the Gentle
Giant division in Charlotte, NC. In addition to completing high school together,
they rowed competitively with the Carey Boat Club on the Yarra River and they both
attended the Swinburne University of Technology. At the university, Jake majored
in Business with concentrations in Organizational Development, Human Resources,
and Marketing. Following graduation, Jake began traveling, which he notes as a "rite
of passage" for many young Australians. In addition to exploring most of Europe
and Asia, Jake later joined Jon and several other high school "mates" on a road
trip across North America, with stops from Maine to Mexico. Jake notes that by
the time they made it back to Boston, they could "barely afford the tank of
gas to get there." In need of jobs right away, the friends found their way to
Gentle Giant, via a referral from a family friend of Jon's. Jake recalls that
he was not only quite impressed by Gentle Giant's operations, but that he found
the rowing culture of the company "spot on."
After working on the trucks for some time, Jake returned to Australia, where he
worked for several years as a media planner and buyer at Starcom MediaVest and later
as an account executive for DMG Radio. He appreciated the experience gained from
these positions, but ultimately decided that he preferred the variety and physical
challenges of being a Giant rather than a career behind a desk.
After a boating trip through the Inside Passage of the Alaska coast, Jake accepted
the opportunity to manage our Lorton office. Jake enjoys many of the qualities of
living in the northern Virginia-DC area, including having the opportunity to learn
more about American history via the monuments and museums throughout the region.
In his free time, Jake enjoys playing Australian-rules football, and he looks forward
to taking up rowing once again in the DC area.
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